What does a sew on operator do?
Sew on operator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real sew on operator resumes:
- Manage costume crew and coordinate costumes during productions.
- Regulate stitching speed, length and tension.
- Observe operations to detect any faults or defects in stitching.
- Costume assistant for opera company/ alternations and maintenance of costumes
- Perform interior and upholstery jobs for residential installations.
Sew on operator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Sew On Operators are proficient in Hand Tools, Dexterity, and Quality Standards.
We break down the percentage of Sew On Operators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Hand Tools, 17%
Work with small hand tools using dexterity and accuracy to sew leaflet, which is tissue from a cow.
- Dexterity, 13%
Have very good hand and finger dexterity while working on piece work to sew sweat shirts, pants, and etc.
- Quality Standards, 10%
Preserved a safe and clean work environment by following the company's safety and quality standards.
- Double Needle, 9%
Operated single and double needle machine.
- Stitching, 9%
Monitored sewing machine operations and observed defects in stitching or machine malfunctions.
- Industrial Sewing Machines, 9%
Sewed medical braces according to strict quality standards-Trimmed and packaged completed products-Assisted mechanic in tuning and repairing industrial sewing machines
Most sew on operators use their skills in "hand tools," "dexterity," and "quality standards" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential sew on operator responsibilities here:
The three companies that hire the most sew on operators are:
- ILC Dover12 sew on operators jobs
- Shaw Industries6 sew on operators jobs
- Engineered Floors5 sew on operators jobs
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Sew on operator vs. Tacker
A seamstress designs, repairs, and alters clothing as well as fashion accessories like hats and purses. Your duties and responsibilities may vary depending on your employer, including taking a customer's body measurements to fit clothes to their specifications, constructing garments specified by the customer, and advising customers on the appropriate types of patterns and fabrics that meet their needs. The skills and qualifications for this role include strong sewing skills, knowledge with design and fashion, and creativity.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a sew on operator are more likely to require skills like "hand tools," "cdl," "dexterity," and "quality standards." On the other hand, a job as a tacker requires skills like "tack welding," "carbon steel," "tack-weld," and "aluminum." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that tackers earn slightly differ from sew on operators. In particular, tackers are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a sew on operator. Additionally, they're 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sew on operator vs. Lining closer
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that sew on operator responsibilities requires skills like "hand tools," "cdl," "dexterity," and "quality standards." But a lining closer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "front line," "back line," and "temperature logs."
Lining closers earn similar levels of education than sew on operators in general. They're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Sew on operator vs. Embroiderer
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a sew on operator is likely to be skilled in "hand tools," "cdl," "dexterity," and "quality standards," while a typical embroiderer is skilled in "embroidery," "embroidery machine," "digitizing," and "routine maintenance."
When it comes to education, embroiderers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to sew on operators. In fact, they're 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Sew on operator vs. Seamstress
Types of sew on operator
Updated January 8, 2025











