plain sewing

Refers to hand sewing characterized by the simplicity of the stitches and by its application, which is primarily for the construction of clothing and the finishing of household textiles. It is distinct from sewing used to create designs, such as embroidery. Plain sewing generally may include basic stitches, such as running stitches, back-stitching, hemming stitches, and seaming stitches, as well as simple embellishments to these basic stitches.