Method of reinforcing an edge of a garment

Abstract

A method of reinforcing a folded edge of a garment comprises sewing one of the following stitches along a portion of fabric where an edge of the garment is to be formed: a bar tack stitch, a buttonhole eyelet stitch, a round eyelet stitch, a single line of stitches and a pair of spaced lines of stitches. Edges of garments that can be reinforced using this method include an upper edge ( 3 ) of a waistband ( 5 ), ends ( 9 ) of the waistband ( 5 ), an upper corner ( 7 ) of an end ( 9 ) of the waistband ( 5 ) where the end ( 9 ) of the waistband ( 5 ) meets the upper edge ( 3 ) of the waistband ( 5 ), a lower corner ( 8 ) of a waistband tab ( 10 ) forming an end ( 9 ) of the waistband ( 5 ), a top ( 11 ) of a belt loop ( 13 ), a longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of a belt loop ( 13 ), an edge ( 17 ) of a fly ( 19 ), an edge ( 21, 225 ) of a pocket ( 23, 227 ), a crease ( 25 ) running substantially the length of the garment, a lower edge ( 29 ) of the garment, a top edge ( 37 ) of a turn-up ( 39 ), an edge 201 of a shirt collar 203 , points 205 of a collar 203 , upper edge 207 of collar band 209 , cuff edge 211 , edges 213 of a cuff opening 215 , outer edge 217 of a front placket 219 , inner edge 221 of a front placket 219 , bottom hem 223 of a shirt and an edge 229 of a buttoned side 231 of a shirt.

1 . A method of reinforcing a folded edge of a garment to impede wear of the edge, comprising:
 stitching a portion of fabric where the fabric is to be or has been folded to form an edge of the garment, so as to provide a line of stitches along and on the folded edge,   wherein the stitch is chosen from a bar tack stitch, a buttonhole eyelet stitch, a round eyelet stitch, a single line of stitches and a pair of spaced lines of stitches.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the edge is one of an upper edge of a waistband, either end of the waistband, an upper corner of either end of the waistband where the end of the waistband meets the upper edge of the waistband, a lower corner of a waistband tab forming an end of the waistband, a top of a belt loop, a longitudinal edge of a belt loop, an edge of a fly, an edge of a pocket, a crease running substantially the length of the garment, a lower edge of the garment, a top edge of a turn-up/pant's cuff, an edge of a collar, an edge of a cuff, one or both edges of a shirt placket, a collar band edge, a sleeve opening edge of a short sleeve shirt, an front edge having buttons and a bottom hem. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the garment is one of a pair of pants, a skirt, a shirt, a blouse, a jacket and an overcoat. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein:
 the garment is a pair of pants or a skirt, 
 the edge to be reinforced is one of the upper edge of the waistband, an end of the waistband, a longitudinal edge of a belt loop, the lower edge of the garment, the upper edge of a turn-up, the edge of the fly, the edge of a pocket, and a crease running substantially the length of the garment, and 
 the stitch is a single line of stitches. 
 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein:
 the garment is a shirt or blouse, 
 the edge to be reinforced is one of the edge of a collar, the edge of a cuff, one or both of the edges of a shirt placket, the collar band edge, the sleeve opening edge of a short sleeve shirt, the front edge having buttons and the bottom hem, and 
 the stitch is a single line of stitches. 
 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the single line of stitches presents as a single line of thread on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the single line of stitches has a plurality of abutting threads on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein:
 the garment is a pair of pants or a skirt, 
 the edge to be reinforced is one of the upper edge of the waistband, an end of the waistband, a longitudinal edge of a belt loop, the lower edge of the garment, the upper edge of a turn-up, the edge of the fly, the edge of a pocket, and a crease running substantially the length of the garment, and 
 the stitch comprises a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein:
 the garment is a shirt or blouse, 
 the edge to be reinforced is one of the edge of a collar, the edge of a cuff, one or both of the edges of a shirt placket, the collar band edge, the sleeve opening edge of a short sleeve shirt, the front edge having buttons and the bottom hem, and 
 the stitch comprises a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 8  or  9 , wherein each of the lines of stitches presents as a single line of thread on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8  or  9 , wherein each of the lines of stitches has a plurality of abutting threads on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in any one of  claims 8  to  11 , wherein the lines of stitches are disposed on opposed sides of a zenith or nadir of the edge when the garment is fully assembled. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the stitch is one of Federal Standard No. 751a of Stitches, Seams and Stitchings of 25 Jan. 1965 (referred hereinafter as Federal Standard) stitch types  301 ,  101 ,  201 ,  202 ,  401  and  701 . 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the stitch is one of Federal Standard stitch types  401 ,  101  and  203 . 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein each of the lines of stitches is one of Federal Standard stitch types  301 ,  101 ,  201 ,  202 ,  401  and  701 . 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the stitch is one of Federal Standard stitch types  311 ,  102 ,  302 ,  309 ,  402  and  406 . 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein each of the lines of stitches is one of Federal Standard stitch types  401 ,  101  and  203 . 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein:
 the garment is a pair of pants or a skirt, 
 the edge to be reinforced is one of the top of a belt loop, a portion of the bottom edge of the garment in a region of a seam and a junction of the bottom edge of the garment and a crease, and 
 the stitch is a bar tack stitch. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the edge to be reinforced is a portion of the bottom edge of the garment in the region of a seam and the bar tack stitch is spaced from a junction of the bottom of the garment and the seam. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the edge to be reinforced is the top of a belt loop and the bar tack stitch is stitched to cover the top of the belt loop. 
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the garment is a pair of pants or a skirt, the edge to be reinforced is the upper corner of either end of the waistband or the lower corner of the waistband tab forming one end of the waistband and the stitch is a buttonhole eyelet stitch or a round eyelet stitch. 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein when the edge to be reinforced is the upper corner and the stitch is a round eyelet stitch, the stitch is sewn so as to run along the upper edge of the waistband to the corner of the waistband in the assembled garment. 
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the garment is a pair of pants or a skirt, the edge to be reinforced is the upper corner of either end of a waistband or the lower corner of the waistband tab forming one end of the waistband and the stitch is a bar tack stitch. 
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the bar tack stitch is stitched with a density of between 30 and 50 stitches per cm. 
     
     
         25 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the bar tack stitch is stitched with a density of between 38 and 46 stitches per cm. 
     
     
         26 . A method as claimed in  claim 23 ,  24  or  25 , wherein when the edge to be reinforced is the upper corner, the bar tack stitch is sewn so as to run along the upper edge of the waistband to the corner of the waistband in the assembled garment. 
     
     
         27 . A method as claimed in  claims 23 ,  24  and  25 , wherein the bar tack stitch is sewn so as to run along an end edge of the waistband to the corner of the end of the waistband in the assembled garment. 
     
     
         28 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of folding the portion of fabric along the stitch so that the stitch runs along and on the edge in the assembled garment. 
     
     
         29 . A garment having a waistband, wherein an upper edge of the waistband is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         30 . A garment having a waistband, wherein an end of the waistband is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         31 . A garment having a belt loop, wherein a longitudinal edge of the belt loop is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         32 . A garment having a lower edge which is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         33 . A garment having a turn-up, wherein an upper edge of the turn-up is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         34 . A garment having a fly, wherein an edge of the fly is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         35 . A garment having a pocket, wherein an edge of the pocket is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         36 . A garment having a crease which is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         37 . A garment as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the crease runs substantially the length of the garment. 
     
     
         38 . A garment having a sleeve, wherein an edge of the sleeve opening is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         39 . A garment having a cuff, wherein an edge of the cuff is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         40 . A garment having a collar, wherein an edge of the collar is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         41 . A garment having a placket, wherein one or both edges of the placket is reinforced with a single line of stitches or a pair of spaced lines of stitches. 
     
     
         42 . A garment as claimed in any one of  claims 29  to  41 , wherein the single line of stitches presents as a single line of thread on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         43 . A garment as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the single line of stitched is one of Federal Standard No. 751a of Stitches, Seams and Stitchings of 25 Jan. 1965 (referred hereinafter as Federal Standard) stitch types  301 ,  101 ,  201 ,  202 ,  401  and  701 . 
     
     
         44 . A garment as claimed in any one of  claims 29  to  41 , wherein the single line of stitches has a plurality of abutting threads on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         45 . A garment as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the stitch is one of Federal Standard stitch types  401 ,  101  and  203 . 
     
     
         46 . A garment as claimed in any one of  claims 29  to  41 , wherein each of the pair of lines of stitches presents as a single line of thread on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         47 . A garment as claimed in  claim 46 , wherein each of the lines of stitches is one of Federal Standard stitch types  301 ,  101 ,  201 ,  202 ,  401  and  701 . 
     
     
         48 . A garment as claimed in  claim 46 , wherein the pair of lines of stitches is one of Federal Standard stitch types  311 ,  102 ,  302 ,  309 ,  402  and  406 . 
     
     
         49 . A garment as claimed in any one of  claims 29  to  41 , wherein each of the pair of spaced lines of stitches has a plurality of abutting threads on an external surface of the garment. 
     
     
         50 . A garment as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein each of the pair of spaced lines of stitches is one of Federal Standard stitch types  401 ,  101  and  203 . 
     
     
         51 . A garment having a waistband, wherein an upper corner of an end of the waistband is reinforced with one of a buttonhole eyelet stitch and a round eyelet stitch. 
     
     
         52 . A garment having a waistband comprising a waistband tab, wherein one or both of upper and lower corners of an end of the waistband tab is reinforced with a bar tack stitch sewn along the end of the waistband tab to the respective corner of the end of the waistband tab. 
     
     
         53 . A garment having a plurality of belt loops, wherein a top of one or more of the belt loops is reinforced with a bar tack stitch which covers the top of the belt loop. 
     
     
         54 . A garment as claimed in any one of  claims 29  to  53 , wherein the garment is one of a pair of pants/trousers, a skirt, a shirt, a blouse, a coat and a jacket. 
     
     
         55 . A method/garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric of the garment comprises a natural material. 
     
     
         56 . A method/garment as claimed in  claim 55 , wherein the natural material is one of cotton and wool. 
     
     
         57 . A method/garment as claimed in  claim 55 , wherein the fabric is a treated to impart a wrinkle-free/permanent press finish. 
     
     
         58 . A method/garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thread of the stitch is the same colour as the fabric material. 
     
     
         59 . A method/garment as claimed in  claim 58 , wherein the thread is substantially inconspicuous. 
     
     
         60 . A method/garment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thread is made from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         61 . A method/garment as claimed in  claim 60 , wherein the thread is made from one of spun, core spun, continuous filament and textured polyester or nylon. 
     
     
         62 . A reinforced edge of a garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of  FIGS. 3 to 9 ,  12 ,  13 ,  15  to  19 ,  21  and  22 .