10 Small Home Decorating Ideas

Clipping and notching curves

To enable curved seams to lie flat when pressed open, the seam allowances need to be clipped or notched. On inward curves, make straight clips at intervals to allow the seam allowance to open out. On outward curves, cut out tiny wedges (called ‘notches’) at short intervals to remove the excess bulk of the fabric.

Neatening raw edges

Pinking

The simplest and quickest way to neaten raw edges is to use a pair of pinking shears, although it is not the most hard-wearing of methods.

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Machine zigzag stitching

Using the zigzag setting on your machine, make a line of stitching as close to the raw edge as possible.

Self-binding (overlocking) seam

Useful where there is extra bulk when attaching a gathered edge to a flat edge, for example. Make a seam allowance of about 3cm (IKin) and trim one edge to 6mm (Kin). Folding the wide edge over the narrow edge, tuck the raw edge underneath. Pin and then slip stitch along the fold.

Bias binding

Align one unfolded edge of the bia? binding along the edge of the fabric and pin, tack and machine stitch alons the fold of the binding. Fold tht binding over the edge to the other side of the fabric, and either machine se\i through all layers hr slip stitch th binding in place along the stitchini line. This is also a way of neatenin; the raw edges of fabric the edges o tablecloths, napkins, or place mats, for example – in which case, the seam is made with wrong sides facing. If you do not want the stitches to show, slip stitch along the folded edge instead, as for a self-bound (overlocked) seam.