How to Hand Sew: Techniques
Knowing how to sew by hand will likely be beneficial from time to time. The task does require following some basic instructions and investing a bit of time to master the skill. However, make yourself comfortable, choose the right needle and you'll be humming along as you relax into the activity. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Find a chair with low arm rests, good back support and a comfortable cushion. Sit in a relaxed and comfortable position and avoid slouching. Make sure there is a lot of light in order to sew with attention and care.
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Find the right needle for the task. When hand sewing you will use a short, sharp needle sized 1-12. The shorter needles are easier to control when working with thick fabrics. Run the needle through an emery bag to keep it sharp. An emery bag is a small red bag that comes with most pin cushions.
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Match the color and the thickness of the thread you're using as closely as possible to the existing thread of the garment or item. Cut about 3 feet of thread. You want to have enough thread to complete the task.
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Snip your thread at an angle and dampen it in order to make it slip through the needle eye easily. Pull the thread through the eye until the ends are even.
Wrap the thread loosely around your forefinger a couple of times. Keep the thread in place with your thumb and slide your forefinger towards bottom of your thumb. Twist the threads together until the formed loop is pushed off the forefinger. Pull the loop between your thumb and forefinger at the point where the loop joins the rest of the thread until a knot is formed. This is called a loop knot.
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Push the needle down, across and up through the fabric. Repeat this step until you are finished sewing. When finished, take one half-length backstich, leaving a loop at the end the sewing line. Slip the needle through the loop and pull to create a knot.
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References
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