Sewing

Sewing is a simple, cheap, and useful skill to have for creating and fixing clothes and textiles. I use it quite frequently when doing visible mending, hemming frayed shirt or jean bottoms, patching clothes, or adjusting clothes to better fit me.

Getting started

You can get started by getting a basic travel sewing kit from any drug store, pharmacy, or department store. Or make your own with an altoids tin and a trip to your local quilting shop[6] (I'd just ask them, everyone who works at a place like that rules). You should have at minimum:

• Needles
• Pins
• Thread
• Thimble
• Scissors

If you are looking to do any projects on tougher fabric or with really big thread (e.g. yarn), I recommend getting sashiko[5] needles as they have larger eyes and are made for mending stuff like denim.

Stitches and how I use them

• Straight/running stitch[4] - adding a patch.
• Backstitch[5] - same as straight stitch, but much stronger and uses more thread.
• Whipstitch[1] - smaller hems, stopping fraying on patches.
• Blanket stitch[2] - hemming edges, joining multiple pieces of fabric together at the edge.
• Ladder stitch[3] - closing seams in fabric, fixing rips/tears.

References

1. Whipstitch
2. Blanket stitch
3. Ladder stitch
4. Straight/running stitch
5. Sashiko
6. Altoids tin sewing kit

Last modified: 202501130006