Sewing can create new clothes, home furnishings, products for everyday use, and repair items made of fabric.In addition, certain stitch shapes are used for different purposes and for different types of fabrics, which are mentioned later in the article.
What Is Sewing?
Sewing is the joining and sewing of two pieces of fabric using threads and needles by hand or with a sewing machine. It is a form of handicraft that requires practice because sewing requires patterns to make different things. Hand sewing can be done, or a sewing machine can be used. On a machine, the stitches are usually very uniform and even, and the stitches cannot loosen, but with hand stitches, the stitches may be inconsistent and may loosen over time.
Sewing With a Sewing Machine
Sewing with a sewing machine can be confusing at first, but you can learn to master it with daily practice. You can choose to start with any simple sewing machine that may not have too many features and sewing options, but they can help you understand the sewing work process on the machine. When using a sewing machine, two things must be kept in mind: the thread must go through the bobbin, and the bobbin and fabric must be kept in the right place so that the stitches do not get mixed up. The sewing process is described below:
1. Spooling the Thread
The thread should be wound correctly first. Spool the thread with a sewing machine spool and polish. Clamp the thread and put the bobbin into the winder of the bobbin. Press down on the pedal and hold down the thread to ensure the thread winds in the bobbin evenly. After the spool has been winded, wind the spool, remove the spool, and put the spool back in position.
2. Threading the Thread
The next step is to thread the thread into the sewing machine’s needle. First, take the spool of thread and place it in the spool pin holder. Then guide the end of the thread through the thread guide. First, thread the thread down as indicated, then around the thread holder, then up, and then down again. It is advisable to follow the basic markings and instructions provided. Once the thread is obtained below the lower guide and above the needle, to introduce the thread, the needle’s eye must be drilled through.
3. The Bobbin Is Winding
You need to open the bobbin winding shaft and place the bobbin on it. Usually, sewing machines have markings in which position and how the spool should be placed. Make sure that the thread points to the right and that it slides freely. Slide the thread through the groove, and then turn the wheel so that the needle goes down and wraps the thread around the spool on the spool pin. Turn the wheel to bring the needle back up so that the bobbin thread rises above the needle plate.
4. Sewing
Now it’s time to sew the fabrics the way you want. Decide and set the stitch size, style, and tension gauge before you begin. Then place the pieces of fabric under the needle and presser foot, and then lower the foot. Press the pedal slowly to start sewing. You can also move back and forth a few times to knit the first stitch. Walk along the sewing line to get straight sewing. In addition, you can choose the speed to your taste.
Stitch Types
A similar continuous stitch is called a stitch. The following six categories of sewing are usually used to sew clothes:
- Class 100: Chain stitches: One or more threads may be used in this stitch. The needle thread passes through the fabric through several loops and is later attached internally through the loop. Each loop is connected to the next loop, so it does not become sturdy and easily detached.
- Class 200: Hand stitches: Hand-stitched stitches may be described as stitches in which one continuous line of in and out stitches is made through the fabric. Usually, this stitch is used in expensive clothes as it provides a perfect finish.
- Class 300: Lock stitch: This stitch is made with two or more sets of stitches by interlacing them. A loop of one thread passing through the fabric holds the other thread firmly. The upper thread is the needle thread, and the lower part of the second thread is called the bobbin thread.
- Class 400: Multi-strand chain stitches: This stitch is made using concatenation and interlacing. With a set of two sewing threads, the loops of one thread that pass through the fabric remain inside the loop and overlap through the loop of the other thread.
- Class 500: Overtime stitches: These stitches are often referred to as overlapping stitches. Here, one or more sets of yarns form loops around the edge of the fabric. The wires intersect to prevent it from tearing.
- Class 600: Overlay Stitches: This stitch is made with three threads: needle thread, spread thread, and loop thread. The loops of the needle thread pass through the loops of the application thread on the front of the fabric and then through the loop of the back of the garment fabric.
Types of Yarn
Sewing thread is an important raw material needed to hold the fabric together to get it in the right shape. It is used for both aesthetic and functional features. It has a functional role for customization purposes, but it fulfills its aesthetic role when used for embroidery and decoration. There are different types of yarns, but the three basic categories are:
- Structure: The yarn is classified according to its structure into the following categories:
- Spun yarn: These yarns are made from either natural or synthetic fiber and from short fibers. The most common type of spun yarn is polyester. Seams made with this type of yarn are long-lasting and durable.
- Filament yarn: As the name suggests, this yarn is made by twisting filaments together. This falls into three categories:
- Multi-filament yarn: It is made by twisting together more than one filament. It is used for sewing luggage and leather goods, footwear and vehicle interior textiles, and decorating clothes because it has the power to hold the fabric firmly.
- Monofilament yarn: It is made of a single filament and is strong and inexpensive; however, it has only limited application because of its rigidity. Plain monofilament yarn is known as silk.
- Bulk Filament: It is made by joining several filaments together and twisting them slightly. It is very skin-friendly and soft, which is why it is used in underwear and other clothing.
- Core yarn: Core yarn is an industrial and continuous filament surrounded by medium and staple fibers. It is stronger than regular spun yarn and is used to sew jeans because it is less likely to break during sewing.
- Substrate: There are two categories according to this classification:
- Natural yarn: This is used in small quantities in many industries and is made of silk, linen, cotton, wool, etc.
- Silk: There are three types of silk yarns; light, medium, and heavy. It is expensive compared to cotton yarns, but it is very flexible and does not leave sewing holes.
- Linen: Seams made of linen yarn give clothes a natural look. The oldest textile yarn for sewing is also regarded to be the best.
- Cotton: Cotton yarn is the most used yarn for sewing. Abrasion resistance and yarn strength are slightly lower than synthetic yarns, but it adapts easily to seams.
- Wool: Wool yarn is mostly used to make stitches for blankets and embroidery. It is stronger than linen and cotton yarns.
- Synthetic yarns: Synthetic yarns are stronger and have higher abrasion resistance than natural yarns. For this reason, many manufacturers prefer synthetic yarns to avoid the limitations of natural yarns. Commonly known synthetic yarns are polyester and nylon yarns.
- Finishes: The finish improves the functional properties of the yarns. The following types fall into this classification:
- Antistatic Finish: It is a type of finish that protects the yarn from static buildup.
- Water-repellent finish: This finish makes the seams of clothes water-repellent.
- Fire resistant finish: This finish is needed to improve the fire resistance of sewing threads.
Needle Types
The correct needle type should be selected depending on the purpose of the stitch. Here are some different types of needles:
- Universal: Universal needles are slightly tapered to pierce garments easily but are not sharp enough to ruin garments made of woven fabrics. This is the usual handle form, although it is not appropriate to stitch delicate or heavier textiles.
- Jeans or denim: These needles are strong and sharp and can pierce a thick, dense, and tightly woven fabric such as denim/jeans. You can choose which sewing machine for denim to buy https://thesewingstuffs.com/best-sewing-machine-for-denim/.
- Embroidery: Embroidery needles have a larger eye to help with sewing with special sewing machines. It is used in fabrics such as cotton, polyester, or acrylic.
- Quilting: Quilting requires multiple sewing layers of fabric, so the needle has a strong shaft and a tapered point that can be seen through multiple layers with minimal damage.
- Leather: These needles are ideal for sewing belts, shoe repair, and other leather-related supplies and clothing. It has a sharp wedge-shaped tip that makes it easy to make neat and large holes in the tight, thick leathery fabric.
- Double/triple: More than two or three needles are attached to these needles, evenly spaced for simultaneous sewing of several loops. The sewing machine should be suitable for inserting the needle of the plate.
- Sharp: Sharp needles are used for appliqué work and sewing fine woven fabrics. Pins are suitable for quilting and piercing as well. The needles are sharper than the universal needles and are supported by a thin shaft.
Things to Remember
Sewing is an art form, and like any art form, it takes time and effort to master. If you are just starting, some points to bear in mind are the importance of making sure your work is accurate, and you sew your projects in less time.
- Tools: It is crucial to ensure that all necessary tools are available before you start sewing. Instead of seeking tools, you may focus on the work. The tools needed are needles, threads, scissors, patterns, safety pins, a measure, a cloth, an iron, etc.
- Sewing space: Keep the sewing space neat and clean to make it easier to use the sewing machine. You can arrange a sewing corner for yourself from the corner of the room from a spacious table. Also, make sure that the work area is out of the reach of children and pets so that you can work in peace without effort or disturbance.
- Start simply: If you are a beginner and are just learning to sew, we recommend starting small and simple. This will ensure you have a firm grasp of the fundamentals without confusion.
- Sewing Machine: It is also important to remember that a sewing machine can sometimes be a little difficult to control. So you need to become familiar with the machine’s characteristics to stitch without strain.
- Manual sewing: Lastly, it is very important to make sure you start sewing before moving on to the sewing machine. Many different stitches can be made by hand, and if the project is simple and small, hand sewing can be a great way to learn the technique.
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