An easy way to hide all the raw edges on your project and to create a nice clean finish on your garment, even zipper pouch like this one (free!) or home decor. They require no special sewing expertize, except for knowing how to sew a straight stitch. French seams give your projects a professional look. Scroll down and see where’s the (only) catch with a French seam.

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Are you bothered by the uneven finish on your past sewing projects? Want a nice clean finish on your projects? Then the French seam is the way to go!

What Is A French Seam

First off, let’s answer the what in short: A French seam is a simple yet strong seam that will hide the raw edge and is completed by stitching two lines of seams. But to tell you the truth, in real life it’s way easier than it sounds here!

Why And When To Use French Seam

French seams make your project beautiful on both sides, the seam is strong and even. Best for light- to medium-weight woven fabrics. French seams are beautiful on sheers and silk. On quilting cotton, too, if you ask me!

In this tutorial, I used a bit thicker material, cotton twill, to make it really easy to see where the seams meet. I suggest lightweight cotton for your first try.

For this tutorial, let’s say our project requires a standard 5/8″ (1.6cm) seam allowance. This is what you usually see with apparel (And I might have a project like this underway…but shhhhh)

How To Sew A French Seam

1)You’ll start with wrong sides together. Not used to that? Don’t worry, it’s OK – you’ll see why.

2) So, with wrong sides together, stitch the two pieces using 3/8 inch (1cm) seam allowance. Then trim to 1/8. (I do not open the seam, so I can trim it using a rotary cutter. Easy&lazy way to trim, I love it!)

3) Unfold fabric with right sides facing up. Press the seam allowance to one side. To be honest, I first press to one side and then to the other side, to make the seam easier to further manipulate it.

4) Fold the fabric so that right sides are facing. The raw seam is hidden. Press along the seam.

5) Sew a 2/8 inch (0.6cm) seam along the edge, encasing the raw edges. The previous seam allowance will be sandwiched in the fold.

6) Press seam flat and then unfold it and press again, to one side. Done!

Where’s the Catch with French Seams?

Only one: you need to pay attention to the seam allowance in each of the two steps. Nothing difficult. But if you don’t do that, your French seam will use up too much or too little fabric, resulting in a project too tight or too wide.

So to account for the correct seam allowance, the sum of both seam allowances must equal the total seam allowance of your project. In other words, just

Split the seam allowance in two.

Let me make it easy for you. Two most common cases:

5/8″ SA = 3/8″ (trim!) + 2/8″

If you use a 3/8 inch SA in the first part, and a 2/8 SA in the second part, that is a 5/8″ seam allowance. This is standard on apparel. (5/8″=1.6cm, 3/8″=1cm, 2/8″=0.6cm, rough translations of my inch-lingo for my fellow Europeans)

For a 5/8″ seam allowance, sew the first line of stitches 3/8″ from raw edge, then trim, then sew the 2/8 to finish off (this is what the above tutorial shows).

1/2″ SA = 1/4″ (trim!) + 1/4″

On a pattern with a 1/2″ seam allowance, say for a zipper case, you can first stitch a 1/4″ seam, trim it down and then stitch the 1/4″. (1/2″=1.3cm, 1/4″=0.6cm)

The half-inch total seam allowance is already pretty small, I usually never go less than that on a French seam. Though you can, off course. (Just it’s too fiddly for me.)

MAKE IT FASTER: NO-TRIMMING TIP

Depending on the total seam allowance, you will not always need to trim the first seam. If you, say, have a total 5/8 inch allowance, you can distribute it so that the first line of stitches uses a 2/8″SA only and the second one a 3/8″ SA. No trimming.

This is not always possible. And totally not advisable if you are using a fabric that frays a lot – you might end up with little frayed threads on the front side. But when the fabric is not frayed (especially when cut with a rotary cutter!), here’s your chance to speed up the process.

French seams give your garments a nice clean finish, especially if you do not have a serger. You can add French seams to almost anything. With some practice, you can even sew them on curved seams.

Heads-up, I ‘might’ be working on something to try out your French seam sewing skills. Pretty soon! Give the French seam a try, you’ll very likely want to jump on that new project!

Save for Later:

Damjana

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free pattern for a fabric hanging basket

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Or …go straight to one of my currently most popular PDF patterns – the ZIP Pocket Coin purse. No French seams on that one, but it includes a good sewing tip to hide all your zipper edges!

sewing pattern for coin purse with zipper

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