Life As a Sewing Machine Operator

Job Description: Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.

Sewing Machine Operator Responsibilities

• Cut materials according to specifications, using blades, scissors, or electric knives.
• Perform specialized or automatic sewing machine functions, such as buttonhole making or tacking.
• Position material or articles in clamps, templates, or hoop frames prior to automatic operation of machines.
• Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance.
• Start and operate or tend machines, such as single or double needle serging and flat-bed felling machines, to automatically join, reinforce, or decorate material or articles.
• Attach buttons, hooks, zippers, fasteners, or other accessories to fabric, using feeding hoppers or clamp holders.

What a Sewing Machine Operator Should Know

When polled, Sewing Machine Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Types of Sewing Machine Operators

• Waistband Setter
• Textile Bag Sewer
• Line Closer
• Zipper Machine Operator
• Chenille Machine Operator

Job Opportunities for Sewing Machine Operators

There were about 153,900 jobs for Sewing Machine Operators in 2016 (in the United States).

Sewing Machine Operator jobs are decreasing by a rate of -16.7%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -25,700 jobs for Sewing Machine Operators by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 12,300 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Sewing Machine Operators are Texas, Mississippi, and Nevada.

Watch out if you plan on working in California, New York, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Sewing Machine Operator Salary

Sewing Machine Operators Make between $19,040 and $37,880 a year. A Sewing Machine Operator median salary is $25,030.

How much do Sewing Machine Operators make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alaska	$38,270
District of Columbia	$35,830
Connecticut	$35,120
Washington	$33,320
New Hampshire	$31,700
Massachusetts	$30,980
Rhode Island	$30,870
New York	$30,020
Arizona	$29,940
Maine	$29,910
Minnesota	$29,610
Nevada	$29,340
Illinois	$29,010
Wyoming	$28,910
Colorado	$28,820
Wisconsin	$28,750
Delaware	$28,530
Kansas	$28,530
Iowa	$28,320
Oregon	$28,290
Indiana	$28,180
North Carolina	$27,990
Mississippi	$27,910
Maryland	$27,910
Michigan	$27,860
Montana	$27,750
Vermont	$27,500
Utah	$27,500
Hawaii	$27,450
South Dakota	$27,130
Florida	$27,060
North Dakota	$26,960
California	$26,670
Pennsylvania	$26,670
Ohio	$26,190
Virginia	$25,640
Nebraska	$25,570
West Virginia	$25,390
Idaho	$25,360
Georgia	$24,760
South Carolina	$24,570
Louisiana	$24,540
Tennessee	$24,470
Missouri	$24,390
New Jersey	$24,370
Arkansas	$24,270
Alabama	$23,960
Texas	$23,850
New Mexico	$23,600
Kentucky	$23,530
Oklahoma	$23,120

What Tools do Sewing Machine Operators Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sewing Machine Operators:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel

How do I Become a Sewing Machine Operator?

Individuals working as Sewing Machine Operators have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become Sewing Machine Operator?

Where do Sewing Machine Operators Work?

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons