How to Pink Your Edges

September 30th, 2008 in sewing, patterns & designs, fashion

Shannon Dennis, contributor

1 user recommends

Pinking not only finishes the edges but also can be an interesting embellishment if left on the right side of the project.

Serging leaves you with a beautifully finished edge.

Zigzag is a traditional way to finish your seams.

Pinking not only finishes the edges but also can be an interesting embellishment if left on the right side of the project.

Photo: Shannon Dennis

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There are a variety of ways to finish your seams. If you missed the post on Hong Kong finish, make sure you check that out for a more fancy, "couture"-type finish. For this post, we're going to look at four finishes that will help you keep your edges from unraveling and your project moving along.

The first finish is a three-thread overlock on a serger. This is a very professional finish and is seen inside most ready-made wear. Using a three-thread instead of a four-thread stitch will cut down on bulk. Another benefit of using a serger to finish your seam is that it cuts the unused fabric as it goes!

A three-thread serger stitch will finish off your seam beautifully.

The second seam finish is pinking. This is a super-quick and easy way to finish seams on fabric that does not unravel easily. After sewing your seam, simply use pinking shears to cut off half of the seam.

Trim half the seam with pinking shears for a beautiful seam finish.

Another seam finish is a simple zigzag. Select a zigzag stitch from your sewing machine, and either finish both sides of the seam separately or together.

Traditional zigzag finishes are great for inside seams that won't be seen.

Finally, for a seam finish that is more secure than a traditional zigzag but just as quick, try a three-step zigzag. This stitch looks like a large zigzag on your machine but actually takes three stitches to the left and then three stitches to the right. Check out this video for a visual on using a three-step zigzag.