表振り

10:11 Aug 17, 2016 

Port City-san, your last post seems to overlook the fact that they are dropping the zigzag stitching option. They may have tried it out and tested it on the market last year, but whether plain or elaborate (and functionally satisfactory), the consumers obviously did not validate their 'flair' with strong purchases, and they are now about to try an entirely different look of hem stitch for that front. Makes still sense to you that way? :-)

10:06 Aug 17, 2016 

.. but I reserve my opinion on the "incidental" nature of the aethetics of this zigzag stitching pattern, as you suggest, when made on the display side of a [garment?]. To me it is no coincidence the designers decided to change it in favour of a pair of stitch lines...[normally straight and made on both sides of the binding seam concerned]. We do not have the full text to ascertain the reason for this change, but it would not surprise me in the least if this was for the reason I pointed out. What would be your hunch about this side of the story, David? :-)

09:59 Aug 17, 2016 

Thanks David. I agree with you on two things:
- 振り　does denote the shuttling swing left and right that the sewing needle makes to form a rudimentary zigzag-like tie-down for a hem;
- this 振り　stitch is visible from only one side, the one on which that stitch has been made, whichever it is ( I think that's what you meant to say, David, rather than "hidden from the front/surface", since the text specifies 表 as the outer or display side where the zigzag stitching used to be made according to the text quoted: ステッチを昨年の表振りミシンから二本針の表振り無しにし.. )

08:35 Aug 17, 2016 

Yes, I believe they expect the zigzag pattern to be functional as well as having a decorative effect.

07:43 Aug 17, 2016 

I believe the aesthetics and pattern might be incidental in this case. I think the 振り refers to the back and forth motion (swing) of the sewing machine cam that creates the zig-zag pattern and this is more of a functional than a design feature. This is why it is hidden from the front/surface (表).

05:42 Aug 17, 2016 

3 / now, the funny thing is : when, for some styling reason, the hidden binding seams of a product are to be highlighted, (ex: the fine craftmanship of the leather seats or even the dash board of a grand luxury car) the hemming stitch used on each side of the inner seams binding any two hemmed in leather strips together, is ...the <I>straight stitch. Why? because it shows on the external face of the leather work, and what is being highlighted here is not the "binding strength" because these pairs of hemming lines have nothing to do with it, it's the "finish" of the work -- The mark of excellence.)
Think about it... :-)

05:38 Aug 17, 2016 

2/ Now, from numerous observations made, I found that the zigzag stitch was always used on the reverse side of the garment, not on the display side, and this, for several reasons:
a) without any embroidery, as you suggest it would need if it were to appear on the display side, it is ugly.
b) its thread orientation allows it to anchor a hem flap onto the source material it comes from without revealing its existence on the display side. Why such a choice? presumably because in most cases, its accessory mechanical function is unattractive seen that way, and so is better not highlighted (just keeping hem flaps neatly down, nothing more.)

05:33 Aug 17, 2016 

Thank you , Port City-san, for your response. 3 more points:
1/ After posting this suggestion, it occurred to me that such a stitch, if so qualified, might convey a 'decorative purpose' but with no real finishing or assembly function (faked, in other words). Upon reflection, I don't think that industry would go for such a solution because of its extra cost for a disproportionately lower payoff return. So, feature-like or not, I would expect all such zigzag stitches to be mechanically functional.