What are the importance of hand stitching?

• Knowing some basic hand sewing stitches comes in handy when you're not able to access
electricity or use a sewing machine.

• Improves your focus and concentration and it teaches the importance of patience and self-
control.

THE RIGHT SIDE (FRONT)

- side of a fabric that is meant to be seen

- Nicely printed, shiny and smooth texture

THE WRONG SIDE (BACK)

- the outside of the garment when it is finished; and it

meant to be hidden or unseen.

- Faded, rough

BASIC STITCHES

1. The Running Stitch

 This stitch is the most basic of all the hand sewing stitches.

 It’s used for gathering and quickly mending the clothing.

 In its longer form, it becomes a basting stitch. Use the same technique as the running stitch, but
make longer stitches (between ½ inch and an inch). It’s used for holding the fabric together. Just
like pin basting.

1. Start by taking your threaded needle through the back of the fabric (the wrong side)

2. Once the knot at the end of the thread has hit the fabric, make a stitch by putting the needle
back down in the fabric about a centimeter away in the direction you want to stitch and pulling
all the way through

3. Bring the thread back up through the fabric and repeat

2. The Backstitch

 Most practical types of hand stitches because it’s more effective and secure to use.

 It’s also known as one of the strongest stitches.

 this stitch was used to create for all clothing.

1. Start by making a small stitch

2. Insert the needle back into the end of that stitch, where you just pulled the thread out

3. Make another stitch and repeat.

3. LADDER STITCH,

It is primarily used to invisibly close split seams from the outside of the garment or item, such as
pillows, mattresses, down coats or stuffed toys,

1. Hide knot in seam allowance

2. Take a stitch on one side of the fabric parallel to the edge

3. Take a stitch on the other side of the fabric, parallel to the edge

4. Continue across seam, forming a series of stitches that look like a ladder.

5. Pull thread tight to close seam and hide stitches inside.

6. Knot the thread by winding it around the needle a couple times and pulling the knot close
to the fabric. Then push the needle through the fabric as if you’re taking one more stitch.
Bring the needle out and cut the thread close to the fabric, and pull the tail inside the
fabric to bury it.
4. Catch stitch (Cross-Stitch)

 You can use this stitch to finish hems with fabric that doesn’t fray, and to tack facing invisibly.

Working from left to right, take tiny stitches on the hem, and then on the garment. Keep the stitches
loose and even. They will appear as crosses on the wrong side and small stitches on the right.

5. Blanket Stitch

 also known as Buttonhole stitch

 most commonly used as a hemming stitch on the edge of fabric for finishing the raw edge of the
fabric neatly and to prevent fraying.

Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric, then with the right side facing upward, insert the
needle from back to front through the fabric 1/8 inch from the edge. Wrap the working head around
behind the eye end of the needle, then behind the point. Pull the needle through, bringing the knot to
the fabric edge. Continue, making closely spaced stitches and knot.

6. WHIP STITCH

 much like the blanket stitch

 is an easy way to sew a seam fast.
 It can be used to join together with backstitching for an extra secure seam.

Bring the needle to the front and push it through both layers of fabric. Then front to back. And
you simply repeat this all the way along the seam.