A coverstitch shows as two or three parallel rows of straight stitching on the right side, with a looped chain covering the raw edge underneath. It stretches, it lies flat, and it is what commercial knitwear uses.
What makes it. A coverstitch machine, or a combination overlocker with a coverstitch function. Two or three needles feed the top rows and a single looper below crosses between them. A standard sewing machine cannot form it, and neither can an ordinary overlocker.
Where it is used.
Hems on T-shirts, leggings and sweatshirts, where a straight-stitched hem would snap.
Necklines and cuff bands on knitwear.
Attaching elastic flat, without a casing.
Flat decorative seams on activewear, where a bulky seam would rub.
The nearest alternative on an ordinary machine is a twin needle. It gives two parallel rows on top and a zigzag of bobbin thread underneath, which has some give. It is not as stretchy and it does not cover the raw edge, but for most home sewing it is close enough — and it costs the price of a needle rather than a machine.
Practical notes. Coverstitch machines have no cutting blade, so you finish the edge and press the hem before stitching. Guide the fabric so the rows sit an even distance from the fold. And secure the ends by pulling the chain through, since there is no reverse.
Buy one only if you sew knitwear regularly. It is a third machine, not a first.
Questions people actually ask
Can my overlocker do a coverstitch?
Only if it is a combination model that says so. A conventional three or four thread overlocker cannot form the stitch.
Why does my coverstitch hem skip?
Usually a blunt or wrong needle, or the fabric stretching as it feeds. Fit fresh ballpoint needles and support the fabric rather than pulling it.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11