# Sewers, Hand

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

- **SOC code:** 51-6051.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-6051-00
- **Also known as:** Alteration Specialist, Couturier, Custom Clothier, Seamstress, Custom Designer, Custom Seamstress, Stitcher, Apparel Specialist
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Fit garments on clients, altering as needed.
- 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.
- Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks.
- 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.
- 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.
- Tie, knit, weave or knot ribbon, yarn, or decorative materials.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Patch materials, such as cotton or leather.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Manual Dexterity _(ability)_
- Finger Dexterity _(ability)_
- Arm-Hand Steadiness _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- Control Precision _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Category Flexibility _(ability)_
- Visualization _(ability)_
- Administration and Management _(knowledge)_
- Multilimb Coordination _(ability)_
- Visual Color Discrimination _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(Specialized Skill)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(Specialized Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Time Management _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Depth Perception _(Common Skill)_
- Complex Problem Solving _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Adobe Illustrator _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Drawing software
- Embroidery design software
- Graphics digitizing software
- Template design software

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 18th percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 31st percentile (Low) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 12th percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 19th percentile (Low) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 99th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -7.0% growth (Declining); 0.7k annual openings; 5.4k → 5k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $33,760; 2,240 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-6051-00_