Cover hem stitch portable and industrial machines do 2 and/or 3 needle parallel topstitces on the right side of the fabric or hems, with a coverstitch on the bottom of the fabric which looks like a serger stitch. It usually overlaps the raw or folded edge of hems on the underside of the fabric or garment. It also can be used to apply binding to the edge of knit or swimwear with elastic inserted. It has more stretch than the typical overlock serger mock-safety stitches, without breaking thread. It is used for sportswear hems, sleeves, necklines and even decorative stitching on the outside of garments, with topstitchine showing or coverstitch showing on the right side. Wooly nylon thread also gives more stretch to the seams than regular sewing thread. Coverhem, coverstitch, coverhem stitch, and interlock stitch are used interchangeably. John Douthat