Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. DIY Projects & Crafts
  3. Sewing
  4. An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Stitches for Beginners

An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Stitches for Beginners

Mollie Johanson, Freelance Writer
By Mollie Johanson October 17, 2019
Skip gallery slides
Pin
sewing notions
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
All you need is a needle and thread to master this handy skill. Once you know the basic stitches—running stitch, whip stitch, blind hem stitch, and more—and practical techniques, you can use them for basting, buttons, hems, and more.
Start Slideshow

1 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
sewing notions
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

Everyone should learn these foundational sewing stitches, as they're necessary for everything from making small repairs to crafting full garments—and all of them can be done by hand. You might think that sewing by hand takes much longer than sewing by machine. While that is sometimes true, it's often faster to pick up your needle and thread than it is to set up a tabletop of equipment. Plus, hand sewing makes it easier to be precise with your stitches so you're less likely to need to rip out stitches and redo the work.

Finishing work—such as hemming clothes or closing a hole on a stuffed toy—is best done by hand. It's also a great way to take your sewing with you. For example, you'd never be able to sew a quilt in a waiting room, but English paper piecing is a quilting method that uses all hand sewing in small pieces. Lots of small felt projects also rely on hand sewing with embroidery floss. Even consider it a hobby to pick up with the kids in your family—after all, it's a skill everyone should learn how to do.

For the best results, choose the right stitch, thread, and needle for the task. You can choose thread that matches your fabric to keep the stitches less visible or opt for a contrasting color when you want your finishing stitches to stand out. And be sure that your needle is the right size for your thread and with a point designed for your fabric. In some projects, it's recommended to begin your work with a waste knot to avoid pulling the unknotted thread through the fabric. (This a simple knot that is trimmed away after a few stitches are made or when the seam is completed.)

As with any kind of sewing, practice makes perfect. Work on making even stitches and soon you'll be stitching with finesse.

  • All of Our Editors' Favorite Projects to Practice Sewing by Hand

1 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Running Stitch

running stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

As a beginner, this is one of the first stitches you will learn. It's ideal for sewing simple seams and hand quilting, and it works great for felt sewing projects. To make the running stitch, hold the layers of material together and bring the needle up through the fabric, then go back down, and repeat this technique at even intervals—it's that simple! Use smaller stitches for more security.

You can also use this stitch for basting pieces together. When basting, use much longer stitches so that they're easy to remove. Another variation on running stitch is called the Holbein stitch. For this stronger stitch, sew a line of running stitch, then sew back over the line, filling in the gaps with another line of running stitch.

  • Learn Our Best Techniques for Hand Quilting

2 of 7

3 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Back Stitch

back stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

Popular in embroidery, the back stitch creates strong, permanent seams. To make the back stitch, bring the needle up through the fabric a stitch's length away from where the seam should begin then down at the beginning point of the seam. (In this way, you're going "back" to the previous stitch.) Come up again a stitch's length away from the last stitch, then go down at the end of the last stitch.

  • Learn Our Essential Guide to Embroidery Stitches

3 of 7

Advertisement

4 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Whip Stitch

whip stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

The whip stitch is used to sew together two separate pieces of material with flat edges. It's sometimes called the overcast stitch or edge stitch, which makes sense because you work whip stitch over the edge of the fabric. It's also great for finishing the seam so that it doesn't fray. To make the whip stitch, bring the needle up through the fabric, loop around the edge of the fabric, and come back up again. With this stitch, you always bring the needle from back to front so the thread wraps around the edge of the fabric.

4 of 7

5 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Ladder Stitch

ladder stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

This stitch creates an invisible line that's perfect for closing seams on pillows and sewing down-quilt binding. Also known as the slip stitch, you can work this stitch from the right side where two folded edges come together. To make the ladder stitch, bring the needle up to the right side of the fabric on one of the folded edges. Directly across from this, go through the opposite folded edge, then come back out a stitch length away. Repeat this technique, going back and forth on each side of the seam.

5 of 7

6 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Catch Stitch

catch stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

The catch stitch is best used in sewing hems with heavier, bulky fabrics or garments that stretch. The stitches aren't hidden between the layers, so it's best to use this in areas that are covered by lining. On the right side of the material, this creates two lines of small horizontal stitches, while on the reverse it makes longer criss-crosses.

To make the catch stitch, bring the needle up near the edge of the fabric on the lower left. Go down diagonally over the fabric edge and to the right. Come back up just the left. Go down diagonally, crossing below the fabric edge and to the right, then come up just to the left. Repeat this technique along the hem.

6 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Blind Hem Stitch

blind hem stitch in sewing
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

Give your hems a professional finish with the blind hem stitch. These stitches are all but invisible on the right side of the hem. To make the blind hem stitch, working on the wrong side of the hem, come up near the upper edge of the folded hem. Take a tiny stitch as you dip the needle down and back up through the back fabric. The tinier the stitch, the less it shows. Go through the folded hem, dipping the needle down and back up to make a stitch that's about 1/2 inch long. Repeat these two steps, making tiny stitches through the outside of the item and longer stitches through the inside folded hem.

  • Clothing Repair 101: How to Patch a Hole, Mend a Seam, and Fix a Hem

7 of 7

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Mollie Johanson

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 7
    2 of 7 Running Stitch
    3 of 7 Back Stitch
    4 of 7 Whip Stitch
    5 of 7 Ladder Stitch
    6 of 7 Catch Stitch
    7 of 7 Blind Hem Stitch

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Stitches for Beginners
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.