Denim Topstitching Tips with Katie

October 21, 2026

When working with denim, topstitching is one of those things that can take a garment from looking homemade to store bought.  Once you get the hang of it, it can be really satisfying!  I love looking at ready to wear clothing to decide how I want to topstitch my garment.  I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect light colored denim, and I literally gasped when I got this piece because it is perfect! While I normally would make a pair of jeans with it, a ready to wear skirt kept popping up as an ad and I couldn’t get it out of my mind!  So I decided to use the Encore Skirt pattern from Love Notions to bring it to life, with just a few modifications.  With the many seams, it was perfect to add the topstitching details I love.  Here are my top tips for topstitching.

1.     Use quality topstitching thread

If you’re going to put a lot of work into your topstitching, you want it to look good!  There are special topstitching threads available that are a little thicker to show off the stitches and work better than just using regular thread.  There are many colors available, including the colors your favorite jeans maker uses.  I purchased mine from Wawak. 

2.     Consider your bobbin thread

I recommend using regular thread in the bobbin when topstitching.  It’s not totally necessary, but I find it gives a great result.  I use a color that matches my fabric on the bottom and it makes the inside look really clean.  One place you may choose to use topstitching thread on both the top and bottom would be the hem if you want to turn up your cuff on a pair of jeans. 

3.     If possible, use two machines – one for sewing and one for topstitching

One of the most time consuming things is that when making the jeans you will go back and forth between sewing the seams with regular thread and adding the details with topstitching thread.  If you can eliminate the step of threading and re-threading you can save a lot of time. I have two machines and I threaded each of them so that I could go back and forth.  This may not be a possibility but if it is, I highly recommend it!

4.     Stay Consistent

There are a few things you want to stay consistent when topstitching.  One is your stitch length.  If your machine resets the stitch length when you turn on and off your machine, make a note what setting you have it at.  I like to do a longer stitch length when topstitching to really show off the stitches.  The other important part is the width between the double lines of stitching.  You’ll probably want to do a few practice swatches to decide what width you like.  Once you decide, keep it consistent everywhere you stitch double, including the front and back pockets and the fly.  Take extra care when sewing together seams like a yoke or seat seam that everything matches up and that it looks like the stitching flows seamlessly between pieces.  You may want to baste those pieces together first to make sure they line up perfectly!  

5.     Practice, Practice, Practice!

I keep a swatch of my fabric next to my machine so I can do some samples before I get to work. Also, remember that it takes time.  You might find yourself with a seam ripper but as my kids remind me, mistakes help us learn!  You’ll get better and better at it and might even start to enjoy it.  And getting your bar tacks just right before you do them on your garment will make a huge difference.  Unpicking those is no fun- trust me! 

 

6.     Copy your favorite items

When topstitching jeans, I grab a couple pair of my favorite jeans to use as a guide as to how I want my topstitching to look.  Imitation is the greatest form of flattery!

 7.     Be patient

This is a hard one because topstitching takes awhile!  Try not to do it when you are in a hurry because it just takes time.  You want it to look as good as it can and the only want to do that is to be patient.  Again, remember mistakes are how we learn!

8.     Be picky!

Another hard one- I once ended up topstitching my pockets down and then when I checked them again (even though I thought I had them right) they were off.  Could I have left them?  Yes.  But once I took them off and redid them I was so much happier with the placement!   Topstitching can be one of those things that are only noticed when you mess up.  I ended up unpicking my buttonhole three times – even though I made about 5 practice ones.  It’s just the way it goes sometimes but it’s worth making it right.  

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