How to Finish Seams With a Zigzag Stitch

Use a zigzag stitch to give a seam a durable and clean finish.

Taking a few extra steps to finish a simple straight seam gives the seam a professional look, as well as increased durability -- especially important in children's clothing and frequently worn garments. Sew a simple zigzag stitch for one of the quickest and simplest seam finishes. The stitch encases the edge of the seam allowance, reducing fraying and unnecessary bulk from crumpled seam allowances inside well-constructed garments.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Select the zigzag stitch function on your machine. Depending on your machine, this requires you to either press a button -- computerized machines -- or turn a knob -- mechanical machines.

2. Adjust the stitch length and width of the stitch to 3mm -- roughly nine stitches per inch -- to begin. Test the stitch length and width on a scrap of the same fabric. Adjust the stitch length and width in equal increments accordingly. The lighter the fabric, the shorter the stitch length and vice versa. So, if you are working with a lighter fabric, and a 3mm stitch length and width aren't working, reduce the length and width.

3. Crank the hand wheel at the right end of the machine moving the needle through a full rotation of the stitch until the needle is in the down position on the right side of the stitch -- the zag. Place the right edge of the seam allowance up against the needle. This ensures that the zag of the stitch falls just over the edge of the fabric, encasing the raw edge of the seam allowance in stitches.

4. Sew along the full length of the seam allowance. Knot the tails of thread at either end of the zigzag seam, and trim them.

Tips & Warnings

• Finishing a seam with a zigzag stitch is not recommended for sheer fabrics; it can cause them to pull apart. You can, however, finish a seam in a heavyweight fabric with a zigzag stitch.

• Use a walking foot, if you have one, when finishing the seam in a heavy-weight fabric. The foot feeds the material from the top, while the feed dogs feed from the bottom, helping keep the fabric straight as it heads through the machine.

References

• Sew 4 Home; Finishing Raw Seams: Part One -- Sewing Machine Finishes; Janome America; Oct 2009
• Sew, Mama, Sew!; Seam Finishes Simplified; May 2008
• "The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing"; Singer; 2010

Resources

• Sew 4 Home; Selecting Machine Stitch Length; Janome America; April 2009