Basic Hand Stitching
for Any Sewing Need

Before the invention of the sewing machine (and adhesives), hand stitching (also known as hand sewing) was the only way to make clothing, home decor and pretty much everything else. Though machine technology has taken over producing sewn items for commercial and home use, there will always be a need for hand stitching from time to time since it is so useful in mending and adding finishing touches to things we make.

Some hand stitches require the use of doubling the thread in the needle (such as when attaching buttons and other fasteners), but most are done using a single thread at my recommended length of 18 to 22 inches. Much longer than this and threads will be more likely to get tangled, fray or wind up breaking.

Sewing needles come in all lengths and your choice of the one to use can affect some fabrics (i.e. very delicate ones), but is not critical. If you can remember the following regarding needles, you will do just fine: Use a ball point for knits (to prevent snagging the fabric) and a sharp point for wovens. I would venture to say most fabrics you'll be mending or hand stitching on will be of the woven variety.

If you learn these basic hand stitches and you will be able to sew, hem or mend just about anything. Really!

Sewing the Stitches

Another hemming stitch is the catch stitch. It may not be as pretty or as invisible as using a slip stitch, but it does effectively and durably hold your hem in place. Work from left to right (note that the needle is pointing left). Take a small stitch in the hem, move to the right and take a small stitch in the fabric above the hem. It will look like a zig zag. Pull thread firmly, but not too tight. Repeat until finished.

The running stitch is used to join to pieces of fabric quickly. It is also called a basting stitch, can be close together or far apart and is easy to pull out. Unless you make your stitches very small, it is not a long lasting, durable stitch. It is however, a popular choice for a "quick fix". Insert the needle several times into the fabric keeping an even spacing between stitches, then pull the needle and thread firmly. Repeat.

A back stitch is an extremely strong stitching technique used for mending seams and sometimes for reattaching zippers. It is comparable to the straight stitch on your sewing machine and when done, does not remove easily. It makes one tough seam! Like machine stitching, when using the back stitch, the right sides of the fabric face each other. Insert the needle up through both layers of fabric approximately 1/4 inch from the edge to start. Then insert it back down through both layers about 1/8 inch to no more than 1/4 inch to the right and back up about 1/8 to 1/4 inch to the left of where it was previously. Each stitch will overlap the other. Repeat.

Finishing

After any hand stitching, you should tie off the thread to secure it. Insert the needle so the thread comes out on the back side and take a couple of tiny stitches. Run the needle under the thread of these tiny stitches to make a loop. Insert the needle through the loop and pull tight before you cut off the thread.