Sewing Machine Stitches – 3 Basic Ones To Know
Today we’re going to talk about sewing machine stitches. Most sewing machines will have a wide variety of stitches available on them. We are going to focus on the three stitches that I use most often for my sewing projects.
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Sewing Machine Stitches
1) Medium Straight Stitch – The first sewing machine stitch we are going to talk about is the straight stitch. This is definitely the stitch that I use the most, and I think most sewists would agree. It is a simple way to connect two pieces of fabric. I usually have the stitch length set on a medium length. The tighter the straight stitch, the more secure the connection of the fabrics will be.
2) Long Straight Stitch (Basting Stitch) – This is the straight stitch set on a longer stitch length. There are certain applications where this stitch works well. I use it to baste two pieces of fabric together, temporarily, until the real stitching is done. I probably use this stitch most often when I am making cording – when I sew the wrapped fabric around the cord. I also use the long straight stitch when I want to mark my fabric, for instance, when I am going to hand sew the bottom edge of a pillow closed. Finally, by pulling the threads on the long straight stitch, you can use it to make gathers for a ruffle.
3) Zig Zag Stitch – The zig zag stitch is a like a straight stitch only it crosses back and forth instead going in a straight line. There are two applications that I use the zig zag stitch for. The first is for button holes, and the second is when I want to make gathers for a ruffle, gathered dust ruffle, or even a valance. I zig zag over a heavy string or dental floss, and then pull the strings to make the gathers.
Like I said before, there are a lot of other sewing machine stitches available on most machines. What are some that you use most often?
These three kinds of stitches are easy and most effective for the sewing machines users.
Nice tutorial. When I first learned to sew I thought basting was a waste of time but I soon realized it was faster to bast two pieces of fabric together than remove a line of sewn stitching. Thanks.
Frances, you’re right, basting can seem like a waste of time until you really need it!
My mom used to sew at night while my Dad and my siblings and I were in bed. It used to irritate me to no end, but now I equate the sound of a sewing machine with bedtime, safety, family and parental love.
Patterson, what a sweet story!