Even a novice dressmaker knows that hand stitches are the joining of several parts together using a needle and thread. It’s no secret that the quality of the handiwork depends on appearance sewn product.

Let's look at a few examples of hand stitches that will be useful to a novice seamstress in further work on the manufacture of garments.

What will you need?

• Fabric or several pieces of fabric;
• Needle, thread.

The needle for hand stitching must be straight. The presence of bends on the work tool will provoke incorrect seam execution. Also, don't get carried away large size abalone The larger the eyelet, the more noticeable the hole in the fabric. Chiffon, for example, needs to be sewn with the thinnest needle with the smallest eye.

Hand stitches, technique

Running stitch

It is used for temporarily fastening parts together (for example, for trying on a product). When piercing the fabric, the needle is directed up - down - up... The width of the stitch depends on the fabric and can range from 0.7 mm to 2.5 cm. Some needlewomen alternate narrow and wide stitches in the running seam for speed of stitching and accuracy of fastening.

Basting stitch

Used to temporarily attach one part to another (for example, a pocket to a dress). Outwardly, it is practically no different from a running seam, but the length of the stitch can reach 3 cm. The larger the stitches and the distances between them, the easier it is to remove such a seam after attaching the part.

Copy seam

A copy stitch is used to transfer the lines of future line seams to identical parts (for example, darts on the right and left shelves) or to transfer lines from the front to the wrong side (or vice versa). Narrow stitches are made, left in the form of a loop (not tightened thread). After finishing the stitching line, the parts of the product are moved apart until the threads are stretched, and the flagella formed in the space between the parts are cut. The result is the same contour on the front and back sides of the product or on both parts.

Back stitch

This seam imitates machine stitching. It can be used both when repairing products (for example, trimming and hemming the bottom of trousers), and in the absence of sewing machine. The technique for performing it is quite simple: we insert the needle into the fabric as with a basting or basting seam, then we go back and insert the needle at the end of the previous stitch, making the new stitch longer.

Overlock (buttonhole) stitch

The seam is designed to process the cut of the fabric to prevent it from fraying. There are several types of overlock seams:

• Oblique - the needle moves around the edge, resulting in an inclination of the thread.

• Cross-shaped - double oblique stitch: first the needle goes in a circle in one direction along the entire length, then in the opposite direction along the entire length.

• Looped - stitches are made from left to right of the same height. Each time you need to insert the needle into an already made stitch and tighten the loop.

Note stitch

A tacking stitch is used to secure a folded edge of a garment (for example, the bottom of a skirt). Outwardly similar to basting, but a stitch 1 cm to 3 cm long connects the main product and its folded edge.

Basting stitch

A basting stitch is used to fasten already sewn parts with the seam turned inward (for example, shoulder straps, collars, flaps). This type of seam is applied before ironing or applying decorative stitching over the finished product.

Hemming stitch

The pre-folded edge of the product is processed using a hemming stitch. Unlike the stitching seam, the hemming seam belongs to the category of permanent ones, i.e. After applying such a seam, no additional machine stitching is required. There are several types of hemming seams:

• Simple - similar to the cross stitch, only the needle goes in a circle around the already folded edge. In this case, the grip of the fabric of the product on the front side should be minimal (the main thread load is taken by the wrong side of the product).

• Blind - the needle is inserted into the fold and joint of the product at a very small distance, connecting the parts, the main length of the stitch remains inside the fold.

• Figured - the needle goes from left to right and from bottom to top. We make an internal transverse puncture of the cut, pull out the thread, the next puncture connects the bend and the main product also with a transverse seam.

The hand stitching technique is easy to master. Knowledge in this area is necessary for any person. That is why both girls and boys study hand stitches in technology lessons in schools.

Sooner or later, any housewife ends up with a thread and a needle in her hands, and with them the need arises to hem, overcast, darn or outline something manually. One of the most popular types of manual processing cotton fabric is an overlock stitch, used in cases where the household does not have a sewing machine. Read more about this and other types of seams in our article.

Types of hand stitches for joining fabrics and hemming

Not everyone can boast of having a sewing machine in their home. Luckily this one useful gadget can be partially replaced by manual processing, and it will look no less neat. First, let's talk about the seams that are used when joining and hemming fabrics.

Running stitch. One of the simplest, used for fastening parts or creating assemblies. Stitches (length from 0.2 cm to 5 cm) are laid from right to left at intervals. The stitch length depends on the density of the fabric. For example, if you are processing wool or coarse linen, then the stitch should be longer and the thread and needle thicker. And for such delicate materials as or thin, you should use small stitches and thin needles.

Hemming seam. It is used to secure the hems of sleeves and hem the bottom of a dress, shirt, skirt or shorts.

Subtypes of hem stitches

• Secret– we sew the fabrics from right to left, without tightening the stitches too much. We grab several threads on the fabric that is on top and the edge of the top fold on the bottom layer.

• Velvet seam(cross-shaped, “goat”) - it is used to process dense, non-flowing fabrics: tweed, velvet.

Hand stitching (aka ground stitch). Externally this type processing looks like it was done on a typewriter. The placement of stitches is from right to left without gaps. The thread must be laid in the place where the needle exits, as if returning back after the previous stitch. You can study the seam laying patterns in the figure, and you can also watch the video at the end of the section.

Seam "by the needle" similar in appearance to the previous one with the difference that there are spaces between the stitches. This stitch is ideal if you need to baste striped fabric pieces or join decorative fabric pieces into a plaid pattern.

Plastering– used for fastening dense fabrics, such as drapes, etc., when it is necessary to connect materials joint to joint. Also, such stitches are often used to sew on leather so that the stitching is not visible from the front side. Stitches are made through the edges of the fabric, pulling them towards each other.

Hand stitches for finishing fabric edges

If there is a running stitch, then there must also be a manual overcasting stitch, and this is what will be discussed further. There are different types of overlock stitches.

• Oblique– it is performed from right to left across the edge of the fabric.
• Cross-shaped– we perform a bias seam in two directions at once.
• Looped– we lay the thread in the form of a loop around the needle, from left to right. The length of the stitch should be no more than 0.4 - 0.6 cm.

Used for processing the edges of napkins, tablecloths, sheets and other home textiles. loop seams. Watch the video to see how to make buttonhole stitches.

Another seam used to finish the edges of frills or flounces is called round or “twisted”. To create such a stitch, the fabric is twisted and sewn with frequent bias stitches.

Hand stitches to create marks on fabric

Hand stitches are used not only for finishing edges and fastening fabrics. Sometimes a craftsman needs, for example, to mark the middle of a product, and for this he uses interfacing seam.

Instructions

Learn how to make the simplest, most universal stitch, the “forward needle” stitch. Make a knot at the end of the thread, insert the needle into the fabric and pull it out to the right side of the fabric. Perform the first stitch, moving from right to left: bring the needle to the wrong side of the fabric, then back to the front side. The most important thing when making a seam like this is to make all the stitches the same size in a completely straight line.

Try creating an interesting decorative stitch using simple straight stitches. Carry out a neat stitch according to the pattern of step No. 1. After this, pass the thread through all the stitches on the right side of the fabric, without catching the fabric itself with the needle. You will get a beautiful wavy stitch. To achieve more interesting effects, you can use contrasting threads. Another decorative option: make two “forward needle” seams parallel to each other, then pass the threads under the stitches in a mirror manner.

Practice making a blind seam. You can carefully connect two pieces of linen with ironed seam allowances like this: make a knot in the thread and bring the needle to the face of the product exactly in the seam allowance line. After this, pull the thread and needle into the opposite allowance and carefully tighten the stitch to no more than 2-3 mm in length. Complete the entire seam in this manner.

Hem the bottom of the fabric. Fold and iron the edge of the fabric, then from the wrong side of the product, take the first step of the “needle forward” seam. Grab a thread or two of fabric and carefully tighten the blind stitch. Sew the seam in a straight line close to the edge of the hem and be careful that the stitching is not visible from the outside of the product. It is very important to use thread that exactly matches the fabric and not to tighten the stitches too much.

Hand-sew the cut edge of the fabric to prevent the material from fraying. The simplest overcast stitches are made oblique and placed at the same, close distance to one another. Step back 3-5 mm from the edge of the fabric, secure the thread with a knot and make an oblique stitch that goes around the cut of the fabric. The thread should carefully wrap around the edge without pulling it. Sew the woven edge all the way from right to left, then (without turning the work) sew bias stitches in the opposite direction. The result was a cross stitch.

Always fasten the thread very securely at the end of each seam, otherwise the stitching will unravel. At the end of the work, pull the thread to the wrong side of the fabric and make a couple of small stitches, carefully grabbing the fabric from behind. Form a thread loop, insert a needle into it, grab the fabric again and tighten the knot.

All tailors want to sew a product quickly and efficiently. But as often happens, when working for sewing machine one part is extended relative to another or, conversely, assembled. Or when trying on ready-made clothes, it turns out that the product does not fit the figure. Therefore, before you start laying on a machine, you need to secure the parts or some assembly in front (valve or side corner) manually. Many people neglect handmade due to laziness or speed, however, do not forget about the saying “The slower you go, the further you will go”! The more painstaking the manual work, the easier, faster and better quality a particular unit will be processed.

Types of hand stitches.

There are 7 types of hand stitches in total:

When making hand stitches, you need to make sure that they are even and uniform, and the threads need to be tightened evenly.

Straight stitches

Straight ones are the simplest and very easy to bloom. They are used only temporarily and are removed during further processing. The following lines are made from straight stitches.

Basting stitch

We fold the two parts with their right sides inward, aligning the cuts or control lines, and lay straight stitches 7-15 mm long - with a slight slack in one of the parts, and 15-25 - without slack.

Such stitches are used to connect side, shoulder sections, etc.

Basting stitch

We place one part on top of another and connect them with straight stitches 7-25 mm long - with a fit, and 25-50 mm without a fit.

It is used when you need to connect two parts, placing one on top of the other, as well as to connect small parts with large ones, for example, when you need patch pockets, borders on a shelf, etc.

Note stitch

We bend the cut of the part along the intended line and lay a line of straight stitches 10-30 mm long.

Used to temporarily secure a folded section of a part (sweep the bottom of the product, the bottom of the sleeves, etc.).

Basting stitch

It is used to temporarily secure the facing edge of a part when making products from thin materials and materials with stripes and checkered patterns (flap, collar, bead, etc.). Stitch length – 7-10 mm. The stitch is laid from the side of the part to which I pass the seam, that is, they form an edging.

The edge is the distance from the edge to the seam.

Copy line

Used to transfer lines from one part to another. Two identical parts are folded with their right sides inward, aligning all the cuts, and a line of straight, loose stitches is laid along the marked lines, while forming loops 2-3 mm high, depending on the thickness of the fabric. Then we move the parts apart, stretching the stitches, and cut the threads of the stitches between the parts. Stitch length 10-15 mm.

Gather stitch

To form gathers, lay two parallel lines 3-7 mm long with a distance from the cut of the part to the first line of 3-5 mm, between lines 1-4 mm. We tighten the cut of the part with thread to the desired size. We distribute the resulting assemblies evenly along the entire length.

Oblique stitches

They form a more durable and elastic connection of materials than straight ones. Oblique stitches are used to make lines for both temporary and permanent purposes.

• Temporary bias stitches include:

Basting stitch

Replaces basting stitch with straight stitches when it is necessary to obtain a more stable connection of parts, since oblique stitches do not allow one part to move relative to another. For example, with parts with a fit - collars on the front, top collar on the bottom, etc. Stitch length 7-20 mm.

Basting stitch

Replaces the basting stitch with straight stitches on all fabrics except thin dress fabrics and striped suit fabrics. Slant stitches can distort the design by pulling it across the stitches. For example: the edges of flaps, hems, etc. Basting is done from the side of the part to which the seam is passed, forming an edging. Stitch length 7-10 mm.

• Permanent bias stitches include:

Overcast stitch

We protect the cut parts from falling off. (bottom cut of the product, sleeves, etc.) Stitch length 5-7 mm. Width 3-5 mm. Stitch frequency 3-4 per 1 cm.

Quilt stitch

It is used for fastening the main and interlining fabrics to increase the elasticity of the part (lapel, jacket collar). To perform it, the upper fabric, the cushioning one, is pierced through, and the lower one, the main one, is half-thick. As a result, the stitching thread on the front side is not visible. Stitch length 5-7 mm, width 3-5 mm. The distance between lines is 5-7 mm.

Hemming stitch

Used for permanently securing the folded edge of a part with an open raw cut in thick fabrics, as well as for edging the inner edges of hems, etc. The width of the seam with an open cut is 2-3 mm, with a closed cut - 1 mm. The stitch length for a seam with an open cut is 3-5 mm, for hemming an edge 5-7 mm, for attaching the inner edges of a part 4-10 mm.

Stitches for discreet fastening of parts

There are two types:

A) Piece stitching - for inconspicuous connection parts of the product made of dense, non-fraying fabrics where they were accidentally cut or torn. The parts are placed end-to-end, matching the pattern. At a distance of 2-3 mm from the cut, the needle pierces the tissue to half its thickness and is then inserted into the cut. The cut should be tightly connected with stitches. Nothing should be visible from the front side. Stitch length 1-2 mm, frequency 5-7 stitches per 1 cm.

B) Cover stitch - needed to make the seam made on a sewing machine inconspicuous.

Cross stitches

Used for hemming the bottom of products. A special feature of such stitches is the absence of threads on the front side of the product. The hem can be done openly along the edge or hidden - inside the hem allowance. You can also make finishing stitches using cross stitches. The length and width of the stitches are 5-7 mm.

Loop stitches

Used for hand loops, as well as for decorative design any details, napkins, blankets. Make a loop stitch. The stitch size is determined by the designer. When sewing buttonholes, the frequency of stitches is 6-10 for every 10 mm, the width is 2-3 mm.

Loop stitches

Stitches provide the most durable and elastic bonding of materials, and are used only for permanent stitches.

Loop stitches make the following stitches:

Fur stitch

They are used when finishing the edges of jacket parts (sides, collar, hem, etc.). When performing them, the threads of the stitches are placed inside the fastening of the fabrics and the stitching is hardly noticeable from the top and bottom sides. Stitch length 3-4 mm.

Marking line

Needed to connect several layers of fabric, if necessary, create a strong but elastic bond.

The needle pierces through all layers of fabric. Having made a stitch, step back 0.5 stitches from the execution side. On the front side it imitates a running stitch. Stitch length is 1.5-2 cm. Used when marking armholes, sewing shoulder pads, etc.

Hemming (hidden) stitch

It is this line that is used when they say “luxury treatment”. It is called “secret” for a reason; it is not visible either from the back or from the front side.

The needle is first inserted into the fold of the folded edge, and then, at the level of the fold puncture, we make a puncture along the edge of the folded allowance to half the thickness of the fabric. The stitch frequency is 3-4 per 1 cm. Used when you need to line the armhole of a sleeve or the bottom of a product, etc.

Stitch stitch

In other words, it is also called “back needle”. It imitates machine stitching, and on one side it is no different from it. Has a permanent purpose.

The needle pierces through all layers of fabric, after making a stitch, it returns back to the previous puncture. The next puncture is made from the opposite side of the execution at a distance equal to two stitches and again returns to the previous puncture. Stitch length 3-5 mm.

Special stitches

Used when you need to make loop fastenings, buttons, hooks or buttons.

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 artistic design of a product.

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. We join the two parts with the front side, 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 get a closed 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 make a 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 stitching, the middle layer of 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 stitching is laid along the edge of the fold.
• With an 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 are talking about a fabric such as knitwear, then the process can be stopped at this point. This knitted seam is made 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 manually, for example, a running or copy seam. 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 seams.

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 symmetrically transfer the required dimensions and lines to paired parts. 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 item that has a machine seam torn.

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 a hidden 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. The types of seams of this type are as follows:

• An oblique overlock stitch is made 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 the edges of fabric appliqués. 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 in a 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 embroidery stitches are two separate directions, in the process of which some auxiliary elements are used.

Stem stitch embroidery

Such a seam is used as a separate element for the design of plant patterns, flowers, buds, stems, and leaves. The stem stitch is also used for edging finished embroidery parts 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. To obtain the 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.
• Using the same technology, we perform the 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 for forming stripes or for sewing contours.

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 the required number of 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 need to 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 a sufficiently embossed pattern, it is necessary to apply stitches with greater density. To make the pattern you are making smooth and beautiful, do not tighten the fabric with stitches while making the pattern.