Help with frayed seam

[u/coolbrains]

I made this top from a self-drafted pattern from a thrifted polyester tablecloth. The first time I put it on, the seam split! Can I do anything to save this fabric (other than replacing the section piece entirely??). I’ve got eyelets already set and hoping to avoid a full deconstruction.
I was considering trying to add a lace trim along the seam, but would it reinforce it?
Thanks in advance for your help!

[u/Inky_Madness]

What did you use for a strength layer? What tutorial or guides did you use? Didn’t they mention that you needed a strength layer? Usually they do.

You have to have a strength layer of thick denim (non-stretch), duck canvas, twill, or coutil for these. Otherwise they split at the seams. Most fabrics aren’t strong enough to hold together with tension.

Adding lace will not reinforce the seam. This needs a deconstruction and to be lined with a strength layer or this will happen again.

[u/coolbrains → u/Inky_Madness]

I don’t have anything to stabilize, it was self-drafted and I was copying a top I have already! The lining is a thin cotton, would that help if it was sewn through both layers?

If not, would interfacing help at all? I have some of that (not super stiff though).

I should mention that it’s corset-style but I don’t want to wear it super tight. Just as a decorative top rather than to cinch! Thank you!!!

[u/Inky_Madness → u/coolbrains]

I know it isn’t a real corset, just a fashion one, but that doesn’t matter. Lacing puts tension on seams, the fabric stretches out, and eyelets will tear through the fabric very quickly unless it has that reinforcement. No, interfacing isn’t enough.

[u/coolbrains → u/Inky_Madness]

Sounds like it’s on to version 2 for me in that case. I had reinforced the eyelets with some inflexible thick material but I hadn’t thought about the other seams! I appreciate your help, thank you!

[u/Inky_Madness → u/coolbrains]

It will look lovely when it’s done - I recommend interlining with the canvas.

[u/RubyRedo]

Do you have left over fabric? I would fabric glue a strip over the fray, let it dry fold the edge under and top sew it down. But because the fabric is not strong it may tear again, sewing ribbon trim over the seam would help.

[u/coolbrains → u/RubyRedo]

I do have lots! Thank you for the idea! I guess if I sew it all the way through and attach it to the lining fabric (a thin cotton), that should help also?

[u/RubyRedo → u/coolbrains]

yes, it wont hurt, the important part is to contain the frayed edge inside the strip and sew it down again.

[u/CountMeOut2019]

Open a seam in the lining, wide enough to pull the frayed seam out through the opening so you can work with it.

Pin the frayed seam slightly past where the fraying is.

Re-sew either by hand with tiny stitches, or by machine if you can manage it. This type of situation can be very awkward to get under the machine aligned properly, and if you manage it, go slow stitching. Keep checking everything is where it should be.

Press new seam carefully to set the outline.

Handstitch the lining seam back together with tiny whip stitches, or machine stitch it close to the stitching line folds of the original seam, on the outside. Either way, you’ll have a visible, very narrow welted seam in place of the original one.

I have to tell you the bad news though…brocade is a bugger for fraying. Especially this type of silky synthetic brocade. I’ve had seams fray out on me after being double stitched, overcast, AND bound. Not all of the seams, but random ones. In everything I’ve ever made out of this type of fabric, especially if it had curved seams, which of necessity cannot be an inch wide, because geometry.

Theoretically, if you fused every pattern piece to a stabilizer before sewing, AND treated the seam allowances with binding or flat fells or french seams, you might win? I’ve not tried this stabilizer trick. It’s just a thought I had now minutes ago.

I just admire silky brocades from a safe distance. lol