It’s like the title says, I have a new best friend! Now for those of you who have been thinking, “Wait a sec… I thought the Selfish Seamstress was incapable of friendship,” you’re only partly correct. The Selfish Seamstress indeed has no human friends, but she’s got her cat and as of today she also has double straight stitch. Which one do you love more, Selfish Seamstress? Neither. I love them both equally. Or maybe kitty just a smidge more. I have to admit, though, I’ve got quite the crush:
Yay! I thought last night that I was going to have to halt progress on my crafty McCall 5525 jacket because I decided I really wanted to topstitch it (to ward off some of the homemade look) and I didn’t have any topstitching thread. And today’s Easter which means lots of chocolate but no shopping.
Then I noticed that wonderful little double topstitch icon on my machine, and just like that, the jacket was back on!
As you can see, it’s a little tricky going around the sharp curves and corners because unlike with a regular straight stitch, the foot is going back and forth (imagine trying to drive in a smooth curve around a corner while simultaneously doing a 5-point turn.) My stitching isn’t perfect, but overall, I’m pretty thrilled with the double straight stitch. Thank you, Husqvarna!
Luckily I had some matching lime green thread which I bought to use in a project for someone else which I never got around to doing. So double yay for a brand new spool of matching thread and the providence of selfishness! If I had my druthers, there’d be a fuchsia or tangerine lining for this jacket, but I don’t want to hold off until my next opportunity to go fabric shopping, which won’t be for days at this point. So I’ve got some blush pink in my stash which will do fine. And when the outside is crazy polka dots, the fun lining becomes less of a priority.
And for those of you who are rolling your eyes that I actually bothered to write a post about double straight stitch? Hush up, it’s new to me :) New best friend. Happy Easter and Passover, everyone!
The Selfish Seamstress 
34 comments
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April 4, 2010 at 9:09 am
Lee Ann
WOW I love that! It looks so professional –
:) :)
April 4, 2010 at 9:22 am
Faye Lewis
I love your new found stitch. I do think that there’s a stitch similar to it on my machine that I will be trying for top stitching per your tip. Thanks!
April 4, 2010 at 9:29 am
lin3arossa
An alternative would’ve been to double or triple the thread (on a single needle). It does look good.
April 4, 2010 at 9:52 am
Nikole
Seeing the post name it thought it was a double threading of a single needle myself. My machine needs to acquire that double stitch feature
April 4, 2010 at 9:54 am
Auntie Allyn
Hmmm, wonder if I have a similar stitch on my vintage Bernina 1130 . . . this looks terrific on your jacket!
April 4, 2010 at 10:11 am
Eve
Long time reader, first time commenter! ;) I love the top stitching! I’ve been sewing for a long time (although not much recently), but I’ve never know how to do this… good to see it here!
Thanks, lin3arossa, for the tip too!
April 4, 2010 at 11:39 am
SilverMom
Another longtime reader, first time commenter! I am curious about the statement in your post “lime green thread which I bought to use in a project for someone else”. Ack! Did you actually consider sewing for someone else??? Not our beloved Selfish Seamstress! Say it ain’t so! At least you follow it up with “which I never got around to doing.” Ah, that’s more like it.
April 4, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Jan
Wow – must go and check my Bernina – I’m (grudgingly) impressed with your discovery. BTW – A very happy Easter to you.
Jan.
April 4, 2010 at 12:54 pm
lorrwill
Oh you inspirational selfish little adorable !@#!#@!!
I will be working out the kinks with my sewing machine and the double thread and its ALL YOUR FAULT! (I have no double stitch icon so I’ll just have to make do.)
I tried this recently but failed to use a topstitch foot, increase the stitch length or touch the tension settings. It didn’t go so great.
I love the professional results you got. Now I have to try this at home.
April 4, 2010 at 1:44 pm
AmyG
what machine are you using for your sewing? I’m in the market for a new machine. Thanks. Your coat is absolutely just divine.
April 4, 2010 at 1:53 pm
~buzzybee~
Looking gorgeous so far – the topstitching is a beautiful finish!
April 4, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Linda L
That is a nice stitch. I forget all about some of my many stitches I have on my machine. Love the fabric for this jacket.
April 4, 2010 at 3:06 pm
katiedmd
I love topstitching with this method. It’s so nice not having to go get special thread, and to be able to use whatever color tickles your fancy.
April 4, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Sue
This is one of my favorite stitches too. I just used it on my HP Flippy skirt and was very happy with the result (My machine calls it a triple stitch though – or at least the manual does, the machine doesn’t say a lot).
April 4, 2010 at 4:15 pm
yoshimi
Wow thank you very much for posting it! I need to find similar stitch on my machine too, your top stitches look so fantastic!!
April 4, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Meredith P
Threading the needle with two threads would eliminated the corner turning issue. It’s so hard to find the correct color of topstitching thread (at least outside metro areas), I almost always double the thread if I want more thread showing.
It’s also sometimes called a straight stretch stitich on some machines, or triple straight stitch as others have mentioned.
April 4, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Elizabeth
Which Husqvarna model do you have? I love that topstitching. Your coat is already amazing. No one would ever say it was home made.
April 4, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Angela
Very nice! I wonder if I have that stitch on my machine… need to go investigate.
April 4, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Karen
Love the top stitch and the fabric!
April 5, 2010 at 2:40 am
Liesl
I wish I had that icon on my machine! Double top stitch looks fantastic.
April 5, 2010 at 4:07 am
Anna | Mormor hade stil
I have to go check my machine (also Husqvarna) to see if I have that stitch too! Looks very neat.
April 5, 2010 at 6:36 am
Sewjourner
After I read your post I ran over to my machine to check and lo and behold it has that stitch! Thanks.
April 5, 2010 at 6:47 am
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April 5, 2010 at 7:55 am
sewforward
Yes, yes, yes! You need the proper pressing tools to do a good job pressing! For years I never owned a sleeve board nor sleeve roll no ham – I just used a heavy towel that I would roll up and slide into the sleeve or curl it up the press the armyscye seam or flatten it out to press the inseam of the pant and then I took a Tailroing Class and poof! No more makeshift pressing tools for me. I waited to get the sleeve baord, ham and roll on sale but they do make pressing (as you sew) so much easier and I get better results, too.
April 5, 2010 at 8:05 am
amber
It’s a great stitch, isn’t it? I used it around the arm syce for my last jersey dress and it provides that needed stretch in an area that is likely to get a lot of movement. I love it as a topstitch, too.
April 5, 2010 at 11:19 am
Tasia
Cute jacket! I’ve never used the double straight stitch for topstitching, what a great idea. I’ve only used that stitch type for strong reinforced stitching, on areas that are under a lot of stress, or as a stretch stitch on knits.
Thanks for sharing your tip!
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April 5, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Vicki
I feel your love! I have a triple stretch stitch that I have used for topstitching. Works beautifully..however it is a bit slow..but you get there eventually.
April 8, 2010 at 8:23 am
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