Seam Quality Characterization

Seam Quality Characterization
Dr. A.K. Choudhary

Department of Textile Technology
NIT Jalandhar
Stitches
A stitch is…
…a loop structure of threads.
Stitching is…
… a series of stitches.
Sewing…
…process of making stitching or seams.
Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013 2

Stitches Types
Classified by US Federal Standards
Based on common kinematic principle of stitch construction.
1. Class 100 - Single thread chain stitch
2. Class 200 - Hand stitch - normally not sewing machine
3. Class 300 - Lock stitch - Hook & bobbin
4. Class 400 - Multi thread chain stitch – Looper
5. Class 500 - Overedge and safety stitch
6. Class 600 - Cover stitch - Similar to 400, but with top cover
Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

3
Stitch Type 101
4
Stitch Type 301

5
Stitch Type 301
 Lockstitch, has a needle thread and a
bobbin thread
 The needle & under thread cross over in
the middle of the fabric
 Does not unravel easily,
 Poor extension.
 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.

6
Stitch Type 304
ZIG ZAG ONE STEP

LOCKSTITCH

7
Stitch Type 304
 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.

8
Stitch Type 304

9
Stitch Type 401

10
Stitch Type 401
 Two thread chainstitch - one needle
thread and one looper thread.
 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.

11
Stitch Type 401

12
Stitch Type 404
ZIG ZAG TWO THREAD

CHAINSTITCH

13
Stitch Type 406
N1
N2

14
Stitch Type 406
 Cover seam stitch, has 2 needle and
1 looper thread.
 Excellent extension, 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.

15
Stitch Type 406

16
Stitch Type 407
N1
N2
N3

17
Stitch Type 407

Stitch Type 504
L1
L2

19
3 thread overlock, has 1 needle
thread and 2 looper threads. Stitch Type 504
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

20
Stitch Type 504

21
Stitch Type 512
N1
N2
L1
L2

22
Stitch Type 512
 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)

23
Stitch Type 512

24
Stitch Type 514
N1
N2
L1
L2

25
Stitch Type 514

26
Stitch Type 516
N1
L1
N2
L2
L3

27
Stitch Type 516
 5 thread safety stitch, 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

28
Stitch Type 516

29
Stitch Type 602
S
N1
N2

30
Stitch Type 602
 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.

31
Stitch Type 602

32
Stitch Type 605
N1
N2
N3

33
Stitch Type 605
 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.

34
Stitch Type 605

35
Stitch Type 607
S
N1
N2
N3
N4

Special Stitch Types
1. Pin tuck - Lock or Chain.
2. Picotin
3. Smocking
4. Blind hem stitch – Lock or Chain
5. Pick /Saddle stitch (used in suits)

37
1.Pin tuck - Lock or Chain. In Lockstitch
2. Picotin …… Zig-Zag
Short Term Course-Garment Technology,10-14 June 2013

3.Smocking--------- Multi needle chain stitch
4.Blind hem stitch – Lock /Hand

stitch /Machine stitch (trouser)

Seams
Seam: 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 :
 Class 1 : Superimposed seam
 Class 2: Lapped seam
 Class 3: Bound seam
 Class 4: Flat seam
 Class 5: Decorative seam
 Class 6: Edge neatening seam
 Class 7 : Addition of separate items to edge of garment
 Class 8 :One piece of material used in seam (belt loop)
 A seam is load bearing and should be similar in physical
properties to the material being sewn.

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.

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 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.

Bound Seams
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.

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.

Decorative 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.

Edge neatening seams
Finishing the edge of a single
ply of material by folding it or
covering it with a stitch.
In this 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.

Seams: Quality issues &
Solutions

Seam quality

Seam quality

Some seam quality issues
 Seam slippage
 Skipped stitches
 Unbalanced stitches
 Uneven SPI
 Seam grin
 Puckering

Skipped Stitches
Causes Solutions
Check machines clearances and timing.
Failure of hook, looper, or needle to enter
Check needle is inserted and aligned correctly
the thread loop at correct time
Use needle with deeper scarf.
Change needle size/style
Thread loop failure
Check thread take-up and check loop formation
Flagging of fabric due to poor presser foot Adjust presser foot pressure
control or too large a throat plate hole Change throatplate to match needle
Use a reinforced needle

Needle deflections or bent needles
Check needle clearance and reset needle guard
Incorrect sewing tension in needle or under

Adjust thread tension
thread
Check loop formation
Poor loop formation Verify thread selection
Check thread twist and thickness

Staggered Stitches
Causes Solutions
Increase needle size
Needle vibrating or deflecting
Use reinforced needle
Incorrect or blunt needle point Change needle
Incorrect needle-to-thread size relationship Change needle thread size to appropriate size
Feed dog sways Tighten feed dog
Adjust presser foot pressure

Poor fabric control and presser foot bounce
Change feed mechanism

Unbalanced or Variable Stitches
Causes Solutions
Adjust top or bottom thread tension as
Incorrect sewing tensions
necessary for balanced stitches
Incorrect threading Check for correct thread path
Polish bobbin case and thread contact surfaces

Needle thread snagging on bobbin case or
Reset positioning finger
positioning finger
Change throatplate to match needle
Check for correct thread path
Variable thread tension Make sure check spring is properly set
Check thread lube consistency
Variable Stitch Density

Increase presser foot pressure
Poor fabric feed control
Change to a more positive feed mechanism

Seam Grin
 When two pieces of fabric are pulled at right angles to
the seam, a gap is revealed between the two pieces of
fabric revealing the thread in this gap.
 Corrective actions
 Increase stitching tensions
 Use a higher stitch rating

Seam Slippage
A fabric related issue.
 Fabrics with low no. of warp & weft yarns.
 The fabric on either side of the seam

distorts as the fabric yarns slide away
resulting in a permanent gap.
 Corrective Actions
 Increase seam allowance
 Use a higher stitch density
 Opt for a lapped fell seam

Seam Pucker
 Tension pucker
 Feed pucker
 Shrinkage pucker
 Inherent pucker
 Fabric flagging

Seam puckering

Tension Pucker
 Caused by high thread tension during
sewing.
 More pronounced when synthetic threads
are used.
 These threads on account of high stretch
properties elongate more during sewing.
 After sewing the threads recover from the
stretched state pulling the fabric with it.
Remedy:
Thread tensions have to be kept as
low as possible.

Feed Pucker
 Encountered when sewing very fine
fabrics.
 The plies of fabric tend to slip over
each other resulting in uneven feed
and leading to pucker.
Remedy :
 Opting for advanced types of feed
systems like compound or unison

feed.
 Puller feed is more cost effective.

Shrinkage Pucker
During the wash process the thread in the seam shrinks,
pulling the fabric .
 Ironing pucker - normally happens when synthetic
threads are used. The heat destabilizes the molecular
structure of the thread causing it to contract.
Remedy
 Choosing threads with low shrinkage properties.

 Normally
seen when sewing densely Inherent Pucker
woven materials.
 This occurs because the needle forcibly
displaces the warp & weft ends of the
dense weave to a significant extent.
 These displaced ends are pushed
upwards to the surface of the fabric and
appear as pucker.
Know n as 'STRUCTURAL JAMMING'
Remedy
 Opting for finer needles & threads
 Opt for a chain stitch in place of a lock stitch
 Reduce stitch density

Seam puckering assessment
Seam puckering has been calculated by measuring the fabric and

seam thickness under constant compressive load of 2 KPa (ISO
standard 9073-2:1997-02).
Ts – 2T
Seam puckering (i.e. thickness strain, %) = 2T X 100
Where Ts is the seam thickness in mm and T is fabric thickness in mm.

 A machine related issue Fabric Flagging
 the throat plate aperture enlarges due to wear
& tear
 Needle pushes the fabric through the aperture
before penetrating the fabric
Needle size (thickness) is changed and if the
throat plate is not changed accordingly.
Remedy
 throat plates must be changed at regular intervals
after checking for wear & tear
 throat plates must be changed in accordance with
the needle size even if there are no signs of wear &
tear.
Needle Size - Nm 60 65 70 80 90 100 110 120
Throat plate - Nm 100 120 120 140 160 160 200 200
aperture size

Seam Characterization

A garment is made up using a series of different seams.
Therefore, a thread should be chosen for specific seams to
ensure maximum benefits.
 Seam appearance
ƒ Is the seam attractive, consistent, and neat?
 Seam strength
ƒ Have the correct seam type and thread
selections been made?
 Seam stretch
ƒ Does the seam allow stretch especially in high
elongation fabrics viz : knits, lycra blends
 Seam durability
ƒ Do the properties of the seam, thread, and fabric lend
themselves to the desired length of use

Critical factors :
Seam Strength
Thread strength, Stitch type, Stitch The seam is sewn at right angles
rating, Seam type ,Fabric type, Needle to the direction of load.
size & point
Seam strength = SPI X STS X 1.5 - lockstitch

SPI X STS X 1.7 – chain stitch
e.g.
for a seam with a density of 16 spi & a thread with a 1100 gms STS
seam strength for lockstitch = 16 X 1100 X 1.5 = 26,400 gms.

= 26. 4 kgs
seam strength for chainstitch = 16 X 1100 X 1.7 = 29,920 gms.
= 29. 9 kgs

Seam strength efficiency
 Seam strength efficiency can be calculated by :
For seam strength testing, the sample of 8 inch x 4 inch is

cut from the fabric and sewn in warp direction with seam
allowance of 1 inch.
Seamed fabric strength

Seam efficiency (%) = X 100
Original fabric strength

Seam Stretch
The seam is sewn parallel to
Critical factors the direction of load.
 Sewing thread
extensibility
 Stitch type
 Stitch rating
 Fabric Type
Seam stretch is expressed as a % .

Seam Holes/Needle cut
Needle cuts are a recurring

problem in many apparel
sewing plants. Once the
garment is in the consumer’s
hands the needle cuts can take
an even more destructive
route—turning into long runs.
Needle Cuts occur when the
point of needle penetrates the
fabric and severs the fiber
structure creating a hole.
More in Knitted garments : Causes of Needle Cuts
Causes: Machine parameters
•Type and Size of Sewing Needle.

•Type and Size of Sewing Thread.
•Pressure and Type of the Pressure Foot.
•SPI – Stitch per Inch used.
Other causes:
•Needle heating
•Any sharp edges on the needle plate, feed dog, and presser
foot.
•Improper fabric handling.
•Pinching of fabric in needle and throat plate
•Brittleness of the fabric which can be resolved by proper
conditioning.

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

SET POINT
KNITTED FABRIC

Sewing needles

Seam holes/needle cut calculation
Needle cutting or yarn severance in a fabric is objectionable, because
it may result in reduced seam strength or poor appearance or both
due to frayed yarns.
Needle cut / seam holes can be calculated by the following:
number of yarns cut/cm (in)

Needle cutting index (%) = x 100
number of yarns in fabric/cm (in)

Seam Durability
Defined as the ability of a seam to withstand abrasion during :
 Distress garment washes like stone, sand, golf ball etc.
 Normal machine wash
 Day to day wear & tear of a garment
Durability factor for various thread substrates :

 Rayon : 1
 Cotton : 3
 Core spun : 30
 CF Nylon : 150

Final observations
 The fabric properties which affect the seam quality are cover factor,
weight, thickness, strength, shrinkage, functional finishes, extensibility,
bending rigidity and shear rigidity.
 Seam appearance and performance depends on the interrelationship of

fabrics, sewing threads, and the stitch/seam selection and lastly on the
sewing conditions, which include the needle size, needle thread tension,
stitch density, the appropriate operation and maintenance of the sewing
machine etc.
 For proper appearance, seam should not contain any defects including
skipped stitches, unbalanced stitches, seam grin, distortion or unevenness or
puckering, unsteadiness, improper drape ability, uneven seam density and
yarn severance or damage.
 In good quality apparels, compatibility of the seams with the functional

requirement is very important for serviceability and life of the apparel.

THANK YOU

Seam Quality Characterization

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Seam Quality Characterization

Dr. A.K. Choudhary

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013 2

1. Class 100 - Single thread chain stitch

2. Class 200 - Hand stitch - normally not sewing machine

3. Class 300 - Lock stitch - Hook & bobbin

4. Class 400 - Multi thread chain stitch – Looper

5. Class 500 - Overedge and safety stitch

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

 Uses least amount of thread

 Excellent seam security

 More susceptible to thread breaks

 Used in wide range of end uses.

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

ZIG ZAG ONE STEP

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

wont unravel easy

 Has better extension due to the zig- zag

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

 Seam runback (unraveling) is a big

 Used for joining trouser panels, riser

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

ZIG ZAG TWO THREAD

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Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

 Gives very good extension, and is

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Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013 18

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Has excellent extention and does

Used for serging to stop fabric

However this is not a tight stitch

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

 Side seams, join panels, attach sleeves,

and on aerobic wear, cycle pants etc.

that needs very good extension.

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

 Flat, comfortable seams - ideal for

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013 36

1. Pin tuck - Lock or Chain.

4. Blind hem stitch – Lock or Chain

5. Pick /Saddle stitch (used in suits)

Short term course on Garment Technology,10-14 June, 2013