Nicely done! Lazy woman’s tip: offset your fabric by half the seam allowance before you take your initial seam. You avoid the need to come back in and trim the seam in a confined area. Ahem. You also avoid the catastrophe of “trimming” a hole in your garment. Ask me how I know😅
Haha yes I do this too sometimes, the trouble is that can sometimes leave you without enough seam allowance to turn at joining points on the trickier areas, I have a set direction I turn my seam allowances on tunics and dresses that needs the extra left in place, to make all the join points tidy, lol. But I am a little obsessive about getting them all tucked in. :)
As per usual, I have been Doing It Wrong - while some of my seams are felled to one side and some opened out and felled, I've always done it so that the felling stitches don't show on the outside on wool and even on fine linen are as close to invisible as possible (except on one piece where I had some linen thread I'd dyed blue and specifically wanted to be visible). I assume I was taught to do that when I was very small, because I don't remember being taught it at all and I didn't start doing any historical costume sewing until well after I left school, but I do remember my high-school sewing teacher (who I was mostly ignoring, as per usual) grabbing the skirt I was making to demonstrate how to use the blind-hemming stitch on the machine, starting to explain that I'd pressed it wrongly for that... and then realising that my hem wasn't just pressed into place, it was sewn by hand with tiny, almost-invisible stitches. Can't imagine why she didn't like me...
If it works for you. It isn't wrong! These are techniques we find on multiple pieces of viking clothing, but almost any combination of running stitch, back stitch, and whip stitch you can imagine has been used somewhere in the period! If you are getting invisible stitching on wool and it holds up well, that's brilliant!
Thank you for this tutorial! I'm a LARPer and I really love making my own garb for events. I'm always on the lookout for ways to make my garb more authentic and hold up against wear and tear. Especially since I am so rough on my garb! 😅
That was delightful. I did have a harder time seeing the dark wool, but that could be I was watching on my phone. I look forward to perusing more of your videos.
Thankyou so much. :) the light in this one wasn't the best thanks to the joy's of British summer, and my ring light decided to go very dim for some reason!
Great video and really useful! Thank you! Musing on stitch names...for me, whip stitch is different to hemming stitch - the stitch you used for felled seams is essentially what I'd call hemming stitch, whereas the last last method edges bound is what I'd call whip stitch? However I can now see the similarities, which I didn't appreciate before. For a less visible hem, I use what I think is called blind hemming stitch, where you pick up just a few threads from the main fabric before bringing the needle out through the folded hem. I'm not sure whether it's more or less confusing to use one name for the variations, or to call it by different names...?
I've struggled with the naming conventions as well, as the qualities of each stich are so similar, different documents give the same techniques but different names, some of them are translations from various languages, but with whip/hem stitch, including the blind hem, the basic elements of the stitch are the same, the diagonal sweep, either over an edge which holds it down or together, whether over the outside of the seam or tucked inside the folded seam allowance, and the spiral profile of the final stitch, (if you imagine the fabric vanishing away) are so similar that for practical purposes they are the same thing even if they have different names in different places!
Not sure if it would be accurate to period style pieces, but I've done some mending where I use something comparable to a blanket stitch in place of the whip stitch to keep the folded seam edges in place. (I'm sure it has some different name than blanket stitch in this application because the back part goes through and anchors to another fabric. But I can't recall it right now.) It ends up appearing as a continuous line in a similar fashion to the back-stitch on the exposed side. Seems neater, but it does take more time to do consistently.
I think when it comes to repairs, whatever works well would be ideal. We have lots of evidence of clothing being repaired in period, and some examples where it's really obvious that a different person has done the repair than the original construction as their stitching technique is so different! I've done similar when patching a cloak some years ago, using a modified blanket stitch to hold down the edge of the patch. :)
Thank you for fantastic explanations and videos. really enjoying them all. Can i ask where you get your linen thread from, i am finding it really hard to find any unwaxed linen thread in anything other than small quantities
I usually try and pick it up at reenactment markets, but when I've run low before now I have found some on etsy, the tudor tailor usually has some in stock and there are others on that platform too. Weavers bazaar also does linen thread but supply has been difficult everywhere in recent months so it's a case of snapping it up when you see it!
@WyrdKindred year you said 10 cm, but it is OK! We all understood you meant 1cm!! 😄 No worries!!! Thsk you so much for the videos, they are soooo helpful!
Do you have any advice on how to best fell a curved seam? Say for example the centre crotch seam of trousers? I feel like no matter what I do it comes out bunched and awkward
Curves are always tricky, but the best way I find is to pin like crazy, start with the ends and centre, then do quarters, then 8ths between each one and repeat until the whole lot is eased in. You may find at some of the points you need to make the seam allowance a bit thinner to help it lay flatter. Curves with wovens are always a pain, but if you can distribute the excess evenly it is much easier.
@@WyrdKindred Ahh that does explain where I have been going wrong - I seldom pin anything, I find they get in the way and I detest poking myself on a pin I forget is there haha I'll certainly try that this time around though, thank you for responding!
@@strangelyunusualify You could try doing a few loops of tack stitches at strategic places in lieu of pinning. Depending on how particular you are, they can either be left in or removed when the actual stitching for the join reaches that point. It's probably not done that often in most sewing instructions because it takes a bit more time to do than the usual pinning method.
Nicely done! Lazy woman’s tip: offset your fabric by half the seam allowance before you take your initial seam. You avoid the need to come back in and trim the seam in a confined area. Ahem. You also avoid the catastrophe of “trimming” a hole in your garment. Ask me how I know😅
Haha yes I do this too sometimes, the trouble is that can sometimes leave you without enough seam allowance to turn at joining points on the trickier areas, I have a set direction I turn my seam allowances on tunics and dresses that needs the extra left in place, to make all the join points tidy, lol. But I am a little obsessive about getting them all tucked in. :)
Yes PLEASE! Love your tutorials, your way of explaining is so calm, precise and easy to follow!
Oh that is so kind of you to say, thank you! :)
Excellent tutorial again, the way you calmly describe what you do is really encouraging. Can't be long before the 'unintended ASMR' lot turn up 🙂
Aww thank you. :)
As per usual, I have been Doing It Wrong - while some of my seams are felled to one side and some opened out and felled, I've always done it so that the felling stitches don't show on the outside on wool and even on fine linen are as close to invisible as possible (except on one piece where I had some linen thread I'd dyed blue and specifically wanted to be visible). I assume I was taught to do that when I was very small, because I don't remember being taught it at all and I didn't start doing any historical costume sewing until well after I left school, but I do remember my high-school sewing teacher (who I was mostly ignoring, as per usual) grabbing the skirt I was making to demonstrate how to use the blind-hemming stitch on the machine, starting to explain that I'd pressed it wrongly for that... and then realising that my hem wasn't just pressed into place, it was sewn by hand with tiny, almost-invisible stitches. Can't imagine why she didn't like me...
If it works for you. It isn't wrong! These are techniques we find on multiple pieces of viking clothing, but almost any combination of running stitch, back stitch, and whip stitch you can imagine has been used somewhere in the period! If you are getting invisible stitching on wool and it holds up well, that's brilliant!
I love these videos! Please keep them coming
I intend to! I have lots lined up to film, if only there were more hours in the day! I am so glad you enjoy them. :)
Thank you for this tutorial! I'm a LARPer and I really love making my own garb for events. I'm always on the lookout for ways to make my garb more authentic and hold up against wear and tear. Especially since I am so rough on my garb! 😅
You are very welcome. :)
You have such a calming and clear way of explaining things. It definitely makes it easy to understand and learn.
That makes me really happy, thank you!
That was delightful. I did have a harder time seeing the dark wool, but that could be I was watching on my phone. I look forward to perusing more of your videos.
Thankyou so much. :) the light in this one wasn't the best thanks to the joy's of British summer, and my ring light decided to go very dim for some reason!
Great video and really useful! Thank you! Musing on stitch names...for me, whip stitch is different to hemming stitch - the stitch you used for felled seams is essentially what I'd call hemming stitch, whereas the last last method edges bound is what I'd call whip stitch? However I can now see the similarities, which I didn't appreciate before.
For a less visible hem, I use what I think is called blind hemming stitch, where you pick up just a few threads from the main fabric before bringing the needle out through the folded hem.
I'm not sure whether it's more or less confusing to use one name for the variations, or to call it by different names...?
I've struggled with the naming conventions as well, as the qualities of each stich are so similar, different documents give the same techniques but different names, some of them are translations from various languages, but with whip/hem stitch, including the blind hem, the basic elements of the stitch are the same, the diagonal sweep, either over an edge which holds it down or together, whether over the outside of the seam or tucked inside the folded seam allowance, and the spiral profile of the final stitch, (if you imagine the fabric vanishing away) are so similar that for practical purposes they are the same thing even if they have different names in different places!
Not sure if it would be accurate to period style pieces, but I've done some mending where I use something comparable to a blanket stitch in place of the whip stitch to keep the folded seam edges in place. (I'm sure it has some different name than blanket stitch in this application because the back part goes through and anchors to another fabric. But I can't recall it right now.) It ends up appearing as a continuous line in a similar fashion to the back-stitch on the exposed side. Seems neater, but it does take more time to do consistently.
I think when it comes to repairs, whatever works well would be ideal. We have lots of evidence of clothing being repaired in period, and some examples where it's really obvious that a different person has done the repair than the original construction as their stitching technique is so different! I've done similar when patching a cloak some years ago, using a modified blanket stitch to hold down the edge of the patch. :)
Thank you for fantastic explanations and videos. really enjoying them all. Can i ask where you get your linen thread from, i am finding it really hard to find any unwaxed linen thread in anything other than small quantities
I usually try and pick it up at reenactment markets, but when I've run low before now I have found some on etsy, the tudor tailor usually has some in stock and there are others on that platform too. Weavers bazaar also does linen thread but supply has been difficult everywhere in recent months so it's a case of snapping it up when you see it!
@@WyrdKindred thank you, will start there
The seam allowance is around 1 cm not 10. 😊
1inch is 2,5 cm.
Did I not say 10mm or half an inch? will have to go back through and check! Was that in the voice-over or subtitles?
@@WyrdKindred you say 10cm! At 3mins 10
@WyrdKindred year you said 10 cm, but it is OK! We all understood you meant 1cm!! 😄
No worries!!!
Thsk you so much for the videos, they are soooo helpful!
Do you have any advice on how to best fell a curved seam? Say for example the centre crotch seam of trousers? I feel like no matter what I do it comes out bunched and awkward
Curves are always tricky, but the best way I find is to pin like crazy, start with the ends and centre, then do quarters, then 8ths between each one and repeat until the whole lot is eased in. You may find at some of the points you need to make the seam allowance a bit thinner to help it lay flatter. Curves with wovens are always a pain, but if you can distribute the excess evenly it is much easier.
@@WyrdKindred Ahh that does explain where I have been going wrong - I seldom pin anything, I find they get in the way and I detest poking myself on a pin I forget is there haha
I'll certainly try that this time around though, thank you for responding!
@@strangelyunusualify You could try doing a few loops of tack stitches at strategic places in lieu of pinning. Depending on how particular you are, they can either be left in or removed when the actual stitching for the join reaches that point. It's probably not done that often in most sewing instructions because it takes a bit more time to do than the usual pinning method.