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As much as I’d like to say sewing is all fun and games, I’ve had many injuries and accidents. Whether you’re a beginner or have been sewing for a long time, it’s good to think about safety.
Now, I’m not trying to scare you away from the hobby, but I want to be realistic. And I want you to have fun while taking precautions.
I’ll tell you about the common ones that have happened to me in my sewing room. Hopefully, with my solutions, you won’t make my mistakes and will avoid getting hurt.
Disclaimer: This post is based on my personal experiences and is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. Please consult with your healthcare provider for any questions about your specific needs or any accidents or injuries that may occur.
My Sewing Accidents & Injuries
I got the idea for this blog post because I recently had a bad day sewing. A scalding hot iron nearly sent me to the hospital, and that was scary.
You might think I’m terribly clumsy, or I have bad luck. Well, that could be it too, but many times it’s from rushing and not paying close attention. And you might even relate to some of these!
1. Body Pains & Strains
I’d say one of the biggest injuries I have gotten is simply from cutting fabric and sewing. Sitting at the sewing machine for too long can cause muscle pains and strains.
When I cut fabric, I tend like to bulk cut many patterns at once. I usually hunch over my cutting table while pressing down on my rotary cutter or using my scissors.
If you do this for long durations like I do, you’ll start to feel it in your back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, and even legs. This is because you might do repetitive motions, sometimes in bad positions.
And I can literally work for hours and not even pay attention to the time.
While it’s great to be in a flow state, it’s not so good for the muscles. And sometimes I might not even feel it until the next day when I’m sore and achy.
Solution: I’ve learned to take breaks and stretch every 20 minutes or so. Plus, I try to limit my sewing or cutting sessions to no more than 3 hours a day now.
I use a sharp blade in my rotary cutter, so I don’t need to press down so hard. There are also electric shears and spring-loaded scissors to take the strain off the hands and wrists.
2. Sewing Needle Through Finger
I think a needle going through your finger might be a common fear for beginners. This was my fear when starting on the sewing machine as a kid!
Well, a co-worker once told me that as a child, his grandma told him to stay clear of her sewing machine. One time, she got up to do something, and what did he do?
He put the pedal to the metal and stuck his finger under the needle. Yup. And what happened? It went right through his finger.
Well, I hope none of you will do something like that, but accidents happen. And needles have gone through my fingers a couple of times.
Trust me, this hurts like nothing else. I’ll save you the horrific, graphic details, but I almost had to go to the hospital one time.
When this has happened, my fingers were very close to the needle, and I was trying to attach buttons or do some other technique.
Also, I may have been sewing too fast over thicker fabric. It only takes one slip, and ouch!
Solution: So, I’ve been more alert about keeping my fingers way out of the way and slowing down. If I do need to get in close, I’ll use a chopstick instead. It’s not easy, but better than getting stabbed.
I’ve decided that if I need to get in too close, I’ll opt out and hand-sew the part. Better safe than sorry.
3. Poked by Pins and Needles
Anything with a pointy tip can cause harm. And I have poked and scratched myself with straight pins, safety pins, and needles so countless times.
And yes, I’ve drawn blood many times.
When hand sewing, sometimes I don’t see the needle when pulling it back through the other side of the fabric. And my finger might be in the path of the needle.
Straight pins always poke me when I’m sewing. And when I’m trying on clothes while making them, sometimes I forget to remove the pins.
One time, I forgot to take a safety pin out of my pants mockup. I tried them on to fit the waist, and when I took them off. I saw a long gash and blood running down my leg!
Seriously, it was a deep slice! Anyway, the baby pin opened up and cut me good.
And that wasn’t the first time, as I’ve gotten stabbed before too. And that really hurt!
Solution: Look carefully for any straight or baby pins in your clothes before trying them on. Make sure baby pins are secured, as they have popped open on me.
And when hand sewing, I tell myself to slow down. I try to use a thimble so I don’t stab myself with the needle. It helps, but I don’t like it because it’s a little clunky on the fingers.
4. Needles Breaking, Shards Flying
When I first started sewing, I wore my glasses a lot. And did you know that they perhaps saved me from needle shards going in my eyes?
Well, you might wonder why on earth I would have the needle so close to my eye in the first place. Good grief, right?
It’s not that. Trust me, I keep sharp objects far away from my eyes.
But, hear me out. When sewing through fabric, needles can and will break.
You might get a bend in the needle, and with the powerful force of the sewing machine pressing it, that thing will give sooner or later.
And when they break, the pieces can fly. I know this from experience, because they’ve hit my face, really close to my eye. Yup.
Solution: So now I wear safety glasses, especially when sewing heavy material. That’s when I typically break needles.
There’s no way to stop needles from breaking, but always change out bent or dull ones. (I have a whole collection of bent and broken needles in a tin that need to be discarded.)
And always guide the fabric on the sewing machine. Avoid pulling it through.
5. Getting Sliced by Blades
While using scissors or the rotary cutter, I have nicked and cut myself many times. Sometimes I’m going a little too fast and my blades are really sharp, and bam!
When cutting fabric, it’s easy to slice into the skin if you’re not being careful or rushing. I’ve been doing it so long, I have the tendency to zoom through.
It’s easy to forget about safety when you’ve gotten used to handling sharp objects daily.
I’ve cut into my skin with the scissors and nearly dropped them, almost stabbing myself in the foot. Yes, the scissors fell went through my wood floor like a dart. That was too close for comfort!
So you’ll definitely want to be careful when using these tools.
Solution: Make sure scissors are closed and put on the table, away from the edge. I always close my rotary blade after I finish cutting.
I also have to remind myself to slow down. Most of my cuts come from me doing things very quickly or not paying attention.
6. Seam Ripping Injuries
I use the seam ripper a lot. While it comes in very handy for upcycling, I slip up sometimes.
There are a couple of different ways I deconstruct seams, but all involve using a pointy edge or tip. One of my favorite seam rippers even has a hook-type blade at the end.
As you can imagine, I have poked, sliced, and stabbed myself with this tool. So, it’s no joke and does its job well.
But, if you’re not careful, you might rip more than the seams and cause some injury.
Solution: Just like using any of the other pointy or sharp objects, proceed with caution. Again, most of my accidents happen when I’m moving too fast.
Slowing down and directing the seam ripper away from my body helps.
7. Stepping on Things
I think everyone has stepped on a Lego at one point in their lives and felt the pain. But what about things in your sewing area like buttons, or even sharp things?
Okay, I’ll spare you too many details, but I’ve stepped on some very sharp objects in my life. The ones that pop in my memories are the nail and the jewelry hook.
And by the way, yes, I was barefoot. And yes, they went through my foot.
It makes me cringe to even think about it, but I’m very happy I didn’t get an infection. The point of my story is that I drop pins and other things in my sewing room all the time.
And sometimes I don’t realize this. Walking on my floor barefoot just isn’t a good idea.
So, as much as possible, I wear my house slippers, and they’ve saved me from injury. Once, I found a pin stuck into the sole of my slipper.
Glad that wasn’t my foot!
Solution: I don’t walk around barefoot and keep my house slippers on. My most comfy ones have a very thick sole, so nothing is going through those.
8. Burnt by the Iron
The mighty iron is your companion when sewing, and can also be a dangerous foe. Well, we already know that it can get really hot.
I spend about as much time ironing and pressing as I sew. You need heat and steam to get those seams and corners nice and neat.
That being said, I’ve been scorched by steam, hot water, and the iron itself. This happens often, as my fingers can get in really close to hold seams in place.
Or, I’m doing some work on the ironing board and accidentally touch it.
Besides that, steam can travel far! And if you get an iron that doesn’t play nice, it can spit hot water at you, like mine have.
And that’s not it. I’m currently working on a dress and thought of taking some pictures for an upcoming post.
So, I put some pieces on the floor and accidentally pulled on the iron’s cord. It fell off the ironing board, spewing hot water, almost on my neck.
And when it dropped on the floor, boiling hot water poured out, all over my pieces, and almost on me. Well, that was my sign to quit for the day!
Let me mention, I was lucky that day. But the iron has fallen on my foot before, and that’s no fun either.
Solution: Many times, I wear silicone tips for my fingers when working with the iron. This helps as I can get close to those seams when hot.
And as far as the iron burning, falling, and hitting me, I need to be more aware of the cord and where it is. I think accidents involving the iron are common, whether you sew or not.
9. Inhaling Lint from Fabrics
This might seem harmless, but inhaling too much lint triggers issues for some people. And that includes me, as I’m prone to allergies and asthma.
Certain fabrics and dyes cause me to have reactions. When you cut, sew, and serge fabrics, you’ll send a lot of fibers into the air.
Do you have any dark tables or furniture in your sewing room? I can really see the coat of lint on them after a sewing session.
If you find yourself coughing, sneezing, itching, and having swollen eyes, like I do, you might want to consider the amount of lint in your room.
Solution: I sew with natural fabrics because I tolerate them better. Plus, I keep the room well ventilated with the doors and windows open.
I also wear a mask and safety glasses or googles when sewing and dyeing fabric. And of course, I vacuum frequently to remove the particles.
Additional Notes
When tired, it’s best to take a break or call it a day. I find that most of my accidents happen when I’m simply not paying close attention or rushing to get done.
Before using any sewing tools, read the owner’s manual and review how to use them properly.
Final Thoughts
No matter what craft you pursue, accidents and injuries can happen. I don’t think sewing is a dangerous hobby, but you’ll want to take precautions.
I’ve been sewing for many, many years, so I’ve gotten used to getting a scar here and there. But always remember, safety first!
More About Sewing
I have many other related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out.
- Want to know how sewing helped me through some difficult times?
- When I worked in education, I tried to teach sewing. Find out how I got shut down.
- I’ll break down how long it takes to get good at sewing, and the answer isn’t that simple.
I’d love to hear all about your sewing journey!
Originally published: November 7, 2025
