How to sew running stitch
The first stitch to learn.
Step by step
- Cut thread longer than the seam, thread the needle and knot the end.
- Bring the needle up through the fabric.
- Go back down about 0.5 cm away; that length suits joining two fabrics.
- Come up the same distance along, following a straight line.
- To go faster, load several stitches on the needle before pulling through.
- At the end, make a loop with the thread under your thumb and pass the needle through it to knot. Repeat, then trim about 1 cm from the knot.
Watch
How to Sew: Running Stitch | Hand Basting Tutorial | Sewing for Beginners (5:20)
By Rokolee DIY · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 5-minute video from Rokolee DIY on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
All guides ›Hand stitches
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.