Sewing the Front Panel

Wednesday, January 26-  We sew.  The front panel to be exact

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Time to thread up the sewing machine, load that bobbin and prepare to sew!

The directions call for you to finish the bottom curve of the front facing.  This can be done several ways:

the zig zag stitch

Photo from Hoppo Bumpo

a rolled hem (this tends to require a special sewing machine foot)

Photo from Craft Stylish

the serged edge (using a serger)

Photo from What the Craft .com

More finishes can be seen at HoppoBumpo.blogspot.com

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Once you have finished at edge, we move on to assembling the front panel.  The directions say to place the right sides together, and stitch a 1/2 inch seam.  Stitch the seam and iron it flat and smooth.  Make sure that you iron the seam open.

Or, you can be like me and make this seam a French seam.  I trimmed one edge of my fabric down to reduce the bulk for my corduroy fabric. 

Pin the front facing to the pants' front panel, right sides together.  Stitch both pieces together, utilizing a 1/2" seam, pivoting at the corners.  Do NOT sew the sides of the facing to the front panel. 

When sewing the lining to the panel, make sure you life your foot and turn the corners square.

Remove the pins

I like to trim one edge of my salvage to reduce seams that will be top stitched

Clip the 90 degree inverted corners, being careful not to cut the thread in your seam.  Also clip the outside corners as shown

I use a large blunt ended knitting needle to keep my corners sharp when I turn my projects right side out.  Be gentle and don't force things or you can poke a large hole in your seam, or worse, ripped the fabric on the corner

After turning everything rightside out, iron your project.  You want to make sure your seams are neither pulled to the front or back when ironing.

I tend to use a stitch length a little longer than I use for my seams when I top stitch.  The pattern recommends topstitching a 1/4" from the edge of your project.  I use my machine's foot for a guide

Again, lift your machine's foot to make a sharp turn on the inverted 90 degree angle.

Clip your loose threads and iron your project again

Voila!  Here is the front panel of your Sailboat Pants!  (Or mine anyway.  Your's will look similar)

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