French Seams
French seams are a sewing technique that creates a clean and finished look on the inside and outside of a garment. They’re often considered an advanced technique, that can strike fear into the hearts of many dressmakers! However, I teach this seam finish in my beginners classes for 2 reasons:
1. It’s actually not as difficult as it seams! (see what I did there 😉) and 2. As most people new to sewing are unlikely to have an overlocker, It gives a beautiful finish on the inside of your project.
This technique involves stitching two consecutive seams to enclose the fabric’s raw edge. French seams are ideal for lightweight and sheer fabrics, as they prevent fraying and create a clean, professional finish without visible seams.They are also good for bags made from lighter weight fabric because the seams are extra strong.
Here’s How To Sew A French Seam:
Lets start with a couple of sewing terms:
Wrong side of fabric: is the side of the fabric that is usually on the inside of your project - if the fabric has a print on it, it may be white or faded. Sometimes it’s difficult to determine if the design on the fabric is printed, so mark your fabric clearly. (See the example below).
Right side of fabric: is the pretty side - the side you will see, with the print much clearer & bolder than the wrong side.
Seam Allowance: is the distance from the cut edge of the fabric to the line where you will sew, this will differ from pattern to pattern. You will generally divide the seam allowance so for example with a 1.5cm seam allowance the 1st seam is sewn at 1cm & the 2nd seam at 0.5cm.
Tip: For your 1st French seam, try to work with at least a 1.5cm (5/8”) seam allowance, to give yourself room to trim off the surplus fabric & always practice on scrap fabric 1st!
Right side of fabric to the left, wrong side of fabric to the right
1 Sew the wrong sides of the fabric together with a small seam allowance
2. Then, trim the seam allowance by just over half, ensuring that you don’t cut through the stitches
3. Press the seam to one side
4 Fold the fabric so that the right sides are facing each other & press again, ensuring that the seam sits right on the edge.
5. Sew another seam, enclosing the raw edges of the previous seam.
TIP - You should be able to feel where the seam is inside, so make sure you’re sewing slightly to the left of it.
6. Finally, press the fabric to one side.
7. Et Voila! You have a beautifully finished French seam or La Couture Anglaise as they call them in France! If you fancy joining my beginners classes here’s the link
Finished seam from the right side
Like many techniques in sewing, there are different approaches, some people like to do a wider seam allowance 1st, followed by a narrower 2nd, this gives a more delicate finish & is particularly nice on a silk blouse for example. Some people prefer a no trim method, so sew a small seam allowance 1st i.e. 0.5cm & the second one wider i.e. 1cm, eliminating the need to trim down & is great for bags. The important thing is to practice & adapt your method to the project that you’re working on.
