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Sewing Machine Operators   (NOC: 9451)

Sewing Machine Operators operate sewing machines to sew fabric, fur, leather or synthetic materials to produce or repair garments or other articles. They are employed in clothing, footwear, textile products, fur products and other manufacturing establishments and by furriers.

Alternate titles for this trade may include: fur sewing machine operator, leather products sewing machine operator, lining stitcher, sample maker, sample sewer, serging machine operator, sewing machine operator, shoe sewer

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The following are some of the employment requirements for this trade:

  • Some secondary school education is usually required.
  • Experience operating a sewing machine is usually required.
  • On-the-job training may be provided.

Pattern of Interests   |   Skill Requirements


Pattern of Interests

The code determined by the results of your answers to the Interest Inventory questionnaire. Each possibility has a 3 letter variation that assesses the degree and range of your interests along Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social criteria variables.

Innovative

Innovative interest in operating tackers, buttonhole makers and fusing, hemmer and other machines to finish garments and other articles, and in using sewing machines, sergers and other machines to repair garments and other articles during manufacturing

Methodical

Methodical interest in comparing to select threads according to specifications and colours of fabrics, and to operate fur sewing machines to join pelt strips to required sizes and shapes and to join pelts into garment sections and shells

Objective

Objective interest in operating single - double - and multi-needle sewing machines, serging machines to sew and overcast edges of materials simultaneously, and stitching machines to sew leather parts together for garments, handbags, shoes and other articles

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Skill Requirements

Below are Essential Skill categories and how they correspond to this occupation. This section will help you identify occupations where you have a good chance of succeeding. It can also help you see which Skills you may need to improve. Click on the Summary Analysis link above to view a complete analysis of how your Skills measure up to this occupation. This feature is only available for those Users that are logged in and have completed the self assessment component.

The most important Essential Skills for this trade are:

  • Numeracy
  • Problem Solving


1. 

Reading Text

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-3
  Sewing machine operators may:
  • Read notes from the supervisor with details of jobs and tasks.
  • Read letters or memos concerning company policies or upcoming events.
  • Refer to the sewing machine repair manual in order to understand simple repairs.
  • Refer to a reference book for information about making patterns and sewing on buttons. (occasionally)
 

2. 

Document Use

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-3
  Sewing machine operators:
  • Read labels on spools of thread to check the colour and code numbers and read labels on bolts of lining material. (daily)
  • Read job tickets on coats, jackets or shirts to find out what sewing is to be done on the garments. (daily)
  • Enter suggested pricing information on job tickets. (daily)
  • Read specification sheets for bulk orders showing code numbers, quantities, thread stocks and colours.
  • Read pricing tables.
  • Complete production forms recording all work completed on various jobs. (weekly)
  • May refer to patterns which show the angles at which material is to be cut.
  • May sketch a proposed alteration to a collar or a proposed coat redesign.
  • May complete a daily record log which duplicates the information shown on the individual repair tickets.
  • May complete a time card at the end of the day.
  • May complete order forms for reordering of supplies.
 

3. 

Writing

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1
  Sewing machine operators may:
  • Complete forms such as the production tracking form.
  • Write lists of repairs completed on a coat and the suggested pricing.
  • Complete log entries to record work completed.
  • Write notes to co-workers to inform them of messages from the salon or from the delivery service.
  • Write to do lists to organize the work for the coming week.
  • Write notes to supervisors describing machine breakdowns or explaining work done to correct defective pieces.
 

4. 

Numeracy

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-2
  Note: This is an important skill
  Sewing Machine Operators:
  • Measure pieces of fur and leather to judge their suitability for a repair and measure the circular sweep at the bottom of a coat. (measurement and calculation math), (1)
  • Measure arm holes for coats and measure pattern pieces to identify where they fit. (measurement and calculation math), (1)
  • Estimate how much fur to cut when enlarging the wedge under the arm. (numerical estimation), (1)
  • Prepare billing for work completed based on time taken to complete the job, the amount of materials required and the pricing guidelines. (money math), (2)
  • Calculate earnings by multiplying the number of pieces completed by the price per piece. (money math), (2)
  • Estimate how many items, such as jackets, will be completed by the end of the day. (numerical estimation), (2)
 

5. 

Oral Communication

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-2
  Sewing machine operators:
  • Interact with co-workers to divide work and discuss particular problems with materials or repairs.
  • Discuss sewing machine breakdowns with mechanics.
  • Communicate with the supervisor to verify customer requirements or to seek clarification on a repair ticket.
  • May interact with customers about their repair requirements. (rarely)
  • May communicate with delivery personnel who are picking up or delivering work.
 

6. 

Problem Solving

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-2
  Note: This is an important skill
  Sewing machine operators may:
  • Find that a work order is unclear as to whether a cuff is required on the sleeve. they try to reach the customer through the manager to seek clarification.
  • Find that a machine breaks down in the middle of a job. they start a different job which does not require use of the machine in order to keep working while the machine is being repaired.
  • Have material rip as it is fed into the sewing machine. they relax the tension of the machine or carefully push the material manually under the needle.
  • Find that the colour or texture of the material used for repairs is not exact enough to escape notice when the repair is complete. they search for other materials and call the supervisor if they are unable to locate suitable pieces. if it is impossible to match material, they may suggest a redesign of the garment, such as substituting leather inserts for fur or cloth.
 

7. 

Decision Making

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-3
  Sewing machine operators:
  • Decide which pelts are closest in colour and texture to the original.
  • Decide which jobs to do first, taking into account that co-workers may also need to work on the same orders to perform different tasks and that co-ordination will be required.
  • Decide whether a remodelling job is possible, taking into account the condition of the coat and the availability of materials.
  • Decide what type of lining material is most suitable for a particular garment.
  • Decide when to refuse a repair in cases where the material is too rotten to work with.
 

8. 

Job Task Planning

 Desired Skill Level Range: 2
  Sewing machine operators are assigned tasks and priorities by their supervisors. They themselves determine the most efficient way to get the jobs done, taking into account customer deadlines, the availability of supplies and the need to co-ordinate some tasks with co-workers who may also be required to work on the same order. Work is sometimes interrupted and reprioritized because of machine breakdowns or rush orders. They keep track of inventory so that they may place quarterly orders for materials and thread. Aside from the planning of inventory, most planning is short term, focusing on daily or weekly production schedules.
 

9. 

Finding Information

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1-2
  Sewing machine operators:
  • Find information in pattern books.
  • Search the work log to find what repairs were previously done on a coat.
  • Consult technicians and refer to machine manuals to understand a sewing machine repair.
 

10. 

Computer Use

 Desired Skill Level Range: 1
  Sewing machine operators may:
  • Use a scanner to scan tickets for production data.
 

11. 

Critical Thinking

 Desired Skill Level Range: N/A
 
 

12. 

Use of Memory

 Desired Skill Level Range: N/A
  Sewing Machine Operators:
  • Remember from which garment buttons came so that they can be sewed back on later after the garment has been redesigned.
  • Remember the work which was done on a particular coat in the past.
  • Remember the charges for particular types of jobs in order to be consistent with similar orders.
  • May remember the sequence of steps required for various processes, such as glove-making.
 

13. 

Working with Others

 Desired Skill Level Range: N/A
 

In larger establishments, sewing machine operators often work as a member of a team, with 6 or 8 operators working on different aspects of the same garment. in smaller establishments, sewing machine operators may work independently or with one co-worker. even in small shops, some jobs require co-ordination between operators in regard to the use of specific machines or the division of tasks.
 

14. 

Continuous Learning

 Desired Skill Level Range: N/A
 

Sewing machine operators learn on the job. they may receive some basic sewing training which focuses on the operation of various types of sewing machines and how to work with patterns.
 

15. 

Other Information

 Desired Skill Level Range: N/A
 

Sewing machine operators work seated at a sewing machine. they walk to other workstations to pick up pieces or co-ordinate activities with co-workers. they may stand to guide fabric and cut thread.

The sewing machine operators interviewed felt that sewing machine operators should be patient and attentive to detail. they should be creative and adaptable in order to make changes in a garment which will satisfy the customer. they should be able to work quickly and accurately. they should be able to visualize how a repair will look when it is done.

The trend toward modular team production processes may lead to sewing machine operators interacting with one another more than they have in the past. they may desire training in team building and oral communication to prepare for this new environment.
 

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