Seams & garment construction

Light overlock variant with one needle and two loopers – standard for finishing jersey edges.

Overlock with two needles and two loopers – load-bearing standard seam for T-shirts and sweat fabric.

Combination of overlock and chain stitch in one seam – standard for jeans, workwear and load-bearing trousers.

Seam that fixes a patch or fabric cut-out onto the base material – typically dense zigzag or E-stitch.

Securing raw fabric edges against fraying — usually done with an overlock/serger, less often with zig-zag or a rolled hem.

Hem in which the raw edge is folded twice and secured by lockstitch – classic on shirts, blouses and tea towels.

Butt seam with four threads that joins two fabric edges edge-to-edge and covers them flat — low chafing on skin, classic for sports and functional underwear.

Flat joining seam in which two fabric edges are butted together and locked with typically 6 threads on both sides — creates no bulk and does not chafe.

Flat, stretchable joining seam without bulk – standard in sportswear and performance apparel.

Two-pass seam that fully encloses the allowances – ideal for fine fabrics such as chiffon or voile.

Load-bearing, twice-folded joining seam without raw edges – the classic jeans and workwear seam.

Two folded-in fabric edges secured by two parallel topstitches - highest seam strength for jeans and workwear.

Narrow non-woven or textile tape ironed or glued on to reinforce seams, stabilise edges or form hems.

English term for the reinforcement tack – 28/42/84 stitches as a point reinforcement.

Hem in which the stitching catches only a few fibres of the outer surface – barely visible from the right side.

Invisible hem stitch – only a few threads catch the face side, ideal for suits and blouses.

Thread-free join produced by reactive hot-melt adhesive and pressure – flat, sealed and visually cleaner than a sewn seam.

Densely packed zig-zag stitch block that stabilises stress points at seams and pocket edges.

Temporary hand stitch with long stitches (10–30 mm) – holds layers in position for later machine sewing.

Classic buttonhole variant where both ends are locked with a reinforced bar-tack — prevents tearing on trousers, jackets and workwear.

Short, dense reinforcement at load points such as pockets and belt loops.

Hand stitch producing a continuous line on the face side – the strongest joining seam sewable by hand.

Fabric tape cut on the diagonal of the grain — covers seam allowances and binds edges along curves.

Hand stitch that overcasts raw edges and decorates them at the same time – classic on blanket and felt work.

Joining technique for two layers where the seam allowance is hidden inside after turning the piece — used on collars, cuffs, pocket flaps and plackets.

Combination machine that provides overlock and coverstitch seams in one unit – common in ateliers and small manufacturers.

Sewing machine with multiple needles producing parallel top-side rows and a looper thread underneath; typical for elastic hems on jersey.

Elastic hem stitch with 2–3 needle threads on top and one looper below – standard for T-shirt and sweat hems.

Arc-shaped decorative and reinforcement seam on denim seats or shirt backs.

Curved crescent-shaped back yoke – typical of western and country shirts.

Single-thread chain seam – stretchy but easily unravelled; typical for cartridges and bag closures.

Hem that precisely follows a shaped edge (curve, neckline, saddle line) — either invisibly stitched down or executed as a visible decorative topstitch.

Two crossing diagonal stitches form an X – the basic decorative stitch of embroidery, also used for appliqués.

Two parallel stitch lines forming a fabric channel through which a drawstring, elastic or drawband is threaded — classic in hoods, sweatpant waists and drawstring bag closures.

Seam technique where the stitching is barely or not at all visible from the outside — used for formalwear, cashmere goods and premium bed linen where a clean look matters.

Zipper that closes from right to left – typical for womenswear.

Specialised knitwear machine that joins two knitted pieces stitch by stitch on needle points, producing an invisible, elastic linking seam.

Fine, elastic joining of knit panels loop by loop - typical for fully-fashioned sweater collars and cuffs.

The basic stitch of virtually every sewing machine in the world — interlocks the needle and bobbin thread in the middle of the fabric and keeps seams largely stable even if one stitch breaks.

Classic lockstitch with upper and bobbin thread – the most widespread seam of all.

The classic lockstitch with an upper and a bobbin thread – the basic stitch of nearly every sewing machine.

Testing standard for the maximum tensile strength of a seam – basis for conformity claims in garments, workwear and PPE.

Two-thread chain stitch – strong, stretchy, standard for jeans inseams and waistbands.

Two parallel seams – increase load capacity and are the visual hallmark of jeans.

Two parallel lockstitch seams spaced 3–6 mm apart — distributes tensile load, prevents ripping and is standard at stress points.

Seam in which the allowance is folded twice and re-stitched — raw edges are fully enclosed and the inside stays clean.

Zigzag with three short lockstitches per leg – highly elastic, ideal for elastics.

Plastic tape heat-bonded to the seam's inside, sealing needle holes – mandatory on waterproof membrane jackets.

Interior label with perforation the wearer can tear out cleanly – no scratching on the neck.

Iron-on interior label without any stitching – ideal for seamless baselayers and sport shirts.

Two parallel lockstitches sharing one bobbin – standard for T-shirt hems and coverstitch look.

Variant of the zigzag stitch in which each zigzag movement is split by two or three small forward stitches — stretchable, flat and ideal for attaching elastic tape and hemming jersey.

Applied shoulder tabs with button – classic on uniform, safari and trekking shirts.

CNC-controlled sewing machine with one or more heads that stitches programmed embroidery motifs (logos, text) directly into the fabric.

Curved shirt hem – longer at the back than the front so the shirt stays tucked.

Systematic test of seam strength, seam slippage and failure mode per DIN EN ISO 13935 — basis for workwear and PPE.

Umbrella term for techniques that seal needle holes in waterproof textiles – tape, adhesive or welding.

Material excess between seam and fabric edge – determines workability, strength and alteration room.

Dense, glossy embroidery stitch in which parallel threads form a smooth surface – standard for lettering and logos.

Hand seam with two needles and one thread – classic in leatherwork, saddlery and premium accessories.

Stabilising twill tape in the shoulder seam – prevents jerseys from stretching out.

Classic three-thread overlock per ISO 4915 stitch class 504 — secures the cut edge, stretches with the seam and is standard in almost every knit and activewear garment.

Hem edge bonded with thermoplastic tape instead of stitched – waterproof, seam-free.

Welding of polar plastics (PVC, PU) in an alternating electromagnetic field – tight, high-load seam type for inflatable textiles.

Seam allowances are individually bound with a narrow bias strip of lining fabric — a premium inside finish without overlock.

Narrow woven or non-woven strip with hot-melt adhesive that fixes the hem without sewing — the standard for quick repairs and thin fabrics.

Umbrella term for machine-sewn production seams optimised for fast, uniform and durable manufacturing.

Unfinished but non-fraying cut edge – possible with laminated or ultrasonically welded fabrics.

Deliberately open, fray-allowed fabric edge as a design feature, mainly on sweatshirts.

Extremely narrow hem (1–3 mm) in which the edge is rolled and overstitched.

Simplest hand stitch – needle passes evenly through fabric, equal length top and bottom.

German counterpart to neck tape – interior, often printed with a woven brand label.

Inside topstitched twill or grosgrain tape that covers the neck seam and stabilises it.

Industrial sewing machine that in one pass trims, overcasts and joins fabric edges using needle and looper threads.

Standard definition of overlock/overedge stitches in ISO 4915 — covers stitch types 501 to 522 with 1 to 6 threads.

Edge-wrapping seams using 3–5 threads that overcast and join in one step.

Narrow fabric strip inserted into a seam – decorative and shape-stabilising.

Precise 6 mm lockstitch that joins individual fabric blocks accurately into a surface – the basis of every quilt.

Reinforced closure strip of a shirt or polo where the buttonholes sit.

Hand stitch that joins horsehair canvas or fusible interlining to the shell fabric and shapes collar/lapel – hallmark of bespoke menswear.

Hand-worked stitches that permanently shape horsehair canvas and shell fabric into the lapel and collar of a jacket.

English synonym for piping, usually cord-cored – standard in sportswear and upholstery.

Vertical shaping seams in tailored jackets and blouses – define the feminine silhouette.

Additional shoulder or back panel for shaping – on shirts usually double-layered.

Separate shaped panel at shoulder or hip — improves fit, freedom of movement and looks of shirts, blouses and jeans.

Zipper by the world's largest brand YKK® – quality standard in sport, outdoor and denim apparel.

Combined seam of 3-thread overlock (class 504) and a parallel two-thread chainstitch (class 401) in a single pass — joins and neatens simultaneously, extremely durable, standard for jeans side seams.

Thread-free join in which thermoplastic fibres are welded by high-frequency vibration – used for PPE and disposable textiles.

Elastic lockstitch with sideways needle motion – for finishing, appliqué and joining stretch fabrics.