Addicted to reverse coverhemming

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I'm sure there's 100 tutorials out there that show you how to do reverse coverhemming.  I've never looked at any of them (and when I bought my coverhemmer 12 years ago, they likely weren't there). Mine has the capability of a 3 needle stitch, which allows for a nice decorative stitch when used backwards/on the wrong side.  I've used it before for hemming and following along a seam before, but never for attaching pockets.  Mostly because I can't sew in a straight line, and it was a fail every time I tried. I gave up quickly.

I decided I was done with that, and realized I could baste the pocket (or whatever else) I wanted on, and use the basting stitch as a guide on the wrong side to follow with the coverhemmer. I've made a couple things for my kids this way, and it's made it so much easier and now I'm not sure I can stop!

I've been in a phase lately where clothing is bothering me (yay sensory issues that are less manageale when I'm stressed!), so jeans and most other pants aren't comfortable.  They also don't work well for  birth work, where I need to be able to move around a lot. I bought a couple pairs of Land's End knit pants that had back pockets and a fly, so looked a little more "professional".  They're great - except that there aren't many manufacturers out there that make clothing for the apple shaped woman, includeing Land's End apparently.  Basically - my belly is bigger than my hips.  So the elastic in these pants made them slightly uncomfortable.  The search was on for a pattern to make my own.

A couple months ago, Mama Can Do It released the fit pants. I was lucky enough to help test it, and it's become my favorite pattern for pants.  Shorts are next on my list. They're super comfortable with an elastic or yoga waist, and can be skinny, straight leg, wide leg, or flares!

I got this amazingly soft, cloud like inside, brushed modal french terry from The Fab Clique to sew up, and as soon as I saw it, I KNEW it had to be my newest pants.  When I got it, I decided it needed patch pockets on the front, and ALL the reverse coverhemming.  I took some pictures while I made them to help demonstrate how I altered it to do the patch pockets and use reverse coverhemming.

You cut your pants fronts and backs like you're not adding pockets.  I used the shorter pocket option for the hip pockets for this pair.  Instead of cutting 2 of the fabric and 2 of the lining (on the dotted line) I just cut 2 of the main fabric, but on the dotted line like I was cutting the lining.  It's meant to have a seam at the slanted side, to attach it to the pants front, I just hemmed that instead. The ends don't fold over perfectly well, but that's ok.  I used reverse coverhemming for this part too.

 

Now that the pockets are ready to put on the pants front, I pin them on so they don't move while I'm basting. Sometimes I'll see that they are too big (because there are seam allowences) and will need to trim them down a bit.  These look perfect.

I'll also note here that I altered the front sides at the waist to better fit my bigger belly. About at the widest part of the hip, I start grading (drawing a line) from the size my hip measurement is (14 for these) to the top of the waist, ending on the line that my waist measurement is (18) on the pattern. Basically instead of curving in from the hip to the waist, it goes almost straight up. I didn't make any alterations to the back since all the "extra" is in the front.

To get the decorative looking stitch on the front of the garment, you have to sew it from the back.  That's hard to do and follow curved lines without some sort of guide.  I baste the pockets on, using thread that will match and blend in with the thread on my coverhemmer looper for the top, and ideally something that will be easy to see against the fabric for the bobbin. I sew close to the edge - using the inside edge of my presser foot as a guide.  Probably about 1/8 of an inch or sew.  It's hard to see in pictures because I didn't use thread that stood out a lot, but I had no problem following it on the machine. I try to keep the basting stitch in between the middle and right needles, so that the edge of the coverhemming is right along the fabric edge on the reverse/right side. I can trim any fabric that sticks out too far from the stitching afterwards too.

I'm not sure WHY it took me so long to come up with this technique - I would have been using it much more often otherwise. Reverse coverhemming really adds just the right amount of detail to otherwise plain clothing. Using it by itself just as a decorative stitch is an option as well!  For these pants, I used it on the mock fly, the front patch pockets, the back pockets, the hem, and for sewing the elastic at the waistband down.  I did say I was addicted - right??