- Sat Dec 19, 2020 6:11 pm
#11967
Interesting information from the Sairite website:
Qualities of the Zigzag Stitch:
creates stretchy seam that will elongate
distributes stress well across seams — essential in sailmaking
the broad stitch width holds down wide seam areas well
more decorative than straight stitches
easy to remove with a seam ripper
One of the most common uses for the zigzag stitch is to sew stretchy materials. When sewing a material that stretches, such as knitted fabrics and neoprene, it’s essential to use a stitch that can stretch with the fabric. If you use a straight stitch when sewing stretchy material, the stitches will create puckering and possibly break when the material is stressed.
Although sailcloth has evolved over the years, and what was once a somewhat stretchy material is now dimensionally stable, sewing sails with the zigzag stitch is still the traditional, preferred method. Zigzag stitches distribute the strain over multiple runs of warp threads, which creates a seam with stretch that allows for movement of sail shape without seam puckering. Additionally, spinnaker sails are sewn with nylon, which is a stretchy material. The use of the zigzag stitch in spinnaker sail construction is imperative.