Career Overview
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
Also Known As
- Sample Maker
- Seamstress
- Sewer
- Sewing Machine Operator
Alternate Job Titles
- Appliquer
- Apron Operator
- Armhole Sewer
- Automat Watcher
- Automatic Hemmer
- Automatic Seamer
- Automatic Serging Machine Operator
- Automatic Shirring Machine Operator
- Automatic Trimming Sewer
- Back Facer
- Bag Maker
- Bag Mender
- Band Maker
- Bander
- Bar Tacker Sewing Machine
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Near Vision
- Finger Dexterity
- Information Ordering
- Multilimb Coordination
- Rate Control
- Reaction Time
- Problem Sensitivity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Ball point bodkins
- Bobbins
- Buttonhole makers
- Clothes pressing irons
- Cutting pads
- Double needle sewing machines
- Drawstring threaders
- Flatbed felling machines
- Fur sewing machines
- Hand sanding blocks
- Hoop frames
- Measuring tapes
- Multi-needle sewing machines
- Pattern plates
- Portable electric fabric cutters
Work Environment
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Spend Time Sitting
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Time Pressure
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $26,860 |
| Median | $36,000 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $47,060 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 109,590
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $38,160
Sewers, Hand
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $33,760
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $33,880
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $38,800
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $45,700
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.