My tailor told me to ignore seam allowances and cut by eye instead

I was making a dress from a vintage pattern and she said measuring those 5/8 inch lines was slowing me down, so I tried her way on a muslin and it actually fit better than my careful method. Has anyone else had a pro tell you to break a basic rule and had it work out?

2 comments

2 Comments

amyb544d agoTop Commenter

Respectfully, I see this totally different and I gotta push back a little. Seam allowances exist for a reason, especially on something like a dress where fit and structure actually matter. Cutting by eye might work for a simple tote bag or something, but on a fitted garment you're just asking for wonky seams and weird draping later. Plus if you ever need to let something out or adjust it, you've got no room to work with. Glad it worked on your muslin, but that feels more like luck than a pro tip.

hart.taylor4d ago

Not sure I follow the "luck" part, @amyb54. There's a big difference between skipping seam allowances and understanding how fabric behaves. I've been sewing for over a decade and cutting on the fold without a quarter inch margin has never caused me issues on shift dresses or A-lines. It's not just about tote bags. If you know your fabric's drape and how much stretch it has, you can absolutely fudge a little. Plus, you can always add a seam allowance back if you're nervous, but taking it away isn't some reckless gamble. But hey, different strokes for different folks.