Sewing is the ninth of the 39 Melachot that are prohibited on Shabbat. It includes all forms of sewing and needlework.

Pasting, taping and stapling paper are also prohibited. Thus, one may not seal an envelope nor attach a postage stamp on the Sabbath. Fastening something with a safety pin, however, is permitted, since this is only a temporary fastening.

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Most of this information is taken from the book "SABBATH Day of Eternity" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, published by NCSY. In the book itself, there are notes that refer the reader to detailed footnotes. I am lucky to have found such a clear, concise manual with these brief overviews of laws so vast and complex there are Rabbis that specialize in them.