Twin Needle Top Stitch Steps on Eleonore Jeans by Jalie
Twin Needle top-stitch is THE BEST!
I LOVE using a wide twin needle to top-stitch on denim or twill weight fabrics.
I just completed (another) pair of these great Eleonore pull-on jeans by Jalie in a beautiful stretch Bengaline. I love my wide twin needle for the top-stitching and streamlined the process so I didn’t have to keep exchanging the needles.
Added January 2020, click here to buy this pattern from Amazon.ca
I used 2 machines, a Husqvarna/Viking Epic sewing/embroidery machine and a Husqvarna/Viking 200S serger. A 4-thread overlock stitch is recommended. By using my serger for the seams, the process was streamlined and I didn’t have to keep changing back and forth to the twin needle on my sewing machine.
Once the twin needle was inserted, I did ALL the top-stitching in one fell swoop!
Schmetz Universal Twin Wide 6.0/100 has a large hole which accommodates the 12-weight Sulky cotton beautifully. I lengthen my stitch to 4mm with this thread. I don’t always back-stitch when using a twin needle, preferring to leave long threads for hand-sewing in later.
Front Pocket Note, here’s how I added front pockets, before the official Jalie method.
Sewing Order for Time-Saving Twin Needle Top-Stitch
Serge or Sew
- Serge around all edges of back pockets.
- Serge the yokes to the top of each back piece with right sides together.
- Serge the pocket lining to the pant fronts with right sides together.
- Sew the center front seam and edge-finish it and around the fly extension.
Press
- Press under the top hem of those pockets
- Press the other edges of the pockets to the inside
- Press the back yoke seam toward the waist
- Press the fly extension to the right
- Press the front pocket lining to the inside.
Insert Twin Needle and Thread, stitch length 4mm
- Top stitch the front pocket edges
- Top stitch the center front seam from waist to crotch
- Top stitch around the curve of the mock fly
- Hem across the back pocket tops
- Stitch a decorative motif on each back pocket
- Attach each back pocket
- Top stitch the back yoke seams
Serge (or sew)
- Serge the front pocket facing to the linings
- Serge the center back crotch seam
Twin Needle Top Stitch, stitch length 4mm
- back crotch seam to the opposite direction of the front crotch seam
Serge (or sew)
- Serge the inseam, matching the front and back crotch seams
- along front pocket tops and sides through all layers to keep them in position. (Instead of basting)
Twin Needle Top Stitch
- the inseam then press
Serge (or sew)
- the outer seams
Remove the Twin Needle
- Top-stitch the side seam with a single needle, same thread, 4mm stitch length, from waist to hip.
The remaining steps were done as per the instructions, adding the elastic to the inside of the waist pieces (I stretch my elastic as I add it), joining the waist side seams, and joining it to the jeans. Stitch up the hem and you’re finished.
Did you find this helpful?
If you have a question, or if I haven’t been clear, please let me know.
If you find this helpful, here’s a printable PDF outlining my steps.
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That sounds so much easier than the method I use.☺
hello Carol, I’m always happy to help out! Thanks!
Yvette another fabulous project!! Yes the twin needle stitch really does make a lovely finish. Your instructions seem so easy to follow. Your results are really beautiful.
Yvette, how do you use a twin needle on the curved pocket top? Do you have a trick for that curve?
Oops, just thought – that lovely, smooth curve you managed on the fly as well. I can’t get such a nice curve with a twin needle.
It’s more of a technique than a trick Elise. My wonderful machine has a “sensor system” in which when I stop sewing with the needle down, the presser foot rises a bit to a “pivot position”. When I twin needle along a curve like a pocket or the mock fly, I take my foot off the pedal, the “needle down” holds the fabric in place, the foot rises and I can straighten the fabric in front of the presser foot a little bit. I stop every few stitches and repeat until I’ve made my way around the curve. I hope my explanation makes sense.
Yes, I think I can picture this. Thanks for explaining it.
Yvette can you tell me what thread you use in your bobbin when using the twin needle? Thanks
My regular sewing thread is in my bobbin, in the case of these jeans it was Metler Metrosene Polyester.
Thanks Yvette. When you sew at knit t-shirt do you also use the same thread in the needle and the bobbin for twin needle hemming. The big discussion in my sewing group is what to use in the bobbin so that there is enough stretch in the hem to avoid tunnelling and also to keep the stitching from snapping with wear. I would appreciate your thoughts.
that’s a great thought Donna, and a big subject in my sewing group, too. My opinion is that it’s more about stability and needle space than thread. If the fabric is soft it’s prone to tunneling. If the needle space is large the fabric is likely to tunnel. I’ve been using my regular thread in the bobbin, 50 weight, either cotton or poly. I have been known to fuse a 1 inch strip of “tricot knit” interfacing to the inside of the hem, then a 1 inch strip of Heat n Bond Lite to fuse the hem up before I stitch it. It works for me. I think this twin needle stuff is going to become a new blog post. I seem to have a lot to say, lol.
Thanks Yvette. I’ll be looking forward to that post.
Those look lovely Yvette. Love the twin needle stitching.
thanks, Sandra! Have you made these jeans? They fit so great!
Hi Yvette…I’ve been looking at pictures of pull on jeans patterns… I noticed none of them show top stitching on the wide waistband. Will it break when you pull them on? I think they would look so much less “pull on-ish” if they were topstitched. What’s your opinion on this?
Hi Kathy, that’s a great question, and I did try it on an early pair. There’s a “lot of pull” in that area, and the top-stitching did break. And because I wear all my tops over my pants, not tucked in, it didn’t matter much to me.
Ok. Thanks for the info!
Hello I followed your link to the online fabric store – Distinctive Sewing Supplies and will be ordering fabric – the stretch begenline, in the next few days. I have completed my first Eleonore with a 20% stretch fabric purchased locally. How much stretch does the Begenline have? Since the stretch is length wise not cross wise, do you have any trick to calculating the amount of fabric to order? Normally I would order 1.5 meters, but am unsure of what to do. This will be my first online fabric ordering and am thrilled to find a Canadian store. I have a deep appreciation for your blog. Merry Christmas from Alberta.
Hi Patricia, the Bengaline has more than 20% so you’ll be fine. If you usually order 1.5 meters, then order the same amount. It will be close to a square of fabric, then just fold it the other way. Thank you for reading my blog, commenting, and the Merry Christmas wishes. I wish you and your family the same!
I bought the jalie eleanore pull up jeans and i have a question about the twin needle . i noticed you do not use a stretch needle. I thougth i was supposed to use a stretch needle so as to not cut the elastic thread within the fabric and there is no stretch extra wide (0.6) twin needle.
Hello Ranoche, I appreciate your question and it made me think! I actually never thought of it that way, I chose the wide heavy needle because I’d always used that one on regular denim, and I like the way it looks. The size 100 needle has large thread holes and I love the look of heavy top-stitching. So I checked a few pairs of my Eleonores, the ones I wear regularly, and there is no sign of the fabric or the stretch weakening at the seams. Whew. So I’ll continue with that needle. Thanks for reaching out, and I hope you enjoy that pattern as much as I have.
thanks for your help and all the important input on the jalie pants. i’ll be cutting them to-day including several of your adjustments; I also read that your can use this twin needle also on stretch fabric in an internet store selling it.
thank you!