In this first post I am going to explain how you should correctly iron the basic seams of upper garments.

This seam ironing library is something that can grow and that we can complete together. You can send me your contributions and I will illustrate them to expand the content.

Most people who like sewing already know that one of the most important parts that guarantees a good finish on a garment is ironing, but do you know how you should iron these seams? Do you know that these must be ironed in a certain direction?

It is important that as we sew we iron the seams so that the final result of the garment is the best. If you want to iron the garment only once at the end of its preparation and to go faster, it is your decision, but the best thing and what guarantees you a good final quality is to intersperse an iron and a sewing machine as you progress in your project and at the same time finish you give it a last touch with steam. If you have spent a little money on a beautiful fabric, you have dedicated time and effort to make the garment well, do not skip this step because in the end it will be very noticeable in the final result.

Before going fully into the matter, I want to explain where I got this information from, who has explained everything that I am going to tell you later.

For 7 years the headquarters of my brand has been located in a coworking in Barcelona (moda22). Different independent brands from the fashion sector worked sharing space and exchanging knowledge. In this space we have lived together with the Roset family whose younger generation founded moda22. This family has more than 40 years in the textile world and a lot of accumulated experience that we have been soaking up during this time. Together with the Roset family, a couple of Chinese origin work in the clothing workshop located in the same fashion plant22, who have more than 30 years of experience in making large and small clothing productions behind them and are Tong to whom I have asked about the rules of a good ironing.

Ironing is not something that is done arbitrarily, al tun tun, there are some rules that must be followed to locate the seam in the direction it is due and depending on the piece you are sewing it is one or the other.

This is what he told me:

  1. When the garment has a cut on the front or on the back, for example a selvedge type, the seam allowance is ironed towards the center of the front or center of the back.
  2. If in the previous case this seam allowance has an overload seam, ironing is done in the same way and the seam will be done on the side of the larger piece.
  3. When the garment has two cuts on the front or on the back, the seam allowance is ironed towards the side of the piece that is in the center. The seams will be facing each other.
  4. If in the previous case this seam allowance has an overload seam, ironing is done in the same way and the overload seam will be done on the side of the piece that is in the middle.
  5. Shoulder and side seams are ironed towards the back.
  6. If these seams have an overload seam, they are ironed in the same way and the seam is made on the back piece.
  7. The seams of the armholes are ironed towards the sleeve.
  8. If these seams have an overload seam, the allowance is ironed towards the body and the seam is made on the body piece.
  9. Shoulder and waist darts are ironed to the sides whether you have made one dart or several. The clamp on the right to the right side and the one on the left to the left. If you have transferred the shoulder dart to the chest, it will be ironed downwards.
  10. If you make a yoke both on the front and on the back, the margin is ironed towards the yoke and if it has an overload seam, it is sewn on the yoke.