Tailoring

introduction, types.

1. Tailoring Ms. Ambreen Sadaf Occupational Therapist

2. Tailoring It i s the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era ( stone age ).

3. Tailoring Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric,  archaeologists believe Stone Age people across Europe and Asia sewed fur and skin clothing  using bone, antler or ivory needles and "thread" made of various animal body parts including sinew, catgut, and veins.

4. Continued.. For thousands of years, all sewing was done by hand. The invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century and the rise of computerization in the 20th century led to mass production and export of sewn objects, but hand sewing is still practiced around the world.

5. Continued.. Fine hand sewing is a characteristic of high-quality tailoring, haute couture fashion , and custom dressmaking, and is pursued by both  textile artists and  hobbyists as a means of creative expression.

6. Continued.. Modern sewing machines have all but eliminated the need for hand sewing . Gone are the days of constructing a garment by hand with a needle and thread. That being said, there are still many places where hand-sewing stitches are necessary for a high-quality finish.

7. Continued.. Moreover , there is something satisfying about adding the smooth finish of a hand-stitched hem or crocheted button loop, for instance . The joy of constructing something with your hands never gets old.

8. Continued.. In order to do any hand stitching, you’re going to need sewing tools like need high-quality needles, thread, and scissors .

9. Continued.. In addition, you may want to invest in a small ruler, tailor’s chalk or marking pencil, and straight pins. And depending on the types of finishing, you will also need both narrow and wide bias tape, hem tape, narrow stretch lace, and pinking shears.

10. Hand Sewing Stitches- Running Stitch The  running stitch is the most basic of the hand sewing stitches, and has many variations. It’s used for gathering, mending, and tucking. Depending on its use, you an either knot your thread or take a couple of back stitches to lock it into place.

11. Continued.. In its longer form, it becomes a basting stitch. Bring your needle through the fabric from the back (wrong side). Once the knot hits the fabric, make a stitch to the left or right. Bring the thread back up and repeat.

12. Basting Stitch Use the same technique as the running stitch, but make longer stitches (between 1/4 inch and a 1/2 inch). Today , we tend to pin baste more than hand baste our garments and projects, but hand basting can still be useful, especially with both lightweight (silk and chiffon) and heavyweight (leather and Melton) wools.

13. Backstitch Before sewing machines, all clothes were built by layer upon layer of backstitches. Working from left to right, take a small stitch, then insert the needle at the end of the previous stitch, bringing it out beyond the point where the thread emerges.  Continue , always inserting the needle in the end of the previous stitch.

14. Catch stitch (Cross-Stitch) You can use this stitch to to finish hems with fabric that doesn’t fray, and to tack facing invisibly. Working from left to right, take tiny stitches on the hem, and then on the garment. Keep the stitches loose and even. They will appear as crosses on the wrong side and small stitches on the right.

15. Slip Stitch This is my go-to stitch when it comes to hems and other finishes. It’s tidy and almost invisible, when it’s done right, and with care on both sides. Bring the needle through the fold of the hem and pick up a thread of fabric at the same point. Make the stitches about a 1/2 inch apart and fairly loose.

16. Blanket Stitch (Buttonhole Stitch ) If you want to sew eyelets or buttonholes by hand, learn the buttonhole stitch. Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric, then with the right side facing upward, insert the needle from back to front through the fabric 1/8 inch from the edge. Wrap the working head around behind the eye end of the needle, then behind the point.

17. Continued.. Pull the needle through, bringing the knot to the fabric edge. Continue , making closely spaced stitches and knot. The eyelet version is worked in a circle, with the wrapped edge to the inside; the blanket stitch variation has at least a 1/4 inch spacing between stitches.

18. Sewing Machine Stitches Standard Forward / Backward Stitching Begin straight stitching 1/8-3/8 inch from the fabric edge. Backstitch the forward stitch over the pinned or basted seam. Repeat the reverse stitch to finish. You can use the straight stitch for seams, under stitching, stay stitching, and simple top stitching.

19. ZigZag Stitch The zigzag stitch provides a clean finish to raw edges, and you can use it as a finish technique in combination with a stay stitching line. You can adjust both the width and length of this stitch.

20. Buttonholes The good news is that most sewing machines can make buttonholes, either with a fully-automatic buttonhole foot attachment, or in the case of some mechanical and most computerized machines, a pre-programmed buttonhole. Check your machine’s manual for these details.

21. Blind Hem Stitch This sewing machine stitch consists of two or three straight stitches, and then one wide zigzag / catch stitch. Just as in the hand-stitched version of the blind hem, the fabric is folded under and away with the hem edge just projecting.

22. Continued.. The stitches show as a small dot on the right side. There is a special machine foot that keeps the fabric folded away. This  technique requires a lot of practice, and I recommend learning on lots of scrap fabric.

23. Bias Tape This is mostly used on unlined jackets and skirts. Using purchased 5/8 inch  bias tape , enclose the raw edge with the tape and stitch through all layers. Commercial bias tape is slightly wider on one side; that side should be on the underneath the fabric. You can also make your own bias tape in contrasting or matching fabric.

24. Pinked Seams Pinked seams are the simplest of seam finishes. Using pinking shears, trim away as little of the seam allowance as possible. This version is best used on wools and polyester fleece and is not very hard wearing .

25. Pinked Seams A better version of this finish is to machine stitch 1/4 inch from the seam, then trim the edges with pinking shears.

26. Hand Overcast The hand overcast seam finish is used as an alternative to the zigzag stitch in small areas or on very thick fabrics .

27. Top Stitch The top stitch creates a hard hem line, and can be used to strengthen a seam or as a decorative finish. Press the seams opens and then stitch in place from the wrong side.  The seam are often pinked beforehand, sometimes with a contrasting bobbin thread.

28. Any questions

29. Thank you… 