Sewing is the art of joining materials—most often fabric—using a needle and thread. It’s a foundational textile technique used to create clothing, accessories, home furnishings, textile art, and countless other items.


We have been sewing since prehistoric times: bone needles and animal sinew were used to stitch hides for clothing and shelter at least 50,000 years ago, and the eyed needle appeared around 45,000 years ago. All sewing was done by hand until the first practical sewing machines were developed in the 1830s. By the 1850s, sewing machines were widely used, and electronic models followed in the 1970s. Today, both hand and machine sewing remain essential and creative skills.


Keep reading for your introduction to the world of sewing! Hint:  Use the links in the header above to jump to the sections you're most interested in.

Materials and Tools:

  • Needles:
  • Hand sewing needles: Size 6 or 7 Sharps are all-purpose needles for hand sewing. For other options, watch Choosing the Right Needle for Hand Sewing.
  • Machine needles: Sewing machine needles come in various point shapes and eye sizes for different fabrics and threads. Threads magazine has summarized the types of standard, decorative, and special-purpose machine needles in Sewing Machine Needles: An Overview. 
  • Thread: All-purpose polyester thread generally works well for most sewing projects, but thread is available in a wide variety of thicknesses, fibers, and finishes. For a comprehensive look at the available options, visit A Guide to Understanding Thread.
  • Fabric: Sturdy woven fabrics like quilting cotton, cotton poplin, or cotton lawn are easy to cut, press, and sew, and they don't stretch or shift as much as knits or slippery materials. 
  • Scissors: Tailor’s/dressmaker’s shears with long, sharp blades and an offset handle design, so the lower blade rests flat on the cutting surface to ensure accurate, straight cuts. (Use only for fabric!) And, small snips or embroidery scissors for trimming threads.
  • Tape measure: Flexible and 60” long to accurately take body measurements, measure fabric, and lay out patterns on fabric. 
  • Pins and a pincushion: Straight pins with a flat metal head or round-headed ball pins, plus a pincushion or magnetic holder to keep them organized.
  • Seam ripper: A small handled tool with a forked end to cut and remove stitches.
  • Fabric marking tools to temporarily mark the placement of closures, darts, pockets, stitching lines, and other design elements. Here are some options: How Do These 7 Fabric Marking Tools Stack Up?
  • An iron and an ironing board to press as you go, streamlining assembly and improving your finished results.
  • Sewing machine (optional!) to speed up your sewing and to create more durable and consistent seams. 

Back to Top

Terminology:

  • Backstitch: Two or three reverse stitches at the beginning and end seams to prevent them from coming undone.
  • Basting: Temporary, loose stitches used to hold fabric in place - baste by hand or use the longest stitch length on your sewing machine.
  • A bobbin is a small spool of thread that supplies the bottom thread in machine-sewn stitches. It's loaded into a bobbin case and then inserted into your sewing machine. (Note: Bobbins are not universal and may vary in size and shape depending on the make and model of your sewing machine.)
  • Ease is the difference between your body measurements and the final measurements of a garment. Wearing ease allows for movement while design ease creates the style or silhouette of the garment. 
  • Facings are partial linings that finish the raw edges of necklines, armholes, and other outside edges. 
  • Grainline: The straight or lengthwise grain of a fabric runs parallel to the selvage edge, the cross-grain runs perpendicular to the selvage, and the bias is at a 45-degree angle to the selvage. 
  • Interfacing lies between the lining or facing and the outer fabric of a garment and is used to stabilize and add structure to a garment.
  • Lining: A smooth layer of fabric on the inside of a garment that makes it more comfortable to wear, hides construction details, adds longevity, and may add warmth.
  • Notions are buttons, zippers, hooks, lace, elastic, and similar items that are needed to close or finish a garment.
  • A sewing pattern is a blueprint for creating a specific item. It includes paper or digital pattern pieces for each part of the item, a list of required materials, and step-by-step instructions for cutting the fabric, assembling the pieces, and finishing the final product. Note: You'll need to download, print, and assemble digital patterns before use.
  • Preshrink: Laundering your fabric as you plan to launder your finished item before you cut out your pattern pieces. Tips on How and Why to Pre-Wash Fabric.
  • Sewing machines have presser feet to hold fabric flat while being sewn. There are many different types of presser feet for specialized tasks, as shown in this Guide to Sewing Machine Presser Feet for Beginners.
  • Raw edge: The unfinished, cut edge of fabric.
  • Right side: The side of the fabric that is on the outside of the finished item. 
  • Right sides together: Most seams are sewn by pinning the right sides of the fabric pieces together, matching notches and other markings before stitching. 
  • Seam allowance: The width between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line, generally ⅝” for garment sewing. 
  • The selvage is the tightly woven, self-finished edge of fabric that runs lengthwise along both sides of the fabric. 
  • Stitch length varies with your fabric and project. A good starting place is 2.5 mm.
  • Tension refers to the tension on the top and bobbin threads of a sewing machine, which can be independently adjusted.
  • Wrong side: The side of the fabric that is on the inside of a finished item.

Back to Top

Process:

  • Choose a pattern, fabric, and notions.
  • Pre-shrink and iron your fabric.
  • Follow the pattern cutting layout to place your pattern pieces on your fabric and cut them out. Mark any notches or symbols.
  • Follow the pattern instructions to assemble your project, pressing seams open and clipping/trimming seam allowances as necessary.
  • Hem or finish raw edges.

Back to Top

Variations:

  • Couture sewing is characterized by extensive hand-stitching, unique detailing, luxurious materials, personalized fit, and meticulous craftsmanship.
  • Fancy sewing refers to decorative and non-essential sewing, done for embellishment rather than function. It includes:
  • Machine embroidery to sew pre-programmed designs. 
  • Free-motion embroidery to “draw” on fabric by using your sewing machine needle as a “pen”. 
  • Hand embroidery to embellish with hand-stitched designs. (Check out our Embroidery resource.)
  • Heirloom sewing creates delicate and detailed embellishments, including lace insertions, tucks, ribbons, smocking, entredeux, and embroidery. A sewing machine can be used to imitate these traditionally hand-sewn techniques.
  • Quilting involves creating a fabric "sandwich" of three layers and stitching them together to create a padded material. (Check out our Quilting resource.)
  • Tailoring is molding and shaping a garment to create a perfect fit through the use of steam pressing, interfacing, interlining, and lining. 

Back to Top

FAQ's:

  • Do I need a fancy/expensive sewing machine? No. You can hand-stitch or use any basic sewing machine that has straight and zig-zag stitches. 
  • What kind of fabric should I use for my first sewing project? In general, choose a stable woven or double-knit fabric and avoid stripes, plaids, and large-scale prints, which are hard to match at seams.
  • What is the difference between woven and knit fabrics? Woven fabrics are made by interlacing threads at right angles, making them stable and non-stretchy (unless blended with elastic fibers). Knit fabrics, on the other hand, are made from interlocking loops, making them stretchy and flexible.
  • What size should I cut? Look at the finished garment dimensions printed on the pattern and compare them to your measurements (or to the measurements of a garment that fits you well) at points where the garment is fairly fitted. Then, cut the size that accommodates your measurements plus your desired amount of wearing ease (usually 1-2 inches) at those locations. Note: If you are different sizes in your chest, waist, and hips, cut each part to the right size and blend them together. 
  • How do I thread my sewing machine? Follow the path printed on the machine or the step-by-step threading guide in your machine’s manual. (Manuals can often be found online if you no longer have yours.)
  • Which way do I stick the pins in? Place the pens perpendicular to the seam line, and try to keep them within seam allowances. It is best to remove the pins before you sew over them to avoid breaking your sewing machine needle. 
  • How do I fix a mistake? Use a seam ripper to remove the stitches. 
  • Arrrrg! There are too many terms to describe someone who sews! The terms are often used interchangeably today, but they differed historically:
  • Dressmakers traditionally specialized in creating women’s custom garments from scratch.
  • Seamstresses are skilled in sewing, alterations, and repairs.
  • A sewist refers to a person who sews, often as a hobby. It is a modern alternative to a seamstress or tailor.
  • Tailors have traditionally specialized in creating custom-made suits for men.
  • What is a serger, and do I need one? Sergers are specialized machines that trim, stitch, and finish a seam in one pass. They are useful but not essential for seam finishing and working with knit fabrics.

Back to Top

About This Resource:

This resource is intended to provide a broad overview of sewing - enough to get you started on your sewing journey. It is not meant to be a comprehensive tutorial or listing of resources. Please email if you have any suggested corrections, updates, or improvements.


If you've enjoyed this complementary resource, please join our SEFAA Community!

Back to Top