Press "Enter" to skip to content
The Fake Felled Seam is identical from front and back.

Fake Flat Felled Seam

Published July 9, 2010 by missa

The Fake Flat Fell Seam makes a fully finished seam that is identical on both the front and back sides.  This is useful for transparent fabrics or applications where both the front and back are visible. So far as I know, it’s not a real seam, but the result of my inability to follow simple directions for a proper flat fell.

Sample:

The Fake Felled Seam is identical from front and back.
The Fake Felled Seam is identical from front and back.

Critical Stats:

Width:1/4″-1/2″
Seam Allowance Required: 1/2″-1″

Process

Overlap the pieces, right sides up, so that seam allowances fully overlap. Sew down the middle of the seam allowance.
Overlap the pieces, right sides up, so that seam allowances fully overlap. Sew down the middle of the seam allowance.
First line of stitch finished, seen from the top.
First line of stitch finished, seen from the top.
Trim free side of seam allowance down to 1/2 its starting width. (Seen from back.)
Trim free side of seam allowance down to 1/2 its starting width. (Seen from back.) It appears that I decided to do this with my teeth instead of a scissors....
Fold the main fabric over the raw seam allowance on one side.
Fold the main fabric over the raw seam allowance on one side. Press.
Turn the whole thing over.
Turn the whole thing over. (I was working with the back side, and now we are looking at the front.)
Fold the fabric over the raw seam allowance. Press.
Fold the fabric over the raw seam allowance. Press.
Sew, just inside the folded edge.
Sew, just inside the folded edge.
Turn over, and sew just inside the other folded edge.
Turn over, and sew just inside the other folded edge.
You can see I'm lining up the right corner of the triangle guide on my machine's foot with the folded edge, to keep my stitches nice and straight.
You can see I'm lining up the right corner of the triangle guide on my machine's foot with the folded edge, to keep my stitches nice and straight.
Comparison: A "real" Flat Fell seam (left) against the Fake Flat Fell (right).
Comparison: A "real" Flat Fell seam (left) against the Fake Flat Fell (right). Shown from top.

Published in Seams

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.