Last updated: August 21, 2026
Most clothes are not thrown out because they wore out. They are thrown out because a seam opened at the underarm, a pocket corner gave way, or a cuff frayed, and nobody in the house knew which stitch to use. That is a twenty minute problem being treated as the end of a garment.
You need four stitches. One joins a seam, one closes an opening invisibly, one holds a raw edge, and one rebuilds fabric that has gone. Learn those and you can fix the great majority of what a wardrobe throws at you with a needle, a length of thread and a chair by a window.
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Quick Answer
Which hand stitches do you need to mend clothes?
- Backstitch for any seam that takes strain. It is the strongest hand stitch and the closest to a machine seam.
- Slip stitch, also called ladder stitch, to close an opening so the thread does not show.
- Whipstitch to hold a raw edge or the sides of a small tear together.
- Darning to rebuild a hole in knitwear by weaving new threads across the gap.
Bottom line: match the stitch to the job, use polyester thread, and stop pulling so tight. Puckered mends are almost always tension, not skill.
Before You Start Stitching
Turn the garment inside out and look at how the original seam was made, because your repair should copy it. Note how far in from the edge the stitching sits, how long the stitches are, and whether the seam allowance was finished. Matching that keeps the garment hanging the way it did.
Thread a single strand rather than doubling it, unless you are sewing a button. Single thread tangles less and lets you control tension. Knot the end, or better, take two tiny stitches on top of each other to anchor, which is flatter than a knot and less likely to pull through.
Thread and Needle Choices
All purpose polyester thread for almost everything, because it has a little give and it outlasts the wash. A sharps needle for wovens, a longer darner for knitwear. Cut a length no longer than your forearm, since anything longer tangles and abrades as it passes through the fabric. There is a full list of what to keep on hand in our clothing repair kit guide.
Stitch One: Backstitch for Seams
Backstitch is the repair stitch for anything structural: a side seam, a crotch seam, a pocket bag, a strap. Bring the needle up, take a stitch backwards into the fabric, then come up again a stitch length ahead of where you started. Each stitch touches the last, so the line is continuous like machine stitching.
Work along the original stitch line and start half an inch before the opening and finish half an inch past it, into intact stitching. That overlap is what stops the repair from pulling away at its own ends, which is the most common reason a hand mended seam opens again.
How Tight Is Right
The thread should lie in the fabric, not sit on top of it, and the fabric should stay flat when you let go. If the seam gathers, you are pulling. Give the thread a small tug after every few stitches to seat it, then let it be.
Stitch Two: Slip Stitch for Invisible Closing
Also called a ladder stitch, this one closes an opening from the outside while hiding the thread inside the fold. Take a short stitch inside the fold on one side, cross straight over, take a short stitch inside the fold on the other side, and repeat. Every few stitches, pull gently and the two sides draw together with the thread disappearing between them.
It is the stitch for closing the gap left in a lining, resewing the end of a cushion, or fixing a split in a hem where you do not want a visible line. It is not a strength stitch, so do not use it on a seam that carries load.
Stitch Three: Whipstitch for Edges
A whipstitch loops over the edge of the fabric at an angle, catching both layers or wrapping a single raw edge. It is quick, it is visible, and it holds. Use it to stop a raw edge fraying inside a garment, to join two folded edges where the stitching will not be seen, or to hold the sides of a small tear before you patch behind it.
Keep the stitches evenly spaced and shallow. Deep whipstitches pull the edge into a rope, and on a lightweight fabric they will show as a scalloped line from the outside.
Stitch Four: Darning a Hole
Darning is weaving rather than sewing. Lay a row of parallel threads across the hole in one direction, anchoring each one in the sound fabric well beyond the edge of the hole, then weave a second set across them at a right angle, going over and under alternately. The result is a small patch of new cloth grown into the old.
Support the fabric while you work over something curved, which is what a darning mushroom is for, and stop the fabric from cupping. Work into strong fabric all around the hole, not just at its edge, because the fabric next to a hole is usually thin too. If you want the repair to be seen rather than hidden, our visible mending guide covers the supplies for that.
Which Stitch for Which Repair
The table maps common damage onto the right stitch, with the mistake that most often ruins each one.
| Repair | Stitch | Thread | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split side or crotch seam | Backstitch | All purpose polyester, single | Not starting inside the intact stitching |
| Gap in a lining or hem | Slip stitch | Matching polyester, single | Pulling tight and puckering the fold |
| Fraying raw edge | Whipstitch | Any strong thread | Stitches too deep, edge ropes up |
| Hole in knitwear | Darning | Wool or fine yarn to match | Anchoring too close to the hole |
Sewing a Button So It Stays On
Buttons come off because they were sewn flat against the fabric with no room for the buttonhole layer. Sew through the holes over a spacer, a matchstick or a second needle laid across the top, then remove the spacer, lift the button, and wind the thread several times around the threads underneath to make a shank.
Finish underneath the fabric with two small stitches on top of each other rather than a knot on the surface. Use doubled thread here, since a button is the one repair where the extra strength is worth the tangling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the strongest hand stitch? Backstitch. Each stitch overlaps the previous one, so the thread line is continuous rather than a row of separate loops, and a single broken stitch does not let the seam run. It is what to use on any seam that takes strain.
Can I mend stretchy fabric by hand? Yes, but leave slack in the thread so the seam can stretch, or use a stitch worked with a slight zigzag path. A tight straight hand seam in jersey will snap the thread the first time the garment is pulled on.
Should I knot the thread? A knot is fine on a hidden seam. For a flatter finish, anchor with two tiny stitches in the same spot instead, which is less likely to work loose or to show as a bump under a thin fabric.
Is hand mending as strong as machine sewing? On a short repair, close enough. A machine seam is more even and much faster, so once you are mending regularly a basic machine pays for itself in time. Our sewing kit guide covers the hand tools, and the machine question is in stitch gun, handheld machine or needle and thread.
How do I stop the thread tangling? Cut shorter lengths, use single thread where you can, and run the thread through your fingers to straighten it before you start. Thread has a twist direction, and threading the end that came off the spool first tangles less.
The Bottom Line
Four stitches cover the wardrobe. Backstitch anything structural and start inside the sound stitching at both ends. Slip stitch to close an opening invisibly. Whipstitch to tame a raw edge. Darn to rebuild a hole in knitwear, anchoring well out into strong fabric. Use polyester thread, keep the tension loose, and the mend will outlast the next thing that goes wrong. Read next: what belongs in a clothing repair kit and supplies for mending that shows.