twisting seams - am I just OCD?? - YouLookFab Forum

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twisting seams - am I just OCD??

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I'm doing laundry today and once again am spending a good deal of time trying to straighten out all the seams that seem to twist little by little, wash by wash. It drives me crazy! Am I just being too obsessive or does this drive you up a wall, too? I swear, even the most expensive knit shirt will eventually end up this way. I take shirts out of the dryer early and start blocking and stretching to try and even up the side seams. I found myself doing this with PJ pants this week, as well. As if anyone can see your pj's seams lol! I swear rayon blends are the worst. What's the deal with all this twisting, anyway?

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14 replies

Latest reply was from AJ

MNsara

Veteran

High five, Mo! I'm often in my laundry room rearranging seams :-\ and it is always my left seams that twist toward the front center - what about yours?

I think it is definintely worse with less expensive knits, but better brands are no guarantee of straight seams. . .

My solution has been to lay flat to dry so I can square everything up before its too late.

Scarlet

Veteran

I really have no idea about this. How do the seams twist?

AJ

Veteran

I must be clueless because I've never noticed this. Can't you just iron it flat?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Sara, I never noticed before, but sure enough, it is the left seams creeping towards the center every time! How bizarre. I agree the more expensive stuff tends to do this less, or at least take longer until it happens lol.
AJ, it's the actual shirt fabric twisting - not a wrinkle type situation. Imagine hanging a t shirt so the shoulders are level but the left seam comes across the front of your belly rather than straight down the side. At the same time, the right seam is twisting across your back instead of straight down. You've never had this happen??

Becky

Veteran

Can you wash on a gentle cycle so they don't get such harsh treatment in the spin cycle?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, Becky, that's an interesting thought. Here in the FL rental we have a top loading washer with the agitator in the center but back home in CA we have a front loader with no agitator at all. I wonder if the seam situation is caused by the agitator? I'll have to pay more attention when I move back home to my old washer and see if my shirts get less twisted . . .

Scarlet

Veteran

Oh yeah, that does happen to me, but I don't worry about it because it is usually layering T-shirts. I think the fabric is cut on the bias maybe (throwing darts here cause I have no idea about sewing)?

Debora

Veteran

I'll have to pay more attention to see if this happens with me. I hang all my knitwear over a laundry rack to dry, lining up the seams first. Good luck!

Velma

Veteran

This happens when fabric is cut slightly off-grain. Typically with cheaper garments, more are cut at once in a thick stack, so there is more of a chance that each garment will be a bit off-grain. With washing and especially tumble-drying, the grain of the fabric will begin to pull against the seaming if the fabric is not aligned as the garment's design demands. How irritating!

Anonymous

I have that problem with JEANS. Especially bargain jeans. I know from my past sewing experience that this is because the garment was cut off the grain so the fabric will naturally start to push back so its on-grain when it is washed. It gets worse over time. It does happen with my Target t-shirts but not with my Halogen t-shirts. Quality does make a difference in this case.

Cilleena

Veteran

I've never noticed this with tops, but it drives me up the wall with some of my pants. The seam with get twisted right at the widest point of my hips and that adds an extra 1/4 of a inch to my hip width. Grr. I do NOT want my hip width added to. Is that what you are talking about?

catgirl

Veteran

Hate that, and I also hate when the whole garment kind of twists around so the seam runs at an angle (or is that what you mean?). Old Navy t-shirts are the worst culprits!

ETA: I think you meant the same thing. I also hate when the seam itself gets twisted up, like at the collarline where it's stitched down, usually from the material shrinking in an uneven way. So CHEAP!

Mellllls

Veteran

I have never noticed this and I don't buy incredibly high quality clothes. I am going to be on the watch now!!

AJ

Veteran

I have noticed this with my kids' tees that I put in the dryer. I wash all my stuff on delicate cycle and hang dry, so I don't think this has occured but I'll pay closer attention.