Burda Style For people who sew

French and Flat-Felled seams are easy to make. Learn how!

• Intro
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12

• Add to my toolkit
• Print Page
• Get Instructions (PDF, 3.8 MB)

19 Comments

• 

  Apr 22, 2010, 01.55 PMby Seemane

  Thank you for adding this technique. There’s a wonderful wealth of info. now on BurdaStyle re: french seams – so I shall have to give them a go soon. Best wishes, Seemane :) - Sewing French Seams (Added Apr 21, 2010). - Sew French seams (and why bother) – (Added Jun 4, 2008). - Mock French Seams (Added Mar 8, 2008). - French Seam (Added Feb 18, 2010).
• 

  Sep 10, 2009, 05.52 PMby Bohemiannow

  I finally got it!!! Thank you!
• 

  Sep 5, 2009, 01.45 AMby pinkcashmere

  what do you mean when you say right side facing and wrong side facing? are you saying that right side facing each other and wrong side facing each other?
• 

  May 6, 2009, 05.39 AMby yang0559

  I had to also read this with fabric (well, actually a napkin) in my hand as I followed. Very helpful.

  You just saved me some money! I’ve been working with chiffons and because I don’t have a serger, I’ve been having so many fray-issues. Problem solved. Thanks!
• 

  May 5, 2009, 12.42 AMby bachitup

  Ah I learned Flat-felled in a totally different way, where you trim out the under seam allowance and wrap the outer one around it, then topstitch. Totally like this way much better! :]]
• 

  Mar 20, 2009, 02.56 PMby grammyweezy

  ahhh i had to read it three times and hold two pieces of cloth in my hands before i figured it out! hahaha AND i just finished a chiffon dress the other day… grrrrr….thanks so much!
• 

  Jan 31, 2009, 06.53 PMby katjapurrs

  finally a way to control the fraying!!! Thank you so much!
• 

  Oct 30, 2008, 06.29 PMby RitaRitaRita

  I’m a little confused about your use of ‘right’ side and ‘wrong’ side. Is the ‘wrong’ side the front face or the back of the fabric? Help :-S
• 

  Oct 10, 2008, 05.53 PMby cuervito

  Wow! Amazing tutorial! Thankss!
• 

  Aug 20, 2008, 01.49 PMby giffengood

  thanks, nayantara! I agree!! this is the best tutorial on making french seams that i’ve seen!
• 

  Apr 30, 2008, 08.40 PMby britnlind

  Great tut. I get lost in these things sometimes but I am amazed that I now know how to do a french seam and the flat felled. Thanks for taking the time.
• 

  Mar 26, 2008, 05.59 AMby Antigone

  Thank you. This tutorial is so clear. I would have spent hours (if not months) in frustration without this!
• 

  Oct 23, 2007, 12.00 PMby SheWanna

  Oh my……..if only I had joined sooner! Hours of frustration, grrrrrrrrr
• 

  Aug 30, 2007, 04.02 PMby windsy

  thanks for this tut. i made a skirt for a friend last night and i had been thinking about using a french seam. i made the skirt of boucle and this was a perfect way to keep from unravling. thanks again- your tut made it easy to do!
• 

  Aug 29, 2007, 01.51 PMby lakaribane

  Ok, I’m adding a little more confusion in your mind Nayantara but I speak French and this is know as a Couture Anglaise …an English seam, LOL!

  Check out the link given on that (french) page, and it’s a French seam again (the text is in English this time, of course)
• 

  Aug 29, 2007, 09.05 AMby Gesine

  Thanks for that, great tutorial, so easy to follow!
• 

  Aug 28, 2007, 09.32 PMby pranamama

  I agree this is a wonderful how-to! I never knew how to make a flat-felled seam out of my french seams. I often use french seams on ravelly cotton or lightweight linen for babyclothes (so much softer than stitching against the skin!)
• 

  Aug 26, 2007, 02.57 AMby MarmotaB

  Thanks a lot for this! I admit, I have to be ashamed about my visual imagination, because I had to read it twice to get the point. :P But on the second reading it made perfect sense. :-)
• 

  Aug 24, 2007, 05.32 PMby elainemay

  thanks, nayantara! this is the best tutorial on making french seams that i’ve seen!