Why zig zag stitch

The most common use of a zigzag stitch is to enclose raw edges as a seam finish. As a seam finish , one edge of the stitch is sewn off the edge of the fabric so that the threads of the fabric are enclosed within the threads of the zigzag stitch making the fabric unable to fray. The length and width of a zigzag stitch can be adjusted. Shorter stitch lengths create a narrower W formation.

The stitch width adjusts how wide the W formation will be. A zigzag stitch is also used as a stretch stitch when other options are not available. By sewing a seam with a narrow zigzag stitch rather than a wide zigzag stitch, the stitching will stretch with a stretchy or knit fabric. Manually made buttonholes use a zigzag stitch in various stitch widths and stitch lengths.

The bar tacks on each end are sewn with a shortened stitch length and a wide stitch. The sides of the buttonholes are created with a narrow stitch width and a short stitch length. A blind stitch is not on all sewing machines but it's a common stitch. A blind stitch is used to sew hems in place with the minimal amount of visible stitching. This stitch can save you many hours of hand sewing. A straight blind stitch and a stretch blind stitch may be available on your sewing machine.

The kind of fabric you're using will be the deciding factor for which type of blind stitch you should use. A stretchy fabric would use a stretch blind stitch and a woven or non-stretch fabric would use the straight blind stitch. The manual for your sewing machine is the best source of information on how to sew a blind stitch.

Many sewing machines do not have a stretch stitch built-in while others have an assortment of stretch stitches. A stretch stitch is what you will commonly use if you plan to sew stretch fabric. This stretch stitch is perfectly straight but it allows for stretching without the thread popping or breaking, which is what would happen if stretching a regular straight stitch.

Sewing a bias seam is another reason to use a stretch stitch bias cut garments tend to stretch over time. A basic sewing machine with nothing more than a straight and a zigzag stitch can sew a stretch stitch by using a narrow zigzag stitch. That narrow zigzag will allow the seam to stretch. Your machine may have a triple stretch setting shown on your machine as three drawn horizontal lines , which allows the thread and fabric to stretch further. When in doubt or unsure of how something will work out, use fabric scraps to practice so you can see the finished stitch before sewing directly on the garment or item.

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On your machine, the setting next to zigzag will look like a zigzag but dotted. This will do a zigzag but with three stitches per zig to help prevent the tunnel effect.

Hooded Towel Pattern:. Or choose your own! Any clothing item that you zigzag the edges to prevent fraying can work! Or anything you can find to use a zigzag on! These are so cute! The only issue I had when I made mine today was getting the machine to cooperate on the thick parts?

I broke a needle! I hate that! I broke my moms needle once and it was frustrating! Usually what I do on the thick parts is go really slow or do it by hand.

Hope that helps! A hooded towel was one of my first projects when I started sewing again and I think your method may be even better.

Excited to try again because a little toddler wrapped up in a hood must be one of the cutest things! When instructions call for satin stitch, is that like a really tight zig zag? Love the tutorials in the series!! Thanks for helping me use my new machine.

I think I might attempt the hooded towel with a double row of straight stitches or something, they are so cute! It can be done as well with a straight stitch. We sewed with the early Singer machines that only had a zig-zag attachment that I rarely used. Turned out pretty well. Lesson 2 is a success! Thank you for these posts!!

I have learned something from both so far. I am a beginner sewer teaching myself as I go. I found the explanation of the Satin Stitch especially helpful! The only times I have changed the settings on my machine have been to do gathers lol!

Is this the stitch we will be using when you go over the applique technique? I have been wondering for a while what that was for! Looking forward to next week! I love all the zig zag stitches! The only trouble I had was it getting to thick during the knotting process. Still need some work on that!

Plan on making the dragon hooded towel this week for a baby shower gift.. Thanks for having this series.. I come from a family that is truly gifted in sewing, I of course am lacking this gene, so I appreciate your ability to make sewing less intimidating! Love the quick zig zag tutorial! Or I may just wait until we learn to applique and try that. Thank you for teaching us what the dotted zigzag stitch does! I always wondered but was too intimidated to try it for fear I would ruin something!

Thank you for build up my confidence in sewing too! Love your blog. Overall, the towel is done in one piece and unless you inspect it carefully, it looks fine, but I did have a few problems.

First I had trouble getting the towel moving. At the beginning of all my stitches, the needle would just zigzag in the same place and not feed the towel forward. I had to keep lifting the presser foot, move the towel just a smidgen, and try again to get it going. Once it got going, it would be ok. I broke a needle, but replacing it with a heavy duty one went easily. Thanks so much for these tutorials, I learn so much!

The towels can be a little tricky because of the thickness but once you get used to moving that thick fabric through your machine they are a breeze. Just takes practice. I am loving these posts! I learned how to sew when I was younger and am recently picking it up again. These lessons have been super helpful! Thanks so much for this tutorial on the zig zag stitch. I do not use it often but now that I know a little more it seems to be the perfect stitch for some things. Thanks again..

I love the hooded towels! I think I will make them for my boys for part of their Valentines presents. I practiced my zig zag stitches on pajamas for my 6 year old. I did it! You get started in much the same way as you did for the straight stitch. Thread your bobbin and the machine before looking for the way to change to a zigzag stitch.

This is usually located on a dial or a button depending on the type of machine you have. The width and length of the stitch will be set to an average number, which is perfect for this little tutorial. As you get a little bit more comfortable you will find that you can alter them both depending on your needs, but leave it as it is for now. Now you should be about ready to start sewing the zigzag. Start off by double checking the machine to make sure everything is set correctly and then low your foot onto the presser and lower the needle into the fabric.

You will want to sew forward for about an inch before reversing the stitch and going back over that inch.