First, let's cover the basic question I can hear you screaming: Why bother finishing your seams? No one can see them, so what's the point?

A finished seam prevents ravelling and fraying of your fabrics. Even though your seam is "hidden" on the inside of your project, laundering or general use can cause the fabric to fray, which eventually will result in holes or tears or other unsightly problems. Some materials, like a loosely woven linen, are more prone to fraying than others. Others, like polar fleece, won't fray at all, and don't require finishing – even when exposed on the outside of a project.

The most obvious way to finish a seam is something we do all the time: create a hem. To do this, you press the seam under, then press again and stitch down, so you enclose the raw seam in the fold. This method will always work, but it is time consuming and uses up more fabric than necessary. The yellow gingham sample shown above is done with this method.

Pinking Shears

The first and easiest method of finishing seams is pinking shears. Pinking shears have a sawtooth edge and cut fabric in a zig zag pattern, which helps prevents the edges from fraying. You'll only want to use this method if you're sewing with fabric that isn't prone to ravelling.

Create a pinked seam

1. Stitch your seam. You may want to broaden your seam allowance to allow room for the pinking shear's zig zag. Generally you'll need to make sure there is at least an extra ¼" for the blade.
2. Trim off both edges of the fabric with the Pinking Shears.
3. Press the seam open.
   

Create a stitched pink seam

1. If you prefer, you can reinforce the regular pinked seam by creating a Stitched Pinked Seam.
2. To do this, begin by sewing a regular seam. (Again, you may need to widen your seam allowance for this method.)
3. Then, sew an additional row of stitches about ¼" from the regular seam, toward the outer edge of the fabric.
4. Trim right along this second row with the Pinking Shears.
5. Press the seam open.
   

Clean Finish

A clean finish is an extra line of stitching just inside a seam. Use this finish on fabrics that don't tend to ravel, like dense cottons or wovens.

1. Create a regular seam.
2. Press seam open.
3. Stitch an extra row of stitches about ¼" from the edge of the fabric, on each seam allowance.
4. You can modify the clean finish to achieve an even more reliable seam by turning under the edges of the seam allowance, and then stitching close to the fold of the fabric. This technique isn't suitable for very heavy fabrics, however, because the extra folding makes the seam bulky.
   

Zig Zag Stitch

A zig zag stitch is a great way to finish a seam on any kind of fabric. Before you begin sewing, test the zig zag on a scrap of fabric. Depending on the stretchiness of the fabric, you may need to adjust the stitch length or width. (For tips on selecting machine stitch length, click here.)

1. Stitch your seam.
2. Press seams open or to one side.
3. With your zig zag stitch selected, stitch along the edge of the seam allowance, so the right side of the stitch falls just off the edge of the fabric, encasing the raw edge in the stitching.
4. Based on your pressing method, you will do this to each side of the seam, or you will stitch the edges of the seam allowance together.
   

French Seam

A French Seam is used for very sheer fabrics like organdy or chiffons. You might choose to use this seam if you are making sheer or unlined drapes where a stitch like a zig zag or overcast stitch would show through. One extra note: A French seam is kind of complicated, and doing it on a curve, while not totally impossible, is certainly not advisable ... if you want to maintain your sanity.

1. With wrong sides of the fabric together, pin the edge of where the seam will fall.
   
   
2. Stitch a ¼" seam allowance along this edge.
   
3. Trim the seam allowance to about 1/8".
   
4. Press the remaining seam allowance to one side.
5. Now "open" the seam, folding your fabric so that the wrong sides of the fabric face out, and folding to place the right sides together along the seam.
   
6. Press the fabric flat on the fold. Pin the fabric to secure along the fold.
7. Stitch along the fold using a 3/8" seam allowance.
   
8. Unfold the fabric and press the seam with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. Press so the seam lays flat on one side.
   
   
   NOTE: You can quickly turn a French Seam into a Flat Felled Seam like those found on the sides of jeans. After you press the seam flat in the last step, sew another row of stitches along the fold, just in from the edge of the fold.

Overcast Finish

Many sewing machines contain an overcast or blind hem stitch which can be used for finishing seams. Typically, you will also use an Overcast foot or Overedge foot to complete the process.

1. Create your seam.
2. Press the seam either open or to one side.
3. Position the edge of the seam allowance so the outer stitches fall just off the edge of the fabric.
4. Stitch along the length of the fabric.
5. If seam was pressed open, repeat process on the opposite side of the seam allowance.
   

Stay tuned! In the coming weeks, we'll be featuring the champion of seam finishing: The Serger. Once you read about the fabluous ways you can use this machine for a truly professional-looking finish, you'll put it on your list of must-haves!

Comments (9)

liz.johnson said:

... @ vagl -- The blind hem stitch is different from the overcast stitch. If your machine offers an overcast stitch, it should also come with an overcast foot. The manual should confirm this. I have never tried to use a zipper foot for this type of stitch. I would recommend sticking with the zig zag finish if you are unsure. A call to your dealer would also be a good idea to find out more specifics about your machine.

May 04, 2011

vagl said:

... Hi, nice article with proper explanations. My machine has the blind hem stitch. Can I overcast with all-purpose or zipper foot? I dont have the overcast foot and wouldnt want to spend for it if I can get away with these.

May 03, 2011

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... Hi Tifani -- traditionally a Blind Stitch foot is a specialty foot designed to create a blind hem and overcast the raw edge in one step. I'm not sure if technically you can make it do just the overcast. I'd suggest you ask your local dealer or if it's a Janome machine, you can send them an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

October 06, 2010

Tifani said:

... Question can I use a Blind Stitch foot to do overcast/overedge stitching or would i need to use an overedge/overcast foot?

October 06, 2010

katrina said:

... Thank you! This is very helpful and your visuals are great!! I started sewing about 2 yrs ago and threw myself head first into making costumes. I've always thought I had to put a lining in my dresses to deal with raw edges, but it's nice to know I can use these methods. I have so much to learn. I will have to see if my machine has those foot accessories. Thanks again!

July 07, 2010

Liz Johnson,Editor, Sew4Home said:

... Hi myreejjw -- It's so great to hear that 6 years of dust is being brushed off and put to use again. Have fun. I hope you find some great home decor projects to do!

February 28, 2010

myreejjw said:

... Hi! I 've had my Janome 6500 for 6 yrs and have not used it alot until now and I'm realizing that it does a lot more stuff then I knew. Since I'm working at home now I've had time to use my machine and reading about how to use my overcast foot & overedge foot to give my projects a more finish look and make my seams stronger is a good lesson for the day for me and hope to keep learning more. I can't wait to own a serger!!!

February 27, 2010

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... So glad you found this article helpful. Sometimes, I'll have struggled with something for years and then I see the right step-by-step and it's like, "Ohhhhhhhhhh .. that's what you do." More "how to's" coming for sure.

October 12, 2009

pjw said:

... Love these how to's! The section on French seams is the best I've seen anywhere Thank you and please keep these "how to's" coming!!

October 12, 2009

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