Sewing two pieces of cloth together is a crucial skill to have before starting on your first major project. Additionally, this expertise will be useful in other industries as well. Whether you’re sewing garments, drapes, or stuffed animals, you will at some time need to attach two pieces of fabric.
An intimidating prospect for the novice is the first stitch. The kind of cloth you choose has an impact on your sewing technique as well as the sewing tools you employ.
Learn how to hand sew or machine stitch two pieces of cloth together in this article.
Is It Better To Sew By Hand Or With A Sewing Machine?
You have the option of stitching by hand or using a sewing machine. Both have positive and negative aspects.
Even while hand stitching is more time consuming and less accurate, it may be calming. Making you slow down and concentrate on a single task. Hand sewing is a favorite pastime for many sewers since it helps them unwind at the end of a long day’s work.
As a sewing enthusiast, you feel closer to your work when you have the opportunity to make it in an old-fashioned method.
On the other hand, sewing machines make the process quicker and cleaner. In addition to their simplicity of use, their stitches just need a few seconds of sewing and a reverse button to lock into place.
If you’re using a sewing machine, you’ll need to think about a lot more than just the tension and the sort of foot you’re using. You can usually find instructions on how to use a machine’s many features in the manual that came with it. You may never want to hand-sew a seam again after you get used to your sewing machine.
Exactly What Do You Need To Sew Two Pieces Of Fabric?
Sewing two pieces of cloth together doesn’t need an extensive toolbox. You simply need a few necessities to get started.
Fabric
In order to sew two separate pieces of cloth together, you need two separate pieces of fabric. Starting with scraps is usually a fantastic idea when you’re just getting started. You won’t have to worry about creating a mess while learning how to sew.
The Best sewing machine
Another need is a sewing machine, as well as all of the other sewing supplies. For the most part, your machine will come equipped with all of the necessary tools, which are usually conveniently housed in the machine’s accessory tray. You don’t have to worry about locating scissors since some include built-in thread cutters.
Make sure you use the proper needle for the fabric you’re working with, since certain needles are better suited to certain fabrics than others.
Sewing Needle and Thread
A needle and thread are all you need to join two pieces of cloth together if you prefer hand stitching or haven’t saved enough for a sewing machine yet. Be sure you use a sharp needle and one that is suitable for the cloth you want to sew with. The higher your learning curve, the more annoying it will be to use a blunt needle.
Clips or Pins
A level surface is essential whether sewing with needle and thread or a sewing machine. In order to sew or guide your fabric through the sewing machine, having your hands free might be a real challenge when it comes to keeping your fabric pieces together.
Pins and clips come in helpful in this situation. They’ll keep your cloth in position so that you can concentrate on stitching it.
Sewing Scissors
It may be difficult to break fresh thread, which is recommended for strong stitching. Scissors are great for more than just cutting fabric; they may also be used to tidy up your work after you’ve done it by snipping out excess threads.
Iron
When two pieces of cloth are sewn together, the seams are formed. It’s critical if you’re sewing clothing that your seams don’t add bulk. You may avoid unattractive wrinkles and bulges by ironing your seams flat.
How to Sew Two Pieces of Fabric Together
Once you’ve learned what tools you’ll need, grab some scrap fabric and sew two pieces together for practice.
Step 1: Use safety pins to join the pieces of fabric together
With the correct side of the cloth facing in, assemble your garment. The attractive or printed side is on the right side. The incorrect side is either completely white or has a much paler shade of color.
In order to pin fabric, there are two methods to go about it. Either horizontally or vertically from the fabric’s edge to its core. Parallel to the edge, either horizontally or vertically. Both approaches accomplish the same goal. It’s up to you which one you use.
Clips can only travel in one direction. Attach them to the cloth’s edge using fabric clips.
Step 2: Thread the Needle
You’ll need thread whether you sew with a machine or by hand.
It’s easy to set up a sewing machine thanks to thread guidance. There are even some sophisticated sewing machines that include a built-in needle-threader to assist you thread the needle’s small eye.
To raise the bobbin thread, use the needle up/down button. The sutures will need it. Consider checking your machine handbook for threading instructions if you haven’t yet.
It’s easier to stitch by hand. Using the needle’s eye as a guide, thread a strand of thread through it. You should have two tails at the end. Making a basic knot at the end is sufficient to keep your thread from slipping through the cloth while you stitch.
Step 3: Inspect the Fabric
Use this time to double-check your material. Put your pins where they should be before you begin. Wrinkles and creases should be avoided at all costs. If there are, make sure they’re smoothed out. Taking care of any problems now can save you a lot of grief in the future.
Step 4: Tighten the Thread
You’re all set to get started now! Depending on the method you choose to sew, the procedure of threading the needle varies.
If you’re using a sewing machine, you may start the seam by lowering the foot all the way to the end of your cloth. Setting the needle and bobbin in place so that they’re not visible. With your right foot, softly push the pedal while holding the threads in your left hand. A few stitches will enough. Stop. Allow yourself to let go of the tassels that bind you.
To go backwards on most modern devices, just press the reverse button. The foot pedal may be pushed again to go back over the initial few stitches you made. As a result, they’ll be secure. In the end, you should be back where you started.
It’s possible to either depend on the knot you’ve made at the end of your thread or secure the tail of your thread by stitching it into the first few stitches of your sewing. Using a knot is more convenient, but it’s up to the individual.
Step 5: Sew Your Seams
After a long wait, you’re finally ready to start sewing your first two pieces of cloth together. Keep an eye on the size of your seam and remove pins or clips as you approach them. You may use tailor’s chalk to draw the line you need to sew on a sewing machine, or you can utilize the machine’s built-in guidance.
Step 6: The Final Step!
Keep going until you reach the end of your seam.
Use the reverse button on your sewing machine one more time, and then backtack over your last few stitches. Finish by raising the foot and cutting the thread with the needle up.
Sewists who do everything by hand. Cut the thread tail after tying another knot or working it into your previous stitches.
Once you’ve flattened your seams using an iron, you’re done. That’s all there is to it.
Your Sewing Machine Troubleshooting
Sewing two pieces of cloth together may seem simple, but there are a few things you need to mind. To make troubleshooting easier, here are a few things to bear in mind:
The Sort of Material
The sort of cloth you need to work with varies according on your project. The problem is that they don’t all operate in the same manner.
Cotton and other woven fabrics are the most user-friendly, particularly when working with straight lines. While you’re stitching, they won’t move or stretch much. Sewing on the bias or around bends alters this. Before beginning to sew the seams, always keep thread the curve parts. As a result, the cloth won’t lose its form due to stretching.
When working with knits, you should be aware that they will stretch as well. Avoid pulling or pushing the cloth during sewing by using lots of pins or clips.
Silk and other slippery materials need a more expert touch. When sewing with silk, you’ll notice that it tends to shift and shift while you’re working. If you’re using a sewing machine, this is especially true. A walking foot and a slew of clips are a need.
It’s not only the fabric’s texture that you need to consider, however. Additional issues arise as a result of the use of heavier materials. If you’re sewing with leather, you’ll need a particular needle and thread.
The use of Pin and Clipboard
Your fabric is held in place by both pins and clips. Personal taste and the sort of stitching you’re doing play a role in deciding which to use. In any case, it’s imperative that your fabric pieces be correctly sewn together.
Getting halfway through a project and finding that your pins have slid or that you haven’t quite caught both layers of cloth with your clips is the worst thing that can happen. Although it’s a simple blunder, it has far-reaching ramifications. In particular, the author focuses on energizing aspiring sewers.
Remove pins and clips from the cloth before stitching with a sewing machine to prevent them from getting caught in the foot or needle. Needles can only be threaded by using clips. You may have to stop sewing if your needle hits a sewing straight pins. Metal fragments will fly and your machine may be damaged as a result.
Distressed Textiles
The key to completing a flawless sewing endeavor is a single factor. Seam that you wish to stitch with a clean, straight line
When you pin or clip your two pieces of cloth, ensure sure they are both flush with each other before you begin. Fabric that has creases or wrinkles will bunch up beneath the needle and distort the appearance of your seams.
You may save time by ironing the fabric before you begin, but make sure it’s a material that won’t melt when heated. If this is the case, be sure you work with a flat piece of cloth the whole time.
FAQ
What stitch do you use to join two fabrics?
A basic straight stitch is the quickest and most effective way to join two pieces of cloth. For the sake of clarity, the example depicts a straight line of stitches, but you may alternatively sew two curved pieces of cloth together if you want to be more creative.
Is it possible to glue fabric together?
The use of fabric glue comes in handy when a thread and needle aren’t an option due to a tight deadline or other circumstances. Fabric glue is an adhesive alternative to stitching that is used to laminate textiles together by forming a temporary or permanent binding between the materials. In the event that you do not like sewing or if you need to mend something fast, this is an excellent solution.
Is it possible to hot glue fabric instead of stitching it?
Hot glue is not an acceptable substitute for the act of sewing. It is only intended to be a temporary treatment. You can use hot glue to hold your fabrics together for now, but sooner or later, you’ll want to stitch your fabrics together.
Is it possible for fabric glue to remain in tact after washing?
All fabric glues will hold up well in the washer, but only for a short period of time. Each time the adhesive is used, it becomes weaker, so be cautious while washing. If you want something to last a long time, avoid using glue on it.
Conclusion
Every sewing job begins with the simple task of stitching two pieces of cloth together. Even if you use a sewing machine or a needle and thread, the results are the same. Especially if you’re working with a new material, take your time and practice on scraps of cloth. Before you know it, you’ll be stitching seams like a master.
