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Glossary · Oxfords & Shirts

Single-Needle Stitching

Single-needle stitching sews each side of a seam in a separate pass with one needle, versus the faster double-needle method that stitches both at once. The single-needle approach, especially at the side seams and armholes, produces flatter, cleaner seams that pucker less over time and signal a maker willing to spend labor on construction. It is a quiet quality marker found on better shirts and dropped on cheaper ones. It will not rescue bad fabric, but paired with real cotton weight and a good collar, it is one of the tells that a shirt is built to last.

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