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Hand sewing for beginners

No matter how much you enjoy sewing with your machine, there will always be a time when hand-sewing is needed.

No matter how much you enjoy sewing with your machine, there will always be a time when hand-sewing is needed. It could be to apply bias binding, to tack/baste a zip or appliqué to temporarily secure, or to close a turning gap in a bag or cushion cover. Hand-sewing is certainly good to know if you're making soft toys. Here are a few stitches that you should find useful. I've used red thread so that you can see the stitches, but use the same colour as your fabric if you don't want the stitches to be seen.

Running stitch

The most basic and most used hand stitch of all, this is a simple stitch used to repair a seam temporarily if a sewing machine isn't to hand; to gather (create decorative folds) in fabric, often for dressmaking projects; or to sew a decorative edge on items or garments, known in these instances as a 'top-stitch'.

Knot the thread and take the knot-free end through the needle. Take the needle up through the fabric underneath, then push it horizontally through 'pinched' fabric, from one end to the other. Repeat to make a continuous line of stitching.

If you're repairing a seam, make the stitches small; for decorative stitching, such as top-stitching, make the stitches as long as you like but try to keep them even in length.

To use running stitches for gathering, stitch your line of running stitch, then simply pull the thread to draw the fabric together. To help gather fabric lay flat, I recommend sewing two rows of running stitch before gathering, about 1¼in (3.25cm) apart.

Tacking/basting stitch

This is effectively a long-running stitch used to hold fabric together before machine sewing. The stitches don't have to be perfect, as they will be removed later. I prefer to tack/baste zips instead of just pinning them, so that I don't have to work around the pins, which may mean my stitch line isn't completely straight. I recommend using a contrasting thread for this stitch to make it easier to unpick after machine stitching.

Slip stitch

This stitch is also known as 'whip stitch' and 'blind stitch'. I use it in particular for projects when I don't want to see the stitches from the front, such as items or garments where I apply bias binding (which I am demonstrating below), or sewing a fold of fabric over to the wrong side, such as hemming. Choose the same colour thread as your bias binding or fabric.

Take the needle through the fabric, under the bias tape (or fabric fold) and catch just the edge of it; then, push the needle directly under this stitch and repeat.

Ladder stitch

Used to close openings or to repair a seam, the ladder stitch should look like a machine stitch on the right side of the fabric when sewn carefully. Make the stitches as small as you can to match the machine stitching on either side. When sewn well, you shouldn't see the stitches at all!

To achieve this, keep the knot underneath the seam and pick up a small stitch in the fold of the fabric, along the same line as the machine stitching. The stitch should be the same length as the machine stitch next to it, too. Take the thread to the other side, directly opposite the stitch you have just made, and pick up another bit of the fold line. Continue along the opening. As you repeat this stitch, it will start to look like the rungs of a ladder; then, when you gently pull the thread, the stitches should disappear. Use the same colour thread as your project. If the fabric is multi-coloured, grey or beige colours work best.

Back stitch

Back stitching makes the stitch strong, but can be used on stretch fabric as it has a bit of 'give'. As a decorative stitch, it looks like a solid line.

Make one stitch to start, just as you would for a running stitch; then, bring the needle backwards, take it through the end of the first stitch and then out at the beginning of the second. Try to come through the same hole as the previous stitch to keep the line of stitching straight. On the back of the fabric, the stitches will appear overlapped. Back stitch is a good one to use for sewing features on the heads of toys, or the stems of flowers on embroidered projects.

You could also use the reverse side of the stitch, hand-sewing a normal back stitch on the wrong side of the fabric: this gives a thicker, more defined line.

Blanket stitch

This is mainly used for decorative purposes but is also used to help stop woven fabric from fraying. It works well on felt projects and is often used to finish off its edges. Don't worry if your stitches aren't perfectly even, it gives a more 'homemade' look to your work.

To start, take the threaded needle up through the fabric from the back, about 1¼in (3.25cm) from the edge. If you are working with two layers of fabric, knot the thread and bring it up between the layers to hide the knot. Once up, bring the needle down again to the right, through all the layers. Before pulling the thread all the way through, take the needle under the loop of thread, then pull to make your first stitch. Repeat. Make sure you pull each stitch firmly but gently as you go to make it neat. You'll soon see 'wrapped' stitches running along the edge of the fabric.

Over edge stitch

This is often used to help stop woven fabric from fraying, or for more decorative purposes. Simply take the needle from the back of the fabric up and over the edge, then repeat. I often use it to close openings that aren't going to be seen, for instance, on the turning gap in linings.

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