PATCH
I always wondered what anyone would use this stitch on my sewing machine for. Turns out it's the perfect death metal stitch! (Seriously though what on earth is this stitch supposed to be for? And the damage was caused by our demented cat. Don't worry, he's fine.)
Not an official answer, but my gran used it when sewing down elasics on fabrics with little or no stretch, for waistbands or bags. My gran was pretty metal, though, and may have done so only to avoid having to do neat pleats.
Seems plausible. I believe the manual calls that whole row "stretch stitches" there's just like....5 other stitches I'd use for attaching elastic BEFORE that one, but who knows, maybe it's extra stretchy?
I wonder: if you sewed fabric onto a stretched elastic, once it gathers, the fabric should get kind of a knife pleat look with this stitch. the outward folds would likely be at the highest points and the elastic could shrink most where there is that long single stitch. I think maybe ...
It looks very similar to the stretch stitch I remember from either an Elna or Singer back in the 1980s/early 1990s. It was like a modified, 'uneven' sort of zigzag that also went up and down. Used for seams in stretchy fabric before we had access to an overlocker.
Looks like it's all for looks. This stitch resembles the decorative stitches for a Singer 7467S Confidence Stylist machine I thrifted earlier this week.
I wonder if there's some combination of stitch length and width that turns it into something more recognizable. Lots of stitches on my machine are just nonsense if one of the other settings is off.
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u/lavachat Jan 25 '25
Not an official answer, but my gran used it when sewing down elasics on fabrics with little or no stretch, for waistbands or bags. My gran was pretty metal, though, and may have done so only to avoid having to do neat pleats.