Sewing Tips | French Seams - Chalk and Notch

If you are sewing with a lightweight or sheer fabric, an excellent option for a clean finish is to sew French seams. Find this technique used in our Wren and Sun Tote patterns. French seams are sewn twice, and the raw edges are enclosed inside the second stitching line. This technique prevents your fabric from fraying or unraveling. It also creates a strong seam and a beautiful, professional finish! In this sewing tip, we’ll demonstrate how to sew a french seam using sheer fabric.

GATHERING SUPPLIES

To begin, you’ll need a few supplies:

A sewing pattern that you want to sew using French seams
Washed and Pressed Fabric
Pins
Thread
Scissors
Iron

SEAM ALLOWANCE

A French seam works best with a seam allowance of ½” or ⅝”. With a seam allowance of ½”, both seams will be sewn at ¼”. If your pattern has a ⅝” seam allowance, you can sew the first line of stitching at either ¼” or ⅜”. Your second line of stitching will be ⅜” or ¼” respectively.

SEWING FRENCH SEAMS WITH ½” SEAM ALLOWANCE

With the wrong sides of the fabric together, pin your fabric along the seam line. Sew the first seam at ¼” seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance to ⅛”. Press the seam allowance to one side.

Fold the fabric along the first stitching line. The right sides of the fabric will be together. Press in place.

Pin the fabric in place and sew the second seam at ¼” seam allowance.

Open the fabric. Press the finished seam to one side.

SEWING FRENCH SEAMS WITH 5/8” SEAM ALLOWANCE

With the wrong sides of the fabric together, pin your fabric along the seam line. Sew the first seam at 3/8” seam allowance. Alternatively, you can sew your first seam at ¼” and the second at ⅜”. This will result in a wider finished seam allowance. If you are sewing a sheer fabric we recommend sewing the first seam at ⅜” so that the final seam allowance is smaller since it may be visible through your fabric.