A seam finishing technique where the fabric is first stitched with wrong sides together, trimmed, pressed, and then stitched again with right sides together. This encases all raw edges within the seam allowance itself. It is primarily used on sheer, lightweight, or easily frayed fabrics where a serged edge would be visible or unsightly.
Use a French seam on the chiffon blouse so the raw edges don't show through the sheer fabric.
The first pass of a French seam must be trimmed very close to the stitching line, usually to an eighth of an inch, to prevent fraying threads from poking through the final seam.
Related terms
Felled seam
A highly durable, flat seam that completely encases all raw fabric edges.
Seam allowance
The extra fabric between the stitching line and the raw edge of a cut piece.
Right side
The side of a fabric intended to face outward on a finished project.
Wrong side
The back or inside face of a piece of fabric that is meant to be hidden in the final garment.