ADOL Logo

Alabama Department of Labor

Labor Market Information Division
SOC: 51-6031 Sewing Machine Operators
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
Default
Education: Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
OJT: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Tasks: Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions. Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides. Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components. Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match. Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together. 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. Record quantities of materials processed. Inspect garments, and examine repair tags and markings on garments to locate defects or damage, and mark errors as necessary. Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements. Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications. Cut excess material or thread from finished products. Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing, in order to facilitate forming specified sections. Perform equipment maintenance tasks such as replacing needles, sanding rough areas of needles, or cleaning and oiling sewing machines. Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers. Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance. Repair or alter items by adding replacement parts or missing stitches.
License: License not required.
Outlook: poor
Alabama Employment Outlook
Alabama Wage Data
Hourly Wage   Annual Wage
Entry $8.50   Entry $17,678.00
Mean $11.65   Mean $24,238.00
Experience $13.23 Experience $27,518.00

The data is based on the May 2017 Occupation Employment Survey employment and wage estimate file. The wages have been aged using the most current ECI factors reflecting wages as of June 2018.

Alabama Projections
Estimated Employment 2016Projected Employment 2026Annual Average OpeningsAnnual Growth Rate
3,3402,960295-1.2
Related Occupations: Postsecondary Institutions With Programs:
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Fabric Menders, Except Garment
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
Furniture Finishers
Motion Picture Projectionists
Nursery Workers
Solderers and Brazers
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
No postsecondary schools reported programs.
Occupational Videos
51-6031.00 Sewing Machine Operators