How to Sew.

This instructable will cover the basics of hand sewing - tools needed, threading the needle, knotting the thread, running stitch, basting stitch, backstitch, slipstitch, blanket stitch, whip stitch and finishing with knots.

Please comment with what you'd like to learn! I know this is not everything that needs to be covered, so I'd like input from everyone to see what you all want me to cover. :D

EDIT: Updated 7/25/08
Embroidery instructable recently added!
http://instructables.com/id/Embroidery-101/

Step 1 Basic sewing tools.

These things will make you a nice little sewing kit:

• Needles - You'll want to look for "sharps" for basic sewing. "Betweens" are used for quilting. "Embroidery" or "crewel" needles have larger eyes (an eye is the hole at the top of the needle) and are used with thicker threads, like upholstery or embroidery floss.
• Scissors - You'll want a good pair of shears (normally sold with names like "dressmaking shears") and a pair of pinking shears. Pinking shears have small triangular teeth that cut the fabric in a such a way that it lessens unraveling. Smaller embroidery scissors are also good for cutting threads.
• Pincushion & Pins - You'll pin most everything you sew to keep the fabrics from slipping. A pincushion keeps them neat and tidy.
• Measuring tape - For measuring. ;)
• Seam Ripper - This will help you correct mistakes.
• Beeswax - Sounds odd, I know. But essential for hand sewing. When you run your thread over the beewax, it gives the thread a nice coating that will keep it from tangling and make it stronger.
• Thimbles - These can be wood, leather or metal. They'll keep your fingers from getting sore and/or pricked.
• Thread or Floss - An all-purpose cotton thread is good for most things. However, there are many threads to choose from. You'll often pick thread based on your project - cotton fabric = cotton thread, silk = silk thread, etc. Floss is much thicker and normally comes in six-string strands. You'll use this for embroidery and finishing.
• Fabric - Might I recommend going to your local sewing store and buying some remnants to start off with? Remnants are small bits of fabric from the end of a fabric roll. They're quite cheap, I love them!
• Sewing Needle Booklet - You can either keep the packaging the needles come in or make your own! The strawberry one I have was made from this pattern on The Happy Zombie: http://thehappyzombie.com/pdf/strawberry.pdf

You may also want to invest in an iron, self-healing cutting mat, rotary cutter, and rulers. But they're not entirely necessary!

And now that we have the basics, let's thread a needle!

Comments

[Jaapio]

Nice instructable. About 10 years ago I had sewing lessons at school and made some pillows, backpacks and I even recall a stuffed animal. I always did a lot of extra "safety knots" This brings back some memories.

[I ACW I NINJA]

thanks!!! this helped me a lot im making arm warmers out of some old jeans now!!! (yes im a boy, but im a scene kid and places never have what we are lookin for so we gotta make our own stuff sometimes :D)

[nutellamonster]

Here's a hint from my gran (always good, those) for threading needles: If you can't get the end through the needle's eye (maybe it isn't cut sharp enough or has frayed from all the luckless tries before), make a very short loop with the end of the thread you want to put through the eye. Then insert the needle's eye-end into this loop and pull it towards the closed end of the loop, holding the thread ends firmly with your other hand. Pinch the closed loop-end (maybe even with wet fingers) around the needle's eye end. Most of the times, that end is a little flattened from stamping the eye in during the needle-making process. So, pinching the loop here sort of "irons" the thread into a somewhat flattened, but rather precise point, or V-shape. Now just use the tip of that V to thread the needle. I use this "technique" almost everytime I thread a needle. I hope I have described it understandably and usefully...

[jessyratfink]

 That is such a good idea! I think I'll try that next time I'm sewing really late at night and getting frustrated. :D

Do you mind if I copy and paste/give you credit in the main ible?

[nutellamonster]

Sorry I'm so late with my answer - I don't mind at all, go ahead by all means - Granny's tricks should be preserved!! :-)

[nutsandbolts_64]

 Have you considered adding videos to your instructable? It would be really helpful. Nice instructable by the way :)

[jessyratfink]

 After you posted this, I've been thinking about it!

I'm going to try to add some once I graduate this month and move. :P

[HopeWILLLead]

 Thank you so much!! I was really inspired to start doing all these projects, but I needed to know how to sew. This REALLY helped! :) 

[jessyratfink]

 Yay! I'm happy it did! :D

[redsox59]

 How does it feel to have the most popular page on the internet (according to google) for "how to sew"?

[jessyratfink]

 Preeeeeetty nice. 
Though I'm realizing I need to update this and make it much more awesome once this month is over. :)

[stinbrook]

I need to learn how to use a hand stitching Awl - for sewing leather.

[Kryptonite]

I'm sending ALittleStranger a link to that needle holder, if that's ok.

[Stormstaff]

Anyone else having trouble downloading the pdf file?

[MaDaZi]

I found this very helpful for me to start learning to sew. (I'm a guy, just so ya know, though it really doesn't matter)

[mikelz]

It matters to me. I'm a guy. Now I don't feel nearly as weird here as I did.

[MaDaZi]

I found this very useful, but the part about ending them was a little confusing.

[smile--x]

Thank you so much for the intructions and pictures, it help a lot cause i'm a vision learner.

[cowscankill]

What about the decorative stitch that looks like "XXXXXXX" on one side?

[ProBiotic]

That's a fun one! It is called cross-stitch. You make a bunch of crosses in one direction and go back and do a second stitch on on each to finish the "X"

[ProBiotic]

Great pictures! Thanks so much for the clear directions!

[colin_bignall]

ah ha! so blanket stitch is what im going to use on my ipod cover ( was going to use super glue lol) ty

[Kryptonite]

How did it turn out?

[quinnjdq]

Thank you i iam a guy and i love this i also love your embrodery tut it helped me put triforce on a bag

[msheiko]

I'd love to learn more about sewing with binding and piping.

[rasengan96]

How do you do inside outside stitch?

[jessyratfink]

I'm not familiar with the name, and I tried googling it with no results. It might just be that I call it by something else? Do you have any pictures of it? :)

[Yerboogieman]

I think he means like sewing a patch in pants.

[sewingDVD]

check Let's Sew Together-The European Way Instructional DVD http://www.blitzcinema.com/sewing.html or contact me

[D.L.H.]

Thank you you have solved my problem to sew.

[JannaWitch]

Thank you so very much!

[RITUNA]

Great guide, thanks a lot! Although I'm a dude, I'm glad I can sew my own stuff now when I need to, since momma is no longer around.

[soccerforever23]

dang it is sooo hard!!!jk itz not.but i had a hard time keepig it strhgt bc ya

[duck-lemon]

i am quite proficient in the art of sewing (with and without machine) and my personal hobby is making mittens! i've got like... well lots!

[Plasmana]

My personal hobby is building high voltage devices... :)

[zascecs]

That explains your name... Great instructable, by the way.

[Plasmana]

lol, thanks!

^{Oh, BTW, 'this' is not my instructable...}

[snipir]

thanks!! :D

[missdines]

brilliant!

[luminalstasis]

Wow these helped a lot, thank you