How to Sew Curves

Sewing curves can seem intimidating. Often the nicely curved parts of garments, like collars, sleeves and facings can mean the difference between a homemade and a professional looking piece. With some care, curves can be much easier and more satisfying to sew. With any curve, it's important to take your time and pay attention. Leave the power sewing to straight pieces, curves call from some finesse.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pins
• Pattern or template

Evaluating Curves for Sewing

1. Inspect the curves in any pieces you are planning to sew. Gentle curves can be sewn successfully without much preparation. Steep curves may need some setting up.
2. Stabilize the fabric to make cutting more accurate. Starching your fabric helps to stabilize any cuts you make. This is particularly true of cuts made along the bias. Starching fabric before the pieces are cut also helps to minimize the distortion that can result from rough and sometimes not-so-rough handling.
3. Cut template or pattern pieces carefully. Curves are challenging enough when the pieces fit perfectly. Fabric that has been cut inaccurately can make matching impossible.
4. Double check cut pieces against your template and trim or discard fabric that has been poorly cut. When dealing with curves, wrestling pieces that are "almost" perfect isn't worth the hassle. Checking your work twice before you begin sewing is a good hedge against frustration.
5. Cutting paper pattern pieces with scissors will be more accurate and successful if you pin the patterns close to, but not on, the edges. Be generous with the number of pins you use, and choose your sharpest scissors for the job.
6. Clip the seam allowance of concave pattern pieces that have steep curves. This will make it easier to sew the pieces together later.

Preparing Curves for Sewing

7. Handle curved pieces as little as possible, and never pull or tug them.
8. Pin curved pieces (usually right sides together) at least on the ends and in the center. The more gradual the curve, the fewer pins you will need. Steeper curves will require more pinning.
9. Place enough pins along the seams to feel comfortable sewing the pieces together. With a little experience, you will probably be more comfortable with fewer pins.
10. Strategize your pinning. Start with the outside edges and the center, easing the fabric to fill the gaps at either side of the center pin. This will insure the even distribution of the fabric along the curve.
11. Avoid draping, dangling or handling the pieces after they have been pinned. Keeping them as flat as possible will help avoid distortion along the curved edge.

Sewing Curves

12. Orient curved pieces with the bulky piece on top. This is the piece that bows outward.
13. Align the fabric along the seam mark on your sewing machine or presser foot. It will help if you start stitching on a small piece of fabric and then onto the pieces you want to sew.
14. Concentrate on sewing one or two stitches at a time and then checking your work. As you feed the fabric, remove the pins and make sure that the top and bottom edges of the fabrics are aligned perfectly as they slip under the presser foot. Having a needle-down feature on your sewing machine comes in handy here.
15. Watching the process carefully will insure an accurate curved seam. As you take small stitches you will follow the curve automatically. If you need to, push the bulk of the fabric on the left of the needle away from you.
16. Deal with tighter curves by loosening the tension on your presser foot. This will allow you to pivot the fabric more easily, rotating the fabric into a smoother curve.
17. Check your work at the halfway point to make sure you are on target and easing the fabric evenly. The fabric in front of the center pin should be relatively flat as it approaches the sewing machine needle.
18. As you approach the end of the seam, hold the ends of the fabric pieces securely to keep the edges from moving out of alignment. Using the point of a seam ripper or stiletto will help you keep the edges in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Using silk pins helps protect fine fabric; they are easier to adjust too.
• When tracing patterns, use permanent markers, chalk or wash away markers with very fine tips. Tilt the angle of the marker as you run it along the fabric, making sure to stay as close to the template or pattern as possible.
• If you are using a rotary cutter, select the smallest size cutter you have. A 28-mm cutter is the best choice by far.
• After fabric pieces have been cut, never iron them until they have been completely sewn in place.
• If you have tried sewing the piece a few times unsuccessfully, discard the fabric pieces and try two others; you may have distorted the fabric when you removed the previous stitching.