Discover Sewing Jobs You Can Do from Home: Start Earning with Your Sewing Skills

If you're skilled with a needle and thread or a sewing machine, you can turn your passion for sewing into a profitable home business.

Whether you're into repairs, crafting, or teaching, there are countless ways to earn money doing what you love. In this guide, we’ll explore legit home sewing jobs that fit your lifestyle and show you how to get started.

Make Do and Mend: Easy Repairs, Big Demand

With sustainability on the rise and a growing "make do and mend" mentality, more people are looking to extend the life of their clothes rather than buying new ones.

For someone with sewing skills, this demand presents a lucrative opportunity.

With a basic sewing machine, you can turn these quick fixes into a part time home sewing enterprise.

Can you sew in a zipper?

Services that are always in demand:

Hemming Pants and Jeans: These quick fixes are something most people need but don’t have the skills to do themselves.
Fixing Zippers: Whether on jackets, bags, or dresses, zippers are notoriously tricky to replace, but you can do it quickly with the right tools.
Adjusting Curtains: Many homeowners buy ready-made curtains that don’t fit their windows perfectly. Offering to shorten or adjust curtains could be a niche service that brings in steady income.
Taking in or Letting Out Clothes: With fluctuating body sizes, people often need help altering clothing to fit better—this includes dresses, shirts, and jackets.

Step-by-step Guide to Getting Started

Start by reaching out to neighbours or promoting your services through local Facebook groups and community boards. Create flyers or business cards to distribute in your area.

Websites like Thumbtack or Nextdoor allow you to offer home sewing services, including alterations and repairs, to your local community.

Don't forget to price your services competitively. Research what local tailors charge and set your rates based on your experience. For a beginner, hemming might start at £10 per pair of pants, while advanced repairs like zipper replacements could fetch more.

Offer local pickup and delivery or partner with a dry cleaner to expand your customer base.

Create Handmade Products: Wedding Dresses to Kids' Toys

Soft furry puppies made when I was younger

A pair of furry puppies I made, many moons ago!

If your strength lies in creating rather than mending, the world of custom designs can be very rewarding. Whether it’s designing a one-of-a-kind wedding dress or crafting handmade toys, you can turn your passion into a full-time business.

Popular Custom Sewing Services

Wedding dresses and bridesmaid gowns: If you can create a bridal gown that makes someone feel special on their big day, you could be looking at some highly profitable work. Custom wedding dresses often sell for hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

Handmade Children's Toys: Parents are always looking for unique, handcrafted toys that offer something different from mass-produced items. Rag dolls, hand-stitched animals, and personalised plush toys are very popular.

Costumes: Designing costumes for theatre groups, dance recitals, or cosplay enthusiasts can bring in steady business, especially during peak seasons like Halloween.

My craft fair days

I sold soft toys and puppets for many years, before the internet options became available. I would load them into the car and travel to local (and not so local) craft fairs and events, and never had a shortage of folks wanting to buy them off me.

Sadly I had to give the business up when I found the fluff from the fur fabric was exacerbating my asthma. If you have the same issue, you could stick to rag dolls instead of furry friends.

If I was still doing it, I would now favour Etsy, or similar platforms, to sell my handmade products online.

Actionable tip:

Start small by creating a few prototypes and offering them for sale on Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, or local craft fairs. Once you have a few sales, gather testimonials to build credibility and grow your business.

Embroidery Jobs: Stitch for Designers or Create Your Own Patterns

If embroidery is your passion, there are several ways to make money while doing what you love.

Designers often need skilled embroiderers to test patterns, and you can even create and sell your own designs.

Types of Embroidery Jobs You Can Do from Home:

Test Embroidery Patterns for Designers: Many needlework designers need experienced stitchers to test their patterns before they hit the market. They will need to know if the amount of thread provided is sufficient, and that their instructions make sense.

If you’re fast and accurate, reach out to your favourite designers and offer your services. They’ll need a neat and clean sample to photograph for their pattern booklets.

Pro Tip

One of my patterns stitched and made into a cushion

Start by following embroidery designers on social media and networking with them via platforms like Instagram or Pinterest.

You can also offer your services to local needlework shops (if you are lucky enough to still have them) that may require sample pieces for display.

Create and Sell Your Own Patterns: If you have a knack for designing embroidery patterns, you could turn this into a business by selling your designs online.

Platforms like Etsy or even your own website can be great outlets to sell digital patterns for cross-stitch, needlepoint, or hardanger designs.

Offer beginner-level patterns and tutorials, which tend to sell well. Combine your designs with video tutorials to add extra value and reach a broader audience through platforms like YouTube or Skillshare.

Getting started?

If you're new to pattern design, start with simple cross-stitch or counted-thread techniques, which are easier for beginners. Share free patterns on social media or a blog to attract followers, and then upsell your premium patterns.

Want to get started on creating and selling your own embroidery patterns? My ebook Stitch Your Own Business walks you through every step.

Teaching Sewing or Embroidery: Share Your Knowledge

Old-school needlecrafts like dressmaking and embroidery are making a comeback, and many people are eager to learn these skills.

If you’re an experienced stitcher, there are plenty of opportunities to teach what you know, either locally or online.

Ways to Make Money Teaching

Offer Local Classes: Partner with your local needlework shop, community center, or adult education program to offer classes in basic sewing, embroidery, or alterations. You can teach everything from beginner-level stitching to advanced tailoring techniques, depending on your skills.

Don't forget to plan ahead!

To keep momentum, I'd always prepare a follow-on lesson and a visual example, showing the finished piece, for enthusiastic students eager to learn more.

Teach Online: The demand for online sewing courses has skyrocketed with platforms like Skillshare and Udemy. Record your classes from home and sell them as part of an online course. You can also offer live workshops via Zoom for a more interactive learning experience.

Pro Tip:

Consider creating a beginner sewing kit with tools and supplies that your students can purchase directly from you. Offering kits along with your classes adds extra income and convenience for your students.

National Craft Shows: Many national events and craft shows look for instructors to teach workshops. If you’re willing to travel, this can be a great way to earn money while networking with other professionals.

My teaching experiences

In my younger days I taught at the big needlework shows in London, Birmingham and Harrogate, Yorkshire.

After teaching, I'd often find myself like the pied piper, with a stampede of eager kit-buyers following me back to my booth.

Tip: Take someone with you to look after your stall while you are teaching.

Build your reputation by offering free tutorials or short classes on YouTube or your website. This helps you reach a broader audience and gives potential students a taste of your teaching style before committing to paid courses.

Find Legit Home Sewing Jobs Today

Whether you're looking for extra income or ready to start your own sewing business, there are plenty of legit home sewing jobs waiting for you.

From simple alterations to custom designs, you can turn your skills into a profitable side hustle or full-time career.

Where to Find Sewing Jobs

Freelance Platforms: Websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer often have sewing-related gigs.

Etsy: Perfect for selling handmade items like toys, clothes, or patterns.

Social Media: Facebook and Instagram are great places to build a following and attract customers for custom work.

Local Ads: Post flyers in local community centres or advertise in neighbourhood groups on platforms like Nextdoor.

Ready to start earning?

For a deeper dive into building a successful home sewing business, don't forget to check out my ebook.