Learn this valuable skill that could benefit you not only in a future career, but in your life. Sign up for a class at your school or in your community, or utilize online resources.  

Take a sewing class. 

Read this blog entry to get tips on how to start designing and making your own clothes. Is this harder (or easier) than you thought it would be? 

Try making your own clothes! 

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Sewing Machine Operators

Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Production Occupations

Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers

Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.

Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.

Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.

Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.

Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.

Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.

Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.

Cut excess material or thread from finished products.

Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.

Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers.

Sewing Machine Operators

Overview

Career

What Sewing Machine Operators Do

Other Job Titles Sewing Machine Operators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Sewing Machine Operators

Overview

Career

What Sewing Machine Operators Do

Other Job Titles Sewing Machine Operators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Sewing Machine Operators

Related Careers