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tiny gussets

i want to put shoulder gussets on the shirt i'm making. the gussets are triangular, about 2.5" per side. on my toile i sewed the gusset to the front shoulder seam, then sewed the front to the back at the shoulders, sewing along the other side of the gusset when i came to it. this left a weird looking little gather near the point. while i know it's not the end of the world, little wrongnesses like that drive me buggy. how do i get the gusset to lie smoothly? should i seam the shoulder & then install the gusset? is there a way to clip the seam so it lies flat nicely that i'm missing? maybe i need to change the size/shape of the gusset? lee

Reply to
enigma
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Dear Enigma,

I'm not sure what you're calling a gusset, but if it's a true gusset, the easiest way to get it flat is to press under the seam allowances on the garment, then topstitch the gusset in place underneath the pressed edges. This is how edges were "rounded" in period shirts, and a second gusset would be sewn to the inside to cover the raw edges.

Teri

Reply to
gjones2938

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

thank you! that makes *so* much more sense & solves the secondary problem of how to make that a smooth, enclosed seam so the kid won't refuse to wear the shirt. lee

Reply to
enigma

Gussets can be tricky, in part because at least one edge will usually ( but not always) be on a partial bias, and, as such prone to stretching. And little gussets are as lot like sewing Barbie clothes--tiny angles, points, and insertions. Sometimes the best way to set them in is to hand-baste first, easing any stretching or fullness into the seams. Don't press until you've machine stitched the gusset. I found it helpful to sew with the gusset seams uppermost under the sewing machine foot, so I can see when I reach the point. Stop there, make a couple of wee backstitches, then sew the other side of the gusset as if it is a separate seam: again, starting at one end of the point, stopping at the other end of the point. You'll get better with practice. I used to hate gussets, but kind of enjoy them now. Flip shirt to right side and check to see if you have completed the seams. If the seam is open a tiny bit, you may need to stitch closer to the gusset point. Cea

Reply to
cea

"cea" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b68g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

thank you Cea. i'm thinking i might just cut the front & back as one piece & hand sew the neck gussets. they're 2.5" on each side including the seam allowances. since they are so small, why fiddle with the machine? i also looked at the square underarm gussets & asked myself if

2 triangular ones on each sleeve wouldn't make life easier... same effect, less fiddly. :) lee
Reply to
enigma

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