Tailoring: a beginner's guide

Structure from interfacing, pad stitching and steam.

• Pad stitching holds interfacing in place, adding structure and shape; it's invisible outside.
• It shapes lapels, under-collars and chest pieces.
• Stitches form a chevron.
• Steam over a tailor's ham sets a curve.

Sources

All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.

1. SewShare: Tailoring, pad stitching
2. The Tailoress: Pad stitch
3. Wikipedia: Tailor