Patchwork clothing is a beautiful way to breathe new life into old clothes or fabric scraps, turning them into something fresh, functional, and uniquely yours. It reduce waste, and allows for endless creative expression as you mix colors, textures, and patterns to craft one of a kind garments. It’s a wonderful way to embrace slow fashion and prioritize sustainability in your wardrobe.

Recently, I sewed a patchwork dress using pieces from old clothing I had cut up. As I planned my project, I found myself debating which seam finishes would give me the best results in terms of both durability and drape. In this post, I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of different seam finishes—like French seams, serging, and pinking shears—so you can confidently choose the right techniques for your own patchwork creations.

For my patchwork dress, I used the sewing pattern “Russian Settler’s Dress” by Folkwear Patterns. This is a gorgeous, simple pattern and I highly recommend it.

Choosing Your Fabric Scraps

While you can certainly pick whatever sorts of fabric scraps you want for your project, I recommend choosing fabrics that are somewhat similar to each other in weight, drape, and stretchiness. For my dress, I used mostly rayon and silk scraps of a similar weight, with a few cotton and linen scraps that were slightly heavier, but not by much. Using scraps that are significantly different from each other will make sewing your patches more challenging, and could also make the garment drape strangely.

I prefer to sew together a large piece of fabric and then cut out my pattern pieces from that. Alternatively, you could sew the scraps together into rough shapes for each piece of your pattern. Either way, take time to lay out your different scraps before sewing, to make sure you like the arrangement of the different colors and textures. Once you have your arrangement laid out, begin sewing your scraps together.

Techniques for Sewing Patchwork Pieces into Clothing

The main concern when sewing patchwork clothing is the durability of the seams. Will raw seams unravel, or will seams pop open under stress? Should they be enclosed or finished in some way? In garment sewing, there are several techniques for finishing seams, each with their pros and cons. I’ll walk you through all the options.

French Seams

A French seam is a type of seam finish that encloses the raw edges of the fabric within the seam itself, creating a clean and professional look inside the garment. It’s especially useful for lightweight or delicate fabrics, as it prevents fraying while adding durability. The first step to sew a French seam is to stitch the fabric pieces together with the wrong sides facing each other. Then trim the seam allowance, press, and then sew again with the right sides together to encase the raw edges. The result is a neat, smooth finish on both sides of the fabric, perfect for garments where the inside will be visible or for pieces that need extra reinforcement.

• Pros: durable, no raw edges to unravel, looks tidy
• Cons: takes time, can cause unwanted bulk, can add stiffness

Using a Lining

Using a lining in patchwork clothing, such as a bodice, is a great way to add a professional finish to your garment while improving its comfort and durability. A lining covers the patchwork’s raw edges, making the inside smooth and soft against the skin, which is especially helpful if the patchwork includes seams that could feel bulky or scratchy. It also provides an extra layer of structure and support, helping the garment hold its shape over time. To line a bodice, you’ll sew a duplicate version of the pattern in a lightweight fabric, such as cotton or muslin, and attach it to the patchwork shell, often by sewing them together at the neckline and armholes before turning them right side out. 

• Pros: smooth against the skin, no raw edges to unravel, adds strength to patchwork, looks tidy
• Cons: takes time and extra fabric, adds bulk and stiffness

Serging Edges

Using a serger to enclose seams on a patchwork garment is a quick and efficient way to create strong, clean edges that resist fraying. A serger trims the seam allowance as it stitches, wrapping the raw edges in thread for a tidy, professional finish.

• Pros: fast, tidy, durable, lightweight
• Cons: need a serger, very difficult to unpick and alter later

Note: you can get a similar effect using a zigzag stitch on a sewing machine, but it doesn’t look as clean and tidy as a serged finish.

Pinking Shears

Using pinking shears to prevent fraying on a patchwork garment is very simple. Pinking shears have a zigzag blade that cuts fabric in a serrated pattern, which helps to minimize fraying by reducing the length of the fabric threads along the edge. This technique is particularly effective for tightly woven fabrics that don’t fray excessively, like cotton. To use pinking shears, trim the edges of your patchwork pieces after sewing the seams. 

• Pros: simple, inexpensive
• Cons: not as durable, can be time consuming, can cause pain in your hand after extended use (for me, anyway!)

Short Stitch Length

Using a shorter stitch length creates more stitches per inch, which helps hold the small pieces of fabric together securely and prevents fraying at the seam edges.

• Pros: durable seams, simple, no special equipment
• Cons: very difficult to unpick if you need to make adjustments

Flat Felled Seam​

A flat-felled seam is a sturdy, durable seam finish often seen in garments like jeans or workwear. This seam completely encloses the raw edges, making it both strong and tidy, with a professional look on both the outside and inside of the garment. To sew a flat-felled seam, start by stitching your fabric pieces together with the wrong sides facing each other. Then, trim one side of the seam allowance down to about half its width. Fold the wider seam allowance over the trimmed one, encasing it, and press it flat. Finally, topstitch along the folded edge to secure it in place. 

• Pros: very durable, no special equipment needed, looks tidy and professional
• Cons: time consuming, adds stiffness and bulk

Welted Seam​

A welted seam looks almost identical to a flat-felled seam, but leaves one raw edge exposed. To sew a welted seam, start by stitching your fabric pieces together with the right sides facing each other. Then, press the seam allowance to one side. Finally, topstitch along the edge of the seam allowance to secure it in place. 

• Pros: very durable, no special equipment needed
• Cons: adds some stiffness, has some raw edge exposed

Which Techniques I Used for my Patchwork Dress

For my patchwork dress, I opted to use a welted seam and a short stitch length. For my welted seams, I pressed the seam allowance to one side and topstitched it down. This was my reasoning:

• The short stitch length would hopefully keep the patchwork seams together long term
• The short stitch length on the topstitching would prevent the edges from unraveling past the stitching line
• This method is faster than any other method above, except possibly serging
• It resulted in a flat finish on the wrong side, as opposed French or serged seams which would be able to flap up and down
• It resulted in a non-bulky seam, which was important due to the drape of the dress
• I didn’t want a lining

A few cons to my modified flat felled seam technique:

• The edges will unravel a bit and over time may create holes in the dress. I think it will take years of wear and tear to get to this point, if it ever does.
• The unraveled edges don’t look neat and tidy.

I’ve washed and dried the dress once so far, and worn it a few times. So far, I’m really happy with my choices in techniques. Time will tell how well it holds together. If I have significant problems with unraveling in the future, I will update this post.