Sewing

Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew

Sewing Pattern: 9 seam finishes you should know

by

A seam isn’t necessarily finished when you get to the end of your fabric.  If the seam will get much wear or is not completely hidden between layers of fabric, you really should go back and “finish” your seam.  Finishing the seam keeps seam allowances from fraying or just being unsightly.  There are lots of ways to finish a seam, and Heather from Heather Handmade shows 9 of them.  The best one to use will depend on your project and your fabric.

Seams are an essential component of every garment and fabric accessory because they tie the fabric together to make the item. Seams are used to complete the hems, necklines, and edges.

Darts, which are utilized to shape hips, waists, and bustlines, are used to improve form in seams. When working with frayed textiles, a seam is necessary to prevent threads from being pulled and to retain neat edges. A seam’s aim is to unite two pieces of cloth without revealing the raw edges. Seam allowance enables for the construction of all seams by giving excess fabric for sewing a seam together efficiently. Maintaining the seam allowance allows the cloth to fray without compromising the item’s integrity.

Here are 9 ways to finish off a seam, from easy ways, fast ways and neat and tidy ways to finish off your sewing seams.

Click below for her tutorial:

How To Finish A Seam: 9 Ways To Finish A Seam, by Heather Handmade

[photo from Heather Handmade]

Have you read?

Celebrate National Sewing Month With Connecting Threads’ September Sales

September is National Sewing Month, which means we finally have an official excuse for buying fabric for all those projects we are absolutely, definitely going to finish.

National Sewing Month has been celebrated every September since 1982, when President Ronald Reagan proclaimed it in recognition of the importance of home sewing. Today, it is a month for starting projects, learning new techniques, tackling unfinished quilts and appreciating just how useful a well-stocked sewing room can be.

Connecting Threads is celebrating throughout September with sales on quilting fabric, thread, precuts, kits and sewing supplies.

You can shop the National Sewing Month offers at Connecting Threads here.

Connecting Threads September 2026 Sale Calendar

August 27 to September 7: 20% Off Sitewide

Use code 8SALE26 to receive 20% off sitewide during the Labor Day Sale.

This is the best all-round offer if you need a mixture of fabric, thread, rulers, cutting tools, batting and notions. I would use this sale for the less exciting supplies we all need but tend to put off buying until the spool is empty or the rotary blade starts chewing rather than cutting.

Shop the Connecting Threads sale here.

September 8 to 11: Buy Two, Get One Free Thread

Use code 9THREAD26 to buy two eligible threads and receive a third free.

This is a good opportunity to stock up on everyday piecing colours such as cream, white, grey and beige. If you regularly quilt with the same neutral thread, buying three matching spools makes far more sense than collecting exciting colours that sit untouched because they match precisely one fabric in your stash.

September 12 to 15: 50% Off 50 Items

Fifty selected products will be reduced by 50%, with no code required.

Because this promotion applies to selected items, it is worth checking early. This could be a good time to pick up discounted patterns, fabric collections, notions or supplies for handmade Christmas gifts.

September 16 to 17: Free Shipping Days

Use code 9FREESHIPPING26 for free standard shipping within the contiguous United States.

Free shipping is particularly useful when you only need a few smaller supplies and do not want delivery costs to turn a perfectly sensible packet of needles into an unexpectedly extravagant purchase.

September 18 to 23: 25% Off Fabric by the Yard

All fabric by the yard will be reduced by 25%, including wide quilt backing. No code is required.

This is the promotion I would wait for if you need backing fabric. Wide backing can save an enormous amount of time because you do not have to piece multiple lengths together before basting your quilt.

It is also a good time to buy borders, binding or extra yardage from a favourite collection before individual prints sell out.

September 24 to 30: 30% Off Precuts and Quilt Kits

Precuts and quilt kits will be reduced by 30% during the final week of National Sewing Month.

This is probably the most tempting promotion of the month. Precuts remove much of the colour-matching guesswork, while quilt kits give you the pattern and coordinated fabric in one package.

If terms such as charm packs, layer cakes and strip rolls still become muddled somewhere between the computer and the cutting table, our guide to the five main types of precut quilting fabrics explains what each pack contains and which projects suit it best.

Shop Connecting Threads precuts and quilt kits here.

What Should You Buy During National Sewing Month?

The best bargain is not necessarily the biggest discount. It is the supply you were already planning to use.

Before shopping, check your sewing room for:

  • Everyday piecing thread
  • Rotary cutter blades
  • Sewing machine needles
  • Fabric needed to finish an existing quilt
  • Batting and wide quilt backing
  • Precuts for quick beginner quilt projects
  • Quilt kits you will genuinely start
  • Supplies for Christmas sewing and handmade gifts

I would also look at your unfinished projects before ordering more fabric. Sometimes a spool of matching thread and three yards of backing are all that stand between a quilt top and an actual finished quilt.

National Sewing Month is a lovely time to begin something new, but it is also a good opportunity to return to a forgotten project, clean your machine, replace that blunt needle and enjoy sewing simply because you can.

Check the latest Connecting Threads promotion here.