DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-6031 Sewing Machine Operators
Occupational Description:
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 1,900 | 198 | $16.25/hr | $0.34/hr | $11.85/hr | $13.32/hr | $15.54/hr | $18.52/hr | $22.68/hr |
| U S | 133,410 | 2,401 | $13.66/hr | $0.07/hr | $9.53/hr | $11.25/hr | $12.89/hr | $15.49/hr | $18.78/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2023 - 2025 | |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 4,070 | $17.94/hr | 0.0% |
| Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | 500 | $16.32/hr | -4.4% |
| Etchers and Engravers | 300 | $16.51/hr | 1.4% |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | N/A | $17.64/hr | 1.0% |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | N/A | N/A | 1.0% |
Tasks for Sewing Machine Operators
- Starts and operates or tends machines that automatically join, reinforce, or decorate material or fabricated articles.
- Replaces and rethreads needles.
- Positions material or article in clamps, template, or hoop frame prior to automatic operation of machine.
- Guides garment or garment parts under machine needle and presser foot to sew parts together.
- Records number of garment parts or complete garments sewn.
- Inspects garments and examines repair tags and markings on garment to locate defects or damage.
- Cuts material and threads, using scissors.
- Replaces sewing machine parts and performs basic maintenance, such as oiling machine.
- Draws markings or pins applique on fabric to obtain variation in design and marks stitching errors with pins or tape.
- Bastes edges of material to align and temporarily secure garment parts for final assembly.
- Selects supplies, such as fasteners and thread, according to specifications or characteristics of fabric.
- Removes holding devices and finished item from machine.
- Attaches tape, trim, or elastic to specified garments or garment parts, according to item specifications.
- Folds or stretches edges or length of items, while sewing, to facilitate forming specified sections.
- Attaches buttons or fasteners to fabric, using feeding hopper or clamp holder.
- Observes sewing machine operation to detect defects in stitching or machine malfunction, and notifies supervisor.
- Sews replacement parts or missing stitches, according to repair tickets.
- Turns knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machine, according to garment style and observation of operation.
- Draws thread through guides, tensions, and needles and adjusts machine functions, according to fabric type.
- Positions item under needle, using marks on machine, clamp or template, edges of cloth, or markings on cloth as guides.
- Activates and adjusts machine controls to regulate stitching speed and length, dimensions of gathers and tucks, and material or thread tension.
- Positions materials through feed rollers and guides, or positions and maneuvers under sewing machine presser foot and needle during operation.
- Examines and measures finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using ruler.
- Places spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, inserts bobbin, and threads ends through machine guides and components.
- Selects supplies, such as binding, cord, or thread, according to specifications or color of material.
- Sews materials by hand, using needle and thread.
- Records amount of materials processed in production logs.
- Removes finished materials from sewing machine.
- Tapes or twists together thread or cord to repair breaks.
- Positions and marks patterns on materials to prepare for sewing.
- Replaces needles, sands rough areas of needles with sandpaper, and cleans and oils sewing machines to maintain equipment.
- Cuts materials, according to specifications, or cuts excess material or thread from finished product, using blade, scissors, or electric knife.
- Folds or fits together materials, such as cloth, foam rubber, or leather, to prepare for machine sewing.
- Mounts attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjusts machine guides according to specifications.
- Monitors machine operation to detect problems, such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunction.
- Activates sewing machine to join, gather, hem, reinforce, or decorate materials or fabricated articles, such as linens, toys, or luggage.
