Notched seam design for interior trim upholstery pieces

The present invention provides a process for joining adjacent edges of vehicle upholstery panels, particularly in applications wherein at least one of the edges is curved. The process includes the step of forming a plurality of U-shaped notches along a curved edge of a first upholstery panel, wherein the notches may be about 3 mm in width and about 3 mm in depth and substantially evenly spaced along a portion of the curved length of the upholstery panel edge. The process further includes the step of positioning at least a portion of an edge of a second upholstery panel in substantial alignment with a portion of the curved edge of the first upholstery panel. The process further includes the step of stitching the first and second panels along a stitch line substantially parallel to edges of the first and second panels, wherein the stitch line is offset from aligned edges of the first and second panels by a distance greater than the depth of the notches, and wherein successive portions of the edges are brought into alignment as stitching progresses.