How to Join Crochet Pieces Together with the Mattress Stitch Seam

In this tutorial I will show you how to sew crochet pieces together with the mattress stitch and explain when to use it.

The mattress stitch is an invisible seam that doesn’t create bulk, making it perfect for seaming the sides and underarms of crochet garments.

The name of the stitch makes it sound a bit intimidating. To be honest, even “sewing crochet pieces together” sounds difficult. But it is really, really easy. I wish I had known that when I started crocheting garments. I would have learned it a lot sooner.

In this video I show you step by step how to crochet the easy mattress stitch. I also give you tips on making your seam extra invisible.

Mattress Stitch Seam vs. Other Seams

Whip Stitch Seam

I used to seam my crochet pieces together with a whip stitch because it was easy and I already knew the technique from sewing.

But the mattress stitch is just as easy and lies a lot flatter. It also doesn’t create an indent down the side of the garment like the whip stitch.

Once I learned the mattress stitch I started using it to seam all of my crochet garments.

There’s a time and place for the whip stitch but seaming the edge of a garment is not one of them.

Locking Mattress Stitch Seam

There is also a seam called the locking mattress stitch. I find that stitch easy to stitch but extremely difficult to undo if need be. So my preference is the mattress stitch.

Single Crochet Seam

I do not use the mattress stitch to stitch shoulder seams. I use the single crochet seam for that area of the garment.

The shoulders of a garment have the weight of the entire garment pulling down on them. You want the strongest seam here which is the single crochet seam.

When you first stitch the single crochet seam on the shoulder you might think it is bulky and not like the indent it leaves . But once you put the garment on you will see that it flattens out nicely and doesn’t pull apart at all.

I don’t trust the mattress stitch on the shoulder. But it’s perfectly strong for all of the other seams on the garment.

Projects

You can see the mattress stitch seam in photos of any of my recent garments.

Here are some photos of the sides of garments that use the mattress stitch. Isn’t it amazing how it just blends in?

In the Be Spotted Tee I seamed the sides with this stitch.

Here is another example of two crochet pieces seamed together with the mattress stitch. This is my Stripe Blocked Cardigan pattern. I used the seam on the sides, the underarm, and to attach the sleeves to the body.

Materials

For seaming crochet you will need a length of the same yarn your garment is made out of. Use the same color as well.

In this video I used a contrasting color so you can see the seam. However, I would definitely use the same color on an actual project.

Video

I hope you enjoy this video tutorial.

In this video you will learn step by step how to join crochet pieces togetherw the mattress stitch seam. You will also learn tips to make your seam blend into your garment.

My guess is this stitch will become your new favorite for seaming garments.

Video:

If you are having trouble viewing the above video you can watch it directly on YouTube HERE.

See? Seaming crochet is easy!

More Video Tutorials

Want to learn more tips and tricks to improve your garments and fashion accessory crochet projects? You can find more videos like this one on my Youtube Channel also named “Crochet with Mary Beth.”