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Fashion & Textiles vocabulary · Sewing & Construction

Topstitching

Meaning in fashion & textiles, with examples

/ˈtɒpstɪtʃɪŋ/nounCommon term

In fashion & textiles, topstitching means: A row of stitching sewn on the right side of a garment, close to a seam or edge, for decoration or to keep the seam flat.

In Turkish: çıma, üst dikiş, kenar çıması

How it is used

A key detail on jeans, jackets and shirts. Tech packs specify single or double needle, distance from the edge (such as 1 mm or 6 mm), stitch length and thread colour. Contrast topstitching uses a thread colour different from the fabric.

Example sentences

  1. The jeans have gold contrast topstitching on the yoke and pockets.

  2. Please change the topstitching to 6 mm from the edge on the collar.

Common collocations

  • contrast topstitching
  • double-needle topstitching
  • topstitching thread
  • edge topstitching
  • stitchA single loop of thread made by a needle in sewing, or a particular type of stitching such as lockstitch, chainstitch or coverstitch.
  • seamThe line where two or more pieces of fabric are joined together, usually by sewing, such as the side seam or shoulder seam of a garment.
  • denimA strong cotton twill fabric, traditionally with indigo-dyed warp yarns and white weft yarns, used mainly for jeans and jackets.
  • pocketA small bag of fabric sewn onto or into a garment to carry things, or for decoration, such as the front pockets of jeans.

More terms: Sewing & Construction

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