Self Enclosed Seams Demonstration

 A self enclosed seam is one way to finish a seam and keep the raw edges from unraveling.

#1. Trim one side of the seam allowance down to about 1/8".

#2. Fold the long side of the seam allowance over twice to enclosed the short trimmed side of the seam allowance. Pressing is advisable. (I didn't.)

#3. Pin or baste the folded edge to keep the seam enclosed while you stitch everything in place.

#4. Stich the folded part in place. This can do done on a machine or by hand. The stitching is not seen from the outside of the garment.

You can barely see my stitches in this picture. I am going to have to take another picture using a darker thread so you can see what I am doing.

That is better. There are few stitch choices to choose from if you hand stitch this. A running stitch, ladder stitch, or slip stitch would all work. What I am doing here is a whip stitch.

Have you ever used a self enclosed hem technique? What is your favorite way to finish seams?