The Upholstery Forum

I usually make my patterns with no seam allowance. I comment the seam allowance on the margins and add it when I cut. I pretty much eyeball it shooting for 1/2 to 5/8 inch but I can see that's causing me some trouble getting nice smooth seam lines in my finished product. I'm wondering how others get a nice consistent seam allowance?

I usually mark out the seam allowance using a soft charcoal pencil. My eye is pretty well trained to be able to mark out 1/2" seam allowance with out needing to measure. It just takes practice.

Some people make washers where the hole in the middle is set to the desired seam allowance. I have not tried this but It probably works well.
Also some people use this seam allowance measuring tool. https://amzn.to/3txVCKH

I'm probably not the first to think of it but I found taping 2 sharpies together give me a nice 1/2 inch seam allowance.

That's a great idea! Just be very careful to not get the ink on your hands and then on to the face of the fabric.

I have seen that done and with a space pen type. I would put the sharpies in a drawer t that ink will bleed when you dont expect it.

I have a small 6” ruler that is 1/2” wide. If I am doing something that needs to be very precise, I will mark it every 6” or so for my 1/2” allowance. after that, I can fill the rest in by eye, using those 1/2” marks for reference.

No doubt, of you are sewing every day, it won't take long to just do the whole thing by eye.

John

I use an adapted pen with my card patterns. It is basically 3 washers epoxied on to the pen that forms a groove that runs around the card very well. You can use different sized washers to create different seam allowances. If you make card templates, which I do, this method is very quick and accurate. I just run a pencil around the card for the seam line and the the pen for the seam allowances. Works great for me. I hope the pic explain it better.
Paul.

Plh wrote:I use an adapted pen with my card patterns. It is basically 3 washers epoxied on to the pen that forms a groove that runs around the card very well. You can use different sized washers to create different seam allowances. If you make card templates, which I do, this method is very quick and accurate. I just run a pencil around the card for the seam line and the the pen for the seam allowances. Works great for me. I hope the pic explain it better.
Paul.

That's a great solution!

Slick!

If you use a card template, it does make your seam allowances very accurate and quick.

A great tip is to use a bobbin. Insert the pen/ pencil through the center hole, and depending on the size of the bobbin, you get an 1/2 inch guide.