I thought I knew how to sew by hand until I started sewing by machine. I also thought I liked it. It’s relaxing, right? You just go in and out and join some stuff together and voila! You have sewn a thing. Lovely.
Looks alright from a distance!
But now I’ve been sewing on my sewing machine for 6 months or so, I am doubting and hating my ability to hand sew.
Such a professional finish!
Firstly, I did not realise how much hand sewing is still needed when sewing by machine. I’m shocked! I thought sewing machines were revolutionary inventions that allowed you to knock up a frock in a couple of hours, not slightly imperfect beasts that require you to finish your creations off by hand. Why can’t they do everything?
This was not the look I wanted.
Secondly, it turns out I am a really scruffy hand sewer. Even just doing a straight running stitch, my stitches are irregularly sized, don’t go in a straight line, and are often at angles from each other. I never noticed this before in the few times I sewed by hand before the machine arrived, but now it has arrived, my hand sewing looks appalling. I mean, I know I’m not going to get my hand stitching to look like machine stitching, but the contrast is so stark, it’s laughable. My hand sewing makes a garment that was looking quite professional look like it was done by a five year old in the dark.
Even buttons are bad
Thirdly, it’s not discreet and does not give me the polished finish it’s supposed to. In fact it does the opposite and is highly visible. I know you are supposed to use hand sewing for things like blind hems and discreetly attaching your lining to a waist band, but as above, I can’t control the needle enough to make this look ok. In fact I think my sewing would look better if I just used the machine to do everything because then even though you would see my stitching, it would be straight and regular.
Finally: there are so many different hand stitching techniques and I don’t know how to do anything apart from just go in and out of fabric with my needle. What is fell stitching? Back stitch? Overcast stitch? This legendary blind hem stitch? More importantly, why do I have to learn these?? I just want to go vroom vroom on my sewing machine! I don’t want to be slowed down by hand sewing!
Fine robust work
I know my attitude to hand sewing needs to change if I am going to be able to make more complex items with professional finishes, and I know I am going to have to practice a lot to get it up to scratch.
Do you have any tips for hand sewing? How did you learn it? Are there any good projects to practice on?
This is timely, I’m trying to learn hand sewing finishing techniques right now and they are intimidating!
I’m going to second (third? fourth?) the embroidery tip.
Also, don’t practice embroidery stitches on regular fabric like muslin. Pick up a bit of aida cloth or embroidery muslin. You’ll be able to tell if your stitches are regular as you are sewing and it will help when you go back to hand-sewing on clothes.
Argh. Meant embroidery *linen*. It’s got a good even weave to it.
Brilliant, thank you. I’m learning so much!
I’ve been sewing for almost 50 years and still need to work on my hand sewing skills. Keeping trying by taking classes, watching You Tube, and reading sewing magazines, blogs, and books. I’ve accepted the fact that I will never do tailoring like my mother.
Once of the the great things about articles like these is learning new things such as: I had no idea that my Claire Scjeffer book, Courture Sewing Techniques, had so much about hand sewing. Yes, I pulled out my copy to check after reading the comments about her book. I guess I was too focused on boning and fitting formal bodices.
Another nice way to practice is making small things – I’m working on some wool Christmas ornaments from a kit (bought at a quilt store) – very relaxing while watching some tv! Wool is quite pleasant to sew through as well.
Hand sewing isn’t my forte yet.
I suggest Stanley Hostek’s book, “Hand Stitches for the Fine Custom Tailored Garment” which it seems you can find only on Amazon.
I met him last year and he showed me a wool suit he sewed entirely by hand that was made in the 1970’s. When I saw it in 2013, it looked new. No kidding.
He said that hand sewing is stronger than machine sewn because it has a little more give.
I wrote about meeting him on my blog. He passed away last winter, but his granddaughter was the one selling his books. They are old spiral bound books that were printed in the 70’s / 80’s. He learned to make suits when people had a couple items of clothing and they had to maintain their clothing for years. Worth looking into his work as a tailor.
http://www.calmundertension.com/blog/hand-stitching-and-stanley-hostek
Wow, this is totally fascinating! I’ll look him up. How wonderful to meet him!
Rory Duffy’s YouTube tutorials are amazing to watch! And his use of a thimble is very instructive. He’s a bespoke tailor.
Thanks Denise. Haven’t come across him before, happily for me he goes into lots of detail. Interesting that he sits at a table and keeps the garment flat; his thread is longer than I expect ( I’d manage to acquire at least two knots, lol!).
Loving this Hand Stitching thread/Post.
You get better at it by practice, that is for sure. Slow down, make it straight and even, and you will get faster at making it straight and even. My toppest tip is to match your threads to your fabric – while you are getting better at sewing on buttons, matcht he thread to the button so it isn’t so obvious. The rule of thumb for matching thread is to look for a spool of thread that is darker and duller thn your fabric, then unroll a couple inches of thread and lay it over the fabric just to be sure. It usually works. This means that your stitching won’t show up so much.
The other finishing things that make a big difference are trimming and clipping seams, and pressing. 🙂
Might be worth buying the correct size needles for hand sewing. Luckily, there a wealth of information online about this, Clover is a high quality brand you may wish to try. You can try using a thimble too.
Swap a skill with someone who handsews.
When I handsew it has to be in good light, wearing my glasses and sometimes with a magnifying lamp. I don’t take chances!
Think about the needle ‘kissing’ the fabric rather than stabbing it to death. Practise on scraps of fabric, a few trial stitches make all the difference.
To encourage even stitches, use a stitch guide drawn on your thumb or hand ( thanks Pinterest). Check out YouTube videos too. Great learning tool.
But most of all, convince yourself that you deserve quality sewing, you’re worth it!
Enjoy!!
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your really helpful advice, insight and encouragement. It never fails to delight me how wonderful everyone in the online sewing community is: and especially all the wonderful ladies here at CSC.
I feel like a new woman! A new woman who doesn’t hate hand sewing any more! Granted I haven’t actually tried it again yet, but I think my attitude is going to change a lot.
I’m definitely going to sign up for an embroidery class, and peruse all the publications and online classes you all so helpfully recommended. And I definitely am going to step away from my sewing table, and try to treat handsewing as a relaxing treat, not as an impediment to finishing my garment. And I’m going to keep some fabric and thread in my handbag to practice on: that way I will get mad skillz and never be too far away from the wonderful world of sewing!
THANK YOU!!
I don’t know if someone has already mentioned this (I admit it, I didn’t read through all the previous comments!), but Claire Schaeffer’s “Couture Sewing Techniques” is a comprehensive reference book for hand stitches (as well as a million other things). She shows you exactly how to make each stitch, and where/how to use it in various garment projects. It’s worth a look if your local library/bookstore has a copy!
Brilliant, thank you!!
I learned embroidery from my Grandmothers, Mother and an Aunt as a child. I would say current hand stitching can be used in the Alabama Chanin kits.
I think my hand sewing (and the quality of my sewing in general) really improved when I stopped rushing through projects. If you do things on a deadline–I must wear this tomorrow!–then hand sewing is a frustrating obstacle to reaching that goal. But somewhere along the way, I got tired of turning out half-assed projects that didn’t look good and that I didn’t want to wear. I’m trying to produce something of quality now, so I don’t focus on getting things done fast any more. And the more time I take to make sure things work, the better the results I get. I’ve come to really like hand work; if you have an anxious brain, it’s very calming and peaceful. And one of the BIG advantages to it is that hand sewing is portable; I once sewed an entire quilt binding while waiting to be picked for a jury.
I agree with all the wonderful comments posted, and want to add one more. The local Library! They will have all kinds of books on beginning sewing and embroidery. Another thing, I know I said one, but — slow down. Your stitches look as if you are trying to win a race. Sit in a comfortable place – favourite chair or sofa – have good lighting, take a few deep breaths and just relax. SLOW DOWN. Take one stitch at a time. I know that sounds like stating the obvious, but hand stitching is a great meditation. If you feel yourself tensing up, repeat those slow breaths and consciously relax again. You can do it.
Ha ha, you found me out! That is exactly what I was doing: trying to sew as fast as a sewing machine! Totally futile. I need to think of it as something entirely different, and take myself away from the sewing table and relax. Thank you so much.
That was funny! I have to be honest and agree with you- your hand sewing skills leave a lot to be desired! BUT…everyone’s sewing looks like that to start. I would practice learning one type of stitch at a time on some scrap fabric and practice practice practice and yes, you will get it! I enjoy the final hand sewn touches we need to do- it’s more relaxing sat on settee doing it than in front of machinery. Keep having a go, don’t give up, but don’t do it on your bestest fabric until you are more experienced. It won’t take long- honest.
Hahahahaha, I definitely appreciate your honesty: it’s absolutely shocking! And I also very much appreciate your faith in me! I’m going to definitely start practising.
I agree with the people who suggest you learn to embroider as a way to improve your hand stitching. It is and excellent way to train your hand-eye coordination (and it’s pretty!) and is the way I learned to sew. All the women in my family sew, so I wanted to learn at an early age, but my mother was convinced I’d sew through my fingers and forbade it until I was older. My grandmothers took pity on me and taught me to embroider.
Funny story on the advantages of knowing how to embroider: In college I took a couple classes in couture techniques with Catherine Stephenson, who used to teach with Susan Khalje and is a former president of The Professional Association of Custom Clothiers (now known as The Assoc. of Sewing and Design Professionals). My classmates and I were so enthusiastic about hand stitching she created a class for us on it. When I turned in my first sampler, she looked at me rather sharply and said, “You’ve done this before!” I told her I had done some of the stitches before, that my grandmothers had taught me to be exacting with hand stitching (especially hems), but they had not taught me all of the stitches she had or the hand sewn button hole. She flipped the buttonhole sample over and saw the stitches were just as evenly packed and of the same length as those on the front two sides. “You expect me to believe this is the first button hole you’ve sewn by hand? I’ve never seen such a thing.” Well,” I said,
I treated it as an embroidery project.” It was the only time I ever saw her surprised.
I went home and called my grandmothers and thanked them again for teaching me to embroider neatly on both sides of a project.
You sound like the most awesome embroiderer: do you have any work online?
You’re too kind. I actually can’t say I’ve done a lot of embroidery in my life, because, feeling pressed for time, most of my precision hand work has gone into apparel sewing. But every now and then, generally in the winter, I feel the need to do something colorful and I break out the sewing basket and have a go.
My grandmothers, however, were prolific seamstresses and embroiderers and both worked outside the home all their lives. I don’t know how they did it. Clocks must have run slower in the past…
In answer to your question, no embroidery work on show online. Or did you mean apparel sewing? I am thinking of starting blogging again and if I do I will post my sewing photos there, if you’re interested in checking it out. (Lost my old domain, so I’ve got to pick a new one before I can get going.)
I feel your pain – I learned to sew on a machine as a kid, but I never really had to do much by hand other than sew on a button. My hand sewing has gotten better as I’ve practiced though – not only in sewing but also in crochet (I make stuffed animals that have to have their pieces sewn together). I think it’s like playing piano or knitting or anything else your hands need to create muscle memory to do – practice makes perfect. It will get better 🙂
Incidentally, the new hem guide from Colette Patterns shows all the different hem stitches you can do by hand (and it’s free!). I had never seen most of the stitches done before, let alone figured out which would be best in each application, so this ebook was really helpful.
Oh yes, I have the hem guide! I should actually read it! Thanks so much for the tip/reminder!
My mom taught me some basic hand stitches and I’ve never really thought about it until I looked at couture sewing. Claire Shaeffer demonstrates many stitches in her DVD “Couture Techniques Workshop Basics”. Susan Khalje demonstrates many of the same stitches in her Craftsy class, “The Couture Dress”. I enjoyed both of those because you can see the stitch in action and they both talk through the process and explain when and where to use the stitches. Good luck, and have fun!
Ramona
Ooh the Susan Khalje class has been recommended to me a few times, I should defo check it out. Thank you!
Handstitching is a skill that requires much practice. I admit I don’t handstitch much (except for buttons), but there are tutorials on you tube and also the proper was to sew on a button. We are a ‘do it fast–git er done’ culture, however handstitching is not included in that. It is a necessary skill in sewing well.
I feel your pain Rosie! I’ve never been good at this either. The one thing that did help me a bit was doing a hand-quilted mini quilt a while ago – I did it mostly during a snowstorm, in front of my TV – and it helped just get my hand “used” to it if that makes sense. One thing you might want to do is a bit of just fun embroidery – it’s quite satisfying to draw something on a bit of cloth (using a water soluble plan) and then just “trace over” it with thread. It can be quite relaxing and improves your hand skills at the same time!
This sounds like an excellent idea.I think I will take some fabric and a needle with me in my handbag everywhere!
Buttons can be sewn on by machine, using zig-zag stitch. Just turn the hand-wheel to make sure your width is set properly and the needle goes into one hole, then the next, and doesn’t hit the button.
Get yourself an old sewing book that includes how to sew the hand stitches. Also, make sure you have some wax to run your thread along, so you can avoid knots.
I have wax: I got it for a birthday present and didn’t know what it was for! Thank you!
There’s a trick to using thread wax: you have to press it to melt the wax into the thread. Just wax up the thread, fold it inside a press cloth or scrap of fabric and run your iron over it once, maybe twice. The press cloth/scrap is so the wax doesn’t get onto your iron’s soleplate (and thus onto other things you iron).
I so so so (sew!) appreciate this post. I too wool be following it closely because I know I need to improve to have my finished product look as great in reality as it does in my head. There are so many techniques I want/need to learn, but haven’t made time for yet. For the most part, I have just charged ahead and “improvised” until things looked right (or tolerable!). Ignorance has never held me back, ha ha, but now I’m to the point where I want to craft truly beautifully worked items, not just churn out rags. Thank you all for your pertinent and inspiring posts!!
I’ve worked on my hand sewing by practicing on my muslins (wearable or not). That way, even if it’s something that never see the light of day, I get a little more practice in AND I get to see better how the finished garment looks before plunging in with the expensive or pretty stuff.
I am not a great hand stitcher at all. I wish i was, but i know that the things i want to do, and do with ease, will take many hours of practice. Here is what i’m doing, and i hope it helps you too. pick 1-3 stitch types you want to learn, watch several videos with a bit of fabric, needle and thread in hand, and practice along with the video. Then, keep a bit of fabric with needle and thread in your purse. (ziplock bags for the win). Whenever you have a bit of time to spend, waiting rooms, or your watching tv, engage your hands. Stitch a few rows of one stitch, then a few of another. Watch videos of how tailors stitch, (index finger and thumb on the needle, thimble on the middle finger, stitch push pull repeat) each new skill will bring new strength and confidence to your hand. when you get the hang of those three, pick another few and continue with all of the stitches. good luck!
Yes ziplock bags! This is an excellent plan.
There are always going to be some tasks that are better done by hand than by machine, but generally, you can sew and finish a garment entirely by machine, if you know how to deploy the right presser feet and stitches. I suggest going through your machine’s owners’ manual page by page and testing every stitch programmed into the machine and every foot that came with it. Depending on the brand, the manual probably includes detailed instructions for how to perform the tasks the specific stitches/feet are designed for.
As for hand sewing, it really can be relaxing, and some things really are easier to do by hand than on a machine: for example, understitching, buttons, basting… There are some very good books available that detail the process for the essential hand sewing techniques and stitches, some of them reproduced from historical sources–they still apply because they don’t need to change. If you can get your hands on a copy of The Vogue Guide to Better Sewing (any edition), that’s a great place to start. Also, The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing I and II, as well as The Workman’s Guide to Tailoring Stitches and Techniques; they’re old fashioned and basic, but extremely helpful and they tell how to do the stitches as well as when and where the stitches should be used. (http://www.amazon.com/Workmans-Guide-Tailoring-Stitches-Techniques/dp/B0029YHAXA)
Also, some sewing magazines (Threads, for example) are extremely valuable resources for a wide variety of basic and advanced sewing techniques, although you’ll have to search. Threads in particular sells an archive DVD with ALL of its past 28 years of issues reproduced digitally and in an easily searchable database. (http://www.threadsmagazine.com/onlinearchive) There are lots of other online sources, too, but often it’s a case of the uneducated-with-just-enough-knowledge-to-be-dangerous leading the uneducated.
Hand sewing takes practice, as well as knowledge, to improve its quality. But the benefits really outweigh the temporary drawbacks!
This is so massively useful, thank you so much Stephani. I will definitely look up those books and the Threads archive seems like a total Aladdin’s cave! I really appreciate all this advice 🙂
My mom taught me how to darn socks when I was 6?
My grandmother taught me how to blanket stitch.
I taught myself to cross stitch in my 20’s.
Where the back has to look as neat as the front.
Repetitive stitching.
Recently, I saw a neat trick for obtaining more even stitches by drawing even tick marks on the side of your finger or thumb of your left hand. When you are stitching with your right hand, holding the fabric with your left, all your stitches should line up with the tick marks and be even.
I recommend a Japanese sashiko kit to work on the very even running stitch.
It’s all a matter of training your hand and eye in fine motor skills.
And a good couch and lamp area.
With the TV tuned to some campy drama.
YES CAMPY DRAMA
I learned hand sewing by making doll clothes way back when. Sewing relatives took the time to teach me. Also sewing friends passed on what they learned from their relatives. My skills improved over time with practice. Besides classes there are videos and books that teach hand sewing. Stitch slowing and carefully, keeping stitches small and neat. Buttons, just pay attention to where you are sticking your needle and remove imperfect ones. As your skills improve so will your speed and professionalism.
Go to museums and examine textiles or high end stores.
I’m in the same boat. I wish I could share some tips but I’ll be following this thread closely because I need the same help. Thanks for sharing!
If you are interested in the needle arts, you can learn hand sewing skills by taking classes in hand appliqué or embroidery from your local quilt shop or needle arts guilds. It is a great way to spend time with other ladies and learn something new & fun. I have found that the cross-over skills are wonderful (and valuable). Sewing with a needle is sewing with a needle. I use embroidery and applique techniques in all kinds of sewing.
This is brilliant: I did have a look at embroidery classes and then decided the things I would learn there were totally different to dressmaking handsewing. I’m glad to hear they aren’t! I’m definitely going to sign up to a class!
You can do nearly all of those things you mentioned with your machine. Blind hem, yes. But it takes a little practice. Sewing down the waistband, yes. See from the right side, stitching in the ditch between skirt and waistband. Even buttons can be sewen by machine. (although, I still do those by hand.) I see very few things by hand
I’ve grown up doing embroidery, mostly crosstich but later on, in my pre-teens, I started to do freehand as well. Now I only do free hand since I find crosstitch to be mind blowingly boring. I think embroidery would be the best way for you to start. Find something small, an image you like, sketch it up on a piece of cloth and ‘fill it up’ by freehand with the thread. It just takes lots of pratice, you need to get the feel of how to do a proper stitch by practising the same type of stitch over and over so it gets imprinted into your muscle memory. It’s not much different from learning to ride a bike.
And when you’ve learned freehand embroidery, then you’ll have another thing you can add to your sewn clothes, small hand embroidered detailes that give the clothes just the right touch for your taste. Something like that. Good luck! 😀
Brilliant, thank you!!!! God I’m going to end up embroidering everything now, I can see it!