Sewing anything by hand is by far my favorite type of sewing. If I use a machine, there are a million things that almost automatically go wrong….. I have to adjust the tension, The bobbin stops picking up, the needle starts cutting the thread…..yeah, I have problems, but its probably because I never really got to use a machine all that much when I was learning to sew.

Picking a Needle
The first thing you need when you’re going to be sewing by hand is a REALLY good needle. It needs to be SHARP (so cross-stitch needles are out). Especially if you’re going to be using PUL or Veclro, you NEED to have a sharp needle. You’ll also want one that’s fairly short. You are going to be making a lot of tiny stitches and a shorter needle just makes this easier. Also, when you go to tie off, the shorter the needle, the less thread you waste. I know a couple of inches aren’t really THAT big of a deal, but if you plan on sewing your whole stash, that’s a lot of wasted thread!

Picking a Thread
Polyester…. Polyester Polyester Polyester! That’s about all I have to say…. For my reasoning behind that…. Go to “Why Polyester”

Threading a Needle
Threading a needle is quite simple. You place the end of the thread through the eye of the needle. But if you’re actually reading this section, you may not know what the “eye” is. It’s the little hole at the non-pointy end of the needle. OK… now for threading technique and how to keep the thread on the friggin needle (something I had troubles with before my mom actually taught me how to thread a needle). What you want to do is hold the needle by the middle in your non-dominant hand (if you’re right-handed, it would be your left). Wet the end of the thread so it will stick out straight(running it between your lips generally does a good job of this). Push the very tip through the eye and grab it on the other side. Pull the thread through the eye till the needle is about in the middle of the length of thread. Put the two ends together and tie it off like you’re tying a knot in ONE piece of string. Now you have a doubled-thread (which provides for more durability in your stitching) AND your needle can’t come unthreaded. Thank you Sewing 101

Types of Stitches
-Straight Stitch
By far the easiest stitch. The straight-stitch goes in and out, in and out in a straight line (or around curves). It never crosses back over itself. Some people say this makes for a weaker stitch, but I’ve never had problems with it. Its not quite as pretty, but it gets things done quickly and for the hand-sewer that is doing a whole stash, speed is GOOD! Try to make your stitches as small as possible for asthetics and durrability, but you can do most of the work with this simple stitch.

- Over-Hand Stitch
This is what I use to close gaps, and sew things onto the diaper. The stitch still doesn’t cross over itself (normally) so its also a pretty quick stitch to employ. What you do is go into the fabric with the needle, come up through another piece of fabric, aplique, or velcro and pull tight. This makes little loops in the thread. Make sure your thread is being pulled tight all the time (especially if you use a double-strand like I do). This keeps the stitch looking neat and saves thread.

- Embroidery Stitch
This is kind-of a combination of the two stitches. You basically do a straight-stitch, but come up through the fabric about half-way through the previous stitch. This makes the stitching look more fluid and makes it easier to make longer stitches without causing a problem. When going around curves, make sure you have bring the needle onto the inside of the curve to keep the stitch looking neat.