Thank you Amy! again, your post is awesome! i think this has inspired me to get off the behind and try a video about grain in garments - as you say it can destroy a garment and i can't find any decent non-technical explanations.

Happy Sunday!!! steph

Steph, I didn't know anything about fabric grain, so thank you for your detailed explanation! Twisting seams is one of my biggest peeves. I can't count the knit tops I've had this happen to with their first washing, and for me they're ruined. I won't wear them again. Is there anything to look for in a knit to know if it is off grain?

Superlative post, Amy, and the additions from MrsE resonated strongly with me.I was in the middle of making a garment and needed to widen it across the bust. By some happy chance, a random visitor, who just happened to be a professional seamstress, explained the centerline principle to me. I then made the alteration without compromising the centerline and the garment drapes beautifully. Phew, it was a close shave.

Great info Amy and Steph!!
Thanks sooo much for writing it all down and getting links and pics!

Ooooh this is a wonderful post, thank you so much Amy (and all responders)! GREAT list, now I've got some new quality elements to look out for

Thankyou so much Amy (and Steph), I was looking for a guide to assessing quality and found this - mwah! <333333

As someone whose first reaction to an eye-catching garment on a hanger is to turn it inside out for an examination of the care label (for fibre content) and seams --- even before I check for size! --- I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to Amy for this post and to Steph for her explanation of fabric grain.

A few little pet peeves I haven't seen mentioned include:
(1) scratchy care labels and brand labels that require you to take the garment apart to get them out.
(2) hemming or sewing with mismatched thread (both colour and fibre), and not for the contrast effect(!), especially when the thread is a synthetic fibre on a cotton or linen garment --- because chances are high I'll melt the seams off when ironing them.
(3) failure to note the presence of sensitive or fade-prone natural dyes in fabric --- I adore vegetable dyes and am happy to go the extra distance caring for them, but I need to KNOW that the black is going to go green unless I keep it out of the sun! Or that the indigo will be a slightly different hue after its first wash, which means I don't buy a matching garment to go with it just yet.
(4) Buttons sewn on TOO tightly on a garment that uses a heavier weight material, which means you need to fight to button up and unbutton --- and ultimately the button breaks or goes 'pop'!
(5) Shoes that bleed colour from the insole or lining!
(6) Hems and seams with so little fabric allowance in the folds that even the tiniest alteration is fraught with danger.
(7) Linings that aren't sewn down flat near the zipper, especially with invisible zippers, which means they tend to catch in the teeth and the zipper sticks. (There's supposed to be stitching to flatten the lining at the seam, but not on the outer fabric, where it will show.)
(8) Vents that have not been reinforced.
(9) Interfacing in collars, cuffs and waistbands of poor quality (or just badly attached) so that the garment warps in the wash or while pressing.
(10) metal trim or fasteners that RUST!

Wow, Manidipa, I really appreciate your list! I have so much to learn. Unfortunately some of these issues can't be seen until you've worn the items :(. You mention a lot of things that bother me (scratchy tags, black fading to weird colours, catching linings in a zip - yes! These have happened to me too) - I just never analysed the reason for it, just felt annoyed and mystified.

Great lists!

Amy, and Steph,
Thanks to both of you for the good lessons in garment fabric and construction.

One thing that is difficult about evaluating "grain" in knits is that many are knit in a tube so the direction of adding to the material is generally in a spiral. So when this material is cut, it is often impossible to BEGIN straight, and washing makes the distortion worse,

Everyone has probably had a pair of pants where one leg hangs funny or feels twisted, or a top with one sleeve like that. That is a result of being cut off grain.

To add areas you may want to include in "quality inspection" when shopping:

Cuffs and sleeve plackets in blouses - smoothly applied, with the sleeve fabric neatly and evenly pleated or gathered into the cuff so the cuff fits close to your wrists.

Shoulder seams feel more comfortable if they lie just a little in front of the top line of the shoulder on your body. The garment will have a little longer back piece and more room in the back part of the upper sleeve and shoulder.

Collar lies flat with no puckers. The under collar is ideally made of a slightly smaller piece of fabric (as are the underside of cuffs and the inside of the collar stand) so the garment forms a natural curve around the curves of your body. This is how a nicely made man's shirt is made, and women should look for the same quality.

Still, not every quality made garment will fit perfectly as we know. Comfortable and flattering fit can be rather elusive. Quality can be found in surprisingly affordable items
and shops. Try on any possibilty and Good luck on the hunt!

Thankyou cjh - I am learning a lot (well, trying to!)

I looked for the book I was in love with during my big sewing years when I was making complete wardrobes for myself and two daughters. This is fascinating and teaches amazing techniques in making shirts. Really worth the money and it covers many fine sewing tips for ladies' blouses, too. Amy, Steph, other experienced seamstresses may enjoy it. Taunton Press also has some books and videos teaching sewing basics, for beginners.

http://www.amazon.com/Shirtmak.....1561582646

cjh: such excellent points! thanks so much for adding those. Cuffs and collars added to the checklist

I have somehow managed to miss this post, good thing it had resurfaced.

Fantastic read, thank you so much, both Amy and Steph.

I have to admit I TRY to look items over before purchasing but sometimes I don't scrutinize them hard enough and end up being unhappy with the workmanship. This will help me pay closer attention!