I need help with sewing?

Question

I am just started learning how to sew, particularly hand sewing. While I'm enjoying it immensely, I'm having a little trouble keeping my stitches even and straight. Is there some kind of trick or technique I could use to keep my stitches more uniform, straight and neat looking. Thanks

Answer 1

Practice. :)

Also there are pencils that will wash out of the fabric, and you can lightly sketch the line and just stitch on the line.  

Answer 2

I enjoy hand sewing.  What helps me is to place my work on a flat surface and outline my sewing line with washable pencil before I ever thread my needle.  Your first few works will be a little "rough" but once you get more comfortable and develop a rhythm, your work will become more even and straight.  

While sewing try to relax.  Don't make your stitches too long or too short.  Don't pull too strongly, just a gentle tug.  Placing your work on a flat surface on your lap, like a large coffee table book, also helps maintain your stitches.

Keep working at it and you'll soon be on your way.

Answer 3

I find that pulling the fabric taut with either an embroidery hoop or quilting frame helps me.

Answer 4

A couple of things to try.  

1) If you've got a friend with a zigzag sewing machine, have him/her sew around the edges of various scraps with a zigzag stitch -- say 2 mm wide, and the length of your hand stitches.  Make the righthand points of the zigzag just to the left of your actual seamline.   Now practice sewing, using the zigzag points to help you learn to gauge your stitching length and seam allowance.

2) Stick a piece of Scotch magic tape on your left thumbnail.  Mark the tape with a fine point pen (Sharpie ultrafine is great for this) with both the seam allowance difference and the stitch length you're trying to maintain.  Then you've got a nice little ruler stuck to your left thumbnail, right where it's handy for measuring.

Mostly, though, it's just practice, practice, practice.  Do you know

http://vintagesewing.info/19th.html or http://www.sarahhowardstone.com/books.ht... or Stanley Hostek's wonderful hand stitches book?http://uniquetechniques.com/shopbooks/sh...

Answer 5

You can keep your stitches straight by putting a piece of masking tape next to where the seam will be and then follow along