Le Point Couture: a short guide to sewing points

Already, I asked myself the question of what a sewing stitch was.

So of course, it makes sense since we can all observe what it looks like. Unless you have decided to live far from civilization and returned to nature, alone in self-sufficiency, we all wear clothes.

We could just take the first t-shirt or jean that comes to hand and show this link uniting two pieces of fabric and answer “that’s it”. Despite everything, it seemed relevant to me to give a clear definition of the thing.

Simply put, a stitch is a series of loops of thread used to join pieces of fabric together . We also talk about assembly . This series can vary in terms of length, spacing between stitches, and therefore technique. What we're going to see right after.

These stitches are used to assemble, reinforce or adorn the seams. They are essential for creating well-made clothing. In short, it is these seams that form the garment. Without them, there is no clothing.

There are a whole myriad of sewing stitches, each having its own specificity and particular use in creating clothing .

I hope I piqued your curiosity with all of this. So, thread your needle (like in the video below. I'm being subtle, right?), and before you start sewing, let's first take a look at the material used.

There are four types of machines: flat stitchers, overlockers, covermakers and embroidery machines.

I will especially be interested in sewing and overlocking machines , since they are the ones that do the vast majority of seams .

The flat stitcher sewing machine:

Whether in industry or at home, we use a sewing machine which can be (very) specialized in a type of sewing. In both cases, the confection is intended to be:

• bring together two pieces of fabric;
• ornament;
• finish and protect an edge;
• sew buttons/buttonholes, straps…

The overlocker

Like the flat stitcher sewing machine, it is available in both industrial and family formats.

Essential for garment edge seams and finishing, this versatile machine allows assembly and overcasting in a single pass. It shines when working on delicate fabrics such as jersey and cotton voiles, and gives them a certain extensibility:

Anatomy of the flat stitch sewing machine

This machine is used for all types of “traditional” seams. I focus on it a little more than its overlock cousin since it is the most common machine and with which you can make a myriad of different stitches if you have a little technique.

A machine will include:

• a needle (at a minimum);
• a thread lifter which will tighten the stitch;
• thread tensioners which adjust the tension of the sewing threads;
• a needle plate with one or more holes that the needle can pass through.

Under the needle plate, there is a small spool of thread called a “bobbin”, held in a bobbin case which constitutes the thread underneath.

Types of needles used

Each type of textile has its own needle .

They come in all shapes and sizes, and each will have its use. The diameter varies from 60 to 110 mm, and mathematically the thicker the fabric, the more you will need to choose a needle with a high millimeter.

They are very precise and meet strict manufacturing standards to suit all sewing machines.

The standard needle, for both natural and synthetic materials with its slightly rounded tip.

For this needle, you must choose the dimensions according to the fabric to be sewn:

• A size 60 to 70 is suitable for cotton or linen fabrics,
• The universal needle 70 corresponds to fine synthetic fabrics,
• Standards from 70 to 80 are suitable for sewing shirts or dresses,
• Costumes, fabrics and sheets can be made using 80 to 90 needles,
• Needles 90 to 100 will be useful for making light tablecloths and coats.

The needle for jersey and lycra (and any other elastic material), which has a rounded tip to separate the stitches of the fabric without breaking the fibers. It also prevents hems from curling.

The Microtex needle, for very fine fabrics. Its fine, sharp tip inserts easily into fine fabrics or dense materials such as microfiber, silk, sequined fabric, nylon, polyester or even poplin.

The “stretch” needle almost looks like the needle for jersey and lycra, but it has a slightly pointed tip in order to spread the stitches of the fabric without breaking the fibers. It also prevents hems from curling.

The triangle point needle has a groove to penetrate leather without breaking.

The jeans needle has a fine chrome tip, to more easily penetrate thick and tight fabrics without damaging the material. Its shaft is reinforced to prevent it from deviating, breaking, or skipping stitches.

And how does this fabulous machine work? Well, a video is worth a thousand words, here's a video showing a machine in action. Little teaser: it’s a shuttle point!

Moreover, some machines have air jets to cool the needle which heats up from being used and rubbed on the textile. It has happened that in some workshops, the needle heats up so much that burn marks appear. This is particularly the case when making jeans, silk, etc.

Well, now that we're familiar with the hardware part, let's get to the heart of the matter.

First of all, know that all the sewing stitches that I am going to mention are commonly used in fashion, with a few exceptions which I will detail as necessary.

Single, double or triple straight stitches

This is the basic stitch par excellence in sewing, which can be done on a standard sewing machine. The needle passes through two layers of tissue at regular intervals.

We use this point for assembly and topstitching. And about that…

Topstitching

This is the tip of the iceberg, we really find them everywhere: it's a simple/double/triple straight stitch, but it's visible .

This point is not limited to an aesthetic role; it also helps to strengthen the assembly.

The shuttle stitch (or lock stitch)

It is a stitch comprising two threads intertwined by a needle and made on a flat stitching machine (which I showed you a little above). The seam is identical both on the right side and on the reverse side of a garment. It has two major advantages: it consumes little thread, and it is the only stitch that can be done in reverse .

It is used in particular to make stopping stitches (we will come to this shortly) which block the start and end of the seam. It is used more by individuals.

It is popular for assembly and assembly with fabrics due to its low extensibility . On the other hand, for knits, precisely because of its low extensibility, it is used for:

• assembly of passes;
• fitting the button tabs;
• to place pockets;
• fixing logos
• the assembly of leather parts…

Very extensible, it assembles and protects the edges in a single operation.

This seam has its own machine, the overlocker, and has a blade (a knife) which will cut the edge of the fabric and sew simultaneously. We really find it everywhere.

The zig-zag stitch

Like its cousin straight stitch, it is a stitch that is commonly used, particularly for finishing touches. It is sometimes used instead of the overlock stitch.

For retouching, you can make a zig-zag stitch which will add layers, and cover a hole in an item of clothing for example.

Its main characteristic is its great extensibility. It is a stitch mainly used for women's lingerie to attach elastics, and regularly used for:

• hems;
• the attachment of cords (small cord of thread, silk, gold or silver);
• the elastic leg and waist assembly;
• edge-to-edge assembly;
• ornamental stitching;
• the inlay and lace installation…

Chain stitch (single and double thread)

The chain stitch can be done with one or two threads, to simulate a chain which adorns the garment.

In the case of 1-thread chain stitch, it is often used for temporary seams , such as for attaching labels or stickers.

For the record, it is this point which is used on large packets of flour or animal kibble in order to seal them: the bags are hermetically closed, but you just have to pull the thread to easily undo it and open.

For the 2-thread chain stitch, it is more often used for assembling sweaters.

In both cases, it is used as a detail that enhances a garment and gives it a certain elasticity, made possible thanks to its extensibility.

Special mention for jeans, where purists particularly appreciate this finish, because it promotes more pronounced fading at the hem resulting from the uneven tension of the machine during sewing.

English sewing

With the English, we often mutually lend each other the origins of the names of specialties or objects. We like to pass the buck on denominations. For example, what we call an English horn, they will call “French horn”. For fries, “French fries” (well “chips” for Brit’s). Besides, the debate is closed: fried potatoes are Parisian. But the Belgians have undeniably enhanced the dish.

Well it’s the same with this seam: the English call it “ French seam ”.

It seems that when we are not satisfied with a discovery, we attribute it to the English. And vice versa.

I digress.

The French seam is particularly strong, neat and discreet : its finish is clean and neat, with no visible edges on the reverse side. It is mainly used when making a garment that requires the finishes to be invisible or sewn in a very thin fabric .

This double stitching not only offers elegant and invisible finishes, but it also avoids overlocking (which, as a reminder, requires shaving the fabric and then protecting it with 3 or 4 threads).

This type of assembly is often used for (over)shirts, blouses, etc. To extend the metaphor, it's a bit like the Rolls of seams on shirts.

It is to be distinguished from the folded seam however!

Even if they are quite similar in appearance, the difference is made at the level of the sewing points: the folded ones are visible, while the rings are not.

This is the technique used for jeans, giving a fairly stiff assembly.

The saddle stitch

Finally, the saddle stitch (or back stitch) is a seam that joins two edges of fabric together in a strong and durable way. This stitch is most often used in leather assembly . It also applies to thick fabrics such as denim, tarpaulins or quilted fabrics , but it is less common.

It is also often sewn by hand because it gives a more aesthetic and solid result.

It creates a decorative raised border around a piece of fabric, notably giving an irregular wave appearance.

In this regard, an anecdote: the term "burst stitch" takes its name from the resemblance of the border it creates with the wings of the bumblebee: when executed correctly, the stitch forms a series of loops or knots the along the edge of the fabric, creating a texture reminiscent of the shape of wings.

The casserole point

Also used for the edges of clothing, cocotte stitch is a hand embroidery technique that creates a raised texture in the form of small knots or loops on the fabric.

This stitch is also known as the "French knot stitch" because of its resemblance to knots.

It seems that the name “casserole stitch” is derived from the appearance of the small, tight knots that resemble the texture of a casserole dish. You know ? The casseroles.

Cocotte stitch is commonly used in embroidery to add texture and relief to embroidered designs.

This concludes this panorama of seams. Now it remains to be seen which ones are the most popular with us.

At BonneGueule, we are not going to revolutionize sewing. We use the aforementioned “basic” seams like other brands, but we emphasize some of them. Details are part of our DNA, and even though our aim is to interest as many people as possible, we also think of the most diligent and purist among you.

• Chain stitch on jeans: this finish appreciated by “denimheads”. Not all jeans have a chain stitch: we find this finish more in the middle or high range due to its elegance, but also its lack of solidity. It is with this stitch that vintage jean hems were made. Only certain machines are capable of doing this on denim due to its thickness. We find it on (almost) all of our jeans, on fabrics from both Japan and Italy, whether visible or discreet.

• On the majority of our shirts, we will use the folded seam.
  But for some chosen ones, English tailoring will be appropriate, even if the difference between the two is minimal. And in the second case, it is always used with attention to detail: the sewing will embellish our shirts, while remaining solid and discreet.

• The half-moon stitches which complete the bartack stitches on some of our suit pants and jackets, which reinforce and embellish the corners of welt pockets.

A small anthology of our products which have this famous half-moon:

A concrete example: the stitching points of our pieces

You will never lose track again with these few explanations and examples.

To conclude and make this article a little more fun and concrete, I suggest that we look at some of our pieces from every angle (I'm on fire today) with our Soncino pants and Renji jeans, and our Volpaia shirt.

Straight stitch and topstitching:

The stopping point:

The half-moon stopping point:

The chain stitch:

English sewing:

That's it for this little tour of the different types of sewing. There are many others, but here you have the most important ones. I hope you enjoyed this guide!