How to sew a French seam
Raw edges enclosed inside the seam.
Step by step
- Start with WRONG sides together.
- For a 5/8 in allowance, sew 1/4 in first.
- Press, then trim the allowance to about 1/8 in.
- Fold right sides together and sew 3/8 in, enclosing the raw edges.
- Press to one side. Best on lightweight and sheer fabrics.
Watch
How to Sew French Seams (1:39)
By Tilly and the Buttons · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 1-minute video from Tilly and the Buttons on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.