Sewing Stitches by Hand
Before taking on any sewing task take stock of the material fabric and select the finest needles and thread to suit the job at hand. I have listed a number of hand sewing stitches below.
A ladder stitch is used when joining two pieces of patterned or striped material together. The ladder stitch ensures that the fabric patterns stay matched before the permanent stitching is done (usually with a sewing machine).
The blanket stitch is used to give the edges of the raw material a finished look as well as strengthening the edges. Apart from blankets you will see very fine blanket stitching on most buttonholes.
A backstitch is a stitch that is used for creating strong seam work and permanent seams. It is used in the tricky to get at places where a sewing machine would be of little use. Typically you will find backstitching in zips. The backstitch is used when sewing hems by placing a backstitch at intervals in the hem. Should the hem tear or rip the backstitch will ensure that only a small section of the hem will be undone (6 inches) and can be readily repaired.
Slipstitching is used for seams and hems which are sewn from the outside or visible side of the garment. It is a very fine stitch which is barely visible to a non sewer.
Tailor’s tacks are used to assist the joining of fabric that needs great accuracy. The thread used is a completely different color to the fabric itself to help mark out the area in question. If the garment is of complex design then other color threads are used to represent different joins and tasks.
Cross stitch kits are good for anyone new to sewing, are quite easy to use and scaled down versions are available for children to learn the art of sewing.
