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Member since 8/15/03
Posts: 411
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Posted on: 11/17/06 9:29 AM ET
So, I bought 5 yards of Italian Stretch Twill from Denver Fabrics. It's a RPL blend with 11.2 oz per square yard according to the website, so is somewhat beefier than other RPL I've used but is very nice and soft and drapey....I love it! Anyway, I made a pair of pants and am very pleased except that the seams don't want to lie flat...the fabric wants to puff out from the seam, just as fabric generally does before you iron it, except that with lighter fabrics the washing machine takes care of this.

In RTW jeans, the seams are topstitched down (do I mean flat-felled?) to avoid this, but I'm not sure that this technique would work well for this softer, stretchier fabric. I could of course iron all the seams every time I wear them, but....uh, ain't gonna happen. Any suggestions (not so much for fixing these, but for a seam finish that will avoid this problem in my next pair?)
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Dana
  
Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 11/17/06 10:17 AM ET
Sandra Betzina has a technique where you take a strip of interfacing and press it down the length of the pressed open seam. That is the only thing I can think of - but then this does not sound appropriate for RPL, since it usually stretches both ways. Perhaps a fusible knit, or bias strip of interfacing? Somehow I just don't see it staying well through washings though.
Gee I was alot of help, hunh?
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Bernina 790 PRO, 570
Babylock Evolution


When life gives you green velvet curtains, make a green velvet dress.
  
Member since 8/15/03
Posts: 411
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Posted on: 11/17/06 12:10 PM ET
Thanks, Mary! That is an idea worth trying.

I should also mention that I might have done something really basic wrong...I had been sewing the seams on my sewing machine and they seemed to get wrinkly on twill, so this time I just serged...but maybe those allowances need to be pressed open and that is the problem? In which case, how do I make sure they don't get wrinkly?
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Dana
  
Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 11/17/06 12:23 PM ET
Did you use a small zig zag or straight stitch on the sewing machine, and did you use the differential feed on your serger? I'd try a slight differential setting, and a small zig zag on the sewing machine. Even though it's a woven, it's still got enough lycra, and stretch in that direction to maybe need that. I remember Gigi saying once that a small zig zag is good even on bias seams that are not stretch fabric so it will just hang better.
ETA: other ideas: taut sewing (for the polyester aspect - poly always seems to benefit from this, but since it has a slight veritcal stretch, don't stretch it, just make it taut), microtex needle, polyester thread, looser tension.

-- Edited on 11/17/06 12:26 PM --
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Bernina 790 PRO, 570
Babylock Evolution


When life gives you green velvet curtains, make a green velvet dress.
  
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