Hand stitching is an essential sewing skill every sewer must-own and master. Learn the basics of hand stitches here!
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Essential Hand Stitching Patterns Useful to Every Sewer
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1. Whip Stitch
The whip stitch is one of the easy hand stitching techniques you can learn. This hand stitch consists of short diagonal stitches often used in hemming. To create this stitch, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- Pull the yarn or your yarn needle over your top fabric, and assure the knot stays between the two cloths.
- Pierce through your bottom fabric and exit at the same place you started with the top cloth. It will lock your starting stitches in place.
- Push the needle through the bottom fabric, creating a diagonal stitch on the edges of your fabric. Your quill and thread must exit the top cloth to secure them together.
- Repeat the process until you’ve reached the ends of your fabrics. Don’t forget to lock in your stitches.
2. Catch Stitch
The catch stitch can be called crisscross stitches, great for front-facing fabrics and hemming-lined garments. This hand-stitching technique allows for a bit of a give. It is also a great stitch to work on circular garments like tablecloths. Unlike most hand-sewn stitches, this technique starts from the left.
To learn more about this, refer to the following steps:
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- Starting at the opposite end of where you usually start, pull the thread or your threaded needle.
- Make a diagonal stitch start where you popped your threaded needle into the other fabric.
- Pull your threaded needle to a small length and make a diagonal seam back to your starting fabric.
- Get a bit of your fabric and continue making diagonal stitches until you’ve attached the two cloths.
3. Basting Stitch
The basting stitch is best for holding pieces of fabric together. Do a quick and bulk straight stitch to perform this pattern. Usually, it sews together using a yarn a different color from the cloth to make it easier to see which stitches are placeholders and easier to remove.
Follow these easy steps to create this stitch:
- Take the needle in and out of the fabric up to ¼ to ½ inch long.
- You can make several stitches by popping the needle in and out of the fabric before pulling through.
- Do not lock the stitch from both ends.
4. Running Stitch
The running stitch is one of the most common and basic stitches you can do, both by hand and machine. Sewing by machine assures precision and firmness. But sewing by hand is great for a speedy stitcher and quick stitches and for stitching together narrow spaces that cannot do by machine.
See the following steps to make this stitch:
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- Take the needle in and out of the fabric up to your desired stitch length.
- You can also make stitches by inserting your needle in and out of the fabric. Do it with the same length before pulling your quill into the cloth.
- Make sure stitches are locked once done.
5. Back Stitch
The backstitch features tiny stitches that can hold an amount of strength. This hand-stitching technique works well with mending seams or in a seam that will resist a lot of strains and pulls. Learn how to make this stitch by going through these steps:
- Pull your threaded needle from the underside of your fabric.
- Make a single running stitch.
- From the underside of your fabric, pull the thread to keep the stitch taut.
- Bring your needle up again, piercing through the fabric at a distance equal to the length of your single running stitch. Use the photo above for reference.
- Repeat the process until you finish your stitches.
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6. Overcast Stitch
These diagonal stitches are to secure the edges of the fabric to prevent it from unraveling. It can also use to mend a tear.
7. Slip Stitch or Ladder Stitch
The slip stitch is to make hidden seams between two-fold edges of a flat edge. It’s also called ladder stitch because, in making this stitch, you’re making stairs using your threads. This stitch is for bindings, closing the lining, placing the applique, or closing stuffed sewing projects.
Here’s how you can do it:
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- Iron the folds of the fabric.
- Take the threaded needle underneath the fold to hide the knot.
- Pull the needle and thread out from the folded edge.
- Grab a little bit of fabric underneath from the opposite side of the folded fabric.
- Pull the needle out.
- Insert the needle again to the opposite side.
- Repeat the same pattern until you close the opening.
8. Blind Hem Stitch
The blind hem stitch is known because you are creating invisible hems with this stitch. Like the ladder stitch, you grab a little bit of the fabric and produce an almost flawless hem. This hand-stitching technique works wonders on lighter and silkier fabrics. Learn how to make the blind hem stitch by following these steps:
- Slip the threaded needle underneath the folded side of the cloth to hide the knot.
- From underneath, pull your needle out and through.
- Grab a bit of the fabric underneath where the hem is sitting.
- Then, grab the folded part of the fabric again from the side where you started.
- Repeat the same pattern until you finish the opening.
9. Securing Stitch
Every sewing project ends somewhere. With a securing stitch, you prevent your stitches from unnecessary loosening. Here’s how you can do it:
- Make a small backstitch and create a loop thread.
- Point the needles inside the loop and pull through.
- Repeat the process twice to make a small knot and make a strong lock.
Learning these essential hand stitching techniques is quick and easy! And even better, this knowledge will stay with you forever. And you will be using them in various sewing projects.
Keep on practicing them for more embroidery stitches. Soon, you’ll master these essential stitching techniques.
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