Techniques

A woven interfacing of hair, wool, and cotton fibers, hand or machine stitched into a jacket's chest and lapel to build structured, moldable shape in traditional tailoring.

An extremely narrow seam trimmed close to the stitching line after sewing, used on sheer fabrics such as chiffon or lace to minimize visible bulk.

A hem invisibly secured by hand stitching rather than machine stitching, standard in couture and fine tailoring for its near-invisible finish.

A zipper inserted using small, evenly spaced hand backstitches or prick stitches along the zipper tape instead of machine topstitching, for an inconspicuous couture finish.

A very narrow hem formed by rolling the raw edge between the fingers and securing it with tiny whipstitches, used on scarves, ruffles, and fine fabrics.

A crossed hand stitch worked in a V pattern, used to secure hems, interfacing, or facings with a decorative, flexible line.

A seam finish in which bias binding strips are stitched over each raw seam allowance edge and understitched, giving a couture-quality enclosed edge on unlined garments.

A hem stiffened and given body by stitching horsehair braid to the raw edge before turning it up, common on formal and bridal skirts.