Essential stitches

Overcast Stitch

A stitch worked over a raw edge to stop it fraying. It is a close cousin of whipstitch, with deeper stitches set closer together.

Beginner15 minHand

What you will learn

Hold the fabric with the raw edge towards you. Bring the needle out from the back, 1/4 in (6 mm) from the edge, to hide the knot on the back.
Wrap the thread over the edge to the back. Push the needle through again, from the back to the front, 1/4 in (6 mm) from the edge and 1/8 in (3 mm) ahead.
Deeper stitches over a raw edge. The thread wraps around the cut edge and holds the fibres in place.
Wrap the thread over the edge again and bring the needle up from the back at the same depth, 1/8 in (3 mm) ahead. Pull the thread so the stitch lies flat.
Continue along the edge. Keep stitches the same depth and spacing. If fabric frays more, use a shorter stitch.
At a corner, take two or three stitches into the same hole to cover the point.
At a corner, three stitches come up through the same hole and fan out over the edge to stop the corner fraying.
Finish with a knot on the back. Trim the thread.
If the fabric still frays, add a second round of stitches or switch to a zigzag stitch on a machine.

The edge rolls up.

The thread was pulled too tight. Relax the tension.

The stitches are far apart and the edge frays.

Spacing was too wide. Make stitches 1/8 in (3 mm) apart.

The seam looks bulky.

Stitches were too deep. Make them shallow, or trim the seam allowance.

Practice exerciseOvercast a 6 in (15 cm) raw edge of a cotton scrap. Wash the scrap and compare it with an unstitched edge.