Flat Fell Seams - Pretty Seams Inside and Out

If you are looking for a neat way to finish the raw edges on your seams without using a zigzag stitch, you might want to try flat fell seams.  This type of seam leaves the inside of your garment as finished as the outside and has a nice topstitch detail on the right side.

Flat fell seams are easy to do.  You start by sewing your two fabrics together with right sides together like you would normally do.  I usually use a 1/2 inch seam allowance. 

Then trim one side of the seam allowance to half the width.  The next two photo show the seam allowance with one side trimmed.

Now open the seam with the wrong side facing up and press the seam open folding the untrimmed side of the seam allowance over the trimmed side.  Then fold the untrimmed side (back toward the seam) under and around the trimmed side of the seam allowance and press.  Stitch close to the fold.  Now your raw edges are encased and won't fray!

Flat fell seam on the inside

Flat fell seam on the right side