BASIC SEWING

Category: Household Arts

Equipment needed: Sewing machines, Scissors, Pinking Shears, Tape Measure,

Thimble,

For everyone: needles, buttons, snaps, fabric, thread, ripstop for bags, cording
diagram of sewing machine.

Sewing is a craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a

needle and thread

1. Describe the proper use of the following

Thimble: A covering to protect the finger that push the needle when sewing.
Thimbles are made from variety of materials such as metal, plastic, rubber and
leather. It is important to wear a thimble when sewing to protect your finger

Tape measure: This is a common measuring tool when sewing .It allows for the
measure of stitches to be done easily. Body measurements are also done using
a tape measure. It is marked with inches on one side and centimetres on the
other side.
Scissors and shears: These are hand operated shearing tools. They are used
for cutting materials such as fabrics and threads when sewing. These should
not be used to cut papers as it will make them blunt or unsharpened.

Pinking shears: These are scissors with blades which are sawtoothed instead of
straight. They leave a zigzag pattern instead of a straight edge. These are used
to cut fabrics so as to minimise damage caused by fraying.

They are also used for decorative cuts

Needles of various sizes and types: There are sewing needles for every task,
type of machine and fabric type.

All needles have a sharp point so as to pass through the fabric and create a
stitch.

Hand sewing needles

Hand sewing needles may look alike but they are quite different.

Sharps: these needles have sharp point, medium length and round eye. They
are used for general sewing, hemming etc
Beading needle: a long needle with a medium sized eye. Used for attaching
sequins or beads to fabrics

Chenille-long thick needle with a large eye so as to use several strands of floss
or yarn at a time. Used for making embroidery on fabrics

Tapestry- long needle with a large eye and blunt tip. Used for embroidery,
decorative stitches on thick or loose fabrics.

Machine needles

The needles used in sewing machines are different from hand sewing needles.
These have a flat opposite end on one side for insertion in the needle bar of
the sewing machine. Machine needles do not have many types but however
wrong needles should not be used as this can spoil the garment.

Machine needles should be changed regularly and should be sharp always.

2. Parts of the sewing machine

The basic structure of a sewing machine is the same whether it is hand
operated, treadle sewing machine or electric sewing machine.

a) Balance wheel: when this is made to revolve it works the mechanism of

the motion
b) Thread take-up: this is a lever fitted to the body of the arm, its up and
down motion feeds the thread to the needle.
c) Presser foot: it is fixed to the presser bar to hold the cloth firmly in
position when lowered
d) Presser foot lifter: a lever attached to the presser bar for raising and
lowering the presser foot
e) Needle bar: a small rod to hold the needle at one end with the help of a
clamp.
f) Feed dogs: consists of a set of teeth fitted below the needle plate, it
helps move the cloth forward when sewing.
g) Bobbin: a small spool that is located under the sewing needle of the
machine. It supplies the underside portion thread of the machine stitch.
h) Control: a small wheel in the middle of the balance wheel which is used
to engage or disengage the needle.
i) Backspace lever: a small lever on the body which when moved the
stitches move backwards.

3. Threading The Sewing Machine

A sewing machine is a machine used to stitch fabrics and other materials
together with thread.

1. Wind the bobbin-Disengage the needle by rotating the hand wheel on

the side of the machine. Take the bobbin out of the covering and fill it
with thread. When it is full of thread return the bobbin to its place
Re-engage the needle and place your spool of thread on top of the
sewing machine on the spool pin
 2. Tension Mechanism: bring the thread downwards to the tension
mechanism, slip the thread between the metal disks of the tension
mechanism.
3. Take up mechanism: the take up mechanism is the area in front of the
machine which will go up and down when you turn the hand wheel.
Place the thread through the take up lever.
4. Locate and thread any thread guides, leading down to the sewing
machine needle.
5. Thread the sewing machine needle and move the wheel to take
thread from the bobbin.
6. Place the fabric under the presser foot, lower down the presser foot
lifter
7. You are ready to sew now.

4. Hemming

A hem is a garment finishing method where the edge of cloth is folded

narrowly and sewn to prevent unravelling of fraying of the fabric.

Types of hems

Hems differ according to the style; some require more some less fabric.
A typical hem is 5-7cm.The hem depth affects the way the fabric of the
finished fabric will drape, therefore heavier fabrics requires a relatively
shorter hem.
The hem stitches commonly used for hand sewn hems include hemming
stitch, slip stitch, pick stitch and blind stitch.

Hem stitch.
5. Sewing on Buttons and Snaps
Buttons and Snaps are methods of closure on garments.
Sewing on a button

1. Select a suitable button and thread that matches the button and the
fabric.
2. Thread the needle by simply pulling it through the needle. Tie a knot
on one end of the thread to prevent it from coming out.
3. Position the button on the fabric making sure it lines well with the
button hole
4. Push the threaded needle up through the fabric and through the hole
of the button; return the needle through the other hole. Place a straight
pin beneath the button so that it will not be too tight. Hold the button
well in place so it does not move.
5. Restart the process, bring the needle up through the first hole and
pull the thread all the way through the fabric
6. Strengthen the button by repeating the process enough times to make
sure the button is securely in place.
7. On the last stich push the needle through the material but not the
hole of the button.
8. Remove the straight pin and wrap the thread six times around the
thread between the button and the material to reinforce the shank.
9. Secure the thread on the material and tie it. Cut off excess.

Sewing on snaps

Snaps are alternative closures for buttons and zippers. Sew on snaps are
easy to sew and come in different sizes.

There are four parts to a functioning snap. There is a socket and ring
prong on one side of the snap and a stud and ring prong on the other
side.
A small hammer or any tool of choice is needed to attach the snap

Attaching Snaps

1. Place one of the prong piece on the top side of the fabric and push it
through.
2. Place the stud piece on top of the prong pieces poking out
3. Hammer on these two pieces to secure them
4. Attach the other side of the snap the same way to the other piece of
the fabric, hammer them too.
5. Now the two sides can snap into place, closing your pieces of fabric.
6. Fabrics

a) Selvage: This is the tightly woven edge that runs along each side of a
fabric’s lengthwise grain.

b) Bias: the bias is at 45 degrees to its warp and weft threads. Woven
fabric is more elastic in the bias compared to the straight or cross grains.

c) Grain of fabric: for woven fabrics the grain is the orientation of the
weft and warp threads. The three grains is the cross grain, straight or
lengthwise grain and the bias. Non-woven materials such as leather do
not have grains. In sewing, a pattern piece can be cut from fabric in any
orientation, the chosen grain or orientation will affect the way the fabric
hangs.
7. Making a Small Bag

Steps

1. Decide on the pattern you want

2. Cut out pattern using scissors
3. Pin the pattern to the fabric, pinning keeps them together
4. Cut fabric using pinned pattern
5. Sew the main pieces together