Both are visible stitching on the right side. The difference is distance from the edge and what they are for.
Edgestitching runs very close to an edge or a seam — around 1 to 2 mm. It is functional: it holds a folded edge crisp, keeps a facing in place, and stops a collar rolling. It is usually done in matching thread and is meant to be discreet.
Topstitching sits further in, commonly 6 mm, sometimes 10. It is a design feature as much as a functional one — the visible stitching on jeans, pockets and bag edges. Often done in heavier or contrasting thread.
What makes both look good is consistency, not precision. A line 7 mm from the edge all the way round looks deliberate. A line that wanders between 5 and 8 mm looks like a mistake, even though the average is right.
How to hold the line. Use a fixed reference — the edge of the presser foot, a seam guide, or a strip of tape on the bed. Watch the fabric edge against that reference, never the needle. An edgestitch foot has a blade that runs against the edge and is worth having if you do a lot of it.
Slow down and lengthen the stitch slightly, to about 3 mm. Both help.
Questions people actually ask
Which thread should I use?
Matching ordinary thread for edgestitching. For topstitching, either matching thread at a longer stitch, or proper topstitch thread with a topstitch needle if you want it to read strongly.
My topstitching wobbles at corners.
Stop with the needle down, lift the foot, pivot, lower the foot. And shorten the stitch slightly for the last centimetre before the corner.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11