Online Sewing Lesson

Yes, even though I am living far away in a travel trailer, I still get those calls from my children asking "Mom, how do you...?" Most recently, my youngest daughter, Emily called and asked how to sew a simple decorative seam so she and her son, the FabGrandson Spencer, could make some handmade Christmas ornaments. (Does she take after her mom or what?) I was trying to explain how to do it, and was not making much progress, so here is a pictorial lesson for her (and anyone else who might like to know):

To make a whip stitch edge:

1. Start with the needle at the back of the project. Bring the thread through to the front:



2. Put the needle a small distance away, into the back of the project again:


3. Before you pull the thread all the way through, put the needle through the little loop, then pull the thread the rest of the way through the fabric:


4. Put the needle a small distance away, through the back of the project again:

5. Before you pull the thread all the way through, put the needle through the little loop, then pull the thread the rest of the way through the fabric, again:


6. And again:



7. And again:



8. And again:



9. This is how the edge seam looks when you get it all done:



Another way to sew a seam is the running stitch:

1. Insert the needle back and forth through both layers of fabric:


2. Pull the thread through and do it again. This what the finished running stitch seam will look like:

This will be Spencer's first sewing project. I can hardly wait to see the results. Have fun, Emily!