How to Sew a Sequin on Fabric

Adding sequins to cloth is an easy way to dress up an otherwise uneventful clothing item. Sequins are a staple part of many costumes, from ballet to the circus, so if you or your children need costumes, knowing how to sew on a sequin is always a handy skill.

All sequins (whether sewn by hand or by machine, whether flat or cup shaped) are attached using thread or filament (clear thread). This article teaches you how to hand sew a sequin into place.

1. Begin with fine, long needle and suitable thread. The thread should be fine and strong; silk or cotton are good natural choices while polyester thread is long-lasting.[1]Place the needle and thread on the underside of the fabric where you intend sewing the sequin into place.
   
   
   • Match the thread to the color of the sequin rather than to the fabric.
2. Place the sequin with care on the top side of the fabric, sitting in the position that you want it to be.
   
   
3. Bring the needle up through the fabric. Draw it through the center of the sequin. Leave a long tail of thread on the underside.
   
   
4. Return to the backside of the fabric. Cross the thread over the top of the sequin.
   
   
5. Tie the ends of the thread together on the back side to create secure knot.
   
   
6. Move on to the next sequin. The more that you sew, the faster this will become as you get used to the rhythm of going through the motions.
   
   
   • When sewing sequins in a row, be sure that they're not overlapping unless this is the final look you wish to achieve.

• Several passes through the middle and across the top of the sequin can be made to make it more secure. Two passes will ensure your sequin stays where you want it, three passes (the threads are then shaped like a Y) and it should stay attached during laundry in a washing machine.
• To hide the thread, sew each sequin on with a bead in the center; this will conceal the thread and give the sequin an interesting extra dimension.
• Review garments in stores to see how sequins are sewn on - many times these garments will have several sequins sewn on without knotting between sequins - this is a faster but less secure method.

• Sequins can come in various shapes, such as circles, flowers and stars.
• Use matching or contrast threads to create different looks.
• When choosing sequins, be guided by price. The more expensive a sequin, the better and longer lasting its surface will be, while cheaper sequins will fade faster.[2]

• Don't cut sequins with scissors as they damage the blades. If you need to remove sequins from fabric, cut the thread to remove them, not the sequin itself.
• Sequins and threads can both break - do not give items with sequins to children under 3 as if they fall off, they can be a choking hazard.

• Fine, long needle
• Fine, strong thread
• Sequins