How to Hand Sew a Back Stitch

A back stitch will leave fairly small stitches on the outside of fabric.

A back stitch is a reinforced stitch that goes from right to left. When sewing it, you will need to puncture the fabric's underside, through both layers, and then move just a bit backward from where you made the first puncture. It is good for hems because it leaves such a tiny mark on the outside of the fabric, but good for anything that needs a little extra reinforcement.

Things You'll Need

• Needle
• Thread
• Fabric
• Iron

Instructions

1. Turn up your hem, and press it.

2. Take the needle, and push it through from the bottom of the two layers -- the outside fabric and the pressed hem -- of fabric.

3. Bring the needle back through the top of the fabric just a tiny bit toward the left of where you pushed the needle through in Step 1.

4. Push the needle through under both the fabrics again about 1/2 inch to the right of your last stitch.

5. 

   Take the needle a tiny bit to the left, and push it through both layers of fabric from the top.

6. Continue this as long as you need to.

7. At the end, tie a knot by wrapping your thread around the needle.