How to sew sequins onto fabric by hand: instructions for beginners

Sequins are the fashion trend of the season.
To look fashionable, a girl’s wardrobe must have items decorated with them. These bright sparkles can transform any thing, giving it brightness and originality. Sequins are also convenient because they free you from additional expenses for new clothes. They can be sewn onto your favorite clothes which will be transformed and look new.

What are sequins

Sequins are small, beautiful sparkles that can come in different shapes and colors. From matte round to square pearlescent.

A sequin is a small shiny circle, mainly made of colored metallized paper or plastic, used to decorate clothes, accessories and pastel linen; they are also used to make beautiful appliques. There is a hole in the center of each circle for easy sewing. The shape can be not only round, there are also square, oval sparkles, in the shape of hearts or leaves. Can be concave or convex.

Work process

History of origin

Monists are considered the ancestors of modern sequins. These are round gold jewelry that have been used for more than four thousand years.

India is the birthplace of sequins. They were made from precious metals - gold and silver or from the wings of gold beetles. Only rich ladies could decorate themselves with such products. Sequined saris are still popular in India.

The fashion for shiny round pieces came to Europe much later. The purpose of sequins was to imitate the shine of gold and precious stones on court dresses and church vestments. The most famous surviving item from this time is an English fan made of parchment, exquisitely embroidered with sequins.

In theatrical costumes, sequin embroidery firmly strengthened its position in the 18th century. Under the rays of the spotlight, the outfits shimmered and sparkled.

Sequins appeared in everyday life recently - at the beginning of the twentieth century. But the boundaries of use have expanded so much that it is difficult to say where sequins are NOT used.

Materials and tools you will need for sequin embroidery

The main tools are sequins, threads, needles (mostly thick ones are used to make it easier to pierce the material). Very often, beads or rhinestones are used in combination with sequins. They are designed to hide the thread and give the product more luxury. The threads must be very strong and strong, preferably in the color of the product or sequins. To prevent the thread from becoming fluffy while working, you can lubricate it with candle wax.

To secure the fabric, you definitely need a stretcher so that the product does not fidget on the surface of the desktop and is tightly stretched. Be sure to choose unpretentious material so that it does not get too dirty or wrinkle. This is necessary so as not to constantly wash the product and spoil it. You need small and sharp scissors, you can use manicure scissors.

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Machine sewing

If you need to decorate a finished item with some kind of design, then its sketches can be found on the Internet. You can transfer it to the product using a special tracing paper that does not leave streaks. You need to buy it at a fabric store.

Important! For easier work, you need to watch at least five different master classes on hand embroidery.

Sewing on a sewing machine

Sewing sequins on a sewing machine has its own advantages and features. Most needlewomen note increased speed in their work, which helps when the order is urgent. As a result, the following points can be highlighted when working on a sewing machine:

For work, it is better to use a decorative element previously strung on a thread. The sequin thread is applied to the fabric and they begin to sew it in the standard way.
Some needlewomen do not use special feet, adjusting the stitch pitch in accordance with the radius of the purchased decor. It turns out that the sewing machine needle passes through two sequins and makes the next puncture into the middle hole.
The presser foot pressure is set to standard - sewing on decorative tape does not require the use of special separate tools. Knitted fabric requires a high-quality approach and a tighter fit of the sewing foot.
For sewing, you can use special transparent threads. These are purchased in a specialized store. If they are absent, you can use matching threads. But this type requires careful sewing, otherwise the appearance of the product will be slightly spoiled.

A detailed master class on sewing decorative ribbon with a sewing machine is presented in the video. It is noteworthy that for self-tailoring you can use sewing machines of any variety. The case may involve already unpopular brands, as well as mini-models presented in the form of manual sewing machines. The main condition for sewing is the mandatory use of thin fabric.

A quick way to sew on sequins

Sewing sequins on an overlocker has a number of advantages and features in the process. Many craftswomen note the high speed of work, this helps with urgent orders. There are a number of features when working with the machine:

Stringing decoration

For work, it is advisable to use sequins pre-strung on a thread;
You need to attach the sequin thread to the material and start sewing it using the classic method;
Many craftswomen do not use special feet, making the stitching distance in accordance with the size of the purchased sequin.

It turns out that the needle on the overlocker passes through two sequins and a new puncture is made into the middle hole. The presser foot is pressed in a classic way - sewing on a satin ribbon does not require the use of special separate tools. The fabric must be dense and of high quality. For sewing, it is recommended to use professional transparent threads. You can buy them at a textile store.

Fish scale technique

If there are none, then threads to match the fabric will do. Sequins must be sewn on very carefully so as not to spoil the item. To understand how to sew sequins onto fabric, you need to know the types of seams.

Sewing Features

Sequin embroidery for craftswomen who are starting to do needlework begins with studying the features and basic rules, among which the following points stand out:

There are two ways to sew sequins onto clothes - manually and using a sewing machine.
If you use a sewing machine, purchase a special foot for it.
In questions of how to embroider on clothes with the presented decorative element, the mandatory preparation of materials for work is highlighted. So, you need to prepare sequins, a medium-thick needle and strong threads that match the color of the decorative glass.
Take into account the thickness of the fabric. It should be of medium thickness - knitwear, thin linen, cotton.
Depending on the sewing method, additional elements such as beads or seed beads may be required.

Before you start, you need to decide how to sew on the sequins - on a sewing machine or by hand. Beginning needlewomen will not be able to embroider knitted fabric with sequins on a machine. In this case, it is recommended to use the manual method, which is often stronger.

How to sew sequins with a continuous seam

Sometimes craftswomen use a crochet hook instead of needles. But for beginners it will be more convenient and easier to work with a needle and hand. Sequins sewn using a continuous seam adhere to the product quite firmly, but in this case the seam is noticeable and the color of the threads must be chosen correctly.

Mosaic technique

To make such a seam, you need to insert a needle from the inside into the center of the glitter and make a “back needle” seam through the right edge of the decoration. Bring the needle to the left edge of the sequin and stitch back through the center of the circle. Pull out the needle to sew on a new sequin, taking into account that they should touch each other.

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Sewn by hand

If you don’t have a sewing machine and have a lot of time, you can use the manual sewing method. This decor on clothes looks much neater. In addition, you can use any convenient and more interesting sewing method; it is easier to sew on the decoration by hand, creating a specific pattern.

Open seam with 4 or 2 stitches

You can sew decor onto a dress or other type of clothing in the most common way - with an open seam of 4 or 2 stitches. The method fully identifies the peculiarity of the seam - the threads remain visible, so it is better to choose them to match the decor. Sew on the decoration in the following sequence:

A needle with a thread and a knot at the end must be pulled from the wrong side of the garment, where the sequin will be sewn on.
Place a sequin on the needle and hook it to the fabric, pushing the point past the edge of the circle.
Next, take out the needle and thread in the center of the sequin and make a similar stitch in the opposite direction.

In this way, make two stitches, creating the “diameter” of the existing circle, or 4 cross stitches. This method is very painstaking.

Decorative method

This method is similar to the previous seam. More stitches are made on the sequin - a cross and an additional 4 stitches, which are laid between the previously created ones. It turns out 8 stitches or 12 - depending on the type of clothing decoration.

Closed seam using beads

The seam with threads can be covered with beads, which act as an additional decoration. The seam is performed in the following sequence:

The glitter is strung on a thread, having first pulled it from the wrong side of the product.
Next, put on the beads.
The needle is inserted back into the hole of the decorative circle - it turns out that the sequin is pressed against the fabric with beads.

Make two knots on the wrong side to finish the seam.

Decorative row with a back stitch

If you need to sew on sequins located nearby, you can use the “back needle” stitch, known to craftswomen using standard embroidery techniques.

The following actions must be taken:

Using a needle, pull the thread from the inside of the garment in the place where the sequins begin to be sewn.
The first glitter is placed on the needle.
Next, the needle is directed behind the sequins, making a backward stitch.
Place the needle again in front of the sewn sequin, counting the approximate distance to the width of half the sequin.
Then repeat the action from the first point.

If you sew the sequins correctly in this way, you get a tight sewing of decorative elements.

Continuous seam

This method of sewing is similar to the previous one, but in this case the stitches are applied twice - to the right side of the center of the sequin and to the left. On the right side it is enough to stitch in the same way. To make a stitch to the left side, make an additional seam back, and only then pull the needle at the rate of 0.5 sequins forward.

Blind seam

You can sew on the sequins so that the thread is not visible at all. This is possible if the sequins overlap each other. The seam must be laid in accordance with the following instructions:

The needle and thread must be brought out on the front side so that it is located close to the sequin that will be sewn on.
The decoration is put on a needle, which is required to make a stitch to the left of the middle hole.
Next, the point is brought out in front of the just sewn sequins at a distance of a whole diameter.
Thread a new decoration onto the needle and repeat the action.

Thus, it turns out that the sparkles overlap each other and the thread used for this is not visible in the finished work. Despite the fact that a hidden seam implies its complete absence in the finished work, it is better to choose threads that match the decor being sewn on.

Having fully understood what sequins are and how to sew them on, you can choose the appropriate method for the job. It is recommended to adhere to the above conditions and tips to ensure that the finished work is completed flawlessly.

Technique for placing sequins: overlay (“fish scales”, mosaic)

The mosaic technique is different in that, starting from the second row, the sequins need to be sewn so that the hole in the middle is above the junction of two flakes from the first row. This technique makes the item more durable on the body, emphasizes all the advantages and looks lighter than fish scales.

Overlay ("fish scales")

To perform this technique, each row of scales is sewn with a hidden seam. With it, each sequin half covers the one that is already glued to the product. Therefore, the stitch can be hidden.

Important! When buying tools for work, you need to take into account that decorating products with embroidery using the fish scale technique requires more sparkles than using the mosaic technique.

It must be remembered that this technique of execution gives the product extra volume. Therefore, things made with such an overlay are not suitable for everyone. For overweight people, it is better to use the mosaic technique; it will help hide figure imperfections and emphasize shapes.

Sewing with beads

How to sew sequins correctly?

Learn how to sew sequins correctly - closed and open seams, single, double and overlapping.

There are several ways to sew sequins with an open seam, and only one - with a closed one. It’s probably worth starting with this one - it’s the most aesthetic, and therefore the most frequently used.

Sew the sequins with a closed seam

You will need beads: ideally, even round shape. When choosing a shade, give preference to dark colors that go well with your sequins. For example, the sequins are blue - the beads are dark blue.

Take a thin needle and a long thread (the same color as the beads). We do not fold the thread in half - this is not necessary. Tie a knot and pierce the fabric from the inside out where the pattern will be. Pull the thread to the end and place a sequin on it. If it is voluminous, try it on with the concave and convex sides and decide which is more beautiful. More often they choose the first option - then the bead will lie in the sequins as if on a platter.
We put one bead on the needle and stick it into the fabric, in the same place where the thread comes from, threading it through the sequin hole. Tighten the loop. The beads end up in, preventing them from coming off the thread. The pattern will turn out to be more voluminous than when using open seams, and tiny glass beads will enliven it and add a playful shine.

Sew the sequins with a closed seam

What should be understood by the term “open seams”? This is when the thread used to sew the sequin is visible from the front side of the product. In this case, beads are not used, and therefore the pattern is flatter.

The algorithm of actions is as follows: as last time, pierce the fabric from the wrong side, pull the thread to the front side, put a sequin on the needle... And now the most interesting thing - having placed the sequin in its rightful place, stick the needle next to its edge, so that the seam ran parallel to the edge of the fabric. The needle can go both backwards and forwards - whichever is more convenient for you. Some particularly meticulous needlewomen believe that correctly sewing sequins with an open seam requires two or even three stitches. This is only necessary in one case: if the pattern is located in a place where the fabric often clings to the body or objects - for example, on cuffs. Indeed, sequins sewn in this way hold tighter and do not break when bent - but you will have to fuss with sewing them twice as long. How to properly sew overlapping sequins? Let's start with the fact that not any solder is suitable for this. It’s better to put the embossed ones aside: flat, large or medium-sized ones look more impressive, or in the shape of a medal (with a hole not in the center, but closer to the edge). You can use them to create original patterned “scales” on fabric. This is done in almost the same way as the open method, only you will sew each subsequent sequin not side by side, but overlapping, with a single seam. The threads should be inside the pattern.

It is more correct to sew medal sequins vertically - that is, the seam will be on top so that the sequin hangs on a loop: