Method and apparatus for stitching a three dimensional formed component and components formed from the method

A method of applying stitching to an interior component of a vehicle, comprising at least one layer, the method comprising:

• a) penetrating the at least one layer at an entry point on a first surface of the at least one layer with a needle, wherein the step of penetrating causes the needle to reach a bottom dead center of its range of travel and also cause a top thread to pass through the at least one layer at an exit point, the exit point being on a second surface opposite to the first surface;
• b) grabbing the thread with a rotary looper located proximate to the exit point, wherein the rotary looper rotates in a first direction in a plane parallel to the at least one layer;
• c) retracting the needle through the exit point and the entry point to a top dead center position of its range of travel;
• d) advancing the component in a first direction;
• e) rotating the rotary looper in a second direction in the plane parallel to the at least one layer, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;
• f) penetrating the at least one layer at another entry point on the first surface of the at least one layer with the needle, wherein the step of penetrating causes the top thread to pass through the at least one layer at another exit point, the another exit point being on the second surface opposite to the first surface and wherein the needle engages a bottom thread located on the rotary looper;
• g) releasing the top thread as the rotary looper rotates in the second direction;
• h) completing a stitch between the top thread and the bottom thread as the rotary looper rotates to a final position in the second direction and the needle reaches a bottom of its downward stroke;
• and
• i) repeating steps b-h until a desired amount of stitches are formed in the interior component.