As has been said here..... for a smooth, round, faced circle, pinking
shears work great (at least for a quarter inch seam allowance.)
I find that when notches are too close to the seam line they tend to
form "corners" instead of a smooth seam. (YMMV G)
Another tool that really helps--- "That Purple Thang". Yep that is
the name of it. and it is a wonderful gadget at not too high a price.
Buy more than one.
One end is a quarter inch "square" that is flat and can help with
things like getting the bobbin out of the machine and all sorts of
other things. There is a slot, supposedly so you can put it on a
ribbon and wear it, or hang it. But it could also be used as a bodkin
to pull whatever through a casing.
The other end is sort of pointy, but not too much so. And........
Curved. It is sort of flattish and is a dream to use for smoothing out
the inside of any curved seam. Because you are not pushing at the seam
with the pointy part not much danger of poking through. and the curve
just helps "press" that seam beautifully.

ANd thanks to all for the comments. This is one of the tips I give
over and over again in my classes. Never see it written down anywhere,
but is logical. And yes I have called it "stay stitching" but then
some garment sewist will stitch inside the seam line, not on the line.
You really want to stitch on the seam line to get that smooth edge for
finishing, especially on curves.

Have fun,
Pati, in Phx




On May 8, 1:13*am, Sartorresartus wrote:
What I have always wanted to know, are tips about turning cicles. *I
sew a straight (circular) seam, turn it through and it looks like the
wavy-navy. *I find it so frustrating. *I would love to make mats and
things, but they always turn out skewiff. *I've tried understitching,
and lots of other things, but still, in the final pressing (not
ironing) they are just not round. *Bleah!

How do you get a circle round?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)