INTERFACINGS AND EDGE FINISHES

INTERFACINGS

It is an under fabric used to stiffen areas in garment. They

are special fabrics used to strengthen or stiffen specific
parts of a garment ie collars, pockets tops, facings.

PURPOSES OF INTERFACINGS

i. It helps to maintain shapes of areas such as the

collars, the belts, and open edges.
ii. It helps to add body and crispness without bulk
iii. It strengthens and prevents stretching of fabric and
garment.

Types of interfacings

1. Woven interfacing eg lawn, calico

2. Iron-on interfacing- used with great care once
ironed on some do not stay permanently in place
unless stitched to the fabric. It decreases stiffness
as they detach. Advantage used on large areas as
they are designed for small portions. However, you
must check whether it can be washed or dry cleaned.
3. Non-woven interfacing: these usually carry the
manufacturer’s recommendation for use and
combination of fabrics. It is made for specific
fibres the right type and weight of the fabric. It is
used on large areas.
 OUTSIDE FABRIC CORRECT INTERFACING

Dress weight Pre-shrunk treated lawn

Cotton, linen, wool Iron –on non-woven

interfacing as
recommended by the
manufacturer

Skirt weight Treated cotton

interfacing such as bleach
Cotton, linen, wool
calico.

Iron on woven interfacing

as recommended by the
manufacturer.

Man-made fabrics Non-woven interfacing for

very light fabrics lawn,
voile etc

Pure silk organza

Soft organdie / pure silk

organza

EDGE FINISHES

These are neatening made on straight or curved edges of

materials to hide the hanging threads and give a smart look.
Neatening can be at the neckline, arm hole, waist of skirts
and shorts, lower edge of skirts, dresses and blouses and
the boarder of tablecloth. Sometimes these finishes apart
from being functional they are decorative. The edge
finishes include binding, facing, scalloping, hemming,
lacing, frills, shell edging.

BINDING RAW EDGES

These serves two purposes. They may be for decoration or

for neatening or both at once. Binding is useful for
neatening the edges of arm holes, sleeves. It is often
better to use a softer fabric for neatening sleeves rather
than garment material.

ATTACHING BINDING:

1. Cut a cross way strip twice the required finished width

and twice the turning allowance wide and as strong as
it’s necessary.
2. Place the right side of the strip to the right side of
the garment raw edges together tack and stitch.
3. Turn under the raw edges on the free edge of the
binding strip.
4. Fold the edge over the raw edges to the wrong side of
the garment tuck just above the machining line and
hem into position.

CROSS WAY STRIP

 A bias is cut on the diagonal that runs a cross both the
lengthwise and the crosswise grain of the fabric. Bias strips
or cross way strips are narrow strips cut on diagonal, used
for neatening, and decorating. Strips stretch sufficiently.
Cross way strips are usually cut from the irregular shaped
pieces left over after cutting out the garment sections.

HOW TO CUT A CROSS WAY STRIP

I. Fold the fabric over at the corner so that the

crosswise grain runs parallel to the selvedge. A 45 0 angle
is formed when this is done.
II. Crease the fold line.
III. Using a ruler as a guide, mark lines parallel to the fold
line. The distance between the lines is the required
width of the strip.
IV. Cut along the marked line

JOINING A CROSS WAY STRIP

a) Lay out the strips side by side, right sides upper

most. Cut the ends parallel to the fold line. The
distance between the lines is required width of the
strip.
b) Cut ends parallel to the selvedge edges.
c) Place the selvedge edge together, right sides facing
corners overlapping corners.
d) Remove tacking and press turning out flat.
 e) Snip off the protruding corners

HEMMING

Hems are made by turning the edge of the material

twice to the wrong side of the garment. The first
turning is usually narrower to reduce bulk on hems are
made on edges of skirts, shirts, sleeves, and pockets.
The width of the hem varies according to the garment.
It is narrow in circular skirts, wide on children’s
dresses and it can be let down when babies grow. There
are three types of hems:

STRAIGHT HEMS:

Are made on straight edges eg pockets, blouses, trousers

etc

- Mark hem line with pins/ straight line of tackings

- Mark 1 cm 1st turning along the length of hem
- Mark a 2nd turning with fold on marked hemline.
- Pin and tack at edge of first fold.
- Hem with hemming stitches, slip hemming or machine.

TRASPARENT HEM

Hemming on transparent material. The width of both

turning should be equal so that one line is visible on the
right side for curved edges, the hem is very narrow and
rolled.
 Method

- Mark level of hem

- Divided hem into equal parts
- Fold material on 2nd marked line and then the first
line.

CURVED HEMS

They are made more difficult to create as the fullness

(extra material) must be disposed off to make the hem flat.

Method

- Mark hem line.

- Fold hem to the wrong side of garment and near
fold(match seam lines )
- Distribute fullness by making small dart pins and hem
small darts down a single layer of material.
- Fold in 5mm
- Tack around the hem and press. The hem should be
flat, slip hem the fold.