<p>Since this was mass-produced clothing, they probably do have a special machine for it! You can see an example in action around 2:45 in this video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DzEpOp2Jy8" rel="noreferrer">"How It's Made: Jeans"</a>. They're using a machine like <a href="http://www.industrialsewmachine.com/webdoc1/singer/261u.htm" rel="noreferrer">this one, the Singer 261u</a>:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Si6nM.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Si6nM.jpg" alt="Singer 261u"></a></p>

<p>You can see how the arm is shaped in a way that would allow you to scrunch up the leg.</p>

<p>You could try topstitching like this on a typical home sewing machine, but success would depend on the thickness of the fabric and how skinny the legs are... either way, take it slow!!</p>

<p>Alternatively, a common finish on pants is to only topstitch one set of seams. You can easily do this on a typical home sewing machine! For example if you want topstitching on the outside, sew and topstitch the outer seams <em>before</em> doing the inside seams. This way you have plenty of room to maneuver. Then you can complete the inside seams.</p>

<p>Another option is to topstitch the inside seams, and then partially topstitch the outside seams, usually just past the pocket - again, easy enough to do on a typical machine. You can see a tutorial for this sort of assembly <a href="https://closetcasepatterns.com/ginger-sewalong-pt-10-sewing-side-seams-back-pockets/" rel="noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-08T12:42:03.020Z
2017-11-08T12:42:03.020Z
user812786
<p>It's called a welt seam. You can sew seams w/o finishing the edges with an overlocker because they're kept within the seam</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-22T19:10:21.063Z
Welcome Connor. Could you provide a little more technical info on how a welt seam is made in case someone wants to do their own (and don't have a overlocker machine)?
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-22T17:11:28.790Z
2020-05-22T17:11:28.790Z
Connor McComb
<p>I have cotton cargo pants (from Old Navy, I think) where the outside seam has two topstitches and the inside seam only has one. Even the seam between the left/right halves has a topstitch.</p>

<p>How is that possible? What tool or technique was used to get a topstitch on every major seam?</p>

<p>The only thing I can imagine is a sewing machine where the needle sews parallel to a long, thin base, allowing each pant leg to be topstitched after being joined with a stitch when they were inside out.</p>

<p>Here are pictures of the stitches for a single leg of my pants. Note how one is double topstitched, and the other is single. The point is that all stitches on the pants are like this (with no breaks), so I don't see how they did it unless they have a special machine.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/PclLY.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/PclLYm.jpg" alt="double topstitch on the outside seam"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hiMLK.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hiMLKm.jpg" alt="single topstitch on the inside seam"></a></p>

<p><sup>Click images to enlarge</sup></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-08T05:06:24.240Z
Can you add an image? It might help. :D
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-15T13:30:28.970Z
Can you show the inside? "Wrong side" turn them inside out B)
Not The Face
<sewing><fabric><clothing>
Topstitching the inside AND outside seam of pants
tau
# Topstitching the inside AND outside seam of pants

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-08)

I have cotton cargo pants (from Old Navy, I think) where the outside seam has two topstitches and the inside seam only has one. Even the seam between the left/right halves has a topstitch.

How is that possible? What tool or technique was used to get a topstitch on every major seam?

The only thing I can imagine is a sewing machine where the needle sews parallel to a long, thin base, allowing each pant leg to be topstitched after being joined with a stitch when they were inside out.

Here are pictures of the stitches for a single leg of my pants. Note how one is double topstitched, and the other is single. The point is that all stitches on the pants are like this (with no breaks), so I don't see how they did it unless they have a special machine.

[![double topstitch on the outside seam](https://i.sstatic.net/PclLYm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/PclLY.jpg)
[![single topstitch on the inside seam](https://i.sstatic.net/hiMLKm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/hiMLK.jpg)

Click images to enlarge

**Tags:** sewing, fabric, clothing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you add an image? It might help. :D  
> **username_2**: Can you show the inside? "Wrong side" turn them inside out B)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-11-08. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Since this was mass-produced clothing, they probably do have a special machine for it! You can see an example in action around 2:45 in this video ["How It's Made: Jeans"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DzEpOp2Jy8). They're using a machine like [this one, the Singer 261u](http://www.industrialsewmachine.com/webdoc1/singer/261u.htm):

[![Singer 261u](https://i.sstatic.net/Si6nM.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Si6nM.jpg)

You can see how the arm is shaped in a way that would allow you to scrunch up the leg.

You could try topstitching like this on a typical home sewing machine, but success would depend on the thickness of the fabric and how skinny the legs are... either way, take it slow!!

Alternatively, a common finish on pants is to only topstitch one set of seams. You can easily do this on a typical home sewing machine! For example if you want topstitching on the outside, sew and topstitch the outer seams *before* doing the inside seams. This way you have plenty of room to maneuver. Then you can complete the inside seams.

Another option is to topstitch the inside seams, and then partially topstitch the outside seams, usually just past the pocket - again, easy enough to do on a typical machine. You can see a tutorial for this sort of assembly [here](https://closetcasepatterns.com/ginger-sewalong-pt-10-sewing-side-seams-back-pockets/).


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-05-22. Score: 0

It's called a welt seam. You can sew seams w/o finishing the edges with an overlocker because they're kept within the seam

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Welcome Connor. Could you provide a little more technical info on how a welt seam is made in case someone wants to do their own (and don't have a overlocker machine)?  

---

