It's stitchin' time! Check out this handy graphical guide to popular stitch techniques by us here at WAWAK Sewing Supplies. Bookmark, save or print out the handy techniques sheet below.
WAWAK’S GRAPHICAL GUIDE TO BASIC HAND SEWING STITCHES.
THE WHIP STITCH
Got an opening? The Whip Stitch is a great way to close it up! It’s easy! Just insert your needle into the front of the fabric, then take it over the top of the edge, then back to the front! A whipstitch is an overcast stitch. Pull each whipstitch tight for a neat, finished appearance. You can also use whipstitches to join two fabrics together.
THE SLIP STITCH
A slip stitch is an easy way to sew a seam from the outside of a garment or item (like pillows or stuffed animals). This stitch is usually used for hems when the seam should stay unseen. First, thread your needle. Use as much thread as you think you’ll need for the length of the seam. A good rule of thumb is double the length; you will have extra, but that’s better than coming up short. Next, double the thread over at the needle. Cut. Make a knot to secure the two ends.
THE FRENCH KNOT
Bring the thread out at the required position, hold the thread down where it emerges with the left thumb and encircle the thread twice with the needle. Still holding the thread firmly with your thumb, twist the needle back to the starting point and insert it close to where the thread first emerged (not in the exact place or it will simply pull back through). Then pull the needle through to the back, leaving a small knot on the surface, or pass on to the position of the next stitch.
THE BACK STITCH
A versatile and easy to work stitch, backstitch is ideal for following both smooth and complicated outlines and as a foundation row for more complex embroidery stitches such as Herringbone ladder filling stitch.
THE BLANKET STITCH
The blanket stitch is commonly used as a decorative stitch on an array of garments. Besides blankets, it is used on sweaters, outerwear, swimsuits, home furnishings, and much more. There are many styles of production blanket stitching, including rolled, narrow, with elastic, and traditional.
THE RUNNING STITCH
Running stitches are used in hand-sewing and tailoring to sew basic seams, in hand patchwork to assemble pieces, and in quilting to hold the fabric layers and batting or wadding in place. Loosely spaced rows of short running stitches are used to support padded satin stitch. Running stitches are a component of many traditional embroidery styles.
THE HEMMING STITCH
In hemstitching, one or more threads are drawn out of the fabric parallel and next to the turned hem, and stitches bundle the remaining threads in a variety of decorative patterns while securing the hem in place. Multiple rows of drawn thread work may be used.
Use this handy graphical guide of popular stitch techniques to try something new or refresh your memory.
