My Tips for Stitching on Paper

I didn't learn to sew till I was in my late 20's, but it was the creative activity I spent the most time on until I discovered the gel plate. 

But, it would be a few years before I tried combining the two mediums. At first I only added machine stitching to my work. Hand stitching felt too time consuming and truthfully, I wasn't very good at it.

I eventually learned to embrace hand stitching, because I was limited in the size of paper that would fit through my sewing machine and it provided a lot more control and precision. 

Today, I probably add more hand stitches to my work, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert in either type of sewing. I do get a lot of questions about sewing on paper, so here are a few tips or suggestions that have helped me along the way. 

Tips for Machine Sewing on Paper

1: Think Twice, Sew Once - This is sort of like the old advice of measuring twice and cutting once, but it relates to the big difference between fabric and paper. If you make a mistake while sewing pieces of fabric together you can unpick the seam and try again. The fabric might get a little stretched in the process, but you still get a do over.  However, when you're sewing on paper....you can remove the thread, but the holes are permanent. Every time that needle goes up and down it's punching a hole in the paper, which can't be undone, so make sure that line is going where you want.

(Me adding lines to some arches on an old piece. Yes, I did crop myself out intentionally.)

2: Use a Sharp Needle - As a child I remember my mother getting mad at me if I ever used her shiny sewing shears for cutting paper, because the paper dulls the blades faster. Same rule applies to needles. Start with a sharp needle (like this) and expect to change needles more often than you might for fabric. 

3: Some Paper is Easier than Others - I've used just about every kind of paper in my machine and there are pros and cons to all of them. With stiffer paper, like watercolor, it's easier to have control, but I can't roll or scrunch up the edge like I could with fabric, so I'm a little more limited in paper size. If I'm using tissue or deli paper, it's much easier to fold or bend the paper as I try to create shapes, but the thin, delicate nature of this paper makes it much easier for the machine to rip/tear, especially if my stitch length is too short/narrow. 

4: Read this Book! - I'm not that good at free motion stitching with my machine, but the book "Stitch Draw" by Rosie James will open your eyes to all the possibilities of "drawing" with your sewing machine. It is truly beautiful and inspiring work. 

Besides sharp needles I don't have any equipment or tool tips. I use the same dual duty thread for both paper and fabric sewing. Just like with gel printing, try experimenting with a few throw away papers and have fun!

Tips for Hand Sewing on Paper

1: Pre-Punch Your Holes - While this may feel less spontaneous than true slow stitching, it makes it all much easier, especially on thick papers. Take the time to figure out your lines and shapes first, and pre-punch the holes with an awl like this one. And, I recommend putting a piece of corrugated cardboard underneath while punching!

2: Create a Series of Hole Guides - You can certainly free style your holes, but I've found that it's often best to use a guide. For straight lines I'll take long strips of thick paper or mat board, then use a ruler to make marks for 1/8", 1/4", or 1/2" depending on how long the stitches are going to be.  When I sew circles. I'll create lines across the back of a paper circle, so I can again ensure the holes are evenly spaced and that there are enough to create the proper curves. 

3: Tape While Working, Glue for Finishing - I don't make knots in the end of my thread, instead I tape the ends to the back of the paper when I start sewing using small bits of artist or painter's tape. It just needs to be easy enough to remove, because when I'm finished I'll use glue or matte medium to secure the stitches on the backside of the piece. 

4: Your Thread & Tools Don't Need to be Expensive - I don't use special needles or thread, mostly DMC embroidery floss, although I've also tried some waxed linen and Sashiko thread lately. My needles are a sampler pack of embroidery needles I found at Jo-Ann's years ago. And, because I pre-punch the holes I don't worry about the needles becoming too dull. I typically use 3 strands of embroidery floss, but sometimes I'll use the whole 6 strands if I want a really thick line of stitching. There are tons of different stitches to try, but I find myself using back and running stitches most often in my work. Again just experiment and have fun!

Varnishing Work with Thread?

You can still varnish or seal work with thread, but I do it differently depending on the type of stitching. With machine stitched paper, the thread is usually quite thin and laying flatter against the paper, so I can use a brush on varnish and it really doesn't affect the look of the thread much. 

However, I wouldn't take the same approach with embroidery floss, because brushing on varnish really changes the look of the thread, especially if you've used a thick strand. Trust me I've tried it! You can use a light coat of spray varnish or finishing spray after adding hand stitching and it doesn't change the appearance too much. Or do this step before even punching your holes and adding the stitches. 

Below are a few new pieces from my Child's Play series that include hand stitching on watercolor paper. 

If you have any other tips or questions about sewing on paper please let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

(Let's Go, 2026, Maren Oates, 11" x 14")

("Call My Number", 2026, Maren Oates, 8" x 10")