You have four good options, and none of them requires another machine.
Zigzag the raw edge. The quickest. Sew close to the cut edge with a medium zigzag, or a three-step zigzag on fabric that curls. Holds well and looks like what it is.
Pinking shears. Cut the seam allowance with a zigzag blade. It does not stop fraying, it slows it — the cut edge has no long continuous thread to unravel. Fine on stable wovens, useless on loose weaves.
French seam. Sew the seam wrong sides together at a narrow allowance, trim, press, fold right sides together and sew again to enclose the raw edge. The result is completely enclosed and is the correct finish for sheer fabric, where a zigzag would show through.
Bound edge (Hong Kong finish). Wrap each raw edge in bias binding. Slow, and the best-looking finish there is — used on unlined jackets where the inside is visible.
Which to choose. Zigzag for everyday garments. French seams for chiffon, voile and anything sheer. Bound edges when the inside will be seen. Pinking only on stable, tightly woven fabric that you know does not fray badly.
And a fifth option people forget: line the garment, and finish nothing.
Questions people actually ask
Is an overlocked edge stronger?
Not stronger — neater and faster, and better on knits because it stitches and finishes in one pass with give. A zigzag holds perfectly well on a woven.
When is a French seam not appropriate?
On thick fabric, where the doubled allowance is bulky, and on curved seams, where the enclosed allowance will not lie flat.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11