How to Slipstitch—Ladder Stitch
Nicki LaFoilleDescription
The slip stitch, also known as the ladder stitch, is a basic hand-sewing stitch to know. Even if you do most of your sewing using a sewing machine, it is useful to know this basic stitch. It is often used to close openings in sewing projects; usually—after the project has been turned right-side out—to hide the seam allowances inside.
The slip stitch joins two folded edges of fabric together while hiding the thread, so the result is a fairly invisible stitch.
Using one strand of thread, thread your hand-sewing needle and knot one end. Nicki demonstrates how to hide the knot underneath the seam allowances at one end of the opening. Then, stitch back and forth across the opening, taking small, even stitches through the seam allowances’ folds.
When the opening is closed, knot the thread end, clip the thread, then tuck the thread end inside the stitched seam. Alternatively, after knotting the thread end, thread your needle through another point in the project, pull the thread to the outside, then clip, so the thread end is hidden inside the project.
Using thread that matches the fabric will help the stitch be even more invisible. This stitch can also be used to repair ready-made items whose seams have come undone, such as stuffed animals, throw pillows, and more.
For more hand-sewing tips and tricks, learn how to easily thread a needle and prevent thread tangles and a great tip for spacing stitches.
If you are interested in learning more hand-sewing stitches for construction and hemming, check out these videos: Running and Backstitch, and Hem Using the Slipstitch and Blind Hem Stitch.
This video teaches a technique to avoid having a knot on the wrong side of the fabric altogether.
The slip stitch is a really useful hand sewing stitch to know. It's often used after things have been turned right side out through an opening. It's used to invisibly stitch that opening closed. So, here is something that I've turned right side out through this opening. Now I wanna close this opening up. So I'm gonna take my hand sewing needle and thread and I wanna hide my knot underneath one of these seam allowances right at the beginning of my opening. And I want this stitch to come out right at the fold of my seam allowances. Now I'm just going to be going back and forth from fold to fold, taking a little stitch in along the fold and then jumping to the other fold right where this stitch came out. And you can even go slightly inside of the fold. And if you use a thread that matches your fabric, this stitch is very invisible. The slip stitch is sometimes called the ladder stitch because we're stitching back and forth. Right inside of that fold and right where my thread comes out, I'm going to slide the needle back into that opposite fold. And you don't wanna pull the thread too tight because then you will create these puckers in your seams. You want the thread to be able to lay relaxed. We're just stitching back and forth, and that thread gets hidden inside of those folds. Now when we get to where we want to tie our thread off, you can hide that knot down in on one of these seam allowances well and tuck that thread end under. So once we get our thread all the way across, stitching back and forth. I'm going to take a little bite of the fabric and then hook my needle into my loop to knot that off. And I like to knot my thread ends twice, so I'm kind of biting under that knot that I just made, stitching through my loop. Pull that tight. Clip my thread off. And there is the slip stitch closing up that opening nice and invisible.
Clearest video I’ve ever seen. Thank you!!!
My magnifying glasses are not strong enough to see the stitching method all that clearly -