I got a free purse pattern off of teh net yesterday...bought the cutest mateial for it...but I have to do all the math and measurements myself and it calls for a french seem on my ruffles..can someone tell me what that is?

Usually you would find a french seam in heirloom sewing. Rather than starting out with right sides together to make the seam, you start out with wrong sides together to make the seam. Trim the seam down. Then turn it right sides out and make the seam again, which will enclose the first seam. There are several tutorials on the net.

Yep. If you don't have a serger, it is a nice way to dress up prom/wedding dresses and such. I've done a million of them. It can be slow and time consuming, but looks nice.

I have made them for shower curtains and now I use them for pillowcases. It makes the seams more elegant. LOL

I agree, when I see a french seam, I am always impressed that somebody took the extra time.

I may be wrong but I think jeans have a french seam down the inside of the legs. If I remember right from my home ec days, the seam is sewn right sides together, one side is then cut lengthwise of the seam, cutting about half the width off. Then the other side of the seam is folded over the cut side and is stitched down on the outside. Hope that makes sense.

OH, SHOOT!! That's a flat felled seam I'm thinking of.

French seams give a great finished look to a project, my daughter made the most professional looking diaper bag for her sister this way and you would swear she had bought it at some fancy boutique

If the finished seam line is at 5/8", I take a 1/4" seam with wrong sides together, press, then take a 3/8" seam with right sides together for a total of 5/8" to meet the given seam allowance.

thats it.