Doina Alexei
  • Sewing Tutorials
    • Basics >
      • Aligning Pattern Grainlines To Fabric
      • Preparing Fabrics For Sewing
      • Pinning Sewing Patterns To Fabric
      • Placing Sewing Patterns On Fabric For Cutting
      • Rotary Cutters or Fabric Scissors?
      • Cutting The Sewing Patterns
      • What Are Notches And How To Use Them In The Sewing Process
      • Transferring Notches From Pattern To Fabric
      • Transferring Seamlines to Fabric
      • Staystitching
      • Backstitching: A Complete Guide
      • Hand Basting: A Complete Guide
      • Sewing Continuous Bias Binding
    • Darts >
      • Marking And Transferring Darts To Fabric
      • What Are Darts And Dart Components
      • Folding, Pinning And Hand Basting Darts
      • Handling Dart Excess: Bulk And Tension
      • How To Sew A French Dart
      • How To Sew And Iron Single Pointed Darts
      • How To Sew And Iron Contour Darts
      • Sewing Darts With Decorative/Beaded Fabrics
    • Sewing Seams >
      • ​The Basics Of Seams And Seam Allowance
      • How To Sew A Straight Seam
      • Sewing Curved Seams
      • Sewing Corner Seams
      • Trimming And Grading Seam Excess
      • Notching/Clipping Seam Allowance for Tension Release
      • Sewing Topstitched Seams
      • Sewing Corded Seams
      • Sewing A Slot Seam
      • Sewing A Gathered Seam
      • Sewing Bias Seams
      • Sewing Seams With Ease
      • Sewing Seams With Crossing Seamlines
      • Sewing Unlike Fabric Seams
      • How To Iron Seams: Ironing Tools And Conventions
      • Sewing With Knit Fabrics
      • Understanding Stitch Length And Tension
      • Sewing Unique Fabric Seams
    • Seam Finishes >
      • Seam Finishing Techniques - Overview
      • Applying A Pinked Seam Finish
      • Applying A Bias Bound Seam Finish
      • Serging And Zigzag Seam Finishes
      • Sewing A Self-Bound Seam Finish
      • Sewing A French Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Mock French Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Turned-and-Stitched Seam Finish
      • Sewing Overcast Hand-Applied Seam Finishes
      • Sewing A Flat Felled Seam
      • Sewing A Hairline Seam Finish
    • Hem Finishes >
      • Garment Hem Finishes: Overview
      • ​Sewing A Double Fold Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Single Fold Hem Finish
      • Sewing Bound Hem Finishes
      • Sewing An Exposed Double Layer Bound Hem
      • Sewing A Folded-Up Bound Hem with Pre-folded Binding
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Band Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Bias Faced Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Twill Tape Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Rolled Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Shaped Hem Facing
      • Using Fusible Hem Tape And Webbing
      • Finishing A Lace Fabric Hem
      • Finishing A Leather Hem
      • Sewing Faced Hem Corners
      • How To Finish Lining At The Hem
      • Finishing Fabric Corners by Mitering >
        • Mitering Fabric Corners With A Full Bias Facing
        • Mitering Fabric Corners With Exposed Binding
      • Interfacing A Hemline: Lined And Unlined Examples
    • Sewing Pockets >
      • Curved Patch Pocket With Flap
      • Unlined Square Patch Pockets
      • Lined Patch Pockets: Two Ways
      • Extension On-Seam Pockets
      • Separate On-Seam Pocket
      • Front Hip Pockets
      • Bound Double Welt Pocket
      • Double Welt Pocket With Flap
      • Self-Welt Pocket (Using Single Fabric Layer)
      • Slanted Welt Pocket (Hand-Stitched)
      • Faced Slash Pockets: Overview >
        • Sewing A Faced Slit Pocket
        • Sewing A Rectangular Slash Pocket
        • Sew A Star-Shaped Faced Pocket
    • Sewing Zippers >
      • Sewing Zippers: General Information
      • Sewing A Centered Zipper
      • Sewing A Lapped Zipper
      • Sewing An Invisible Zipper
      • Sewing A Fly Front Zipper
      • Sewing A Closed-End Exposed Zipper (No Seam)
      • Sewing An Exposed Separating Zipper
      • Sewing Hand Stitched Zipper Applications
      • Sewing A Zipper Underlay
      • Sewing A Placket-Enclosed Separating Zipper
    • Sleeveless Finishes >
      • Sleeveless Armhole Finishes: General Information
      • Finishing Sleeveless Garments with Lining
      • Sewing A Folded-Under Bound Armhole Finish
      • Sewing A Shaped Armhole Facing
      • Finishing Armhole Edges With Exposed Binding
      • Finishing Armhole Edges With Decorative Trim
    • Neckline Finishes >
      • Sewing A Neck Shaped Facing
      • Sewing An All-In-One Neck Facing
      • Neck And Garment Opening Combination Facings >
        • Sewing An Extended Front-Neck Facing
        • Sewing A Separate Neck-Front Facing
      • Sewing A Bias Faced Neckline Finish
      • Sewing A Band Neckline Finish
      • Bound Neckline Finishes: Overview >
        • Sewing A Single Layer Bound Neckline
        • Finishing A Neckline With Pre-Folded Binding
        • Sewing A Double Layer Bound Neckline Finish
      • Sewing A Semi-Stretch Strip Band Neckline
      • Ribbed Neck Band And Classic Turtleneck
      • Decorative Neckline Finishes >
        • Sewing A Neckline With Decorative Inset
        • Sewing A Piped Cording Faced Neckline
        • Sewing Decorative Trim To A Finished Neckline
    • Finishing Facing Edges >
      • Finishing Facing Edges: Overview
      • Folded-And-Topstitched Overedge Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Bound Facing Edge Finish
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Rolled Edge Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Twill Tape Facing Edge Finish
      • Sewing An Overedge-Stitch Facing Finish
    • Extras >
      • A Complete Guide on Interfacing
      • Sewing Bound Spaghetti Straps
      • Sewing Spaghetti Straps To A Faced Neckline
      • Sewing Ruffles: Overview
      • Patterning And Sewing A Circle Ruffle
      • Sewing A Gathered Heading Ruffle
      • Sewing Double Layer Gathered Ruffles
      • Sewing A Gathered Ruffle Into A Seam
      • Sewing A Gathered Ruffle To A Fabric Edge
      • Sewing A Fabric Surface Slit
      • Sewing A Slit Seam
      • Hand-Applied Straight Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Blind Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Overedge Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Tack Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Decorative Stitches
  • Custom Apparel
    • Custom Bridal
  • Submit A Sewing Question
  • About
  • Blog

​Four Conventional Ways To Clean-Finish Garment Armholes

Here are four conventional and most-widely used techniques to finish armhole edges: 
Picture
Lining: Lining is cut at exactly the same shape as the garment layer it backs, and used to clean-finish not only armhole and neckline edges but also the entire wrong side of the garment.

With a lining application, the armhole and neckline edges should form smooth, even edges with no topstitching visible on the garment's face side. By design, the finished armhole edges will look identical to the finished neckline.

​While lining is a convenient all-in-one technique, it does not work for all fabrics and all designs. It is considered a more tailored, dressy finish with the lining layer adding some overall thickness and structure to the completed garment. 
Picture
A shaped armhole facing: A shaped facing can be used to finish any garment edge by enclosing its raw edges and molding to the exact area it finishes.

Shaped facings are most commonly used at the neckline, armhole, garment opening, and hemline. When it comes to clean-finishing an armhole edge, a facing provides a more tailored, structured finish with no stitching visible on the garment's right side.

The facing compartment is usually about 2"-3" in width, and cut to the exact shape of the front and back armhole area it finishes. Once the facing is stitched to the armhole edge, it is simply flipped to the wrong side of the garment thus enclosing all raw edges.

A shaped facing is similar to lining but instead of a single layer finishing both armhole and neckline edges simultaneously, each armhole (and neckline) requires a separate facing compartment.
Picture
Binding: To sew a bound armhole finish, you can use any type of binding including single layer, double layer, pre-folded and pre-packaged bias binding strips. A bias bound armhole finish is considered a more casual application having the ability to maintain the garment's lightness and drape. 

Bias binding is constructed from fabric strips cut on the bias grain. This diagonal fabric grain provides enough stretch and flexibility allowing the bias binding to mold along curved armhole edges without causing any strain or tension.

With a bound finish, the binding strip simply encloses the armhole's raw edge. It can be left exposed for a more decorative finish, folded under and topstitched (as shown above), or blindstitched by hand.
Picture
A decorative trim: If you prefer decorative-functional mix, you can finish armhole edges using your choice of decorative trim. This technique works better with fabrics that have little-to-no-fraying when cut, and maintain some structure and stability along their cut edges.

Instead of folding or enclosing the armhole's raw edges, the decorative trim is simply aligned to cover and hide the armhole edges from the right side of the garment. The trim should be chosen carefully so that not only does it work well with the overall garment design, it also fully covers these raw edges.

Before applying the trim, it is good practice to stabilize both armhole edges with a straight machine stitch and/or serging (or zigzag stitch) to prevent any possible fraying and unraveling. 

Have A Personalized Sewing Question?

Ask It Here

Services

​Custom Apparel
Custom Bridal
​Sewing Tutorials
​

Company

About
Blog

Support

Contact
Terms of Service
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Sewing Tutorials
    • Basics >
      • Aligning Pattern Grainlines To Fabric
      • Preparing Fabrics For Sewing
      • Pinning Sewing Patterns To Fabric
      • Placing Sewing Patterns On Fabric For Cutting
      • Rotary Cutters or Fabric Scissors?
      • Cutting The Sewing Patterns
      • What Are Notches And How To Use Them In The Sewing Process
      • Transferring Notches From Pattern To Fabric
      • Transferring Seamlines to Fabric
      • Staystitching
      • Backstitching: A Complete Guide
      • Hand Basting: A Complete Guide
      • Sewing Continuous Bias Binding
    • Darts >
      • Marking And Transferring Darts To Fabric
      • What Are Darts And Dart Components
      • Folding, Pinning And Hand Basting Darts
      • Handling Dart Excess: Bulk And Tension
      • How To Sew A French Dart
      • How To Sew And Iron Single Pointed Darts
      • How To Sew And Iron Contour Darts
      • Sewing Darts With Decorative/Beaded Fabrics
    • Sewing Seams >
      • ​The Basics Of Seams And Seam Allowance
      • How To Sew A Straight Seam
      • Sewing Curved Seams
      • Sewing Corner Seams
      • Trimming And Grading Seam Excess
      • Notching/Clipping Seam Allowance for Tension Release
      • Sewing Topstitched Seams
      • Sewing Corded Seams
      • Sewing A Slot Seam
      • Sewing A Gathered Seam
      • Sewing Bias Seams
      • Sewing Seams With Ease
      • Sewing Seams With Crossing Seamlines
      • Sewing Unlike Fabric Seams
      • How To Iron Seams: Ironing Tools And Conventions
      • Sewing With Knit Fabrics
      • Understanding Stitch Length And Tension
      • Sewing Unique Fabric Seams
    • Seam Finishes >
      • Seam Finishing Techniques - Overview
      • Applying A Pinked Seam Finish
      • Applying A Bias Bound Seam Finish
      • Serging And Zigzag Seam Finishes
      • Sewing A Self-Bound Seam Finish
      • Sewing A French Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Mock French Seam Finish
      • Sewing A Turned-and-Stitched Seam Finish
      • Sewing Overcast Hand-Applied Seam Finishes
      • Sewing A Flat Felled Seam
      • Sewing A Hairline Seam Finish
    • Hem Finishes >
      • Garment Hem Finishes: Overview
      • ​Sewing A Double Fold Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Single Fold Hem Finish
      • Sewing Bound Hem Finishes
      • Sewing An Exposed Double Layer Bound Hem
      • Sewing A Folded-Up Bound Hem with Pre-folded Binding
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Band Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Bias Faced Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Twill Tape Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Rolled Hem Finish
      • Sewing A Shaped Hem Facing
      • Using Fusible Hem Tape And Webbing
      • Finishing A Lace Fabric Hem
      • Finishing A Leather Hem
      • Sewing Faced Hem Corners
      • How To Finish Lining At The Hem
      • Finishing Fabric Corners by Mitering >
        • Mitering Fabric Corners With A Full Bias Facing
        • Mitering Fabric Corners With Exposed Binding
      • Interfacing A Hemline: Lined And Unlined Examples
    • Sewing Pockets >
      • Curved Patch Pocket With Flap
      • Unlined Square Patch Pockets
      • Lined Patch Pockets: Two Ways
      • Extension On-Seam Pockets
      • Separate On-Seam Pocket
      • Front Hip Pockets
      • Bound Double Welt Pocket
      • Double Welt Pocket With Flap
      • Self-Welt Pocket (Using Single Fabric Layer)
      • Slanted Welt Pocket (Hand-Stitched)
      • Faced Slash Pockets: Overview >
        • Sewing A Faced Slit Pocket
        • Sewing A Rectangular Slash Pocket
        • Sew A Star-Shaped Faced Pocket
    • Sewing Zippers >
      • Sewing Zippers: General Information
      • Sewing A Centered Zipper
      • Sewing A Lapped Zipper
      • Sewing An Invisible Zipper
      • Sewing A Fly Front Zipper
      • Sewing A Closed-End Exposed Zipper (No Seam)
      • Sewing An Exposed Separating Zipper
      • Sewing Hand Stitched Zipper Applications
      • Sewing A Zipper Underlay
      • Sewing A Placket-Enclosed Separating Zipper
    • Sleeveless Finishes >
      • Sleeveless Armhole Finishes: General Information
      • Finishing Sleeveless Garments with Lining
      • Sewing A Folded-Under Bound Armhole Finish
      • Sewing A Shaped Armhole Facing
      • Finishing Armhole Edges With Exposed Binding
      • Finishing Armhole Edges With Decorative Trim
    • Neckline Finishes >
      • Sewing A Neck Shaped Facing
      • Sewing An All-In-One Neck Facing
      • Neck And Garment Opening Combination Facings >
        • Sewing An Extended Front-Neck Facing
        • Sewing A Separate Neck-Front Facing
      • Sewing A Bias Faced Neckline Finish
      • Sewing A Band Neckline Finish
      • Bound Neckline Finishes: Overview >
        • Sewing A Single Layer Bound Neckline
        • Finishing A Neckline With Pre-Folded Binding
        • Sewing A Double Layer Bound Neckline Finish
      • Sewing A Semi-Stretch Strip Band Neckline
      • Ribbed Neck Band And Classic Turtleneck
      • Decorative Neckline Finishes >
        • Sewing A Neckline With Decorative Inset
        • Sewing A Piped Cording Faced Neckline
        • Sewing Decorative Trim To A Finished Neckline
    • Finishing Facing Edges >
      • Finishing Facing Edges: Overview
      • Folded-And-Topstitched Overedge Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Bound Facing Edge Finish
      • Sewing A Hong Kong Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Rolled Edge Facing Finish
      • Sewing A Twill Tape Facing Edge Finish
      • Sewing An Overedge-Stitch Facing Finish
    • Extras >
      • A Complete Guide on Interfacing
      • Sewing Bound Spaghetti Straps
      • Sewing Spaghetti Straps To A Faced Neckline
      • Sewing Ruffles: Overview
      • Patterning And Sewing A Circle Ruffle
      • Sewing A Gathered Heading Ruffle
      • Sewing Double Layer Gathered Ruffles
      • Sewing A Gathered Ruffle Into A Seam
      • Sewing A Gathered Ruffle To A Fabric Edge
      • Sewing A Fabric Surface Slit
      • Sewing A Slit Seam
      • Hand-Applied Straight Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Blind Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Overedge Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Tack Stitches
      • Hand-Applied Decorative Stitches
  • Custom Apparel
    • Custom Bridal
  • Submit A Sewing Question
  • About
  • Blog