By Jasmine Harding | Updated Jan 23, 2022 3:17 PM

Knowing how to sew by hand is a versatile skill, and once you know the basics, you can build on your knowledge to create a range of functional and beautiful stitches. Hand sewing takes longer than using a sewing machine, but it has its benefits. It’s very cheap to get started, easy to do in a pinch, and gives you excellent control. Plus, knowing how to hand sew can save you money instead of having to go elsewhere for repairs or customizations.

Knowing how to hand sew a seam can make for quick repairs and stronger bonds. We’ve rounded up some key hand-sewing stitches for repairing seams along with adding a decorative border to a DIY project.

Every successful project starts with the right tools. If you’re learning how to hand sew, the first step is to start with the right sewing needles. Using the wrong needle will make sewing difficult and can result in poor stitching or even broken needles.

Most beginners will start with a sewing kit with various sewing needle sizes and thicknesses. These kits will often have a mix of finer, shorter needles and longer, thicker needles, each with a sharp tip. The key to choosing the right needle is to consider your fabric type.

For finer fabrics, use a finer needle; a large needle might leave unsightly holes in fine fabric. For thicker fabrics, use a thicker and sturdier needle. Too thin a needle will be difficult to use and can bend or break when trying to penetrate thick fabrics. Also, keep in mind that needles will wear down over time. Sewing needles can stay sharp and pointy for only so long, so if a needle isn’t performing as well as before, it might be time to get a new one.

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Start with an appropriate amount of thread, which can vary widely depending on your project, fabric type, and thread type. For sewing on a button, cut about 24 inches of thread. For general projects, measure out roughly 2.5 times the length you plan to sew.

Push the thread through the needle eye; a clean cut with sharp sewing scissors at the end of the thread makes it easier to insert the thread into the eye. You can also use a needle threader if you’re having trouble. Continue pulling about 3 inches of thread through the eye for a little slack.

Knot the end of the thread by using several overhand knots or by wrapping the thread around your index finger and twisting it off into a bundle, pulling the bundle tight to create a small knot. Once you’ve knotted the thread, you’re ready to start sewing using one of the basic stitches ahead.

The basic running stitch is a straight stitch used to sew simple seams. The running stitch creates a dashed, straight line. You can keep the length between the stitches short to join together two pieces of fabric or extend stitch length to sew basting stitches (which are used to temporarily hold pieces of fabric together).

The backstitch is similar to a running stitch, but instead of a line of dashes, this stitch doubles back on itself to create a continuous line. This strong stitch is ideal for joining fabrics and creating strong seams. If you love crafting with fabric, it’s very useful to learn how to backstitch by hand since it’s a foundational hand-embroidery stitch.

Also known as a ladder stitch, the slip stitch is often used to join seams together. Since it is a nearly invisible stitch, it’s key for those learning how to sew a seam by hand. The slip stitch is commonly used to join hems together, such as when stitching up a handmade pillow.

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The blanket stitch is a decorative stitch often used to finish seams or join fabrics together. This stitch is intended to be visible and is commonly used to finish the edges of blankets, pillows, and quilts. It can also be used on clothing or other fabric décor. Since it’s a decorative stitch, start with choosing an attractive thread color that matches or coordinates with your project.

The whipstitch is a seaming stitch that uses small, diagonal stitches. It is essentially invisible on the front side of a project and is excellent for joining two hems together into a durable seam.

The catch stitch uses small, short stitches to create a zigzag pattern that is hardly visible on the front of the fabric. This stitch is great for securing garment hems and seaming overlapping pieces of fabric. Pressing the fabric before stitching will make it easier to work with.

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As the name suggests, the blind hem stitch is useful for finishing a hem without a visible stitch. This is a great stitch to use for the bottom hem of projects like curtains or clothing, and it is very similar the whip stitch.

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