Definition | Seam | Types of Seams

Seam: A seam is a joint between two pieces of fabric or it is ‘the application of a series of stitches or stitch types to one or several thickness of material’. a superimposed seam

Types of seam-

1. CLASS 1- Superimposed seam
2. CLASS 2- Lapped seam
3. CLASS 3- Bound seam
4. CLASS 4- Flat seam
5. CLASS 5- Decorative stitch
6. CLASS 6- Edge neatening
7. CLASS 7 seam
8. CLASS 8 seam

SUPERIMPOSED SEAM: This is the commonest construction seam on garments which is formed by superimposing the edge of one piece of material on another.

LAPPED SEAM: The simplest seam type in this class is formed by lapping two pieces of material. This seam is not common in clothing because it causes problems with raw edges and at least one of the edges must be neatened in a decorative manner.

BOUND SEAM: The seam consists of an edge of material which is bound by another, with the possibility of other components inserted into the bindings.

FLAT SEAM: Seams are referred to as flat seams because the fabric edges do not overlap. They may be butted together without gap and joined across by a stitch which has two needles sewing into each fabric and covering threads passing back and forth between these needles on both sides of the fabric.

DECORATIVE STITCH: This is the first of the two classes of seam which, in the old British Standard, were not regarded as seams at all and were given the name ‘stitching’. The main use of this seam is for decorative sewing where single or multiple rows of stitches are sewn through one or more layer of fabric. These several layers can be folds of the same fabric.

EDGE NEATENING: This is the other seam class that was called a stitching. Seam types in this class include those where fabric edges are neatened by means of stitches (as opposed to binding with another or the same fabric) as well as folded hems and edges. The simplest is the fabric edge inside a garment which has been neatened with an over edge stitch.

CLASS 7 SEAMS: In this class relate to the addition of separate items to the edge of a garment part. They are similar to the lapped seam except that the added component has a definite edge on both sides. Examples would be a band of lace on the edge of a bra.

CLASS 8 SEAMS: The final seam class in the British Standard is another where only one piece of material need involved in constructing the seam. The commonest seam type in this class is the belt loop as used on jeans, raincoats, etc.