Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Sewers, Hand

Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

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.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

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

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Tailors, Dressmakers, and Sewers

Production Occupations

Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers

Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles.

Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts.

Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.

Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.

Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.

Fit garments on clients, altering as needed.

Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks.

Draw and cut patterns according to specifications.

Fold, twist, stretch, or drape material, and secure articles in preparation for sewing.

Sew buttonholes, or add lace or other trimming.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite

Drawing software

Microsoft PowerPoint

Embroidery design software

Template design software

Microsoft Excel

Graphics digitizing software

Microsoft Office software

Foot rules

Gridded rulers

Vary form curves

Overstitchers

Sewing awls

Lacing fids

Stitching fids

Fabric shears

Sewing scissors

Seam rippers

Embroidery machines

Steel straight pins

Measuring tapes

Needle threaders

Laptop computers

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

About half the time

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Important

How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Less than half the time

Never

How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?

Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities

Not important at all

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Sewers, Hand

Overview

Career

What Sewers, Hand Do

Other Job Titles Sewers, Hand May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Sewers, Hand

Overview

Career

What Sewers, Hand Do

Other Job Titles Sewers, Hand May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Sewers, Hand

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