How to Keep Raw Fabric Edges From Fraying

Finish the raw, or cut, edges of fabric after stitching to protect seam from unraveling and fraying.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sewing Kits
• Dressmaker Pins
• Threads
• Scissors
• Scalloping Shears
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Supplies
• Pinking Shears

1. 

   Use pinking shears or scalloping shears to trim approximately 1/8 inch off fabric edge. The zigzag or scalloped blades produce a fray-resistant edge.

2. Use an overcast stitch to finish a raw fabric edge by hand. Make evenly spaced diagonal stitches over and under fabric edge. Overcast stitches are approximately 1/4-inch deep.

3. 

   Finish a raw fabric edge by using your sewing machine's zigzag stitch or any other stitch setting that will form stitches over the fabric edge. Position your fabric so that stitches will form over the edge, or stitch close to fabric edge and trim away excess.

4. Use a serger to finish fabric edges, trim off excess fabric, and stitch a seam at the same time. Sergers are special sewing machines that use three to five threads instead of the conventional two.

Tips & Warnings

• Use pinking shears and scalloping shears only to finish edges. These tools are not made for cutting out a sewing pattern.
• Press any seams before using pinking or scalloping shears.
• Keep thread length approximately 24 inches long when hand-sewing. This length is easier to work with, and thread has less chance of knotting up.

on 8/8/2006 You can put a small roll hem on the edges of each side of the fabric, doing a straight stitch down the edge closest to the loose fold and it will secure it. I have table napkins I made this way 20 years ago and they have outlasted every other napkin I've ever purchased. I still have and use the ones I originally made. Looks very finished too.

on 12/30/2005 Sew a flat seam. With right sides together, and one seam allowance 1/2 inch, the other 3/4 inch sew seam. Press to side, so larger allowance is on top. Press under 1/4 inch, and sew along the edge. This seam shows a double line on right side, so keep sewing lines even! Looks good.

on 4/16/2007 Try a French seam. Sew the two pieces of fabric together with the wrong sides together. Sew this seam 1/4 inch from the edge. Turn the pieces to the other side so that they now have the right sides together, and make a 1/2 inch seam. When you open the fabric, the original seam will be encased in the second seam. Fabulous!

on 4/16/2007 Use 2 straight seams together (about 1/8" apart) to stop fraying seams. This is for the person that does not have a serger, or the pinking shears are not working. You may do this with the seams sewed together, or on each one alone.