The document discusses various types of stitches used in textiles, including lockstitch, chainstitch, coverstitch, and overlock stitches. It provides details on the thread configuration and uses of different stitch types, such as single- and multi-needle lockstitches, 2-thread and cover chainstitches, 3-4-5 thread overlocks, and coverstitches using spreader threads. It also summarizes common seam types like flat, superimposed, lapped, bound, ornamental, and finishing seams.

1. Stitch Types

2. PREPARED BY ©right
Name : MAZADUL HASAN SHESHIR
ID: 2010000400008
Batch: 13th Batch (Session 2009-2013)
Department: Wet Processing Technology
Email: mazadulhasan@yahoo.com (FB)
Blog: www. Textilelab.blogspot.com
Southeast University,Bangladesh
Department of Textile Engineering

3. Stitch Types
Lockstitch Chainstitch
Oscillating shuttle Rotary hook
* Domestic * Industrial
Rotary looper Oscillating looper
* Button Stitching * 2T- chain
Overlock
Coverseam

4. Stitch Type 301
N
B
Lockstitch

5. Lock Stitch

6.  Lockstitch, has a needle thread and a bobbin thread.
 Stitch is formed by a needle thread introduced from one
side of the material interlacing with an under thread
 The needle & under thread cross over in the middle of the
fabric
 Most common of the stitch types
 Does not unravel easily,
 Poor extention.
 Stitch is reversible
 Uses least amount of thread
 Excellent seam security
 Lower productivity
 More susceptible to thread breaks
 Used in wide range of end uses.
Stitch Type 301

7. Stitch Type 304
N
B
ZIG ZAG ONE STEP
LOCKSTITCH

8.  Lockstitch zig zag, has a needle thread
and a bobbin thread.
 Has same benefits as 301 viz:
security of seam
reversibility
wont unravel easy
 Has better extension due to the zig zag
configuration.
 Used mostly on lingerie , foundation
wear and underwear, where a secure
seam with good extension is required.
Stitch Type 304

9. Stitch Type 304
ZIG ZAG ONE STEP
LOCKSTITCH

10. Stitch Type 401
N
L
Two Thread Chain Stitch

11. Two Thread Chain Stitch

12.  Two thread chainstitch - one needle thread
and one looper thread.
 Needle thread loop is interconnected with two
loops of one underthread
 The needle & underthreads cross over on the
underside of the fabric
 Higher seam strength and seam stretch than a
lock stitch
 Higher productivity
 Seam runback (unraveling) is a big problem
 Seam security not as good as lock stitch
 Increased bulk under the seam
 Used for joining trouser panels, riser seams
and felled seams in jeans.
Stitch Type 401

13. Stitch Type 401
Two Thread Chain Stitch

14. Stitch Type 404
ZIG ZAG TWO THREAD CHAIN STITCH
N
L

15. Stitch Type 406
N1
N2
L
Cover Seam Stitch (2 Needle & 1 Looper Thread)

16.  Cover seam stitch, has 2 needle and 1
looper thread.
 Excellent extention, easy to unravel.
 Used for :
 T shirts/knits sleeves and bottom
hems.
 stitching of belt loops in jeans &
trousers.
 Gives very good extension, and is mostly
used to cover a raw edge in the fabric
after the fabric has been hemmed etc.
Stitch Type 406

17. Stitch Type 406
Cover Seam Stitch (2 Needle & 1 Looper Thread)

18. Stitch Type 407
N3
N2
N1
L
Cover Seam Stitch (3 Needle & 1 Looper Thread)

19. Stitch Type 407
Cover Seam Stitch (3 Needle & 1 Looper Thread)

20. Stitch Type 504
N
L1
L2
3 Thread Overlock (1 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

21. 3 Thread Overlock (1 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

22.  3 thread overlock, has 1 needle thread
and 2 looper threads.
 Has excellent extention and does not
unravel easily.
 Used for serging to stop fabric fraying,
and for joining 2 or more plies
together.
 However this is not a tight stitch and
seam security could be a problem.
 Bulky seams
Stitch Type 504

23. Stitch Type 504
3 Thread Overlock (1 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

24. Stitch Type 512
N1
N2
L1
L2
4 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

25.  Mock safety stitch, has 2 needle and 2
looper threads
 Very good extension, will not unravel easy.
 Side seams, join panels, attach sleeves,
join shoulders etc. on knitted fabrics, tee
shirts, polos.
 Side seams, join panels, etc. on swimwear
and on aerobic wear, cycle pants etc.
 Where there is a need for a secure seam
that needs very good extension.
 512 is more secure than 504 (3 thread
overlock) but less secure than 516 (5
thread safety stitch)
Stitch Type 512

26. Stitch Type 512
4 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

27. Stitch Type 514
N1
N2
L2
L1
4 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

28. Stitch Type 514
4 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 2 Looper Threads)

29. Stitch Type 516
N1
L1
N2
L2
L3
5 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 3 Looper Threads)

30.  5 thread safetystitch, has 2 needle threads
and 3 looper threads. A combination stitch
 Has two stitch types in one, 504 and 401.
Good extention, very strong. If one fails the
other can absorb the strain
 Used for
 joining panels where seam stretch is critical
 or joining seams where security of seam is
important. Jeans (inside legs) side seams
and sleeves on shirts, overalls etc.
 High seam elasticity
Stitch Type 516

31. Stitch Type 516
5 Thread Overlock (2 needle & 3 Looper Threads)

33. Stitch Type 602
N1
N2
L
Cover Seam Stitch, Top and Bottom (2 Needle, 1
S
Looper and 1 Spreader Thread)

34.  Top and Bottom cover seam stitch, has 2
needle, 1 looper and 1 spreader thread.
 Used :
as a stitch to cover the joint between
binding and the garment (necks of knitts)
as a decorative stitch on night gowns &
sweat shirts
for stitching legs of aerobic wear and
straps on swimwear.
to stitch/attach binding to knitted night
gowns. Sweat shirts etc.
 Has excellent extension, when a small
stitch is used excellent seam cover is
achieved.
Stitch Type 602

35. Stitch Type 602
Cover Seam Stitch, Top and Bottom (2 Needle, 1
Looper and 1 Spreader Thread)

37. Stitch Type 605
N1
N2
N3
L
Cover Seam Stitch, Top and Bottom (3 Needle, 1
S
Looper and 1 Spreader Thread)

38.  Utilizes 3 needle threads, one looper and
one cover thread.
 Used in knitwear, lingerie & under
garments.
 High seam elasticity.
 Flat, comfortable seams - ideal for 'next
to skin' sewing applications.
 Can also be used as a decorative seam
 Very high thread consumption.
Stitch Type 605

39. Stitch Type 605
Cover Seam Stitch, Top and Bottom (3 Needle, 1
Looper and 1 Spreader Thread)

41. Stitch Type 607
L
S
N1
N2
N3
N4
Cover Seam Stitch, Top and Bottom (4 Needle, 1
Looper and 1 Spreader Thread)

42. Thread Consumption Guideline by Stitch Type
Stitch
Type Description Ratio # of
12
Needles
Needle to
Under Thread Ratio
301 2 Thread
Lockstitch 2.5 1 1:1
401 2 Thread
Chainstitch 5.5 1 1:3
503 2 Thread
Overedge 1 1.2:1
504 3 Thread
Overedge 14 1 1:5
515 4 Thread Safety 17.5 2 1:1.4
516 5 Thread Safety 20 2 1:3.4
607 Flatseam 32 4 1:3.5

43. Seam Types

44. Introduction to Seams
 A seam can be defined as : the application of a series of stitches or stitch
types to one or several layers of material.
 8 classes of seams are defined in the ISO classification.
 Seams are described as :
 flat
 superimposed
 lapped
 bound
 ornamental
 A seam is loadbearing and should be similar in physical properties to the
material being sewn.

45. Flat Seams
In these seams, sometimes called Butt Seams, two
fabric edges, flat or folded, are brought together
and oversewn with a zig-zag lockstitch, chainstitch
or covering stitch (Class 600).
The purpose is to produce a join where no extra
thickness of fabric can be tolerated at the seam, as
in underwear or in foundation garments.
The looper thread(s) must be soft, yet strong and
the cover thread may be decorative as well as
strong.
Flat Seam

46. Superimposed Seams
These generally start with two or more pieces of material
superimposed over each other and joined near an edge,
with one or more rows of stitches. There are various
types of seams within the SS class.
A superimposed seam can be sewn with a stitch 301 or
401 to create a simple seam. The same seam type can
also be sewn with stitch class 500 (Overedge stitch) or
Combination stitches (i.e. stitch class 516) to create neat
load bearing seams for lingerie, shirts, etc.
Superimposed Seam

47. Lapped Seams
• Two or more plies of material are lapped (i.e. with
edges overlapped, plain, or folded) and joined with
one or more rows of stitches.
• French seaming involves 2 stitching operations with
an intervening folding operation - a flat, folded seam
with only one row of stitching visible on the top
surface, commonly used for rainwear.
Lapped Seam

48. Lapped Seams
• The Lap Felled type, involves only one
stitching operation - a strong seam with
fabric edges protected from fraying.
• Commonly used for making up jeans or
similar garments.
Lapped Seam

49. Bound Seams
These are formed by folding a binding strip over the
edge of the plies of material and joining both edges
of the binding to the material with one or more rows
of stitching. This produces a neat edge on a seam
exposed to view or to wear.
Bound Seam

50. Ornamental Seams
A series of stitches along a straight or curved
line or following an ornamental design, on a
single ply of material.
More complex types include various forms of
piping, producing a raised line along the fabric
surface.
Ornamental Seam

51. Edge Finishing Stitching
Finishing the edge of a single ply of material by
folding it or covering it with a stitch.
The simplest of these operations is Serging, Type
6.01.01, in which a cut edge of a single ply is
reinforced by overedge stitching to neaten and
prevent fraying Includes other popular methods
of producing a neat edge like hemming and Blind
Stitch hemming.
Edge Finishing Stitching

52. Top View 12. _____ Single Needle
3 Thread Overedge
10. _____ Chainstitch or _____
Lockstitch Buttonsew*
1. _____ Single Thread
Blindstitch
2. _____ Three Needle
Five Thread
Coverstitch
3. _____ Two Needle Four
Thread Coverstitch
4. _____ Three Needle - 4
Thread Bottom
Coverstitch
5. _____ Two Needle, 3
Thread Bottom
Coverstitch
6. _____ Chainstitch
7. _____ Lockstitch
8. _____ Single Thread
Chainstitch
Bottom View
9. _____ Two Needle Four
Thread Overedge
*Stitch Numbers - ISO Std. 4915.
11. ______ Single Needle, Three
Thread Overedge
With Double Purl
Purl on Edge
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