When you sew by hand, ending a stitch securely not only gives your project the strength and long-lasting durability you’re looking for, but also provides a polished look.
Sewing non-woven material such as Tyvek® does require a slightly different approach than sewing woven fabric. Often when sewing woven fabric by hand, you will pierce the fabric a few times at the end of the stitch line to create a knot, such as a Figure 8 knot. A Figure 8 knot is a commonly used way to end a stitch line securely.
When sewing non-woven material such as Tyvek, multiple holes in the fabric very close together can actually weaken it, not strengthen it. This means you want to pierce the fabric a few times as possible when ending a stitch.
To end a stitch line
- After you’ve placed your last stitch, go back one stitch and travel through an existing hole.
- Now go back one more stitch and place the needle behind the stitch and the thread through. This should take your thread and place it behind the stitch.
- Do this again by taking the needle and traveling behind the stitch again effectively wrapping the thread around the existing stitch. Pull the loop to the stitch.
- Do this a third time. Place the needle behind the stitch, but this time leave small loop loose.
- To finish the knot, take the need and travel under the first loop you created thats pulled tighter to the existing stitch AND travel through the larger loop you just made.
- Pull the thread tight and you’ll see the large loop and smaller disappear as it creates a knot.
- Cut the thread close to the knot.
This will create a strong knot without piercing the Tyvek unnecessarily. You can use this knot to finish a straight stitch, ladder or invisible stitch and many others.