How to Sew a French Seam in 6 Easy Steps + Video

A French seam is a professional sewing finish that fully encloses the raw edges. This makes it ideal for lightweight, sheer fabrics such as silk, organza, and chiffon, where traditional finishing methods would show on the right side. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to sew a French seam step by step, when to use it, and which fabrics work best.

What are French Seams?

French Seams are a type of seam finishing used in sewing in which the raw edges of the fabric on the inside are fully encased in an extra row of stitching. This creates a seam that is far more durable than most other seam finishes and an item or clothing piece that looks as attractive on the inside as it does on the outside.

If you are learning professional garment finishes, explore the full types of seams guide to understand when to use different seam styles and finishes.

French seams are perfect for garments and home projects that need durability and a clean inside finish, such as blouses, dresses, and even pillowcases.

Here is a quick summary of French seams:

Feature	Details
Skill Level	Beginner to Intermediate
Best Fabrics	Chiffon, silk, organza, voile
Main Benefit	Fully enclosed raw edges
Best For	Blouses, dresses, pillowcases
Avoid Using On	Thick fabrics and tight curves

How to Sew a French Seam (Step-byStep)

Here is a quick video I made to show you just how quick and easy French seams are to sew. Like most of my videos, it is only about 3 minutes and gets straight to the point. I know you are busy! Subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly sewing and craft videos.

Here are the steps for the how to sew a French seam tutorial. Grab a piece of your scrap fabric first to practice and to ensure this is a suitable seam for your sewing project.

1. Sew the Seam

Pin the WRONG sides of the fabric together. Align the sewing machine presser foot and stitch the first seam. Your seam allowance should be 1/4inch (6mm) less than the seam allowance specified in the pattern. If your pattern has small seam allowances less than 1/2 inch (12mm), it may be necessary to add a little extra.

• For a 1/2 inch (12mm) seam allowance – sew now at 1/4 inch (6mm) from the edge
• For a 5/8 inch (1.5cm) seam allowance – sew now at 3/8 inch (10mm) from the edge.

IMPORTANT (French seams vs Regular Seams)– This is the biggest difference between sewing French seams and regular seams. Normally, you would start with the RIGHT sides together to stitch a seam. With French seams, you start with WRONG sides together. It can seem a little strange at first, but you will quickly get used to this difference.

2. Trim the French Seams to 1/8 inch

Trim seam allowance to 1/8 inch (3mm). Use sharp scissors to get a nice clean edge and do your best not to overhandle the raw fabric edges in the next couple of steps to prevent them fraying again.

Trimming Corners: If you are sewing French seams on an item with corners (for example on pillowcase corners), make sure you also trim the corner diagonally to reduce the bulk.

3. Press the Seam Open

Press open the seam with the seam allowance on one side. Make sure the seam is nice and flat. Use an up and down pressing motion rather than pulling the iron along the seam. Further reading: Pressing for sewing

4. Press the Right Sides Together

Press the fabric in half with RIGHT sides together and with the seam on the edge. Make sure the seam is on the very edge and not to the side for the best results.

5. Sew the Second Stitch Line for French Seams

Sew the second seam 1/4 inch (6mm) from the folded seam edge. Using a 1/4 inch foot (6mm) may help keep your width accurate. The previous seam allowance and layers of fabric will be sandwiched in the fold. It is important to sew the second line of stitches accurately or you will get little tufts of raw edges poking through the seam.

6. Give the Seam a Final Press

Press the seam open again, with the seam allowance on one side. Flip your piece over and give the inside of the seam a final press so it is nice and flat.

You can now get a professional French seams finish on your next project!

Pin it for Later

Best Fabrics for French Seams

French seams work best on lightweight to medium-weight fabrics that fray easily, including:

• Chiffon
• Organza
• Silk
• Voile
• Lawn
• Lightweight linen
• Cotton batiste

Avoid using French seams on thick fabrics such as denim, canvas, fleece, or heavy wool, as they create too much bulk.

What are French Seams Used For?

French seams are generally used on straight seams rather than curved seams. It can also be used on corners successfully. It is better suited to thin to medium weight fabrics as heavy fabrics add too much bulk in the enclosed seam. Further Reading: Sewing Curves and Clipping Sewing

Use a French Seam for:

• Straight side seams on kids’ clothing where durability is important.
• Pillowcase seams since they will be washed repeatedly
• Sheer fabrics where the edge would otherwise fray.
• Garments with delicate, fine fabrics such as silk and chiffon where overlocking or zig zag would create unwanted bulk and show stitching through to the other side.
• Linen seams where the edges would fray excessively
• Although French seams are best on straight seams, it is possible to use them on very gentle curves.

Sewing French Seams on Curves

If you do want to do French seams on a gentle curve, pay special attention to step 2 where you will need to trim as close as possible to the seam. In addition, put some tiny clips into the seam allowance in step 2, being careful not to cut into the stitching line. (Read Clipping Sewing)

If you are sewing sharp curves on armholes or a sleeve, you would be better off with another seam finish such as overlocking, a mock French seam, or bias bound seams.

French Seam FAQs

French Seam Patterns

Now you know how to sew a French seam, why not test your new skills. I have a full blog article on how to make a French seam pillowcase. These are really durable in the wash and a great beginner sewing project. Add some lace or trim to the edge to make it interesting and unique. Both of these pillowcase patterns have cutting instructions so you can make them in several sizes. Pillowcase with border (also has French seams)

Why not try French seams on the side seams of the Taylor Skirt? This is a FREE tutu skirt sewing pattern!

More Seam Articles

1. Flat Felled Seam
2. Clipping Sewing
3. Edge Stitch
4. Understitching
5. Top Stitching
6. Stay Stitching
7. Bias Bound Seam
8. Hong Kong Finish
9. Grading Seams
10. How to Sew a Seam