ABOUT FRENCH SEAMS: In case you haven’t noticed by now, I am a big fan of French seams! I do not own a Serger, and--here comes the big confession!--I do all of my sewing on a 1964 Singer Touch ‘n’ Sew handed down to me by my mother. So I don’t have one of those fancy modern marvels that execute perfectly computerized stitches, memorize embroidery patterns and make you a cup of coffee. When my mother taught me to sew, she taught me the old, tried-and-true methods that have now been relegated almost completely to the realm of "heirloom" sewing--techniques that few people want to bother with because they seem so time-consuming. But I am here to tell you that a beautifully made seam is most often what separates the "quick and dirty" sewers from those whose gowns can stand the scrutiny of a sewing jury or a reenacting group. You will be glad you took the extra time now, even if no one ever examines the interior seams of your gown. People often ask why I bother to French seam skirt seams, since no one but myself will ever see them. Why not just do a regular 5/8" seam and zigzag it? The main reasons are that French seams cannot unravel, are extra sturdy and are more comfortable to wear than regular seams. They also launder better (no long, stringy knots hanging down the inside of your dress--yuck!). And, of course, for those of us trying to produce authentic Regency gowns, we know from actual historical gowns that French seams were used back then, so the method is correct for our period. If you have done French seams before, you may have used the "stitch and trim" method--where you stitch a 3/8" seam first, then trim it down before stitching the second seam. I do not follow this method, and the way my pattern is designed, you will not have enough fabric at the seam allowance to trim any off. My method takes less time and effort and creates a French seam that uses only a 5/8" allowance. In the photo illustrations below, I have demonstrated the steps for making a French seam. First, you pin the wrong sides of your fabric together (skirt front and skirt back in this instance). Now, placing your presser foot right along the edge of the material, stitch the two pieces together (see illustration #1). Trim off the notches that marked where you should match the front and back skirt pieces. Now turn the fabric at the seam so that the right sides are together. Press the seam so that it will lie perfectly flat and so that your first line of stitching is at the very edge (see illustration #2). When that is done, stitch the seam again, this time with the folded edge at the 3/8" mark on your machine (see illustration #4). This completely encases the raw edge of the fabric and makes a beautiful seam. You should not see any bits of the first seam on the outside of your skirt. If you do, it means that you stitched too close to the raw edge. If you sew the first seam right along the edge and keep the second seam at 3/8", you will not have this problem. You can omit the ironing step if you like, but it really does help to keep your seam perfectly straight and flat and prevents extra material from being caught in the French seam. Repeat this step with the other skirt side seam. (Note: If you are making your gown as authentic as possible, you can hand-stitch your seams. You’ll make the first seam 1/4" away from the edge of the material.)

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