How to Sew a Basting Stitch, How to Machine Baste

9.21 2011

Basting stitches are long removable stitches sewn either by hand or machine. A basting stitch is a really good technique to know. For example, when tailoring and you need to fit a garment or hold a dart, or when sewing slippery or stretchy material, or even to hold a zipper in place.

For machine basting, start with your straight stitch.

Then your longest stitch length.

I tend to use a contrasting thread when I baste, this allows you to easily find the stitch + not rip out your actual seam. Simply stitch your fabric.

Then when you are done with the project, you should be able to pull the stitch right out of the fabric.

 

 

Comments

1. Jenn Erickson :

   Absolutely perfect tutorial, and one that will serve me well in my projects this fall! Thank you!
   
   Jenn
2. qchick310 :

   Wow, you read my mind!
   
   I was reading another tutorial that required machine basting, and then this appeared!
   
   Thank you! :)
3. AnJayla :

   Thank you so much.
4. emma :

   and this is why u're one of my faves! I know nothing & you know everything! Teach me ur ways!! :)
5. Miranda :

   I'm so happy you posted this. Especially right now when I am in the throws of sewing (or at least trying to) my daughter's Halloween costume!
6. Star :

   Used to do this on my old fashioned (i.e., non computerized) machine that had a stitch length of 6...much better than 4 for this. Tried with 4, but it wouldn't pull out, maybe I could loosen the tension.... HINT: do two parallel basted rows about a half an inch apart, and adjust the gathers between these two rows...they hold the position of the gathers much better than just one row of basting.
7. Susan :

   @star, that is a great ruffling technique!
8. Sarah :

   Sorry, this feels really ignorant, but why would I want a stitch that can be pulled out? Is it just a placeholder or something??
9. Susan :

   @sarah, yes exaclty. when you are working with either stretchy or slippery fabric, this stitch is essential! thank you for your question!
10. M :

    Is that a Elna 1010? It looks exactly like my Elna...just wondering....