Seams coming apart - some causes
#1
Power Poster
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,412
Seams coming apart - some causes
Usually my seams do not come apart - any more -
Some things that have caused problems for me:
The seam allowance got too skimpy!!! It really is better to unsew the seam and sew it again properly.
The fabric was a frayer and/or flimsy.
The fabric was very loosely woven.
Using an overly long stitch length.
I was trying to "fudge" a skimpy piece to fit - and that resulted in a skimpy seam allowance - and that resulted in the seam pulling apart.
The fabric gave up after being unsewn and resewn several times.
When strip piecing, did not shorten the stitch length, so the units came apart before I got around to incorporating them into bigger units.
Not stay-stitching around the outer edge of a pieced border.
Some things that have caused problems for me:
The seam allowance got too skimpy!!! It really is better to unsew the seam and sew it again properly.
The fabric was a frayer and/or flimsy.
The fabric was very loosely woven.
Using an overly long stitch length.
I was trying to "fudge" a skimpy piece to fit - and that resulted in a skimpy seam allowance - and that resulted in the seam pulling apart.
The fabric gave up after being unsewn and resewn several times.
When strip piecing, did not shorten the stitch length, so the units came apart before I got around to incorporating them into bigger units.
Not stay-stitching around the outer edge of a pieced border.
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
This is the one that catches me. I often don't use borders at all so I have to watch for things coming apart. If I'm being smart I put lock stitches on the ends of the seams that I know are going to be left at the edge, but that's not always practical and I don't always remember to do it when it is. I've had to go and hand-stitch things back together because it'll already be quilted and I don't notice they're coming apart until I'm getting ready to put on binding. I usually use a dot of fray check on the original seam when that happens.
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Wis
Posts: 5,928
When I have a skimpy seam, I go back and add another stitching line next to the skimpy part to reinforce it. I also have pulling apart when I chain piece and the thread in-between is barely enough to cut apart, so I need to remember to use a shorter stitch length.
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