Thursday Tip with Hali - Notches
Thursday Tip // Notches
A question we often get in beginner classes is “what are notches for?” and then the inevitable follow up “Do I have to mark ALL of them?”. And the short answer is YES. Yes, you should mark all of them. As a seasoned sewist you may have figured out a way to skip this step here and there but it really depends on the project. Think of notches like a checkpoint in a race. They give you an idea of where you are and where to go next.
Notches are typically marked with a dark, solid line. The pattern instructions may say otherwise but generally you can clip 1/8” into the edge of the fabric where the notch is marked. Keep your seam allowance in mind as you don’t want to clip into that. Note: seam allowances when working with knits can be quite small (eg. ¼”) so just read your instructions thoroughly before deciding how deep to cut your notches. The pattern instructions will also tell you which notches to match up so that your pieces fit together as intended.
Sometimes notches help you identify which pattern piece you are working with. For example, sleeves will have a single notch to indicate the front side, where it attaches to the front bodice and a double notch to indicate the back, where it attaches to the back bodice. Sleeves are cut as a mirror image so you always have a left and right sleeve. When matching sleeves to the body of your garment it is easy to get turned around so the notches are there to make sure you cut two opposite sleeves and that they are sewn in correctly. I can’t even tell you the number of times I have cut two left sleeves and then wondered what I did wrong. Sleeves can be tricky for the best of us so those notches are super helpful in figuring out what goes where if you aren’t sure.
When you are working with a curved pattern piece and attaching it to a straight piece, notches help you line things up so the pieces match up properly. If you just started pinning from the top of the seam to the bottom your pieces wouldn’t necessarily line up as the curved piece will need to be slightly eased into the straight piece. Notches identify where that ease is and how to distribute it between them. This is also the case with waistbands or a sleeve cap. Knit garments will have notches to help you line up a neckband (also cuffs, waistband etc.) to the neckline as the neckline will have a much wider circumference than the neckband itself so some ease must be distributed there as well. With fabrics that tend to shift and/or stretch a lot with handling, notches can be a good indicator if your pieces will line up when sewn or if one has stretched too far out of shape and it just won’t work. I had this happen recently when inserting a zipper in a knit jacket and let’s just say that project has been shelved in the “I just can’t deal with you right now” bin.
Lastly, I don’t see this as much, but sometimes notches are included to mark the point where you will fold up a hem to press and sew. This can be really handy for quick reference and makes pressing really quick. I have to say, I get a deep satisfaction from a perfectly matched notch and I would argue it’s a real confidence booster too! A pat on the back for a great cutting job. Would you agree?!