The seam of the stocking, according to the type of foot, runs either from the heel to the welt and from the heel to the toe along the sides of the foot, or from the toe, along the underside of the foot and round the back of the heel to the welt. These seams are made by holding together the two pieces of fabric to be joined and drawing them through the knurled guide wheels of the seaming machine head. This operation commences at the lowest point of the stocking and ends just above the lower outside edge of the welt. Seaming is always done whilst the stocking is turned inside out. If the seam were continued until the entire length of the fabric edges had been joined it would be impossible to remove the stocking from the machine, and for this reason a small gap, about one to one-and-a-half inches long, is always left unseamed, and this may be seen on the inside thickness of the fabric at the back of the welt.