4Real Forums: What's An Edge Stitch

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Topic: What's An Edge Stitch

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domchurch3
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Joined: July 12 2007
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Posted: July 30 2009 at 12:46pm \| IP Logged

Hello,

I'm a beginner sewer and am currently working on my first project. I need to know the difference between a topstitch and an edgestitch. Is there a difference?

Thank You!

Here's the link to the sewing tutorial that requires an edgestitch.

first project.

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Daniel's wife and mother to two children on earth, Bernadette (6 yrs old) and another child due in Jan 2009.

hylabrook1
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Posted: July 30 2009 at 3:53pm \| IP Logged

I think edge stitching is a way of finishing seams,but it is done before the seams are made. You set the sewing machine to zig zag, with the stitches being made fairly close together (like maybe half the length of the regular stitching you are sewing). What you do is place the edge of the cut out piece of fabric between the *toes* of the presser foot and sew around the perimeter of the pattern piece. The zig zag stitches kind of lap over the cut edge of the fabric. This decreases the tendency of the fabric to unravel and makes a neater finish on the inside of whatever you are sewing. Topstitching, on the other hand, is done on the outside of the sewn article, often for decorative effect. You use a regular straight stitch at the same stitch length you were otherwise sewing with, usually about 1/4 inch in from the finished edge. The photo shown underneath step 4 in the link you provided shows topstitching pretty clearly.

I don't know how clear a picture this explanation gives you, but I hope it helps. Have fun sewing!

Peace,
Nancy

JodieLyn
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Posted: July 30 2009 at 4:02pm \| IP Logged

After looking over that pattern.. it appears to me that topstiching means when there's already a seam there and you stitch on top anyway.. and the edge stitch seems to be essentially a topstitch but it isn't already sewn together. Because what they want you to do it close the top of the pillow with the stitch.. so I would just pin it well and do it the same as a topstitch.

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hylabrook1
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Posted: July 30 2009 at 6:09pm \| IP Logged

I was thinking of edge stitching as being more like serging, but done without an actual serger. This was the way my grandmother always used the term when teaching me to sew.

Now that I read through all the directions, I see what Jodie is saying. This does seem to be what they mean in their instructions. It looks to me like the edge stitching is done closer to the edge than the topstitching would be.

Peace,
Nancy

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