Top Stitched Seam

TOP STITCHED SEAM:

Top stitching adds strength and decoration to the seam. Five different types of top stitched seams are: 1. Single top stitched seam 2. Double top stitched seam 3. Welt seam 4. Lapped seam 5. Slot seam.

1. Single top stitched seam:

Stitch a plain seam, press the seam edge to one side and make a row of machine stitching, close to the seam line on the right side catching the seam allowances.

2. Double top stitched seam:

Stitch a plain seam and two lines of stitching is done on the right side of the garment, one on either side of the seam line, after the seam allowances are pressed open.

3. Welt seam:

This is similar to single top stitching, but it is used for bulky fabrics such as wool and coat fabrics. Stitch a plain seam and trim one raw edge to about �' width. Press the two raw edges to one side, with the narrow one closed under the wider one. Now stitch on the right side, so that the stitching will come just outside the narrow seam edge, but inside the wider seam edge.

4. Lapped seam:

This seam is used with natural or synthetic leather fabrics. Mark seam lines. Lap one edge over the other with seam lines meeting in the center. Place a row of straight stitching on either side of seamline or stitch with wide zigzag through center. Trim both seam allowances close to stitching. Lapped seams are used to eliminate bulk, especially on interfacing and interlining.

5. Slot seam:

This variation of lapped seam is used in skirt, coat and dresses for decoration. Sometimes it is combined with an inverted pleat. Cut a strip of fabric of the same length as the seam itself and having a width more than twice the width of the seam allowance. Work a row of tacking down the centre of the strip. Take the two parts of the garment to be seamed and fold their seam allowances to the wrong side. Now, with right side up, place the folded edge over the strip so that the folds fall exactly on the tacked line of the strip. Tack in position close to the folded edges and top stitch carefully along each side of the seam about �' from the folded line. Finally remove the tacking. The slot fabric is shown �' on the right side of the garment. This may be of contrasting color.