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Posted on: 9/17/18 3:22 PM ET
I want to draft some flounces to add to various garments in various places... for example:

A flounce along the bottom edge of a top to make a peplum
A flounce along an armhole / the armscye
A flounce along a yoke seam
A flounce at sleeve end in place of cuff
Etc.

I understand how to draft a flounce and that I will end up with
- a (even or uneven) spiral, doughnut or double/triple/.. doughnut and
- the smaller curve will attach to the garment and the outer edge will flare and needs to be finished in some way.

Once I have the shape of the flounce drafted I get a little hung up on the details... specifically:

1. I am not sure how to add a seam allowance.

Should the calculations for the flounce include a seam allowance at the attaching edge? That is, should the depth of the flounce include a seam allowance at the attaching edge and if so how is this done....

Or does one add the seam allowance afterwards as in other pattern drafting? It’s such a tight set of curves on a flounce I don’t feel confident of this.


2. How does a flounce typically get attached to a garment edge?

I can see how a flounce can be sandwiched between two pieces of a self fabric double yoke or inserted into a seam like a princess seam...
... but how does it get attached to a garment opening such as an armhole? Is the armhole bound in some way? Is a facing added and the flounce edge sewn between main pattern piece and facing? What other options are there?

3. What are the best options for finishing the flared edge of the flounce?

It’s going to be a fairly long though rather tight curve (even though less curved than the edge that is attached to the garment).

I don’t have a serger... is a hand rolled hem the best finish? or can it be pinked? Or left unfinished since much of it will be on the bias?

I would love to know any ideas, tips, or experience from the flounce sewers

Many thanks.
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Posted on: 9/17/18 3:31 PM ET
In reply to Cdiemont
If you're drafting, generally you're going to draft so the less concave flounce edge matches the seam length it's going to sew to. And then you add seam allowance (which will need to be slashed).

The flounce can be finished on both edges and sewn to the body of the garment, or you can finish with a facing or binding or lining... just like a ruffle.

How to finish the edges depends a lot on the fabric and the effect you want. Wovens will almost always have a section where they will fray, even if you pink (pinking a bias edge puts the cuts along lengthwise or crossgrain yarns). You'll get a different section, where the grain is close to lengthwise or crossgrain, fraying if you just leave it raw edged. You could also do a stitch about 1/4" in from the cut edge, like we used to do on simple seam finishes. I typically narrow hem, either with a scroll foot or by hand. I've also bound with bias strips, but that's a lot of weight. If it's synthetic, you can often cut with a hot knife and leave that melted edge as a finish. You can also cut double flounces and sew them together on the outside edge, turn, press and treat as if they were a single ply of fabric.

Do you have access to Colette Wolff's Art of Manipulating Fabric? You may find that helpful to you.


-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 3:32 PM --
  
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Posted on: 9/17/18 3:59 PM ET
My flounce sewing, really ratcheded up, a whole bunch, after I got an overlocker. So that could even be a good or maybe the best reason to get one! Just since, the overlocker makes it easy to sew a small finished seam allowance where a curved flounce attaches to something straight, and without having to do a lot of hand manipulation there, to get it on, and without having to do a lot of grading, clipping and notching. Also makes it much more easy to do a ton/miles of long rolled hems on the outer curves of them. Also lets you do a stretched lettuce edge on the bottom of them, pretty easy, if you want. Of course all that stuff can be done by sewing machine, or by hand too- just so, so much more work.

But if you don't want to have to finish off the outer edge of some flounce, you might be able to cut it double, sew it to it's matching self, notch it, and then turn it inside out, to have a self lined flounce, and have it double layered. You could top stitch it down where you did that, if you wanted to, or not. If you wanted to attach it to something and not see the seam on the back of it and not have something lined, you could tape over it there on the back of it with something.
  
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Posted on: 9/17/18 4:07 PM ET
In reply to Cdiemont
Here is a post from Mary Funt about drafting circular flounces
-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 4:08 PM --
-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 4:08 PM --
  
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Posted on: 9/17/18 4:56 PM ET
Some suggestions. I typically used a 1/4” seam allowance on the seam edge of a flounce - it’s easier to sew, as a 5/8” s.a. needs to be clipped and is difficult to maneuver on such tight curves. No clipping needed on a 1/4” s.a.

Since you don’t have a serger, a rolled hem by hand or your conventional machine would be the best finish if you don’t want to line the flounce.

Lining a flounce can be self fabric, lining fabric, or even silk or poly organza. The lining choice depends on the weight of the fashion fabric and the depth of the flounce, as too heavy a lining could affect the flounce’s drape.

When attaching the flounce to an armhole, you can finish the seam allowance with bias binding, hand overcasting, or a facing.
  
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Posted on: 9/17/18 9:59 PM ET
In reply to kayl
Quote: kayl
If you're drafting, generally you're going to draft so the less concave flounce edge matches the seam length it's going to sew to. And then you add seam allowance (which will need to be slashed).



The flounce can be finished on both edges and sewn to the body of the garment, or you can finish with a facing or binding or lining... just like a ruffle.



How to finish the edges depends a lot on the fabric and the effect you want. Wovens will almost always have a section where they will fray, even if you pink (pinking a bias edge puts the cuts along lengthwise or crossgrain yarns). You'll get a different section, where the grain is close to lengthwise or crossgrain, fraying if you just leave it raw edged. You could also do a stitch about 1/4" in from the cut edge, like we used to do on simple seam finishes. I typically narrow hem, either with a scroll foot or by hand. I've also bound with bias strips, but that's a lot of weight. If it's synthetic, you can often cut with a hot knife and leave that melted edge as a finish. You can also cut double flounces and sew them together on the outside edge, turn, press and treat as if they were a single ply of fabric.



Do you have access to Colette Wolff's Art of Manipulating Fabric? You may find that helpful to you.




-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 3:32 PM --

Thank you.... the bit I was missing (very dumb moment!) was the slashing of the seam allowance.... when I read that, Light bulbs went off: “ah ha, of course!”

If I understand you correctly, when both edges are finished then the flounce can be attached like a trim?

Thanks for the details on edge finishes:
- Yes, I agree binding will be too heavy, especially for most of the flounce I envision in a nice drapey silk!

- Got it on the issue with the pinking - I see how that would be problematic unless I want a frayed look

- I might try the stitch a 1/4” from the edge and see how I like that as it sounds easy and no need to bother with special machine feet.

- I don’t really sew with synthetics since I find them super hot here in Dubai but I can see the appeal of a heat sealed edged... if I come across a nice synthetic I will get a bit and try this.

- I don’t have a scroll foot... is it this one?
Bernina Straight Stich Hemmer (foot #62)


- It looks like the best option might be double layer fabric, joined and turned. I will have to consider carefully the weight of my fabrics for flounces in this case.


I do have Collette Wolff’s “The Art of Manipulating Fabric”. I will look through and see what I find and like... thank you!
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Posted on: 9/17/18 10:07 PM ET
In reply to beauturbo
Quote: beauturbo
My flounce sewing, really ratcheded up, a whole bunch, after I got an overlocker. So that could even be a good or maybe the best reason to get one! Just since, the overlocker makes it easy to sew a small finished seam allowance where a curved flounce attaches to something straight, and without having to do a lot of hand manipulation there, to get it on, and without having to do a lot of grading, clipping and notching. Also makes it much more easy to do a ton/miles of long rolled hems on the outer curves of them. Also lets you do a stretched lettuce edge on the bottom of them, pretty easy, if you want. Of course all that stuff can be done by sewing machine, or by hand too- just so, so much more work.



But if you don't want to have to finish off the outer edge of some flounce, you might be able to cut it double, sew it to it's matching self, notch it, and then turn it inside out, to have a self lined flounce, and have it double layered. You could top stitch it down where you did that, if you wanted to, or not. If you wanted to attach it to something and not see the seam on the back of it and not have something lined, you could tape over it there on the back of it with something.

I have been eyeing sergers for a few months ... so this is an excellent reason to look more carefully into them!

Do you have any recommendation on the function the serger needs to be able to do to edge finish flounces nicely? I mostly sew with woven natural fibre fabrics (cotton, silk, linen) and it being Dubai, they are lightweight usually.

Thanks for the advice on double layer flounces to avoid miles of rolled hems . I will have to test fabrics to see how this works out.

I did think of joining the joining edge of the flounce to a really fine bias cut ribbon, which would then attach to the garment. The only issue is then getting the right weight, quality and colour here in Dubai. We have acres (it seems) of horrible polyester ribbons but not much else so I would have to get these over the Internet which is difficult for matching trims to fabrics. Maybe if the garment is appropriate, I can go with a contrast colour then it’s much simpler to get a trim to complement a fabric.

Thanks for giving me another good reason to get a serger!
-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 10:08 PM --
-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 10:09 PM --
------
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Posted on: 9/17/18 10:11 PM ET
In reply to SewsforCats
That’s a great post. Thank you!

Nice to see all the details and especially the photos where the construction details can be seen. Like this one:


Thank you
-- Edited on 9/17/18 at 10:23 PM --
------
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Posted on: 9/17/18 10:22 PM ET
In reply to TheFabricsmith
Quote: TheFabricsmith
Some suggestions. I typically used a 1/4” seam allowance on the seam edge of a flounce - it’s easier to sew, as a 5/8” s.a. needs to be clipped and is difficult to maneuver on such tight curves. No clipping needed on a 1/4” s.a.



Since you don’t have a serger, a rolled hem by hand or your conventional machine would be the best finish if you don’t want to line the flounce.



Lining a flounce can be self fabric, lining fabric, or even silk or poly organza. The lining choice depends on the weight of the fashion fabric and the depth of the flounce, as too heavy a lining could affect the flounce’s drape.



When attaching the flounce to an armhole, you can finish the seam allowance with bias binding, hand overcasting, or a facing.

Thank you for the details on the 1/4” seam allowance depth. That is very helpful and will make those curves easier.

It looks like I will want to get a rolled hem foot (which I think must be the same as the scroll foot mentioned above by kayl?).

I don’t mind hand sewing and quite enjoy hemming but I don’t think I would like to sew so many inches of tight curves on such narrow pieces of fabric. I will be off to visit the Bernina dealer .

Thank you for the guidance on lining fabrics for flounces. I had wondered about organza being appropriate or not. I might try with a super lightweight, almost transparent cotton... we have quite a large selection of these in Dubai. ... I will view this in the same manner as underlining and look for appropriate matches for the drape/stiffness effect I want. Thank you.

Thank you for the options for an armhole. I can visualise the binding and the facing but not so easily the hand overcasting. Is this done on a turned back edge (like a hem) or is the overcast edge “visible”? Do you have an image of an example you could link to? Many thanks.
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Posted on: 9/18/18 1:26 AM ET
In reply to Cdiemont
This is my favorite way to hem delicate fabrics: Hand-rolled hem. I find that this looks best from both sides on cascading flounces or ruffles, especially if you're looking to use silk.
  
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