To ornament at the head of a broad hem by drawing out a few parallel threads, and fastening the cross threads in successive small clusters; as, to hemstitch a handkerchief.

stitch in which parallel threads are drawn and exposed threads are caught together in groups

sew with hemstitches; "hemstitch a sleeve"

Worked by hand from the wrong side of the fabric, hemstitching secures a folded edge to the fabric by means of diagonal stitches. Draw the needle through the folded edge from underneath, pick up one or two threads of the flat fabric, then insert the needle in the folded edge and draw it through. Continue in this manner to secure the hem; the stitches should be nearly invisible from the front.

A hemstitch is a stitch used to create a decorative, open weave pattern. A hemstitch is created by sewing along along a line from which threads have been drawn out, gathering the cross threads into a series of small groups.