Hand stitch. What types of stitches are there on modern sewing machines?

Sewing is a method of joining and decorating pieces of fabric by inserting and withdrawing a needle and thread into and out of the fabric. Having mastered several basic types of stitches, you can sew clothes and household items, repair and alter them. Even when using sewing machine many jobs must be done manually.

Types of needles for hand sewing

Needles vary in number (1-28, the higher the number, the thinner the needle) and the type of point. For most work, extra sharp needles No. 7 and 8 are considered the most suitable, but they have a small eye. Embroidery ones of the same size have a larger eyelet, making it easier to thread the thread. Embroidery needles bigger size have a blunter end and are used for projects such as wool embroidery, darning and needle lace. Tapestry needles have a blunt end. Medium needles are good for thin fabrics.

Start and end of work

For any hand stitches, stitches and embroidery thread must be secured to the wrong side of the fabric using a small knot at the end of the thread or several stitches, one on top of the other, on the wrong side. With the exception of the herringbone stitch (zigzag stitch), all seams are sewn from right to left. Finish by making a few stitches, one on top of the other, and cutting the thread close to the fabric.

Types of seams

For basting, stitching and gathering. Grasp the fabric with the tip of the needle several times, then pull the entire needle out. Keep stitches and spacing small and even for quilting and gathering, and longer for basting.

For sewing pieces of fabric and embroidering. Bring the needle from the wrong side to the right side. Insert the needle into a point 1.5-3 mm (or half the stitch length) behind the point from which you pulled the thread. Bring the needle back in front of this point at the same distance and repeat.

For filing. Performed from left to right. Insert the needle on the bias over the edge of the hem and bring it out to the left of this point. Bring the needle back on the bias over the edge of the hem, insert at the bottom, and bring it out to the left of that point.

Used for hemming, unnoticeable. Bring the needle through the edge of the hem. Directly opposite this point, hook the needle onto one thread of the fabric's weave. Then insert the needle diagonally through the edge of the hem 6-10 mm to the left. Continue making even stitches.

Used to make hemming invisible. Fold back the hem and secure the thread inside. Make very small stitches at 6mm intervals, picking up one thread first of the main fabric, then of the hem material. Continue alternating stitches until the end. Do not pull the stitches together or they will create puckers.

Used to join two folded edges of fabric (left) or a folded edge to the main surface. Fasten the thread and bring the needle through the folded edge. Make a very small stitch and insert the needle into the main surface, then bring the needle out through a fold of about 6mm. Continue sewing, making sure that most of the thread is not visible.

And finally, according to tradition, a few more “golden rules” of hand sewing.

Sewing secrets

Try to make the stitches very neat and even.

Select stitch and needle size according to thread and fabric.

While working, the main part of the fabric is in front of you.

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Types of seams and their application

A seam is the joining of two or more layers of fabric by hand or machine stitching in a certain position.

There are many various types seams, and each of them has its own purpose. The parts of the product are swept away with one seam, with another - they are firmly connected, with a third - the bottom of the product is hemmed, etc.

All seams, according to the method of their execution, are divided into two groups - manual and machine. Some work can only be done manually, for example, basting, laying copy stitches - snares, etc., others can be done either by machine or by hand.

Let's look at the types and uses of hand stitches.

Padding seam (Fig. 11). Performed with regular stitches. The needle is inserted from right to left, the thread is tensioned evenly. The distance between the stitches and their length are 2-3 millimeters

Rice. 11. Padding seam.

The spacer stitch is used to mark the middle of the product and lines corrected with pins during fitting, as well as for making gathers.

Copy stitches - snares

Copy stitches - snares are used to transfer lines to identical, paired parts after cutting a product or to transfer from right side to the left, symmetrical lines changed when trying on.

Snare stitches are a type of slip stitch. The needle is injected from right to left. The length of the stitches and the distance between them should not exceed 0.5 centimeters. However, the stitches are not tightened, but left in the form of a loop 1-1.5 centimeters long (Fig. 12a).

Rice. 12a. Copy stitches (snares).

The snares are laid with a double thread having a length of no more than 90 centimeters. Threads used for this purpose must be soft, non-mercerized.

Rice. 12b. Copy stitches (snares).

After applying the snare, the parts are moved apart, the threads between the parts are pulled and cut (Fig. 126). In this way, the same pattern outline is obtained on the right and left sides of the product.

Running stitch (Fig. 13). It is used in all cases of temporary fastening of parts together to prepare the product for fitting or ironing.

Rice. 13. Running stitch.

Stitches are performed from right to left at intervals, combining short stitches with long ones. The length of the running seam depends on its purpose and the density of the fabric.

Overlock stitch (Fig. 14). Used to permanently secure and seal the cut edge to prevent fabric from fraying. The stitches are kept small. The needle is inserted from right to left over the edge.

Rice. 14. Overlock stitch.

Blind seam. Used to secure the folded edges of the fabric at the bottom of a blouse, skirt, dress, jacket, sleeve, etc.

When making a hidden seam, the needle is inserted from right to left, capturing no more than one thread top fabric, and then grabbing the edge of the top fold of the binder. The thread is not stretched too much (Fig. 15a).

Rice. 15a. Blind seam.

The blind seam is made with silk thread of the same color as the main fabric. On thick fabrics, the hem can be cut with toes and hemmed with a hidden seam (Fig. 15b).

Rice. 15b. Blind seam.

Loop stitch

Loop stitch. It is mainly used for sewing buttonholes and seams on loose fabrics.

The loops are made as follows.

A thick thread is laid around the frame (slot) and then sewn with a buttonhole stitch. To do this, the thread is placed in a loop around the needle or the thread loop is grabbed with the needle after it comes out of the fabric. The stitches should be small and densely spaced.

At the beginning and at the end of the loop, tacks are made by laying 2-3 longitudinal threads, and then wrapping them closely in lobe turns so that 10-20 turns are obtained in 1 centimeter (Fig. 16a).

When we talk about embroidery, the first thing that comes to mind is cross stitch. But there are a huge number of other decorative stitches and embroidery techniques in the world. Decorative seams do not mean complicated ones. It is often easier to embroider with them than with a cross. Many hand-made decorative seams do not require such scrupulous calculations as a cross and “forgive” the mistakes of inexperienced fingers. There is one more plus. With simple stitches you can do embroidery not on canvas, but on regular fabric. Embroider directly on the corner of the tablecloth, or decorate jeans with decorative stitches. There are many options! And no outline. You can even make spectacular embroideries using a “forward needle” stitch. How much easier can it be? What can we say about the potential of a chain stitch or “French knots”.

The simple stitches that we are going to talk about will become excellent embroidery material for beginning needlewomen.

Straight stitch.

This is the most basic stitch. You can use it to embroider anything. It can be laid in any direction, of any length.

Snowflake with straight stitches. Draw a circle and mark the middle. We mark the circle with the required number of petal points. We bring the needle out from the center and make stitches, all the time returning the needle to the center. V-A; S-A; D-A and so on.

Seam "forward needle"

Perhaps the most famous simplest seam. To decorate it, you can change the length of the stitches: for example, 2 short, 1 long, etc.

Surface

Satin stitch is a very beautiful independent embroidery. It was especially widespread in the middle of the last century. Perhaps someone at home still has their grandmother’s satin stitch embroidery – pillowcases, napkins. You can use the satin stitch as an element for filling. The stitches in this technique are placed neatly parallel to each other along the entire shape that needs to be filled.

How to sew with satin stitch: First, draw the desired shape on the fabric. We start from the edge of the drawing. We remove the needle from wrong side at point A. We stick in at point B, and then bring it out onto the face at point C, next to point A. We continue to embroider tightly, placing stitches one next to the other.

Back stitch or stitch

The backstitch with a needle is often used: it is used to embroider stems, inscriptions, and make an outline (for example, in cross stitch). Sew by hand when you need to sew two parts together tightly.

How to sew with a back stitch: Draw a line on the fabric. We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. We stick it in at point B, it is located behind point A. And then we bring it out to the face at point C, it is in front of point A. We make the next stitch by sticking the needle into point A and bring it out in front of point C.

Stem seam

Like the backstitch stitch, stem stitch embroidery is used for stems, inscriptions, and outline designs.

How to sew with a stem stitch: Draw a line on the fabric. We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A at the beginning of the line. We make a stitch B-C, point C is in the middle between A and B. The following stitches: D - B, E - Di.etc. The thread should always remain on one side when making stitches. When bending the line, the stitches may fall apart; to prevent this from happening, the stitches can be made smaller.

What does this line look like? finished product can be seen, for example, on It is completely made with this seam.

Fern seam

Decorative seam. The fern stitch looks like a stem with leaves. To make the design look more natural, you can change the angle and length of the leaves.

How to sew with a fern stitch: Let's draw a curved line. We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A at some distance from the beginning of the line. We insert the needle at point B (the beginning of the line)) and bring it to the face at point C (on the side of the intended line), and pull out the thread. Making stitch A -D (pointD is on the other side of the intended line), pull out the thread. Next we make a stitch A – E along the line. It turns out to be a stem with branches.

Chain stitch

One of the most common and beautiful decorative seams. The small, children's machine "Grasshopper" sews with this seam. They begin to embroider with chain stitch as early as kindergarten, for some reason it is considered to be very simple. They can be used to sew along a line, outline a design, embroider an inscription, and even fill out a form.

How to sew with a chain stitch: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. We stick the needle in at point B (next to point A) and bring it out to the face at point C, but do not pull the thread until we pass it under the formed loop. Next, we make the next loop: by inserting the needle next to point C (inside the previous loop) and bringing it out at point E. Again we thread it through the resulting loop, etc. To finish the seam, insert a needle into the pointF and bring the thread to the wrong side.

Completely made with chain stitch.

Loop stitch or edge stitch

This seam is used to process the edge of the product, overcast in manual loop for buttons. It looks very nice and is easy to make. Can be used as a decorative stitch.

How to sew with a buttonhole stitch: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. We stick the needle in at point B and bring it out to the face at point C, but do not pull the thread through until we pass it under the needle. We continue to place stitches from left to right. When the row is completed, stick the needle into the pointD is just beyond the loop. Try to place stitches evenly spaced apart.

You can alternate the length of the stitch legs - it will turn out beautifully.

You can read more about . There are options and various decorations for this seam.

Tambour loop (flower)

The chain stitch is a variation of the chain stitch in which each loop in the chain is embroidered separately. If you embroider several chain stitches around the central point, you will get a flower. The leaf will come out of a separate chain loop

How to embroider with chain stitch: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. We stick the needle in at point B (next to point A) and bring it out to the face at point C, but do not pull the thread until we pass it under the formed loop. Next, insert the needle into the pointD, thereby closing the petal-loop, and draw it out at point A. We continue to make petals in a circle.

Open decorative loop or U-loop or half-loop

This loop is similar to a tambour loop, but with an open end. Open decorative loop you can embroider petals on a flower, or rays of the sun.

How to embroider with an open decorative loop: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. We stick the needle in at point B (away from point A) and bring it out onto the face at point C, put the thread under the needle and pull it out. Next, insert the needle into the pointD, thereby securing the thread. Stitch C-D can be made in different lengths.

Velvet seam, or “goat”

Decorative velvet stitch, similar to a series of crosses located close to each other. Performed along two parallel lines.

How to make a velvet seam: Draw two parallel lines. We work from left to right. We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A at the beginning of the intended line of the top line. Make a backstitch on the bottom line B - C, then a backstitch on the top lineD-E etc.

Herringbone seam

The herringbone stitch is very decorative. It's a pleasure to embroider and easy to make. You can sew evenly and neatly, then you will get a strict geometric pattern. You can also vary the inclination and length of the stitches, then the pattern will come out more natural.

How to sew a herringbone seam: Let's draw a line on the fabric. We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A at the beginning of the intended line. We insert the needle at point B (on the side of point A)) and bring it to the face at point C (in front along the intended line), pull out the thread, having first threaded it under the needle. The result is a half-loop. Making a stitchD - E (pointD is on the other side of the intended line), pull out the thread, also passing it under the needle. We continue to embroider. At the end, to secure the seam, we bring the needle to the wrong side on the other side of the loop, as in a chain stitch.

Chicken track or fishbone stitch

This decorative stitch is good for embroidering plant leaves; it seems as if it was specially created for this purpose. You can sew by placing the threads tightly together. Or you can embroider freely and get an openwork leaf.

How to make a chicken trail seam: Let's draw a shape (for example, a leaf). We bring the needle out from the wrong side in the corner of the drawn shape at point A and make a straight stitch B-C (point B is on the central axis, point C is on the edge on the stroke line). Next we do stitch D-E(D – from the other edge on the stroke line, E – on the central axis), we put the thread under the needle and pull the thread. We fasten the thread by inserting the needle into point F and bringing it out next to point C. We continue to embroider until we fill out the entire form.

French knot

French knot is used in embroidery as an element. They protrude slightly above the surface of the embroidery. Flower centers are often made using a French knot. If you place the knots close to each other, you can get curly hair.

How to embroider french knot: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. With our left hand we draw the thread around the needle twice. We turn the needle perpendicular to the fabric and stick it in at point B (next to point A), pulling the wrap tightly. We bring the needle to the wrong side, and to front side it turned out to be a knot.

Sheaf seam

This stitch is so named because it truly resembles sheaves of wheat. The “sheaf” seam is easy to make and looks original. He can decorate the napkin.

How to make a sheaf seam: We make three straight stitches (length 1.2 cm, gap 0.3 cm) We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A, in the middle between the first and second stitch. We wrap the needle and thread twice around three stitches, pulling the thread tightly. To finish the knot, insert the needle into point B.

sheaf seam

Spider seam

Beautiful and original decorative seam. The number of main stitches should be odd. It is interesting to use threads in this seam different colors for basic stitches and for wrapping. If you do not wrap around the entire length of the stitches, you will end up with a sun or a flower. For twisting, it is better to use a blunt needle, or twist with the other side of the needle.

How to make a spider seam: Draw a circle and mark the middle. We make a snowflake with straight stitches. There should be an odd number of rays. We bring the needle with a blunt end out from the wrong side at point A (closer to the center. We twist the rays, bringing the needle under them, then above them, alternating. We fill the base in a spiral outward. Finish the embroidery by stretching the thread to the wrong side.

Seam "flooring"

The “flooring” stitch is fun to embroider; it is somewhat similar to the “spider” stitch. It turns out a piece of floating fabric. You can twist two warp threads - you get a petal or leaf for a flower. You can make a large leaf from several warp threads. You can also play with the tension of the wrapping threads - you’ll get different interesting shapes. Interesting to take different colors threads for warp and wrapping.

How to make a flooring seam: We lay two straight stitches on the fabric, not very far from one another. We pull out the wrapping thread at the beginning of the resulting stitches and pass the needle over the first thread and under the second. We turn the needle and, without touching the fabric, again pass the needle over the first thread and under the second. (The counting is already on the other side). Continue until the warp threads are completely filled.

Coil or rococo knots

For a rococo knot, the thread is wrapped around a needle and a voluminous stitch is obtained. This knot is quite complex in execution, but effective. They can be used to embroider rose petals, furry animal hair or dreadlocks.

How to make rococo knots: We bring the needle out from the wrong side at point A. Make a stitch B-A (about 0.6 cm) With your left hand we draw the thread around the needle seven times. Holding the wound thread on the needle, push the needle through the winding and the fabric, the knot will slide to point B. Carefully distribute the winding along the entire stitch. To finish the knot, insert the needle into point B.

Decorative mesh

Decorative mesh is good for quickly filling large spaces. Large long stitches fill the entire shape vertically and horizontally. And at the intersection of the threads, small crosses can be made with a contrasting thread or a thread of the same color.

How to embroider a decorative mesh: At the first stage, we fill the entire form with straight vertical stitches from edge to edge at an equal distance from each other. On the second one, we do the same thing, just add horizontal stitches. And at the end, to attach our threads to the fabric, we embroider a cross at each intersection.

Transfer the design to the fabric.

Method 1. If the fabric is thin enough, you can transfer the pattern glazing. For this, use a backlit table or a regular one. window glass. Glue the design to the glass with tape, place the fabric on top and also glue with tape. Trace the drawing with a pencil or water-soluble marker.

Method 2. You can transfer the design onto thick or dark fabric using carbon paper. We place the fabric on a flat surface, then carbon paper, the colored side to the fabric, then our drawing. Outline the drawing ballpoint pen. To prevent the lines from being erased, it is advisable to outline the design on the fabric with a water-soluble marker.

Method 3. We print the design we need on an inkjet printer. Place the fabric on ironing board, design on top, printed side down and iron with an iron without steam. If the drawing is not bright, you can outline it with a marker. The resulting lines are not erased in this way and also: on the material your drawing will be mirror-like.

Centering the drawing

To find the middle of a rectangle, you need to fold the fabric or paper design in half. Draw a line along the fold line. We do the same horizontally. The intersection of the lines will be the middle.

If the pattern is not rectangular: fold it in both directions, matching the widest and longest parts of the pattern. Draw a pencil along the fold line.

Place the fabric and paper design on the table, matching the horizontal and vertical lines.

Beginnings and endings

Materials used from the book by Nicholas Christin “Designer Embroidery. 65 new ideas for home decoration"

Seams made by machine

They are also, in turn, divided into several subcategories. Depending on the purpose, there are the following machine seams:

• connecting - as the main types of connections are used directly to assemble parts into a single product. This category includes stitching, sewing, overlay, adjustment, double seams and butt joints;
• edge - this group is performed in the process of processing the lower and side cuts of parts. Here the hem and edging seams are distinguished;
• decorative - used for decoration products.

Various options available a large number of, we will look at the main machine seams that are most widely used.

Stitch seam

This is the simplest type, it is performed in the following sequence:

1. The parts must be connected by aligning the front side of the fabric, fastened with pins or basting along a line that was previously marked with chalk. Typically, the starting width of the seam should be limited to 5-20 mm.
2. We perform a straight stitch along the connection line with the obligatory fastening of the thread at the beginning and end of the seam. This is ensured by running a 1 cm long stitch in opposite directions.
3. The sections of the assembled parts must be swept. This can be done in two ways, which depend on the further application of the seam. The first method is ironing, when two sections are overcast separately and ironed in the same order. The second option is called ironing. With this method, the edges are finished with an overlock stitch or an overlock stitch together.
4. After processing the sections, remove the basting thread and heat treat the seam with an iron. Depending on how the basting was done, we iron the sections separately or together.

Overlay seam

It can be performed using two technologies, when the cut is open or closed.

• Open cut. This type of seam can also be obtained in two ways. In the first one, one part is combined with another not by cuts, but by smell, which should be 15-20 mm. Next, the stitching is done on the machine parallel to the edge. Another technique involves placing a part with a curved and ironed edge on top of a second one, and the cuts are aligned. The stitching should be parallel to the folded edge. At the end of the seam using this method, a folded joint is obtained on the front side, and two unprocessed cuts on the back side.
• Closed cut. Docking front side two parts, retreating the edges at a distance of 5-10 mm. We lay the first line along the wrong side, and the distance from the edge should not exceed 5 mm. We bend the part along the completed line to the front side. The fold must be made in such a way that the cut overlaps the top stitching. Then we make a second seam with an indent parallel to the edge.

Making a backstitch

This type found its application in the creation process bed linen. The sewing seam is performed using the following technology:

1. We combine two parts facing each other. In this case, the lower cut should protrude by the size of the finished seam, the size of the protrusion should be within 8-9 mm.
2. We make a bend, using the edge of the lower part to grab the cut edge from the upper part.
3. We make the first line; it should be located at a distance of 1-2 mm from the folded edge.
4. To obtain backing seam, unfold the parts and lay them out on the front side.
5. By turning the connected part, we close the smaller cut and perform the second line, departing from the edge no more than 2 mm.

Double or French seam

It is performed as a continuation of the stitch seam in the following order:

1. In order to complete double seam, it is necessary to lay out the parts not on the front side, but on the wrong side, both cuts must be aligned in one line.
2. We sew the edges along the front side with an indentation of 3-4 mm.
3. We smooth the cuts.
4. We turn the parts inside out, matching the right sides.
5. We perform the second line, it should be located at a distance of approximately 5-7 mm from the resulting fold, and the internal sections should be completely covered by the top seam.
6. Iron the double seam.

Adjustment stitch

The layout of the parts in this case is carried out with the front sides inward, and the sections should be connected in one line.

• We make a regular stitch seam parallel to the cut line.
• After joining, the upper part is bent and ironed.
• Now you need to sew a line that will run along the front side. It will connect three layers of material at the same time - the bottom piece and both seam allowances. If the material is thick enough then you can shift the bottom edge by half a centimeter. This technique will lead to the fact that when performing a line middle layer the material will overlap and end up inside.
• Basically, an adjustment seam is used to join lightweight materials that allow you to bend and iron seam allowances, thereby preventing the fabric from fraying.

Hem

This type of connection is used to decorate the lower edges of products. It can be done in three ways:

• With a closed cut. To do this, you need to fold the bottom to the wrong side twice. The first bend is made with a size of 5 mm. The second turn depends on the type of fabric and can vary from 5 to 10 mm. The stitch is laid along the edge of the fold.
• WITH open cut. To obtain such a seam, the overlap is folded to the wrong side and a stitch is made with an indentation of 2 mm from the edge of the resulting fold. To perform this stitch, you can use either a straight or zigzag shape.
• Narrow seam. To perform it, a fold of 3 mm is made on the wrong side, which is basted and stitched with an indentation of 1.5-2 mm from the fold. Excess fabric is cut off almost at the very edge. If we're talking about about a fabric such as knitwear, then the process can be stopped at this point. Such knitted seam performed on special machines, on the front side it will have the shape of a regular stitch, and on the back side it will look like an overlock stitch. For regular fabric, a second fold is made at a distance of 2-3 mm and another stitch is applied.

Edge stitch

To perform it, you will need special strips called facings. They are usually placed in the direction of the thread of the main parts. The shape of the sewn facing should be the same on both the front and back sides.

Edge sewing seams can have different designs:

• With a closed cut. The seam can be made in two different ways:

We fold the part and the facing tape facing each other and align the cuts. Then basting is done. The seam is made and the basting is removed. The allowances are ironed and cut to size 3-5 mm. The cut edges are turned around with a facing, the edge is folded and stitched.

For the second option, the facing tape is folded in half with the wrong side inward. Then it is applied to the front side of the part with the cuts aligned and stitched. The sections of the parts are wrapped in a strip, and the stitching is applied almost along the very fold of the facing.

• With an open cut. This treatment is performed with the first version of the closed cut edge stitch. Only in this case, the edge with which the cuts are wrapped is not tucked.

Hand stitches

In most cases, you can make seams by machine, but doing it by hand is also important. There are connections that can only be made in manual version, for example, running or copy stitch. All connections of this kind can be divided into four categories according to technology. So, let’s find out what types of hand stitches exist:

• Seam by needle. Using this technology, a line or stitch stitch, as well as a marking seam, is sewn.
• Forward with a needle. This includes the implementation of such types as spacer, copying, and running connections.
• Hem. This method makes a hidden or hemmed connection.
• Regional. This category includes overcast and buttonhole stitches.

Let's look at the most common types of hand sewing.

Interlining seam

It is performed using a simple “needle forward” technology, which is ordinary stitches. The needle is inserted at a distance of 2-4 threads and carried forward until the end of the seam. The sewing direction is from right to left, and there should be even thread tension. Spacer seams are used on the fabric when assembling product parts. They also indicate the middle of the parts.

Running stitch

At its core, this is a temporary connection that is removed after the main machine seam is completed. For such work, it is advisable to choose thin threads so that after their removal there are no holes left in the fabric. An elastic thread is ideal for this work. The length of the basting can vary between 7-25 cm, it depends on the parts being assembled. The stitch size should not exceed 10 mm. This value depends on the thickness of the material being stitched.

Copy seam

The purpose of these seams is to transfer symmetrically to paired parts required sizes and lines. Marking lines and contour marks are marked with a copy seam. This seam is otherwise called a snare. It is a type of gasket joint. The direction of the thread when laying is from right to left. The seam is made with a double thread, which should be soft, and its length should not exceed 90 cm. As for the stitches, their size should not exceed 5 mm, the same requirement applies to the distance between them. The thread should not be tightened, but remain in the form of a loop up to 15 mm. After completing the work, it is necessary to move the parts apart and cut the threads between them, for this purpose the loops were left. As a result, symmetrical markings are obtained on both parts, and the patterns will have the same appearance.

Stitching and marking seams

This hand stitching is similar in shape to a regular machine stitch. Work begins using the same technology as the running stitch. After completing the first stitch, the needle pierces the fabric and the thread is brought out to the right side, as for the next step. But now the sewing direction changes in the opposite direction, that is, backwards, and the needle is inserted into the hole created by the end of the first stitch. On the right side of the fabric, the seam should look like a regular seam-stitch; to do this, you need to run it along one line, keeping the stitches the same size. On the reverse side, the stitches partially overlap. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can make these stitches by hand. They will become indispensable in repairing any thing that has become torn. machine stitch.

The marking seam is created using the same technology, the only difference is that the stitches are made at a distance, not close to each other. This size should be half a stitch.

Hemming seams

They are used to process the bottom edge of the product. For such work it is necessary to first prepare the edge. For this:

• the entire allowance is folded in and basted at a distance of 5-10 mm from the resulting fold;
• the cut is folded a second time at the same distance and a second basting is performed with an indentation of 2-3 mm;
• the resulting lapel is ironed.

Now you can proceed directly to making the hemming seam. The edge of the fold is pierced with a needle and the thread is pulled through, now several threads of the main fabric are captured. Then the fold is pierced again, then the process is repeated until the end of the seam. Typically, such stitches are applied at a slight angle; there should be 3 stitches per 1 cm of seam.

Blind hem stitch

In the connection discussed above, the connection stitches are laid over the fold, as a result they will be visible from the inside. If you perform the hemming operation using a different technology, you will get blind seam.

The preparation of the tucked layer occurs in the same sequence as with a regular hemming seam. Then the order of execution changes:

• the folded hem allowance is turned to the right side, leaving a section of up to 3 mm;
• the thread is secured in the folded allowance;
• the needle is inserted under the fold of the edge, which is hemmed (you need to grab about two or three threads of the main fabric);
• The direction of work is from right to left, and the thread should not be too tight. The number of stitches that a blind seam will contain per 1 cm should be two or three pieces.

Overlock seams

This treatment is performed in order to prevent fraying and fraying of the edges of the product. Types of seams of this type there are the following:

• Oblique overlock stitch is performed by grasping the edge, and the needle movement should be from bottom to top. The direction of work is from right to left, while the stitch density should be the same as for hemming seams.
• Another type is the cross stitch. At first, the work is carried out in one direction, as with an oblique stitch; having reached the end of the seam, the direction changes in the strictly opposite direction, and the stitches are placed crosswise over the already stitched ones. In this case, the work does not rotate, but remains in the same position. Edge processing can be done using loops.

Loop seams

Basically, this type of edge processing is used if the fabric has increased flowability. It can also be used to decorate edges fabric applications. A buttonhole stitch is very similar in appearance to a machine overlock stitch. The sequence of its execution is as follows:

1. We fasten the thread to the edge of the cut; the fastening should be quite reliable.
2. We pierce the fabric in the right place with a needle away from us.
3. Without removing the needle from the fabric, we pass the thread through the loop and pull it out of the fabric.
4. We tighten the resulting loop, the upper part should lie on the cut, thereby protecting it from falling apart.
5. We perform the second stitch, the distance from the puncture site to the edge should be within 4-6 mm, and no more than 3 stitches should be placed per 1 cm of fabric. You can wrap the thread around the needle when it is in the fabric. Or you need to stretch it to the thread.

In this sequence, a loop stitch is made to the end of the cut. The direction of work is from left to right. This type of seam is often used for knitted fabrics. It is better to use an elastic thread in your work. How to make a beautiful and even knitted seam? The answer is simple: try to maintain the same size of punctures.

Types of stitches for embroidery

They can be classified as separate category, because although they are manual, some are performed using a different technology. For embroidery, the interfacing, buttonhole and line stitches discussed above are used. There are other types:

• stalked;
• tambour;
• herringbone;
• goat.

All of them belong to the simplest contour seams and serve as an auxiliary element. More complex seams for embroidery, they represent two separate directions, in the process of which some auxiliary elements are used.

Stem stitch embroidery

Use a seam like this separate element for decoration of plant ornaments, flowers, buds, stems, leaves. Also, the stem seam is used for edging already finished parts embroidery as a finishing element. Very often, capital letters are embroidered using this technique.

This seam is made as follows:

• The thread is secured from the left edge and brought to the front side.
• Step 3 mm and stick the needle in to form the first stitch. When embroidering, the movement is from left to right. For getting correct seam the needle point should be directed to the left.
• The needle is brought out in the middle of the future stitch. Make sure that the needle does not split the thread in the loop.
• Pull the thread to align the stitch.
• We use the same technology next step, and so on until the end of the seam length.

If the drawing requires a curved line, we tilt the stitches so that the direction falls on the outer line. When filling a certain contour, the stem seam must be started from the same side.

Chain stitch

It consists of a continuous series of loops that come out of one another and line up. The thread is fixed to the canvas, and the work begins on the front side. The thread is placed in the loop from left to right. The needle pierces the fabric in the place from which the thread came out after fastening, and is withdrawn at the distance that should be the size of the loop. The needle comes out in the middle of the laid loop, and the thread should be under the needle. This embroidery element is used in complex patterns to form stripes or to sew outlines.

Cross stitch

Embroidery stitches of this type are very popular. With their help, you can create entire masterpieces in the form of paintings. For such embroidery, a special material is used - canvas; it has a pronounced cellular structure, which ensures equally even crosses. Let's consider the process of creating this seam:

1. Fasten the thread and perform an oblique stitch from bottom to top.
2. We pierce the fabric from the wrong side at the level of the lower end of the first stitch and bring the thread to the front side, the direction is from left to right.
3. We perform the next oblique stitch and repeat this sequence until required quantity crosses. As a result, the first half of the pattern is completed.
4. On the last cross we fasten the thread in the lower left corner and change the direction of embroidery in the opposite direction.
5. We make the next oblique stitch from the bottom right point to the top left point, overlapping the previous stitch made in the other direction.
6. We bring the needle down to the front side and repeat the process. The cross stitch should end in the place where it started.

Satin embroidery

The term “stitch” means making a pattern with very even stitches, directed in a straight line or at an angle. The types of seams of this pattern are quite varied. So, they can be simple, colored, linen, monochrome, etc. Regardless of what design is chosen for embroidery, you must start with the fact that it must be transferred to the fabric using carbon paper. The outline of the pattern is sewn with stitches made with the needle forward. Then you can start filling out the pattern. The seam is made using large stitches between the finished contours. This filling is called flooring. The covering stitches should overlap the contour lines. To get enough relief drawing, it is necessary to apply stitches with greater density. To make the pattern you are making smooth and beautiful, you should not tighten the fabric with stitches while making the pattern.

This is the simplest straight seam. The line is drawn from right to left. The needle is always directed only forward along the stitching, hence the name of the seam.

The distance between stitches and the length of the stitches may vary, depending on the purpose of the seam. The ways to use this seam are very varied.

1.Running seam. It is used for basting, that is, for temporarily connecting parts in preparation for fitting. “White”, that is, finally, the parts are sewn down on a machine, along the line of the basting seam. After this, the basting stitch thread is removed. It comes out of the fabric easily if you pull it. The length of the stitches in case of basting can reach 3-5 cm.

2. Interlining seam. It is performed in the same way as basting, but only on one layer of fabric. It is used to apply lines and marks (darts, marking the middle of a part, etc.)

3. Copy seam (snares). This seam is used to transfer (copy) lines of symmetrical parts. It is performed as follows. Fold two parts and sweep them away. But unlike a regular running stitch, the stitches are made freely and are not tightened so that loops are formed. After the stitching is completed, the parts are moved apart and the thread is cut in the middle. A basting line remains on both parts, the threads of which can then be easily pulled out:

4. Assembly. To make the assembly, use this particular seam. They lay a line along the part, and then the part is assembled along this line. Then the ends of the thread are secured so that the assembly does not fall apart.

5. The “forward needle” seam can be used not only as a temporary one, but also as a decorative. You can embroider, for example, a napkin with this stitch. The peculiarity of the decorative stitch, in contrast to the “rough” stitch, is that such a seam requires even, identical stitches. Depending on the purpose and requirements for the type of pattern, the spacing between the stitches on the front side can be reduced to a minimum of 1-2 mm.

2. Seam “Back the needle”, or “Behind the needle”

This seam got its name because, after completing the next stitch, the needle returns back to the end of the penultimate stitch, and leads from it new stitch under the place where the thread was just pulled out. The next thread to the front part is made at a distance equal to double the length of the stitch.

This seam is otherwise called a "machine stitch" because it resembles machine stitching. And it is used in cases where you need to make a stitch of the same quality as on a machine, but it is impossible or difficult to do it with a machine. For example, when replacing a zipper with leather jacket. Another example: a machine seam came apart over a short distance - a few centimeters. It takes too long to take out the machine and refuel it. It’s easier to grab it with a hand stitch. It will hold up no worse than a machine stitch, but you need to stitch it in a caric pattern so that it does not differ in appearance from a machine stitch, and tighten the stitches well so that the seam does not stretch in the future.

3. “Loophole” or overcast seam

The needle is inserted into the fabric at a stitch height distance and moved up to the edge. The first stitch is a simple stitch. Then a loop is made from the thread and a needle is inserted into it in the same way, from bottom to top. Bring it out in front of the loop and tighten it.

This seam is used in the following cases.

1. For sewing buttonholes.

2. For processing the edges of loose fabrics.

3. The buttonhole stitch is used as a finishing stitch when processing the edges of napkins, clothing, and felt products.

Depending on the purpose, the height and width of the stitches may vary. Typically, the density of a buttonhole seam is 2-3 stitches 4-6 mm long per 1 cm of fabric.

The buttonhole stitch can also be used for embroidery.