| Topstitching is a
crisp and effective decorative stitch on simple, tailored garments and
accessories. It looks best on plain fabrics where it can be seen. It
is an unsuitable decoration for flimsy fabrics.
Topstitching can be done on
pressed-open seams or seams pressed to one side. Since topstitching is a
decorative stitch, it will be 100 % visible to everyone viewing
your garment, therefore, in every case your lines of stitching must
be precise and perfect! Take your time and do your best job. The
stitching must remain at an equal distance from the seam or from each
other, if you are doing two rows of topstitching. Topstitching
two rows together can look very nice and professional, and can sometimes
give the appearance of a flat-felled seam.
Usually you can use the pressure foot as
your guide to help keep your lines nice and straight. Before working the
topstitching you must press the seam allowances open or to one side. All
seams and areas that are going to be topstitched must be pressed and lay
nice and flat before they are topstitched.
Sometimes topstitching
can serve as several purposes. Take a look at the brim on the hat
before it was topstitched and after.
Notice the photo on the left. This
was before it was topstitched. Even though the hat brim was pressed
well, it still did not lay very flat, and you can see the underside of the
brim on the left side of the photo. On the right photo, the brim
looks nice and flat. Sometimes topstitching can not only be
used for decorating an area of a garment, but it can also strengthen a
seam, help keep a seam flat, and help keep a seam from "moving around", as
it did on the newsboy hat shown at the top of the page. |
