How to Pin and Tack Fabric 1. Place the fabric right sides together (with the nice side inside) and pin approximately 1cm from the edge where you wish to sew. START 2. Thread your needle with tacking thread the length of your hand to your elbow. Use a back tack (one stitch on top of another) to start sewing 1cm from the edge. Your stitches should be approximately 1cm long, with spaces of 1cm between each stitch. Finish your line of running stitch with another back tack to secure. 3. When you have finished, remove the pins. Set the sewing machine to sew a running or straight stitch as follows; Stitch width = 0 Stitch length = 3 Machine your seam and then unpick the tacking thread carefully using a pin.