This document discusses various types of seams and stitches used in garment construction. It begins by defining what a seam is and explaining factors to consider when choosing seams. It then provides details on 18 specific seam types, including plain seams, lapped seams, French seams, and flat felled seams. It also covers stitch per inch guidelines and 8 classes of seams as defined by British standards. In summary, the document serves as a guide to the different seams and stitches used in apparel manufacturing.

1. Garment Construction
Seams and Stitches
Submitted By:
Divya Vijayvargiya
2nd year Fashion Design Diploma

2. Project Report
on
Seams and Stitches Classes
At
Dezyne E’cole college Towards
The partial fulfillment of the
Two year diploma in Fashion Design
By
Divya Vijayvargiya
NSQF Level6, NSDC
Dezyne E’cole college
2016-2017

3. I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to Dezyne E’Cole college for taking us
this project.
I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to the mentors of Dezyne E’Cole college for their
cardinal support, valuable information and guidance.
Acknowledgement

4. This project of Ms. Divya Vijayvargiya student of B.Sc Fashion Technology with two year Advance Diploma program
has been checked and graded as
Thanks
Principal
[Seal & Signature]

5. Contents1 Seams
2 Types of seams
Plain seam
Lapped seam
French seam
Flat fell seam
Corded or piped seam
Faced seam
Hemmed fell seam
Mock french seam
Serged seam
Slot seam
Counter seam
Butt seam
Sheet seam
S3titch Per Inch
4 Stitch types
Class 100-800
5 Seams types
Superimposed seam
Lapped seam
Bound seam
Flat seam
Decorative seam
Edge neatening
Applied seam
Single ply construction

6. In this project We have to make A report specifying various basic classes of british standard 3870 part
one and the various types of seams as per british standard 3870:1991.

7. SEAMS
Seam is the term which refers to the stitching line where two fabrics are stitched together. It is the basic
building block of a garment. They form the structure of the garment and help to create the garment. They
are also used as a decorative feature.
The stitching line along the seam is called the seam line. The seam allowances (SA) is the space between
the fabric edge and the seam line.
Seams should be carefully done for a beautifully finished garment. Knowledge of the seam finishes will
enhance the look of your sewn garment.
Seam suitable for sewing:
There are some things to take into consideration when deciding what seams to use.
Type of fabric - “What kind of fabric is it?” is a top consideration. if it is a sheer fabric the seam finish you
select will be very different from what it will, if the fabric is a heavy weight brocade cloth. A loosely woven
cotton seam will be finished differently from a rayon blend fabric seam. A lace cloth will have a different
seam than a denim cloth.
Seam placement - A curved seam will be differently treated from a straight seam. If it is exposed seam as in
a pant, it will be different from an enclosed seam as ina yoke or a collar.
Sewing machine - What is your sewing machine capable of? What attachments do you have?, are also
important - if you have a serger or at least zig zag machine you have more possibilities than a simple
straight stitch machine.
Garment purpose and use - A child’s dress will need a more sturdy seam than a camisole top. A wedding
gown will not have the same seam finish as a biker’gear.

8. Plain seam
Plain seam with a single stitch
Plain seam with double top stitch
Hairline seam
Lapped seam (also called Tucked seam)
French seam
Flat felled seam or Run and fell seam
Mock flat fell seam (also Welt seam)
Corded or Piped seam
Faced seam
Hemmed fell seam
Mock french seam
Serged seam
Slot seam
Counter seam
Butt seams
Sheet seam / linen seam
Types of seams

9. Plain seam
In a Plain seam, two fabrics are joined together along the seam line by stitching. It is also called a
single needle Butterfly stitch as once the seam is made the seam allowance are pressed open to
either side of the seam line to look like a butterfly.
This is the simplest and easiest seam to make. It can be made hand or machine. Straight stitches
are used to make this seam though sometimes a tight zigzag stitch can also be used to make this
seam especially for knit or stretch fabrics.
This seam requires a seam finish for its exposed edges.
The advantage of a plain seam is that this seam does not add bulk to the seam lines. But as it has
only a single line of stitch the strength of the seam is not that great.

10. Plain seam with a single stitch
A single top stitching seam, this seam is a strong seam as well as a decorative one.
Plain seam with double top stitch
Double top stitching seam; this is a decorative seam which also provides great strength to the
seam line.
Hairline seam
This is a type of enclosed seam which is mostly used for collars and other enclosed areas. The
seam allowances are not visible from the outside as it gets enclosed.
Lapped seam (also called Tucked seam)
This is a very useful seam when sewing with heavy fabrics like suede, artificial leather, felt.
When sewing with heavy fabrics, as the edges of these fabrics do not fray, you can create
this seam by trimming the whole seam allowances of the top piece. Now the bulk is eliminated
as there is no fabric to turn under.

11. French seam
Flat felled seam or Run and fell seam
This is the best seam for sheer fabrics. As this seam encloses the raw edges in a fold, the
raw edges are not seen from outside without adding much bulk. This seam is usually done
on straight edges but if you clip nicely it can also be done on curved edges.
Mostly used in sportswear, men’s shirts, jeans kids clothes, pajamas etc. It provides adequate
strength to the seam line. This seam can be stitched inside as well as outside the garment.

12. Mock flat fell seam (also Welt seam)
This is a seam which looks a lot like Flat fell seam but is easier to make.
Unlike the flat fell seam here the raw edge is not turned under. So this seam will have exposed
raw edges of the seams on the wrong side. Hence it is better to be used with fabrics which do not
fray or where the seam will not be seen. This is a great seam for a bulky fabric like felt or synthetic
leather.
Corded or Piped seam
In this seam a fabric covered cording is inserted between the seam lines. It is a decorative seam
and is mostly used in collars, cuffs pockets and home decorating fabrics.

13. Serged seam
How to sew a serged seam
Slot seam
This seam which is similar to the lapped seam, is used for its functional as well as decorative
properties.
You need a Serger or Overlock machine for this seam. In this seam instead of a plain straight
stitch the serger stitch is used on the seams and the seam allowance is trimmed by the
machine. This seam gives stretch and flexibility to the seam.
This seam can be used under the following conditions
1 If it is not important that seams are kept flat or open.
2 for loose garments
3 on lightweight fabrics
4 When sewing with knits
Place right sides of the fabrics together matching the stitching lines.
Keep the fabric under the needle
The serger will automatically trim the seam allowance and enclose the fabric edges in a thread.
A 3 thread serger seam will give stretch to the seam and a 4 thread serged seam will give
strength to the seam. A 3 thread serged seam is usually used for knit fabrics for its stretching
properties.

14. Faced seam
Hemmed fell seam
How to sew a hemmed fell seam
Mock French seam
How to sew mock French seam
A faced seam is usually used in the seams of armholes, necklines and waistlines. It creates a
very good finish to the seam line.
Make a plain seam. One seam side is trimmed to half of the other side. The other seam is turned
down and hemmed by hand.
This is a seam which can be used in place of French seam may not be possible like in a curved
seam line, foe eg. Armholes of a transparent dress. This will neatly finish the seam line also.
Unlike the French seam, here a plain seam with right side together is made first.
Place the fabrics right sides together. Stitch a plain seam along the stitching line.
Press the seam open and then close.
Turn in the edge of the seam allownances of each seam 1/4 inch. Edge Stitch along the folded
edge, so that the raw edge is enclosed inside.

15. Counter seam
Butt seam
Sheer seam / linen seam
The fabric edges are folded and joined together by a zigzag stitch or chain stitch. This is used
when joining seams where you do not want any bulk. For example when sewing lingerie. You
can make this kind of seam with the help of a sewing machine.
This is a seam where we use an embroidery stitch to join the seams. It looks absolutely beautifully
though not as strong as the other seams the stitches can be set horizontally or slanting. Antwerp
edging stitcheds, Fishbone stitch, blanket stitch or herringbone stitch can be used in this ,manner
joining the seams. These stitches are called insertion stitches.
A very suitable seam for heavy materials, in this both the raw edges are enclosed by both the
seam allowances along the seam line.
How to sew a counter seam
Turn under the seam allownces of both the fabric pieces to the wrong side. Press
Place the wrong side of the first piece of fabric on the right side of the second piece along the
edges, Keeping the seam allowances. Pin in place
Stitch along the folded edge.

16. How to do this seam
1 Finish the fabric edges
2 Tack the edges of the two fabric ends with a buttonhole bar stitch
3 Cut a strip of paper of 1 inch width and the length equal to the fabric edge
4 Baste the edges of the fabric to the paper so that the distance between them is 1/2 inch
5 Work the stitches between the fabric edged; interlacing, knots, twisting all work between the
edges

17. Perfectmachinestitching is easyto achieveif you thread the machine
properly and use the correct needle and thread suitable for the fabric
used. A perfect stitch dependson the delicate balanceof pressureon
fabricaction of the feed and tensionon the stitch formation. Thecorrect
SPIor stitch per inchgivesyou a seam,whichis neither too tight nor too
loose.
Stitch Per Inch

18. Sl. No.
Weight of
the fabric Type of cloth
Thread
size
Needle
size
Stitch-es
per 2.5”
Light
Medium
Medium
heavy
brocade,
corduroy
Heavy
upholestry
fabrics
50
40-50
40
20
9-11
14
16
18
14-20
12
10-12
8-10
Woollen
Light woollen
Shirting, poplins,
etc.
Muslin, cambric
and other thin
fabrics
4.
3.
1.
2.

19. Class 100
These are chain stitches formed from a needle thread only and they are typically used for basting,
felling and blind stitching.
Class 200
Class 300
Originally hand stitches, these are mostly formed by single threads passed from one side of the
material to the other with each successive penetration of the needle. Various classes of this stitch
are used for saddle stitching and the prick stitching of edges.
These are also refered to as lock stitches because the top and under groups of threads are inter-
laced to form the stitch. The most widely used stitch formation in this class is no. 301, which is
that produced by a regular sewing machine.
Stitches

20. Class 400
Formed by two or more groups of threads, the loops of which are interlaced and interlooped,
stitch no. 401 is a chain stitch formed from two threads and is widely used for knitted materials
because the stitch formation makes for good extensibility and lateral strength.
Class 500
These are known as overedge stitches because at least one group of threads covers the edge
of the material. In this class, stitch no. 504 is a three- thread overlocking stitch used for
assembling light weight knits and also for cleaning and finishing the seam and hem edges of
garments.

21. Class 600
Class 700
Class 800
Thsi class covers combinations of two or more stitch classes which are sewn simultaneously,
like the five thread safety stitch. Different versions of this class are used for the assembly of
swimwear.
This is a single thread lock stitch similar to the 300 class, which has very limited applications
because of its inherent weakness.
There are many complex stitch formations in this class because the stitches can be formed from
three to nine threads and the use of up to four needles.

22. Class 1 (Superimposed Seam)
This seam is constructed with a minimum of two components and is the most widely used
seam construction in this class.
It has the following types:
Superimposed seam
French seam
Piped seam
The simplest seam type within the class is formed by superimposing the edge of one piece of
material on another. A variety of stitch types can be used on this type of seam, both for joining the
fabrics and for neatening the edges or for achieving both simultaneously.
As example of a superimposed seam with an additional component would be one that contained
an inserted piping and even her more than one construction is possible.
LAPPED SEAM
FRENCH SEAM
PIPED SEAM

23. Superimposed Seam

24. Class 2 (Lapped seam)
The simplest seam type in this class is formed by lapping two pieces of material. It is commonly
used in the joining of panels in sails where a strong seam is achieved by using two or three rows
of zigzag stitching.
Much more common on long seams on garments such as jeans and shirts is the so-called
lap-felled seam, sewn with two rows of stitches on a twin needle machine equipped with a
folding device.
The type of raised, topstitched seam often used down skirt panels is technically a lapped seam.

25. Class 3 (Bound seam)
This seam consists of an edges of material, which is bound by another, with the possibility of
other components inserted into the binding.
The simplest version of this class is again unusual, as it cannot be constructed with self-fabric
binding because of the problem of raw edges. It can be made with a binding, which has been
constructed, to a specific width.
A bound seam is often used a decorative edge and the binding may continue off the edge of the
garment to provide tie ends.
Examples in common use on underwear and leisure wear and on skirts, jeans and ladies trousers..
welted seam
Bound seam Commom Bound Seam

26. Bound Seam

27. Class 4 (Flat seams)
This seams are refered to as flat seams because the fabric edges do not overlap. They may be
butted together without a gap and joined across by a stitch which has two needles sewing into
each fabric and covering threads passing back and front between these needles on both sides
of the fabric. Knitted fabrics are most commonly used because the advantage of this seam is that
it provides a join that is free from bulk in garments worn close to the skin such as knitted under
wear.

28. Class 5 (Decorative stitching)
The main use of the seams is for decorative sewing on garments where single or multiple rows of
stitches are sewn through one or more layers of fabric.
The simplest seam in the class has decorative stitching across a garment panel. One row would
have little effect but multi needle stitching is common. Multineedle stitching has further decorative
possibilities if an attachment is added to the machine which lays embroidery threads back and
front under the stitches on the surface of the fabric. Other possibilities, given the right folding
devices, are pin tucks.

29. Class 6 (Edge neatening)
Seam types in this class include those where fabric edges are neatened by means of stitches as
well as folded hem and edges. The simplest is the fabric edge inside a garment which has been
neatened with an over edge stitch.

30. Edge Neatening

31. Class 7 (Applied seam)
Seams in this class relate to the addition of separate items to the edge of a garment part.
Examples would be a band of lace attached to the lower edge of a slip, (a) elastic braid on
the edge of a bra as in (b) and inserted elastic on the leg of a swimsuit as in © an example
where the additional item is self fabric plus interlining is another versions of the buttonhole
band on a shirt.

32. Class 8 (Single ply construction)
In this seam type only one piece of material need is involved in constructing the seam. The
commonest seam type in this class is the belt loop used on jeans, raincoats, etc. The use on
the belt loop of the stitch type mentioned before which has two needles and a bottom covering
thread ensures that the raw edges are covered over on the underside while showing two rows
of plain stitching on the top.

33. Ssa Plain seams on dresses, blouses trousers
Sse Enclosed seams at edges of collars and cuffs
Ssf Strap seams, taping or staying
Ssk Piped seam
Ssp Hem or single needle French seam
Ssq Sandwich seam used to set waistbands
Ssz Plain seam, busted and top stitched on each side
Ssae French seam
Superimposed seam

34. Lapped seam
Lsa Seams for leathers and suedes (real of synthetic)
Lsc
Lsd
Lsf
Side seams on better ments dress shirt
Set patch pockets, labels
Yoke/black seam men’s dress shirt
Bound seams
Bsa
Bsc
Bsf
Binding an edge with ribbon on leather
Binding an edge with bias binding, setting sleeve placket
Binding an edge with fabric (raw edge on bottom)
Bsk
Bso
Binding an edge with fabric welting
Binding an edge with fabric

35. Flat Seams
Fsa Flat seams on sweat shirts and underwear

36. Bibliography
Garment Technology for fashion designers
Fashion design (womens wear)
Images from Reliance trends
Images from V-mart

37. Thank You