Felled seam, or flat-fell seam, is a seam made by placing one edge inside a folded edge of fabric, then stitching the fold down. The fold encases the raw edges, which protects them from fraying. The fold may be secured with a topstitch or a whipstitch. It is useful for keeping seam allowances flat and covering raw edges.[1]

Cross section of the two steps sewing a felled seam
A flat fell seam

The flat-felled seam is the type of seam used in making denim jeans, although it appears inside-out to reduce stitching.[2] It is also used in traditional tipi construction.[3]

There are flat-felled seams and lap-felled seams.[clarification needed] A flat-felled seam can be used on various fabrics, not just denim. It can even be used on delicate fabrics such as voile.

References

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  1. ^ Moyes, Patricia (1999). Sewing Basics: Creating a Stylish Wardrobe With Step-By-Step Techniques. Taunton Press. pp. 94. ISBN 9781561582662.
  2. ^ Hastings, Honey C. (Spring 1973). "Make & Fix It". Backpacker: 15.
  3. ^ Holley, Linda A. (2007). Tipis, Tepees, Teepees: History and Design of the Cloth Tipi. Gibbs Smith. p. 87. ISBN 9781586855116.