Hi All,
Thanks again for so much help with my first sweater. Couldn't have done it without everyone's help.

I have an off-topic question now...

I'm sewing curtains and when joining two pieces it calls for a top stitch which gives option of using nylon "invisible" thread. I have never done a top stitch and wondered if anyone knew of a great web site for sewing beginners. If there is a sister site for sewers just like this amazing web site, that would be great.

Can't figure out if using a regular old stitch or what? Probably overthinking, but having spent a fortune on the fabric, I hate to mess it up and who better to go to for great advice than this board?

Thanks,
Lee Lee

You might try www.patternreview.com. It's one of the better sources that I've found. They have a messageboard with a category for beginners.

Sorry I don't know of any sewing forum sites. I sew a little bit -- mainly quilting, blankets and a few simple curtains......

I think a top stich can be functional and/or decorative, depending on what you using it for. Basically it is just a stitch you are putting on the top of the fabric -- maybe it is holding fabric together (from the bottom side) and maybe it is just a pretty stitch to add some decoration and maybe it does both.

In this case, I sounds like you are joining the 2 fabrics together first, so I would asssume that you then are ironing the seam down/open/flat and stitching from the top-side about a 1/4" from the existing join/seam. I think the purpose might be more funtional and would be to hold the fabric join flat as well as provide some added support. If you use nylon/invisible thread then you wouldn't really notice the added stitches -- I've not used nylon thread but I think it's a little expesive. Depending on your curtain fabric, you could probably just use a matching thread and no-one would notice. I'd also think just a regular straight stitch is what you would use in this case, unless of course you are trying to add some decorative stitching -- in which case you would probably use a pretty contrasting thread and a fancy stitch.

I don't know that the topstich on the curtains is really needed, but I guess that might depend on how long/heavy they are and maybe if you are going to be opening and closing them alot. Also on if the seam you are joining is vertical or horizontal. I've made a couple of simple curtains around the house and not done a top seam on any of them. I often head down to Linen and Things or JcPenny's or wherever and look at curtains similiar to the ones I am making and inspect how they've made them.