How to Baste Fabric

Co-authored by Lois Wade and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References

Keeping seams together is a struggle for veteran and newbie stitchers alike, especially if you’re working with thick, bulky fabric. If you’ve run out of ideas on how to keep your projects in line, try out a basting stitch (also called tacking) for your next sewing ordeal. You can use a basting stitch to quickly and roughly sew your layers together to keep them in place while you make the real stitches. They’re easy to take out once you’ve finished sewing, so they don’t add much time to your project at all. Plus, a well-basted sewing project is almost a guarantee that you won’t have to unpick any of your stitches, so it can actually save you time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Basting Basics

1
Baste fabric when you’re testing out the fit. One of the main reasons to use a basting stitch is when you’re sewing a garment where fit is very important. Structured jackets, trousers, fitted tops, and dresses all may require a test fit, and basting stitches are an easy way to hold your fabric together while you try it on your model.^{[1]
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- You should still be very careful when testing the fit, as basting stitches aren’t as sturdy as normal stitches.
- Basting works best on cotton fabric, but it doesn’t do too well on slippery, silky fabric.
2
Use basting stitches to hold bulky fabrics together. Thick layers of fabric can be hard to hold together with pins, as they can easily slip out and get lost. If you’re trying to sew a quilt or a blanket, you can use a basting stitch to keep your layers together as you sew around them.^{[2]
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- You can also use a basting stitch to keep a zipper in place as you attach it to a garment.
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3
Purchase thick cotton thread for basting. For basting, you should use basting or stitching thread (they’re the same thing, just with different names). This type of thread is thick and durable, so it’s better at holding a few layers of fabric together at a time. Plus, the thick cotton thread will be much easier to pick out of your fabric than thin, silky thread is.^{[3]
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- You can find basting thread at most craft supply stores.
4
Hand baste to make the threads easier to remove. There are 2 ways you can do a basting stitch: by hand or by machine. While they both work to keep layers of fabric together, basting by hand is easier to control, so you can make the stitch lengths longer than you can with a machine. This makes the stitch easier to take out, so it’s great for clothing or projects when you don’t need to hold the fabric together for very long.^{[4]
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- Basting by machine is great for fabric that you’re holding together for longer than just a fitting, like quilt layers.
5
Avoid basting simple garments, like knitwear and sweatshirts. While basting is helpful, you don’t need to use it on every sewing project that you do. Simple garments that don’t require a lot of fitting, like knitwear, sweatshirts, and kid’s clothing, don’t need any basting.^{[5]
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- Clothing with darts or structured clothing is where you’re going to use a basting stitch the most.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

By Hand

1
Thread a needle and tie a knot in the thread. Pick out a long needle and thread it with basting thread, then tie the 2 ends together in a tight knot. You can use as much or as little thread as you’d like to for now, since you can always thread your needle with more.^{[6]
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- Using 2 layers of thread will give you a stronger temporary seam, making it less likely that your fabric will slip or bunch as you sew.
2
Push the needle into the layers of fabric from the frontside. Since you’ll be going back and forth with your stitch, it doesn’t really matter if the stitch is showing from the front. Insert your needle into all of the layers of fabric to start with, about 1 mm (0.039 in) away from the line that you actually want to sew.^{[7]
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- Keeping your baste stitch away from your sewing line will make it easier to make your actual stitches later on.
3
Pull the needle through the fabric about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) from the first stitch. To finish your first stitch, bring the needle back up through the fabric (just like a running stitch). You want these stitches to be spread out pretty far from each other, so don’t be afraid to take your needle out pretty far.^{[8]
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- The farther apart they are, the easier they will be to pick out later.
4
Continue the stitch until you reach the end of the fabric. Keep going up and down with your needle to connect your fabric layers together. Spread the stitches out pretty far so that you can pick them out when you don’t need them anymore. Other than that, don’t worry too much about what they look like (they’re just for function, after all).^{[9]
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- To avoid hurting your back, sit with your legs crossed and prop your fabric up on your knee. This will let you keep your back straight and not bend over so far to reach the fabric.
5
Leave the thread loose when you’re done. It’s tempting to grab the end of the thread and tie it off like usual, but that will make your job much harder later on. Simply cut the needle off the thread and leave the loose end hanging so that you can pull on it later. It won’t hold like this forever, but it will get the job done so you can keep stitching.^{[10]
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- If you’re leaving the stitches in for a long time or you’re worried about the fabric coming apart when you do a fitting, you can tie a small knot in the end of the thread and cut it out when you want to remove the stitches.
6
Pick the stitches out when you don’t need them anymore. When you’ve finished making your actual stitches to hold your fabric together, use your fingers or the flat part of a needle to pull the basting stitches out from the bottom up. If you pull them out all in row, you can even reuse the thread for another basting stitch later on!^{[11]
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- Since you sewed the stitches by hand, they should be fairly easy to remove.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

With a Machine

1
Set your stitch length to its longest setting. Since you want your stitches to be far apart, you need to set your machine to it’s longest setting (usually 5 mm). Make sure your bobbin is threaded with basting thread before you start so you can ensure your seams stay together.^{[12]
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- Remember, basting thread is thicker than normal thread. You may have to switch out your regular sewing thread before you baste.
2
Sew slowly up the fabric. Just like with hand basting, you’ll want to make your stitches about 1 mm (0.039 in) away from the sewing seam of the fabric. Make your first stitch with your machine without backstitching, then continue up the fabric until you reach the end.^{[13]
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- Back stitching makes it harder to take the stitches out later on. While this is great for permanent seams, it’s not good for temporary ones.
3
Leave the thread loose when you’re done. When you’ve reached the end of your fabric, pull your fabric out of the sewing machine and leave a long tail of thread. You don’t need to double sew the ends to ensure that they stay put since you’ll be taking out the stitches later on.^{[14]
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- If you’re worried about the thread slipping or moving while you work on your fabric, you can tie a small knot in the thread at the end.
4
Remove the stitches with a seam ripper when you’re done. Machine basting stitches are a little closer together than hand basting stitches, so they might be harder to take out. Grab a seam ripper and put it underneath the first stitch, then continue down the line until you’ve taken out all of your stitches.^{[15]
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- Seam ripping can sound like a chore, but it’s so much easier to rip out these wide stitches than standard-sized ones.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

No-Sew Basting

1
Use pins to connect thin layers of fabric. If you want to hold together fabric that’s pretty thin, insert sewing pins either vertically or horizontally along the seam of your fabric, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) apart. The only drawback about using pins is that you can’t sew over them, so you’ll have to take them out before you make your actual stitches.^{[16]
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- Sewing over pins can break or bend your needle, so it isn’t worth the risk.
- You can sew slowly on a machine and take your pins out one by one to keep the fabric in line without the danger of breaking a needle.
2
Try double-sided tape when you’re sewing hems. Hems are a pain to keep in place, especially if you’re working with a stretchy knit fabric. Instead of bothering with a baste stitch, attach a strip of double sided tape to the bottom of the fabric, then fold it up to hold it in place. You can then hem your fabric without worrying about it folding or puckering as you work.^{[17]
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- Look for double sided tape that’s made specifically for fabric so that it stays sticky.
- If you’re working with leather, using double sided tape can hold your hem together without poking holes in it (like pins would).
3
Attach clips to hold thin fabrics together. If you’re attaching a thin ribbon to the outside of your fabric, using pins or stitches can be too bulky. Try using sewing Wonder clips or clothespins to attach the fabric layers together, spacing them about 1 in (2.5 cm) apart. Take them off one by one as you sew down the line to hold your fabric in place.^{[18]
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- Clips can be heavy, so watch out for any folds or bends in the fabric as you work.
4
Spray basting glue onto quilt fabrics to hold them together. Shake up a can of basting glue and spray a thin layer onto the outside edges of your fabric, then press and hold them together for about 30 seconds. When you’ve finished making all of your stitches, just wash the quilt in warm water with detergent to remove the basting spray.^{[19]
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- Since the spray can only be washed away with water, you should only use it on projects that you plan to wash in the future.
- If the spray makes your needle sticky, give it a quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol to clean it off.
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Community Q&A

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Question

How do I do a zigzag stitch on sewing machine?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

There is a dial setting for a side-to-side motion of the needle. Setting 0 is for no movement, and the highest for the widest. Adjust the stitch length to get the zigzag desired. For example, button holes will have a short stitch length and a #2 side-to-side width. Test the setting on scrap fabric to see how much the zigzag covers.

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Question

Can a baste stitch keep a design from puckering?

Hannah Madden

Community Answer

Yes, a baste stitch is perfect for keeping fabric flat and making sure it's smooth. You can use it to hold down your design while you work so it looks more polished once you're done.

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