My coworker told me princess seams would fix my fit issues and she was dead right

Been sewing my own dresses for about 2 years now and I always struggled with gaping at the armholes. My coworker Sarah, who used to work in bridal alterations in Portland, kept telling me to add princess seams to my bodice pattern. Finally tried it on a simple cotton sundress last month and the difference was night and day. No more gaping and the fit hugs my shoulders perfectly now. Anyone else have a piece of advice from a more experienced sewer that you ignored for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylanh814d ago

Yeah Portland? That tracks. I lived there for a bit and everyone there knows someone in bridal alterations. It's like a secret society. I ignored my grandma for like three years telling me to clip my seam allowances on curves. Kept getting those weird puckers on my neckline and just thought it was my machine. Finally clipped them on a deep V neck I was making for a wedding and the difference was insane. Felt like an idiot for waiting so long.

avery_nelson4d ago

Wait, do you really think clipping seam allowances is that essential for every curved seam though...? @dylanh81 I had the same problem with puckering at first, but I figured out it's more about how you press the seam before you clip. If you press it flat first, then clip, you get a cleaner finish without losing too much structure. I tried it both ways on a mockup once, and honestly, the clipped one lost some shape on the bust darts for me. Not saying it's bad, just that it's not a magic fix for everyone. Sometimes it's the fabric too, you know? Heavy knits or slippery stuff can behave totally different.