The Secret to Finishing a Topstitch Without Reversing

Reversing does an excellent job of locking stitches in place at the beginning and end of a topstitch — but adding extra layers of thread through reversing ruins the topstitch's tidy appearance. What if we told you that there was a way you could have both a secure topstitch AND a seamless connection between its starting and ending points? In this quick video, we'll show you how to tie off the trailing thread ends of your topstitch to completely hide the join.

As it's visible on the outside of a finished project, a good topstitch can give the project a very polished appearance. But reversing at the start and stop points of the topstitch can mar that professional finish. Don't settle for hiding the reversing on the bottom or back side of your projects and hoping no one notices. The easy-to-learn technique that we'll show you in the video will reveal how create a topstitch that looks continuous from start to finish. This technique is a must-learn for upholstery items that will be seen from all angles, such as ottomans, but you can use it on any other item you topstitch.

This is a simple technique that doesn't require any special tools. In fact, the few tools you need are probably already in your sewing kit. Better yet, this trick works with any sewing machine and thread weight. It takes more time and work than simple reversing, but we promise you that the extra effort you put toward making a truly invisible join on your topstitches will greatly elevate your projects' appearance — and attract plenty of compliments on your sewing prowess!

Are you ready to learn the secret to perfect topstitches? Watch this 5-minute tutorial now to add this easy skill to your arsenal of helpful sewing tips.

We hope you found this fast upholstery hack useful. Do you use any other sewing tricks to make your work stand out from the crowd? Share your favorite techniques in the comments below!