Home How to sew an invisible stitch

The invisible stitch, also known as the ladder, slip, blind, or hidden stitch, is a commonly used hand sewing stitch. Invisible stitching is an invaluable skill to have that helps you upcycle your unwanted clothes and re-use them responsibly.

Easy steps to sew an invisible stitch:

  1. Get your needle and the thread. While choosing thread, find a colour that matches the fabric as best as possible. Thread the needle and make a knot at the end. You can even double up the thread for extra strength.
  2. On the hidden side of the fabric, fold the edges that you are sewing together perfectly to ensure that the folded edge is the one that gets connected.
  3. Bring the needle up through one of the ironed edges so the knot is hidden. Then go to the opposite side and slide the needle through the top of the fold so that you pick up a little bit of the fabric. It should enter the fabric directly opposite where the thread has come out of the side closest to you.
  4. On the inside of the opposite folded edge, move the needle along the fold of the fabric for approximately 5mm. You can adjust this depending on the thickness and density of the fabric.
  5. Place your needle into the edge closest to you. As with your first stitch, it should enter the fabric directly opposite where the thread has come out of the other side.
  6. The trick to this stitch is when you go from side to side, go straight across so the thread is perpendicular to the folds. The thread will start to like the rungs on a ladder. Then, when you pull the thread taut, the stitches will disappear.
  7. Repeat these steps and continue stitching.
  8. To make the invisible stitch extra-strong you can sew back over it again, before securing your sewing by making a few small stitches over each other in a hidden place to anchor them in place.
  9. When you get to the end, pick up a bit of fabric like before. This time, bring the needle through the loop of thread so you form a knot.

Then repeat this, going through the knot you just made. Do this once more just to make sure it's extra secure. Finally, to hide the tail of the thread, go down through the knot, out the side of the fabric, and snip the thread.