Basic Hand Sewing Stitches (8 Every Beginner Should Know)

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The basic hand sewing stitches are the running stitch, basting stitch, backstitch, slip stitch (or ladder stitch), whipstitch, blanket stitch, catch stitch and overcast stitch. With those eight, you can mend seams, hem trousers, close stuffed toys, sew on patches and finish edges without a sewing machine.

You don't need a pattern or special tools to learn them. A needle, thread, scissors and a scrap of cotton are enough. This guide covers each stitch step by step, plus the two skills that hold everything together: knotting the thread and finishing it securely.

What You Need to Hand Sew

• Hand sewing needles. Sharps are the general-purpose type. A pack in assorted sizes lets you match the needle to the fabric.
• All-purpose thread that matches your fabric.
• Small, sharp scissors for snipping threads.
• Pins or clips to hold layers.
• A thimble (optional, but your fingertip will thank you on thick fabric).
• Practice fabric: medium-weight cotton, like quilting cotton, is easiest.

For a full beginner kit, see our guide to sewing supplies.

How to Hand Sew: Thread, Knot and Finish

Thread the needle

Cut about 18 to 24 inches of thread. Longer pieces tangle and fray as they pull through the fabric. Cut the end at an angle with sharp scissors, then push it through the eye. A needle threader helps with fine needles.

Use single thread for hems and garment work, where you want fine, discreet stitches. Use double thread, folded and knotted together, for buttons and repairs that take strain.

Tie a knot

1. Wrap the thread end once or twice around your index finger.
2. Roll the loop off your finger with your thumb, twisting the threads together.
3. Pinch the twist and pull it tight into a knot.

On fine or sheer fabric, skip the knot and start with two or three tiny stitches on top of each other on the wrong side.

Finish the thread

1. On the wrong side, take a tiny stitch, catching just a few threads of fabric.
2. Before pulling tight, pass the needle through the loop.
3. Pull to form a knot close to the fabric.
4. Repeat once more, then trim, leaving a short tail.

The 8 Basic Hand Sewing Stitches

1. Running stitch

The simplest stitch, and the base for several others.

1. Bring the needle up from the wrong side.
2. Weave the needle in and out of the fabric several times along the line, keeping stitches and gaps the same length, about 1/8 inch.
3. Pull the thread through and repeat.

Use it for: gathering (sew two parallel rows and pull the threads), simple seams that won't take strain, and hand quilting. Shorter stitches are stronger.

2. Basting stitch

A basting stitch is a long running stitch, around 1/4 to 1/2 inch, used to hold layers together temporarily. Use a contrasting thread and no knot at the finishing end, so it pulls out easily.

Use it for: holding a zipper or sleeve in place before machine sewing, or marking lines on fabric. Machine basting does the same job faster on a long seam; our guide to how to use a sewing machine shows how to set a long stitch length.

3. Backstitch

The strongest hand stitch, and the closest to a machine seam.

1. Bring the needle up one stitch length ahead of where the seam starts.
2. Insert it back at the start point, and bring it up one stitch length ahead of where it first came up.
3. Insert it back into the end of the previous stitch, so the stitches touch.
4. Repeat. The top shows a continuous line; the back shows overlapping stitches.

Use it for: repairing split seams in garments, attaching pockets, sewing a small project entirely by hand.

4. Slip stitch (ladder stitch)

The nearly invisible stitch. When you use it to close a seam between two folded edges, it's often called the ladder stitch, because the stitches look like ladder rungs before you pull them tight.

1. Bring the needle out through one fold.
2. Directly across, slide the needle into the opposite fold and travel inside it for about 1/4 inch.
3. Come out, cross straight back to the first fold, and travel inside it the same distance.
4. After a few stitches, pull the thread gently. The folds close and the thread disappears.

Use it for: closing the turning gap on pillows and stuffed toys, attaching linings and binding, and hand-finishing hems.

5. Whipstitch

A whipstitch wraps diagonally over two edges.

1. Hold the two edges together.
2. Push the needle through both layers from back to front, near the edge.
3. Bring the thread over the top of the edges and push through again a short distance along, always from the same side.

Use it for: joining felt pieces, sewing appliqué, joining two finished edges, and closing seams on thick fabrics where a ladder stitch would be fiddly.

6. Blanket stitch

A looped edging stitch that's both decorative and practical.

1. Bring the needle up from the back near the edge.
2. Insert it a little further along, about 1/4 inch from the edge, coming out at the edge with the thread behind the needle.
3. Pull through, so the loop sits along the edge.
4. Repeat at even spacing.

Use it for: edging fleece blankets and felt, appliqué, and finishing edges that will show.

7. Catch stitch (herringbone stitch)

The catch stitch makes a row of small X's. Because it crosses back and forth, it stretches a little, which is why it suits knits.

1. Work from left to right (if you're right-handed), with the hem edge at the top.
2. Take a tiny horizontal stitch in the garment just above the hem edge, right to left.
3. Move diagonally down and to the right, and take a tiny right-to-left stitch in the hem allowance.
4. Move diagonally up and right, and repeat.

Use it for: hems on knits, heavy wools and lined garments, and holding facings in place.

8. Overcast stitch

An overcast stitch wraps loosely over a raw edge to stop it fraying.

1. Bring the needle up about 1/8 inch from the raw edge.
2. Bring the thread over the edge and up through the fabric again, a short distance along.
3. Keep the tension loose so the edge doesn't curl.

Use it for: finishing seam allowances on woven fabric when you don't have a machine with a zigzag or overcast stitch.

Bonus: The Hand-Sewn Blind Hem

A blind hem is a slip-stitch cousin used on trouser and skirt hems.

1. Fold and press the hem, then fold the hem edge back about 1/4 inch toward the right side.
2. Take a tiny stitch in the garment, picking up only one or two threads.
3. Take a slightly longer stitch in the folded hem edge.
4. Repeat, keeping the thread relaxed.

From the right side, you'll see almost nothing. If you have a stack of trousers to hem, a machine blind hem is much faster; our guide to hemming trousers with a sewing machine shows the fold and foot.

Hand Sewing vs Machine Sewing

Hand stitches aren't just a fallback. They're the right choice for:

• Repairs on finished garments, where it's awkward to get the fabric under a presser foot.
• Invisible finishes, like closing a pillow or attaching a lining.
• Buttons with shanks. Our guide on how to sew a button by hand and machine covers both methods.
• Small or delicate work, like doll clothes or embroidery.

For seams of any length, a machine is faster and stronger. Many first projects mix both, as in our list of beginner sewing projects.

Common Mistakes

1. Working with thread that's too long. Keep it to about 18 to 24 inches.
2. Pulling stitches too tight. The fabric puckers. Pull until the stitch lies flat, then stop.
3. Letting the thread twist. Let the needle hang and spin free every few stitches.
4. Skipping the finishing knot. Hand stitches unravel without one.
5. Using double thread for hems. It shows more and makes a bulkier stitch.
6. Uneven stitch length. Practice on a scrap first, using the fabric's weave as a guide.

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