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Sewers, Hand

Sewers, Hand is the O*NET name for people who sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. The skills rated most useful are judgment and decision making, time management, and speaking. Expect to select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (6.5 of 7), then Conventional (3.3) and Artistic, which gives it the code RCA. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.

What they do

Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.

Main tasks

  • Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles.
  • Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts.
  • Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.
  • Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.
  • Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.

Skills

  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Time Management
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Active Listening

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on judgment and decision making and time management.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCA takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Alteration Specialist
  • Couturier
  • Custom Clothier
  • Custom Designer
  • Custom Seamstress

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.