What Is Basting In Sewing?

Commonly used in tailoring and couture sewing, basting is a technique that sets you up for success. Whether you've just come across the term for the first time in a sewing pattern or want a more in-depth idea of when to use a basting stitch in your projects, we've got the answers. Learn about what basting is, why you'd use it and a few different basting methods in this post. Once you're ready to try it out for yourself, shop for all the sewing supplies you need at WAWAK.

In sewing, basting or "tacking" is a method of temporarily holding fabrics together, usually with loose, easy-to-remove stitching.

WHAT IS BASTING IN SEWING?

In sewing, basting or "tacking" is a method of temporarily holding fabrics together, usually with loose, easy-to-remove stitching. In the same way you use pins to hold fabric layers together while sewing, a basting stitch holds layers in place before sewing the final seam and is removed when the seam is complete. Basting is commonly used in tailoring to help ensure fabrics stay flat and perfectly aligned, especially on more intricate garment areas like collars, linings and lapels. Basting can be done by hand or machine (more on that later) and is often used to facilitate the final assembly of a project, making it easier for the sewer to achieve a professional finish, especially when working with tricky fabrics or complex stitching.

What Is A Basting Stitch?

A basting stitch is a temporary stitch most often used to hold fabrics together before sewing your final seam, as you would with sewing pins or clips. The actual stitch itself consists of a simple running stitch with a long stitch length, which allows the threads to be undone much more quickly and easily than a typical straight stitch. Basting stitches are often sewn using a smooth basting thread that glides through the fabric. This way, when it's time to remove your stitches, you can just pull them out with minimal to no seam ripping required.

What Is Basting Used For?

Basting might seem redundant—after all, why would you bother sewing your projects twice? But it can be worth the extra step to help prevent sewing mistakes or really perfect your finish, especially for more involved projects. In general, thread basting allows you to be more precise in your work, ensuring that fabric layers stay aligned exactly how you want them before you make your final stitch. Let's take a look at a few common uses for basting in sewing:

Perfecting Alignment

Basting can be an excellent way to ensure fabrics stay perfectly aligned. If you're working with slippery fabrics that tend to shift while you sew or want to precisely line up patterns, basting before you sew is a smart move.

Sewing Multiple Layers

Keep your fabric layers flat and aligned by basting them before you sew them all together. Items like quilts require sewing over thick layers that can shift around or "bubble up" while you sew them, and basting can help keep that at bay.

Fitting & Adjustments

Allow for quick, easy alterations of a garment by basting items like darts and hems that may need to be modified for a better fit. You can also sew a muslin or test garment entirely using basting stitches so its seams can be easily undone and altered as necessary.

Trims, Zippers & Other Notions

Basting items like zippers, shoulder pads, appliques and trims helps keep them in place for easier, more controlled sewing and allows you to easily reposition if necessary.

Complex Or Intricate Stitching

When stitching tight areas, curves, or odd shapes, it can be particularly helpful to have your items basted beforehand for easier handling and sewing: think shirt collars, set-in sleeves, necklines and other complex garment areas, for example.

Gathering & Easing

Basting stitches can also be used to create gathers or ease in a fabric. For this technique, the sewer stitches one or two long rows of basting stitches and pulls on the thread to gather the fabric, shifting the fabric as needed to create either a gathering or easing effect.

Any Time You Need Extra Stability

Whenever you feel that pins alone aren't providing enough stability for you to stitch confidently, it's a smart move to baste your fabrics first. The added bit of time it takes can often save you time in the long run by preventing time-consuming sewing mistakes. If you're a beginner sewer, hand-basting your seams before bringing them to the machine can also be an excellent way to gain confidence using a sewing machine. When in doubt, baste!

Basting Methods

Since a basting stitch is essentially just a long, loose straight stitch, it can be done by hand or machine. Let's take a look at the basics of each method, plus a few alternative options for special cases.

Hand Basting

Hand basting is a great option for any application where you'd like more accuracy and control over how your material lies. Whether you're working with slippery chiffon and stretchy knits, installing a narrow zipper, or trying to match patterns perfectly, basting by hand allows you to be precise with your fabric alignment and stitching. There are several methods for basting by hand, but the most common consists of a simple running stitch with a long stitch length. You'll need a hand sewing needle and thread—we recommend a smooth basting thread that glides through fabrics and can be broken by hand for easy removal.

Machine Basting

For less complex areas of a project, you can also baste with a sewing machine. Set your sewing machine to a straight stitch with the length at its longest setting or use your machine's basting stitch setting. Remember not to backstitch at the start and end of a basting seam unless you'd specifically like to ensure that your seams can withstand being handled a lot (such as for a test garment), and leave a tail on either end of your seam to prevent the stitches from coming undone too soon.

No-Sew Methods

Basting with thread might not always be the right fit for your project. Some materials, like leather or vinyl, will retain holes when punctured; for items like this, double-sided basting tape can be used to hold materials together instead. Large items, like quilts, can be very time-consuming to baste; to save time, adhesive basting spray is also available as an alternative to traditional basting. And of course, you can always use sewing pins or fabric clips to hold your fabrics together if you feel your project doesn't require basting.

Wherever your projects take you, WAWAK is here to help you achieve the perfect finish. Shop for basting thread, needles and all the notions you need to take your ideas from inspiration to reality. Let's sew!

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