Sewing a Topstitch Seam

Decorative stitches don't do much for the structure of your garment or item, but they do look pretty. The topstitch seam does help a bit, but only by holding the seam allowances in place. It isn't strong enough to be a seam all on its own, so you'll have to start with a plain seam. It is stronger than the hand pick seam, but it won't give much support or structure to your project.


Start with the aforementioned plain seam. Press both seam allowances to one side. Don't bother with trimming them. It's unnecessary for this decorative stitch. Make sure your seam allowances are flat and that the seam itself is well pressed. The seam will look better for it.


Begin stitching on the right side of the fabric. Stitch ¼" to ½" from the seam, making sure to catch the seam allowances while you stitch. Don't miss the seam allowances. Go slowly if you need to or even stitch a little closer to the seam if you must. The whole point is to secure the seam allowances.


This seam is quick and gives a little something extra to your projects.

Sewing a Hand Pick Seam

Sometimes, you're looking for a decorative seam to punch things up a bit. The hand pick seam can be used to hold your seam allowances in place while at the same time giving a unique look took a project. It's not difficult to do, but it does take a little time. You are hand stitching a bit, after all.

Start with a plain seam. This is where most decorative seams start. Press the seam allowances all to one side, making sure they lie flat and there are no unexpected creases that might cause you to miss a stitch. After securing your thread to the wrong side of your fabric, hand stitch a series of small backstitches down the edge of the seam allowance on the right side of the fabric, making sure to catch the seam allowance in your stitches.


You can space the stitches from ¼" to ½" apart. If you want a more uniform look, pin a piece of graph paper to the right side of your fabric to create a guide for yourself. If you want a more random look, forget the graph paper and space the stitches as you like.


This stitch doesn't provide much structural support to your projects, but it's not meant to. Decorative stitches are just what they sound like. They're just for looks. A fun way to put your stamp on your projects. You can make the stitches large or small, spaced evenly or not. It's entirely up to you.