Every card is a smile waiting to happen—but when you sew your own, you’re not just sending a message, you’re sending a handcrafted masterpiece.

Remember all those decorative stitches you just had to have when you purchased your machine? Maybe you have some fabric scraps that are too beautiful to toss, or leftover quilt squares. Cardmaking is a great place to use all of it with aplomb, so fire up your sewing machine and let the fun begin.

Getting started

Visit a craft store or shop online for card blanks. These are die-cut card stock available in various shapes—with frames in square, rectangular, circle or other cut-out shapes. These frames are also often available in the photo department of a store as the same item can be used to showcase photos, but we’re going to use fabric pieces instead.

Double check that your frames are tri-fold, meaning that there’s a section of the card stock that goes behind whatever is showcased in the frame opening. That extra fold hides any stitching on the underside and makes it unseen by the card’s recipient. If the card frame isn’t a tri-fold, then you’ll need to plan something like a decorative paper panel to go behind your addition.

You can carefully cut your own card blanks with an X-Acto knife, or if you have a die-cutting machine, it’s easy to make your own card stock frames.

Many card blanks come with matching envelopes, but if not, check the craft store for coordinating envelopes in the proper size.

You’ll also need a glue stick or tape to anchor the stitched piece to your card frame.

Once you have the paper portion of your project selected, let it speak to you about what kind of stitched piece should go with it.

Almost anything is fair game for cardmaking—small bits of colorful fabric collaged together, pieced ribbon bits, leftover quilt blocks too good to throw away, machine embroidered test pieces, or specific pieces made for the card shape. It’s also a good opportunity to showcase novelty threads and embellishments of all sorts—from sequins to trims and everything in between.

Stitching up

If you’re hand stitcher, cards are a great place to showcase your stitchery. The space is relatively small and things sew up fast for framing.

If you prefer a quilted inset, use all or part of a leftover block to feature.

For machine sewers, the world is your oyster for stitch combinations to embellish the small size piece needed for cardmaking. Cards are also ideal just for showcasing a beautiful piece of fabric—sans any stitching.

• No matter which technique you plan to use, it’s a good idea to stabilize the featured piece. A lightweight iron-on stabilizer is ideal for most circumstances, and a lightweight batting is great for quilting a small fabric block to fit your frame.

• Before you stitch your featured piece, trace the frame opening size onto the fabric right side using a removable marker. This gives you lines to stitch within.

• Extend any embellishment—stitching, trim, etc.—1/4” beyond the traced line and anchor all the threads securely. Then trim your finished piece 3/8” beyond the traced line with your feature area centered.

• Open out the tri-fold section to showcase the frame opening, then place the featured fabric piece under the cut-out in the desired position. If you’re including ribbon or trim on top of the fabric, this is time to place it into position. Carefully apply glue or tape to the extension area underlap area only.

• Before finishing the card, you can stitch around the opening shape if you want to. Use a small sharp needle and a medium stitch length. Too small of a stitch may damage the card stock. Bring threads to the underside and tie off to anchor—don’t backstitch.

• To finish the card, fold the third panel over the underside of the fabric piece and lightly glue the corners in place. This hides the underside of your stitching. Allow to dry thoroughly.

• Finally, write your heartfelt sentiments inside the card using a colorful marker and send it on its way!

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All photos, except where noted, are reprinted with permission from Bernina

~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

Standard hem depths vary by garment to ensure proper drape and a polished appearance. A finished hem should be smooth, flat, and a uniform depth with enough weight to allow it to hang well. The style of the garment and the fabric’s weight will influence the appropriate hem depth. The following guidelines are a good place to start. Remember that these are just guidelines and that there’s more than one right way to finish your garment.

GARMENT	SUGGESTED TYPE OF HEM	TYPCIAL DEPTH OF HEM
Blouse, tucked in	Narrow, double-folded, rolled	1/4″ – 1/2″
Blouse, untucked	Narrow double-fold, possibly with small vents at the side.	3/8″ – 3/4″
Coat	Blindstitch with interfacing	1 1/2″ – 2″
Dress, standard length	Blindstitch, felled hem, or rolled hem.	1 1/2″ – 2″ (typical) 1/2″ for sheer fabrics >2″ for heavier fabrics
Jacket	Blindstitch with interfacing	1 1/2″ – 2″
Women’s dress slacks*	Blindstitch	5/8″ – 1 1/4″
Pullover	Blindstitch or topstitch	3/8″ – 1 1/4″
Shirt	Topstitch	3/8″ – 5/8″
Shorts	Topstitch	5/8″ – 1 1/4″
Skirt, full or flared	Blindstitch or topstitch	1/4″ – 3/8″
Skirt, A-line and Straight	Blindstitch, or may use a faced hem.	2″ – 3″
Top	Blindstitch or topstitch	3/4″ – 1 1/4″
Men’s Trousers*	Blindstitch, double fold, straight, rolled or faced.	2″

Notes:

* Pant break: The finished length of the pants is described by the “break,” which refers to the fold created where the pant leg meets the shoe.

• No break: A modern, clean look where the pant hem rests just above the shoe.
• Medium or half break: A classic, traditional length with a single, slight crease where the pants meet the shoe.
• Full break: A longer, more conservative length with a generous fold that covers most of the shoelaces. 

Sewing a blind hem by hand:

Sewing a blind hem by machine:

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While some people may define couching as reclining on a well-padded sofa, the sewing definition of the term is a lot more fun! Couching is a creative embellishment technique of securing one or more strands of trim to a base fabric.

Great Choices

Choose almost any kind of trim for your project—embroidery floss, yarn, cord, braid or even narrow strips of fabric. Then pick a thread—any kind is fair game—a matte cotton, a shiny rayon or metallic, a solid or variegated hue, and even monofilament if you don’t want stitching to show. Use a contrast color for emphasis, or a matching color to highlight the trim itself and not the couching stitching.

A simple zigzag stitch (see above) will work to anchor strands, or perhaps you prefer a more elaborate decorative stitch pattern. The criteria for choosing—it has to be wide enough to span the trim(s) you’re couching, and it can’t be too dense that it creates uneven feeding issues.

A universal needle works well for most couching applications, in a size consistent with the fabric weight. For delicate knits, try a ballpoint or stretch needle to avoid damaging the fabric.

Depending on the weight of the fabric base, it’s usually a good idea to use a stabilizer behind to avoid puckering. For stable fabrics, a tear-away stabilizer works well; for stretchier or lighter weight fabrics, a knit interfacing on the fabric underside is helpful, in addition to the stabilizer.

Foot Notes

Then comes the choice of presser foot, testing is the name of the game. Simple couching can be done using a regular zigzag or satin-stitch foot if the trim isn’t too bulky. Most machine brands offer a couching or braiding foot, with a recessed area on the underside to handle tubular or bulky trims.

If you want to couch multiple strands at the same time, check out a multi-hole foot that aligns and separates the trim strands as you stitch to keep them organized.

Begin by reading your owner’s manual to see the types of feet available for your machine, then test-stitch using the trim of choice to check for even feeding.

Couching Methods

There are three ways to couch:

• Using a specialty presser foot and letting the feed-dogs feed the fabric and trim through the machine.
• Couching can be done with free-motion stitching

• Couching can also be done using specially digitized designs made for the addition of yarns or trim.

If you’re using embroidery software, stabilize, hoop the area and stitch following the instructions with the chosen motif.

To couch traditionally or use free-motion work, mark the design on the right side of the fabric using a removable marking method. This can be in the form of simple lines to follow, or an area to be filled in. It’s helpful if the couching line(s) can end in a seam for secure anchoring, but that’s not always possible.

As you couch, if you need to turn a corner, leave the needle down in the fabric, then lift the foot and continue sewing.

If you can’t end the couched design in a seam, leave the trim ends long enough to thread into a needle and bring them to the underside along with the couching threads. Knot to secure.

For free-motion couching, set your machine for free-motion stitching (see the manual for your brand), choose a presser foot that will help feed the trim while you move to fill the desired area. Free-motion couching is most often done using monofilament thread so the couched threads are the highlight and not the stitching itself.

Fancy Dancy

It’s easy to add beads or charms to the trim being couched, but this requires extra care when the couching is being done to avoid hitting those additions.

• Simply manually turn the hand-wheel to step by the bead or other addition and begin stitching again on the other side of it.
• Combine rows of decorative stitching with couching for added accents.

• Press your couched area over a towel or other padded surface to avoid flattening the trim.

Before You Begin: Make a sampler of different stitches and threads to see what works best with your trim to give you the look you like.

All photos courtesy of Bernina

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~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

Some things we do with our sewing are meant to be seen, others are purposely meant not to be seen but are still important in the construction process. Understitching belongs in the latter category.

What is understitching?

It’s a line of straight stitching used to help keep facings in their place and tucked under the edge they’re finishing. You may have seen some necklines or armholes without understitching, and what do you see? A facing poking out and not staying in the place it was intended to be. Understitching goes through the facing layer and the seam allowances of the garment it’s attached to; so three layers, plus any applied interfacings. In most instances, understitching is done with a straight stitch. It shows only on the inside of the garment and not the outside, though its absence is often visible with roll-out edges.

In addition to armhole and neckline facing areas, understitching can be used on opening edges (front or back) and even when a garment is lined to the edge, like a skirt waistline opening. If your facings are a contrast fabric to the outer garment fabric, understitching is especially important to keep them hidden.

If there’s a collar, ruffle or trim band on the garment, understitching is imperative. The more layers you’re trying to control, the more important it is to understitch.

Understitching is not the same as topstitching. Though their functions can be the same—holding edges in place–topstitching is meant to be seen on the outside of the garment, understitching is visible only on the inside.

Understitching know-how

Most understitching is done by machine, though on heavy wools, fleeces, etc. it can be done by hand for better control. 

The straight stitch setting is all you need for understitching most garments, with about 10-12 stitches per inch. On thicker fabrics, you may opt for a zigzag or serpentine stitch for better control of the bulky layers. Remember, it doesn’t show, so you can even choose a decorative stitch if you prefer, just for a smile when you don the garment.

To create understitching, follow the pattern instructions to apply the facing or lining to the opening edge. After completion, trim and grade the seam allowances and clip any curves.  When grading, be sure to keep the longest seam allowance to the outside as the garment is worn and shortest toward the body. Stagger clips on the various layers to avoid “dimples” in the seam edge.   

Firmly press all the seam allowance layers toward the facing or lining. If the garment has a collar, this could be up to six layers, including the interfacings on the collar and facing.

Position the garment under the presser foot with the facing layer right side up and to the right your machine has an adjustable needle position, use it to fine-tune the needle placement near the seam. If your machine has an edgestitching foot, that can be helpful to keep the stitching straight, especially over bulky layers like cross seams. If your garment is lined to the edge, the understitching will be on the lining.

Understitching should catch all the seam allowances under the facing/lining, so keep your fingers underneath the stitching area to be sure layers don’t shift. Graded and clipped seam allowances sometimes decide to turn the opposite direction from how they were originally pressed, so be mindful of that and feel underneath as you sew.

On circular facings, like armholes and neckline openings, understitch all the way around. If your garment has a front or back opening, stitch as far as you can as you approach the corner. Then backstitch to anchor the stitch end.

Finishing touches  

Once the understitching is complete, turn the facing again to the wrong side and roll the garment edge ever so slightly to the wrong side next to the facing seam. Tack the finished facing edge to the adjacent garment seam allowancesat the shoulder, side seam, etc. to keep it in place.    {photo 4: Finished neckline with understitching}   

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~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .