Oct 30, 2026
Garment Stitch Reference: 18 Stitch Types and Where They Belong
A stitch chart is not a menu. Eighteen garment constructions grouped by what they are for, with where each belongs and where it should never be used.
A stitch chart on a factory wall lists twenty or more constructions, and most buyers recognise four of them. The rest get ignored until a seam fails, and then everyone discovers that the right stitch for that panel was on the chart all along.
This is the working reference we use in the sample room, grouped by what each stitch is for rather than by machine. Every entry says where it belongs and where it does not, because the second half is what prevents a bad specification.
Group one: basic joining stitches
Lockstitch (plain seam). Two layers joined with a straight line of thread, the most common construction in garment making. Strong along the seam, but it does not stretch. On knit activewear, reserve it for zips, labels and short reinforcing runs.
Chain stitch. Loops pass through each other, forming a chain on the underside. It stretches better than a lockstitch and runs fast. The weakness is that a broken chain unravels, so chain-stitched seams need secure ends. Common on hems in denim and on some bag seams, rarely on leggings.
Double needle topstitch. Two parallel rows, usually 3 to 6 mm apart. It holds a seam allowance flat and adds a technical look. On stretch fabric the rows must be sewn with a stretch-capable machine, or the seam will pop between them.
Backstitch. A short reverse run at the start and end of a seam to lock the thread. It is not a construction, it is a habit. Ask whether your factory backstitches or uses a thread lock; the second is cleaner on fine fabric.
Group two: edge finishing
Overlock (serged edge). The raw edge is enclosed in a net of thread, usually two needle threads and two loopers. Fast and strong, with a raised ridge on the inside. Correct for secondary seams and linings, wrong for a seam that lies against skin.
Rolled hem. The edge is folded and stitched in one pass, often with a narrow folder. Common on light tops and swimwear. On activewear it works on thin single jersey, and it fails on heavy double knit, where the fold is too bulky to roll cleanly.
Bound edge. A strip of fabric or tape wraps the raw edge. It costs an operation and looks deliberate, which is why it appears on premium tanks and on necklines that need to hold shape.
French seam. The raw edges are enclosed inside a second seam, so both faces are clean. It suits light woven fabric and fine jersey. It is a poor choice for high-stretch knits, because the doubled seam cannot extend with the fabric.
Run and fell seam. One edge wraps the other and is stitched through, as on the outseam of jeans. Very strong, very flat, and almost impossible to run on a stretch knit without distortion.
Blind stitch. The needle catches the fabric intermittently so the stitch is barely visible from the face. Used on hems where a visible line would break the design. On stretch knits, it is fragile under tension.
Hand-finished edge. A hand slip stitch used on tailored pieces. It has no place in volume activewear; if a quotation includes it, ask why.
Group three: reinforcement and decoration
Bar-tack. A dense block of stitches at a stress point: the base of a fly, a pocket corner, the end of a waistband join. Typically 12 to 16 mm long with 42 to 56 stitches. Placed badly, it becomes a lump that presses into the body.
Buttonhole stitch. The bound opening for a button. Rare on activewear, present on some woven jackets and on wrap styles. Ask for a test buttonhole on the actual fabric, because stretch fabric distorts around the opening.
Bead stitch. A small, rounded stitch that reads as a row of beads along an edge. Decorative. Used on tailored garments more than on performance wear, and it should be named in the brief if you want it, because most factories will default to a plain topstitch.
Tucks and pressed pleats. Fabric folded and stitched or heat-set to create a permanent line. They add structure and a premium look on outerwear, and they interfere with stretch on a fitted legging.
Quilting. Long stitches join a face fabric to a filling, creating a three-dimensional pattern. It belongs on padded outerwear and on thermal panels, not on a compression layer.
Group four: the stitches that matter on performance activewear
Four-needle six-thread flatlock. Four needle threads and two loopers, both faces flat, no raised ridge. The standard for side seams, inseams and the seat seam on leggings. It can be trimmed single or double, which changes how much raw edge is exposed.
Three-needle five-thread. Three needle threads and two loopers. Flatter than overlock, stronger than a plain flatlock along the seam line. Used at waistband joins and heavier panel seams.
Coverstitch. Two or three needle threads with a looper covering both faces. The standard finish for hems and folded waistbands. Watch for tunnelling, where the fabric lifts between the needle rows.
Dense overlock. A narrow, tightly packed overlock used on small openings that take repeated abrasion, such as the cup pocket edge on a padded bra. Skipping it saves one operation and costs the garment its second season.
Split seam (pressed open). The seam allowance is pressed to both sides rather than to one. It distributes thickness and keeps the seam line flat on structured garments. On stretch knit it needs a fusible or a taped seam to hold.
Taped or sandwiched seam. The raw edges are folded inside a tape or a strip of the same fabric and stitched through. Flat and skin-friendly, common on T-shirt side seams and on hoodie joins. Slightly heavier than a flatlock, and cheaper to run on heavy fabric.
How to choose, in practice
Step 1. Start with the skin contact. Any seam that touches the body during movement should be flat. That removes most of the chart immediately.
Step 2. Check the load. A seam carrying load along its length needs a construction that resists pull, which usually means more needle threads, not more stitches per inch.
Step 3. Check the stretch direction. A stitch that cannot extend with the fabric will fail at the seam, not at the cloth. This is why a plain lockstitch is wrong on a legging leg and right on a zip.
Step 4. Check the thickness. A bar-tack on a five-layer stack, or a flatlock across a waistband join that includes elastic, will pucker. Reduce the stack before changing the stitch.
Step 5. Write it per panel. A legging typically uses three or four constructions. One instruction for the whole garment is a sign that nobody specified it.
Where buyers get this wrong
Specifying the strongest stitch everywhere. It builds in cost and stiffness where neither is needed, and it does not improve the seam that actually fails.
Judging a stitch on a flat sample. Every construction looks acceptable on a table. The differences appear in motion and after washing.
Copying a competitor's seam without knowing its construction. The outside of a garment tells you very little. Ask for a photo of the inside face; that is where the construction is visible.
Ignoring the consumables. A perfect stitch with the wrong needle or a rigid thread will still fail. Needle size and thread elongation belong in the same conversation.
Questions buyers ask us about stitches
How many stitch types does a legging actually need?
Usually three: a flatlock for the main seams, a three-needle five-thread or coverstitch at the waistband, and a coverstitch at the hem, plus a bar-tack at any stress point.
Is a more expensive stitch always better?
No. It is better only when it matches the load, the skin contact and the fabric. On a lining seam, an overlock is the correct engineering and the cheaper choice.
Can we see the stitch specification before sampling?
You should. Ask for the seam schedule: panel, stitch type, width, density and needle. It is one page and it prevents most sample rounds.
The bottom line
A stitch chart is not a menu. Each construction solves a specific problem, and the skill is in matching the stitch to the panel rather than in choosing the most impressive one. Specify per panel, check the inside face, and test after washing.
If you want your seam schedule reviewed before sampling, send it over. Email breezsportswear@126.com or message WhatsApp +86 181 4865 3131. Breez Sportswear develops private-label activewear and will mark up the sheet where a stitch does not fit the panel.
Related reading: activewear stitch types explained, needle thread versus looper thread, and leggings anatomy and pattern terms.