Stitching in the ditch means sewing from the right side of a garment exactly in the groove of an existing seam, so the new stitches sink into the seam and are almost invisible. It is used to anchor something on the inside, most often the inner edge of a waistband, a neckline facing or a bias binding, without a visible line of topstitching. The two things that make it work are extending the inside layer 2 to 3 mm (1/8 in) past the seam so the needle catches it, and sewing slowly while you pull the seam open with your fingers.

What is stitching in the ditch used for?

The "ditch" is the slight groove where two pieces of fabric meet at a seam, deepest when the seam allowances are pressed to one side. A row of stitching placed in that groove is hidden by the seam on the right side and only visible on the inside.

  • Waistbands: after the band is sewn to the skirt or trousers and folded over, stitching in the ditch of the waist seam closes the inner edge of the band from the outside. The waistband on an A-line skirt is the classic first use.
  • Bias binding: on a neckline or armhole bound with bias binding, it secures the folded inner edge of the binding.
  • Facings: a short run in the ditch of the shoulder and side seams tacks a facing in place so it cannot flip to the outside.
  • Cuffs and collar stands on shirts, when you do not want topstitching.
  • Quilting: stitching along the seams between patchwork pieces holds the three layers together without adding a visible pattern.

What do you need to stitch in the ditch?

  • A stitch-in-the-ditch foot, also sold as an edge-joining foot: it has a thin metal blade down the center that rides in the seam and keeps the needle on it. A regular zigzag foot works too, with more concentration.
  • Thread that matches the fabric, since a few stitches will always show on a curve. Quilters sometimes use clear monofilament thread on top.
  • A well-pressed seam, with the allowances pressed in the right direction (toward the waistband, toward the facing).
  • Pins, clips or basting thread, and an iron.

How do you stitch in the ditch, step by step?

These steps close a folded waistband; a binding or a cuff is the same.

  1. Press the seam. Press the waist seam allowances up into the band, then fold the band over to the inside along its fold line and press again. Grade the allowances first if the fabric is thick, so the band does not sit on a ridge: the grading seams entry shows how.
  2. Set the inner edge. Fold under the raw edge of the inner band so that the fold extends 2 to 3 mm below the waist seam line, and press. On a heavier fabric, leave 5 mm (3/16 in); on a knit, you can serge the edge and leave it flat, extending 1 cm (3/8 in) below the seam, for less bulk.
  3. Pin from the right side. Place the pins at right angles to the seam, every 4 to 5 cm (1 1/2 to 2 in), and check from the inside that the fold is caught under the seam all the way round. On slippery or thick fabric, baste in the ditch by hand instead of pinning.
  4. Set up the machine. Stitch length 2.5 to 3 mm, straight stitch, needle in the center position, the ditch foot attached with its blade sitting in the seam.
  5. Sew slowly from the right side, spreading the seam open with your thumbs on either side of the foot so the groove is as deep as possible. Keep the needle in the groove; if it wanders, stop with the needle down, straighten up and continue.
  6. Check the inside. Every part of the fold should be caught. Resew only the stretch that was missed, starting a few stitches before it, then press from the inside.
Tip: On a waistband with a zip, start and finish 1 cm from the zip tape and close the last bit with a few hand stitches. The ditch disappears where the zip is folded under.

What are the most common mistakes when stitching in the ditch?

  • The inner layer is not caught. The fold was too close to the seam line, or the band shifted. Extend the fold a little further and pin more often; a missed stretch is easy to resew, a scant one that pulls out later is not.
  • The stitching shows. The needle drifted out of the groove. Slow down, use the ditch foot, and match the thread; on a print, a few visible stitches disappear, on a plain pale fabric they do not.
  • Allowances pressed the wrong way. When the seam is pressed open there is no clear groove, and the stitching lands on a single layer. Press the allowances toward the layer you are stitching through.
  • Bulk under the foot. A thick waist seam makes the foot climb and the stitch length shorten. Grade and press hard, and use a scrap of the same thickness behind the foot where the seam ends.
  • Stretching a curved neckline. Let the feed dogs move the fabric; pulling it stretches the bias.

When should you stitch in the ditch instead of topstitching or hand sewing?

Choose stitching in the ditch when you want the inside secured by machine and the outside left clean: skirt and trouser waistbands in a plain fabric, bound necklines, dress facings. It is fast and durable.

Choose topstitching when a visible line is part of the look or needed for strength, as on jeans, shirts and bags, where a line edgestitched along the band reads as intentional. The post on how to topstitch straight covers the foot and the guides.

Choose a hand slip stitch when nothing may show on either side, on a silk blouse or a lined jacket, or when the inner edge sits exactly on the seam with no margin to catch. It takes longer and is weaker, but it is invisible both ways. For facings that keep rolling to the outside, understitching and a tack in the ditch do more than either; see how to keep a facing from rolling out.

If a pattern's instructions say "stitch in the ditch" and leave it at that, now you know what they mean; with a Sewly pattern you can also ask the sewing guide to explain any step in more detail.