If you are ready to take your sewing game up a notch, then you need to learn how to master the most essential sewing techniques in this post.
Learning and practicing these techniques in sewing will be the key to creating beautiful and professional-looking projects.
Here, I am going to teach you everything you need to know, from sewing techniques by hand to advanced sewing techniques and hacks you didn’t know existed.
So, let’s take your basic sewing skills into being a sewing pro. Keep reading and, most importantly, take notes and save this post!
NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase using one of the links in this article, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (To know more about this, click here.)
What are sewing techniques?
A technique is a method or procedure used to accomplish a specific task or achieve a particular goal.
When you’re into sewing or any other craft or skill, technique refers to the way or process of doing a task related to that activity. You get better at techniques over time through practice and experience, and they can be as easy or as hard as you want.
For example, in sewing, techniques may include machine sewing, stitching or seam finishes, hand sewing, basic tailoring steps, or even couture sewing techniques. Then, for each of these techniques, some specific steps or actions must be taken in a particular order to achieve the desired result.
Sewing techniques examples?
Even though it’s challenging to quantify the exact number of sewing techniques, here are some sewing techniques names you might want to get familiar with (and more explained in this post!).
- Hand or machine method for stitching: Some of these include running stitch, hemming, threading needles…
- Sewing techniques for clothes: pressing, pattern making, seam finishes, techniques, etc.
- Sewing techniques for beginners: learning how to sew better, using a sewing machine, sewing curves or corners, and more.
- Advanced sewing techniques: tailoring, corset making, structural and 3D sewing patterns for clothes, couture sewing techniques, garment making techniques, and more.
From all these sewing techniques, there are thousands of methods and steps to achieve different results. But don’t stress too much about knowing them all right now.
Today, we will talk about the most essential sewing techniques you should know right from the start, and as you keep growing your skills, you will discover the array of tutorials waiting for you out there.
Top 10 Essential Sewing Techniques Every Seamstress Should Master
1. Hand Stitching
Sewing by hand techniques is the very first thing you need to learn and master basic sewing techniques.
There are plenty of hand stitches that will make you understand the basics of how to sew properly different parts of your sewing projects. You should even learn how to end a hand stitch with a knot!
It’s important to understand that sewing is not only limited to using a machine.
Even if you plan on buying a sewing machine for beginners, it is still necessary to master the art of hand sewing. This is because many sewing projects require a delicate touch that can only be achieved through manual stitching techniques.
2. Invisible Seams By Hand Sewing Techniques
It is almost impossible that you will live a long sewing life and not need to use the invisible seam technique at some point.
This method of stitching is a MUST-KNOW in the sewing community. This hand-sewing technique will allow you to close seams in certain types of garments or projects where seams need to be closed without visible stitching.
In garment construction, this technique is often used to close the linings of jackets or dresses or to make invisible hems on dresses, skirts, and pants.
This seam is super important for making things look nice and tidy when you’re working on most projects. It helps to give everything a clean and polished look. So, if you want to make sure your project looks professional, you definitely don’t want to skimp on this important detail!
3. Identifying Fabric Uses
As I told you in my post on the 12 Sewing Mistakes You Don’t Know You Are Making, learning about fabrics and their properties and uses in clothes and projects is essential for its finished result.
The number of different types of fabrics you can find there is infinite! It is very important that you know how to choose the exact type of fabric you need for your project.
For example, you can’t make a knit fabric dress pattern with plain cotton woven fabrics. Otherwise, you probably won’t fit into that dress as it needs stretchability properties that only the different types of knit fabrics can offer.
There are also special fabrics, like fat quarters, that are better for beginner sewing projects, quilts, or similar, that are perfect for. But if you try to sew a dress with fat quarters, you won’t even be able to cut all the pieces of it on the canvas’s size. That is why you will want to choose fabrics specifically designed for dresses.
Most sewing projects will tell you beforehand which fabric you need to sew, but you still need to get acquainted with as many fabric types as you can!
4. Know How to use The Fabric Grainline
Once you learn about the fabric uses, you need to learn about the Fabric Grainline, which is the different directions in which you can cut fabrics.
This is especially important if you want to learn how to sew clothes!
Most beginners think that it is ok to cut a pattern piece in whatever direction. As long as it fits on your fabric canvas and saves the most material possible!
This is a MISTAKE!
If you cut your patterns in the wrong direction, they might end up being deformed or twisted or just have an off look to them.
5. Learn How To Use a Sewing Machine
Even though it might sound obvious, and there are some TikTok videos that make it look really easy, mastering machine sewing is a long and never-ending practice.
First of all, you need to learn the names and functions of every part of your sewing machine. This will make it so much easier for you to understand what to do when you take it for its first run.
After that, it is just a matter of learning how to thread the sewing machine, how to thread the bobbin correctly (yes, there is a right way), and finally learning how to start a stitch for the first time.
6. Controlling Sewing Straight With a Sewing Machine
This is one of the most important techniques of sewing. You could invest your time in learning how to sew straight with your sewing machine.
When you learn to master sewing straight, you will be able to follow seam allowances without any need to use marking tools to draw the seam line on the fabrics.
To learn how to do that, you can use free printable stitching practice sheets to improve your stitching techniques without ruining precious fabrics in the process.
7. Adjusting the Sewing Machine Tension
Learning to adjust the tension on your sewing machine can make a huge difference in the quality, appearance, and overall functionality of your sewing projects.
Sometimes, there will be no apparent reason why your seams aren’t looking the way they are supposed to. It can come up to a balancing tension issue.
This is a sewing machine technique that you NEED to know. It’s a fundamental skill that can help you troubleshoot issues. It also allows you to work with different types of fabrics and achieve consistent, high-quality results.
So, why not give it a try? With a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time!
8. Learn How To Do Different Seams
After mastering your straight stitches, it’s time to move on. Try all the different seams and stitches that can make your projects and garments look super professional.
After the always trusty straight stitch, you will want to learn how to use a zig-zag stitch, which is a seam that is used for many finishes in sewing. There are other cool stitches too, such as the blanket stitch, the stretch stitch, and the buttonhole stitch.
When it comes to seams, you can do so much more! There is a seam called a French seam, which will allow you to have high-end finishes on the inner seams of your clothes, the flat felled seam that is great for garments like denim, or even the lapped seam that works best for fabric crafts.
Get curious and try these seams in your projects to make a difference!
9. Adventure With Specialty Sewing Machine Presser Feet
Sewing machine presser feet are a big deal in sewing. Every presser foot has a unique feature that makes it perfect for a certain sewing task. Here are some of my favorite types of presser feet and what they do:
Click on any of these links to see the tutorial on how to use them.
- Invisible Zipper Foot: Helps you sew invisible zippers.
- Rolled Hem Foot: Makes tiny hems for clothes.
- Blind Hem Foot: Hems without visible seams on the right side.
- Gathering Foot: Gathers fabrics in one step, and it’s customizable.
- Teflon Foot: Perfect for sewing vinyl fabrics.
- Stitch in the Ditch Foot: Directs the needle to sew exactly on the middle of a seam.
Choosing the right one can really streamline your sewing process and make things much easier for you. So, don’t forget to select the appropriate foot for your sewing project!
10. Learn How To Attach Closures on Clothes and Other Projects.
I must confess that when I was starting to learn how to sew my garment making techniques, I would always design clothes without closures.
I was super intimidated by figuring out button sizes or how to sew a zipper in my projects. And forget about getting the perfect invisible zipper the right way in my dresses!
But practice makes perfect. Every time I sewed a new buttonhole or installed a zipper, I learned new hacks and tricks. Eventually, I learned how to do it perfectly!
Take some time to learn this skill and rock your projects with amazing details!
Conclusion.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or just looking to brush up on your skills, mastering the most essential sewing techniques is key to creating beautiful and professional-looking projects.
From threading a needle to perfecting your stitches, learning all the sewing techniques you can get you closer to being a sewing pro and getting amazing results in your sewing projects!
this is so much to learn in one hour, I am slow. I take much more time than most, I learn by seeing over and over again, doing over and over again to get anything.
I am like that too! And most of us I think, learn by repetition! Take your time and enjoy every step of the process. That’s the key to advance in sewing bit by bit.