Look at your jeans or a men’s dress shirt, and you’ll likely spot flat fell seams. On the outside of the garment, there’s a pair of stitch lines, while the inside is all tidy without any raw seam edges. If you’ve wondered how it’s done, it’s not magic — sewing a flat fell seam is a technique every garment sewer can (and should!) learn.
Flat Fell Seam
Level: Easy
What You Need
FabricThreadPinsIron
Instructions
1. Pin
Pin the fabric of the seam together, wrong sides facing.
2. Stitch
Sew the seam at the project’s allotted seam allowance. (We used ⅝”.)
3. Press
Press the seam open on both sides of the fabric.
4. Trim
Trim one side of the seam allowance down to ¼”. Do not trim the other side.
5. Fold
Press the untrimmed seam allowance over the seam and on top of the trimmed side. Fold the pressed side under, tucking the raw edge into the fold.
Press the fold, ensuring the raw edge is fully tucked under and the left flap is the same width along the seam.
6. Finish
Line up your fabric in your machine so the stitching is close to the fold. Stitch along the edge of the fold, trapping all the raw edges inside.
That’s it! You’ve just finished a neat and tidy flat fell seam.
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