The secret to overlapping seams + the Chateau Popover tutorial

​Overlapping seams are a wonderful finishing technique to use on fabrics that won't fray. Many of you were introduced to the technique with our Chateau Coat, where we integrated overlapping seams into the construction method. In this month's Sew Confident! Linda creates a variation on the Chateau Coat, using wool jersey. Today we want to share with you her tips for creating overlapping seams with wool jersey, as well as give you a peak at the Chateau Popover tutorial. Enjoy!

Before we begin, let's talk a little bit about wool jersey. I know what you are thinking - scratchy wool in a thick fabric. But that isn't true at all! Our wool jersey is made from Merino wool. Merino wool is made from the Merino sheep which was originally bred in New Zealand. This fiber is much finer than average wool, which makes it soft and less itchy. In terms of wearability, many people think of wool as a winter fabric, but in fact, it is a four season. The crimp of wool fiber can trap in air which will insulate you and keep you warm in the winter. But say you want to wear that same garment in the summer? Well, Merino wool has amazing wicking properties that trap moisture in the air, and from your body, which is stored in the fiber. This doesn't mean that it feels wet thought, as Merino wool can absorb up to 30% of it's weight in moisture and still feel dry to the touch. Instead, in the summer as it gets hot, the moisture that the wool has trapped in it's fiber will start to evaporate between the fabric and your body, cooling you down. It comes with it's own air conditioner!

Though we think of jersey fabric as manufactured mainly with cotton, or man-made substances, in fact, it was originally made with wool. The jersey that we have is tissue weight and is so thin that it is almost sheer. It is unusual to find a fabric made out of wool that has such a beautiful drape. Since Myra had created the Chateau Popover in the thick English Boucle (modeled by Erin below), we were compelled to experiment with the same garment in the wool jersey. The same garment, made out of the same fiber, but such a different result. To get the full story of the inspiration behind the Chateau Popover, as well as the instructions to create it, check out the Sew Confident! tutorial. 

​Overlapping Seams

Seams are overlapped in the same direction as you would press a one-way seam, i.e., front over back at side and shoulder seams, center front and back seams overlap either direction.
Begin by cutting away the seam allowance for the overlapping piece.
Chalk mark the seam allowance line on the underlapping seam. 

Apply Fusi-Web next to the chalk mark within the seam allowance of the underlap.
Remove the paper covering.
Place the overlapping seam edge next to the chalk line and press to fuse the seam in place.
This replaces the need for pinning the fabrics together. The adhesive holds the seam together for the duration of the stitching.

On the right side of the seam, stitch next to the raw edge.
Sew another row of stitching 1/4" from the first.
You can either leave the excess seam allowance on the underside of the seam, or trim close to the stitching. 

For instructions to create your own Chateau Popover, get the Sew Confident! tutorial here. Also, click here to see our collection of wool jersey.