12 Best Hand Sewing Books
Updated on: December 2023
Best Hand Sewing Books in 2023
The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: A Romance in Stitches and Embroidery from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making (Alabama Studio)
How to Sew: Manual of Hand Sewing Teaching All Varieties of Hand Stitches Used in Dressmaking (Classic Reprint)
Basic Hand Sewing Guide 1-Hour Repair Guide: Stitching Techniques & Repair Guide
The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques
Hand Sewing Magic: Essential Know-How for Hand Stitching--*10 Easy, Creative Projects *Master Tension and Other Techniques * With Pro Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting
Sewing for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Hand Sewing Book with Techniques on Stitching and So Much More for the Absolute Beginner (The Series for Beginners)
Mend & Patch: A Handbook to Repairing Clothes and Textiles
Hand Stitches: For the Fine Custom Tailored Garment (The Stanley Hostek Tailoring Book Series)
Sewing School ®: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make
The Art of Hand Sewing Leather
The Modern Maker vol. 3: Handsewing Stitches for Garment Construction
Sewn by Hand: Two Dozen Projects Stitched with Needle & Thread
Unique Sewing Tools
Sewing doesn't require many tools if you are a beginner, but acquiring a few specialty tools will make your sewing projects easier and the results will look more professional.
The influx of new specialty sewing tools have been designed to eliminate guesswork and makes sewing faster and easier. With a little practice a novice sewer can make very professional looking crafts and garments.
Purchasing a variety of sizes of weights is an efficient and time-saving substitute for stick pins. Some patterns require extensive marking and using fabric weights will save you a lot of time. Plus some fabrics are so fine that using pins may leave tiny holes in your fabric. If you want to get really technical, some weights are actually shaped for garment making.
A magnetic pin catcher will help keep your sewing area neat and tidy. A magnetic wand can be used to sweep your sewing area to clean the stick pins and needles that may have fallen.
Scissors can become dull very quickly especially if you work with a lot of heavy fabrics. An electric scissor sharpener is a valuable investment for frequent sewers. A sharpener saves time and money.
If you do work with a lot of heavy fabrics invest in a needle-grabber. It helps save wear-and-tear on your fingers. Using a needle-grabber grabs the needle and keeps a firm grip on it as it is pulled through the heavy fabric.
Basting tape is handy when sewing slippery fabrics. All you do is place it within the seam allowance to hold the two pieces of fabric together.
Wash-away basting thread eliminates the need to rip out basting stitches. Handy for quilters. It dissolves in the wash or can be removed with a damp cloth and steam iron.
If you do a lot of hand sewing purchase some beeswax which will strengthen your thread and prevent tangling and knotting.
You can purchase additional topstitching guides that will give decorative stitches to your projects. Zipper attachments should also be purchased as they do come in handy. Make sure to see what is available for your sewing machine.
There are so many items you may feel overwhelmed. Start small and purchase one new tool on each craft store visit. You will soon have a nice collection to make your sewing projects go smoothly.
