Raw Edge Construction
By Linda Lee
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Raw Edge Finishes
It may have started with
Halston and his Ultrasuede™
shirtwaist dresses in the 70’s.
The best way to construct
clothing using Ultrasuede™ is
to use an overlapping seam
technique to reduce bulk and
allow the fabric to lie flat since
it does not press well.
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Raw Edge Finishes
Then we fell in love with
felting wool jersey, thanks to
Berkeley artist, Jean
Cacicedo, in the 1980’s.
Her museum-quality, art-towear pieces combined felted
wool jersey and reverse
appliqué techniques that
defined this genre.
And suddenly, through her
generous teaching, we knew
how to work with fabrics that
did not ravel using raw edge
seam and finishing
techniques.
Original coat by Jean Cacicedo
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So What Fabrics Work?
Ultrasuede™ still exists,
but is slightly out of
fashion favor. And wool
jersey is increasingly
hard to find.
But other fabrics fit the
bill such as ponte knits,
wool and rayon boucle
knits, double knits,
French terries, midweight cotton jerseys
and some sweater knits.
If the fabric does not
ravel, it qualifies.
Wool Double Knit
Ponte Knit
French Terry
Sweater Knit
Wool Jersey
Organic Cotton Jersey
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Wool & Rayon Boucle Knit
A Good Example — the Opal Jacket
Kathy used a wool and rayon
boucle knit to make this
stunning Opal Jacket.
It’s a nice modern example of
using an overlapping seam
technique and leaving the
edges raw.
This tutorial showcases the
primary sewing techniques
required to construct the Opal
Jacket using a fabric that does
not ravel.
Plus, you’ll see some details
that will inspire you to go “raw”.
Opal Jacket in Apple Wool
and Rayon Boucle Knit
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Notions You Will Need
For cutting and trimming,
use a rotary cutter and
appliqué scissors.
Appliqué Scissors
For marking, use a Quilt and
Sew Ruler and a Chakoner.
IBC Pins
For holding the fabric in
place, use Dritz Sewing &
Craft Tape and sharp pins.
Rotary Cutter
Sewing & Craft Tape
Chakoner
Quilt and Sew Ruler
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Presser Feet You Will Need
Use an edgestitch foot for
stitching the first row of a
seam.
Use a patchwork foot
(¼"-wide toe) to topstitch
the second row.
Edgestitch foot
Use a walking foot (also
called an even feed foot)
if your fabric creeps.
Patchwork foot
Walking foot
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Techniques — Sew an Overlapping Seam
To make an overlapping
seam, first mark the seam
allowances on each
corresponding piece using
a ruler and Chakoner.
Leave one seam allowance
intact.
Using a rotary cutter,
remove the seam
allowance from the
corresponding piece.
Chalk mark the
seam allowance
Cut away this seam allowance
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Techniques — Sew an Overlapping Seam
Adhere a strip of
Sewing & Craft Tape
inside the attached
seam allowance.
Remove the paper
covering of the tape to
expose the tacky line of
adhesive.
Strip of Sewing & Craft
Tape in seam allowance
Remove paper covering
to expose adhesive
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Techniques — Sew an Overlapping Seam
Place the garment piece
that has the seam
allowance removed over
the corresponding taped
seam allowance.
Align the raw edge along
the chalk marking.
Raw edge
Finger press the seam
allowance in place to
“glue” the pieces together.
Chalk line
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Techniques — Sew an Overlapping Seam
Using an edgestitch foot,
stitch close to the raw
edge (1).
Right Side
Wrong Side
Remove the strip of
adhesive tape (2).
Use a patchwork foot to
sew an even ¼" from the
first row of stitching (3).
1
2
Right Side
Wrong Side
On the wrong side and
using appliqué scissors,
trim the excess fabric
close to the second row of
stitching (4).
3
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Techniques — Sew an Overlapping Seam
This is what the seaming
looks like when finished.
Notice that the side back
seams are oriented
towards the center back.
Right Side
The center back seam can
be directed either way.
Completed Opal back
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Techniques — Darts and Plackets
Sew the darts as you
normally would.
Wrong Side
The dart in the Opal Jacket
opens at the center front to
form a drape.
Cut placket larger
than the finished size
To form the button placket,
sew a rectangle of fabric to
the wrong side of the
garment. Cut it larger than
the finished size.
Dart is open at
the center front
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Techniques — Darts and Plackets
Use appliqué scissors to
trim the excess fabric
around the placket.
Wrong Side
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Techniques — Darts and Plackets
Edgestitch the dart line to
the marked end.
Using an edgestitch foot
helps to sew evenly from
the folded edge.
The rectangle reinforces
the buttonholes that will
be sewn in this placket.
Edgestitch
Use this rectangle to
reinforce the buttonholes
and the buttons.
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Right Side
Techniques — Sewing the Sleeves
The overlapping seam
technique is used to install
the sleeves.
The seam allowance is
removed from the garment
and is overlapped onto the
sleeve. The sleeves have the
original seam allowance.
Garment
Sleeve
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Techniques — Sewing the Neck and Collar
Sew an overlapping seam
to connect the right and
left fronts that also form
the back collar.
Note the tailor tacks that
identify the shoulder/neck
points.
Tailor tacks
Remove the seam
allowance from the back
neck and collar.
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Techniques — Sewing the Neck and Collar
Chalk mark the seam
allowance on the back
neck and shoulders.
Overlap the fronts and
collar onto the back and
shoulders.
Back
Stitch the shoulders only
using the overlapping
seam technique, stopping
at the tailor tacks.
Front
Shoulder seam
Collar
Back
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Techniques — Sewing the Neck and Collar
Complete the neck and
collar by sewing the back
neck last using the
overlapping seam
technique.
Back neck seam
Back
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Techniques — Sewing the Side Seams
When a seam is curved or
shaped in some way, the
adhesive strip may not
hold well enough.
After applying the Sewing
& Craft Tape, place the
garment on a sleeve board
and pin the overlapping
seam in place before
sewing.
Raw edge
Sleeve Board
Back
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Techniques — Finishing the Edges
Even though the edges are
left raw, a row or two of
straight stitches adds a
nice touch.
Don’t try to sew extremely
close to the edge. Stitch
⁵⁄₈" from the raw edge, then
use a ruler and rotary
cutter to trim next to the
stitching.
Stitch again ¼" from the
first row of stitching.
Two rows of topstitching
Back
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
This Ann’s Cardigan is
made in a two-sided
sweater knit.
The seams are constructed
with the overlapping seam
method. The hems are left
raw with two parallel rows
of straight stitches for
finishing.
Seam and edge finish
choices can be mixed
within one garment.
Ann’s Cardigan in a sweater knit
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
Pinked detail
This Mimosa Top shows
another use for two
colors of sweater knit.
The zigzag edge
created by pinking
shears creates an
artistic edge.
Sometimes the edges of
raw edge garments
need to be reinforced.
Add a second strip of
fabric as a useful design
detail.
Reinforcing strip
Mimosa Top in a sweater knit
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
Wool jersey is a single knit.
When washed, agitated
and dried, it felts
beautifully.
The raw edges “heal” and
will never fray.
Tribeca Shirt
These examples show the
variety of “sculpting”
possibilities from ruffles, to
piping and applied
buttonhole patches.
Zen Shirt
Tribeca Shirt
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
Many cotton knits have
unique selvages.
Cut them off and save for
another project.
Selvage reapplied at armhole
Or reapply them as
finished edges
Poppy Vest
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
Wool melton can be left
unfinished, especially if it
has been laundered first.
It has a polar fleece look
but is more luxurious.
Erin made this Tribeca
Shirt as a vest and plans
to wear it this winter as
her “better-thanPatagonia” outerwear
piece.
Tribeca Vest in wool melton
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Techniques — Fun Finishes
It’s a lot easier to add
appliqués in woven fabric
when you are sewing
them to a base of fabric
that can be left
unfinished.
Silk kimono pieces are
applied to this felted
wool jersey Whistles
Shirt.
Whistles Shirt in felted wool
jersey with silk appliqués.
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Raw Edge Construction
By Linda Lee
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