I get asked a lot for suggestions from people who are just learning to sew or who are picking it back up again after a few years. I do my best to share some of my tips with them, most of them were learned the hard way and I'm always happy to do anything I can do to help prevent a little frustration.
I sat down and made a list of some of my most used (and I hope helpful) sewing tips and tricks, read through them and let me know what you think!
Tip #1 Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
Most everyone who is sewing now had some help at the beginning of their sewing career. Maybe you have a friend who is an excellent seamstress, or a Grandmother who would love to share some of her knowledge with you, odds are that you know someone who can help you learn.
Asking something like, “I started sewing this purse and got a pretty good start but now I’m at a point that I am stuck and was wondering if you could help me out a bit?” should get a great response from most experienced seamstresses.
If you want to learn at some point there will be some “trial & error” and the only way to get past it is just to try, you are capable of doing a lot more than you think you are!! Give it a shot on your own then when you get stuck, turn to your friend to get some help.
Tip #2: Take a Class
Even though I learned to sew as a teenager I still took sewing classes as an adult. The teachers always helped me to look at things in new ways. I learned techniques that I never would have figured out on my own, plus there is the added bonus that you FINISH the project during the class, so it doesn’t get thrown in the “someday” pile.
Most cities have either heirloom sewing or quilting stores that offer classes, talk a friend into going with you and be BRAVE and just sign up!
Tip #3: IRON!
It may seem like a pain to get up from your sewing machine and go over to your ironing board to iron each seam you sew, but you MUST do it! There is no better tip that I can give you than to IRON! I can always tell a project that was poorly pressed along the way. Invest in a good quality iron, next to your sewing machine this will be the most valuable tool in your sewing arsenal!
Tip #4: Change your Needle
Once in a class I took the instructor informed us that we should change our needle every-time we start a new project. I don’t change mine that often but try to change it every few projects. A dull needle will cause your machine to skip stitches, pull fabric or cause problems with your tension. So ask yourself “when was the last time you changed your needle?”… Probably been a while…
Bulk Package of Sewing Machine Needles (check to see which exact type your machine requires before ordering)
Tip #5: Use your Seam Ripper
I know no one ever likes to unpick something they have just sewn… but just do it. If it’s not right, you will expend more energy trying to fix it later than just unpicking it in the first place.
Tip #6: Re-thread Your Machine
Just think of it like rebooting your computer, one little thing can fix a multitude of ills. If you break a needle, break your thread, or your machine starts sewing funny, rethread it. Trust me it works :)
Tip #7: Walk Away
If you get to the point in a project where you are sewing sloppily or find yourself saying “good enough” more than a few times… walk away… Put it down and go do something else. This is the thing that took me the longest to figure out. I can not tell you how many times I have woken up in the morning and had a “uggggg” moment because I stayed up too late working on something that I was really not in the “mood” to be working on.
If you get frustrated with a project or lose interest, it’s OKAY to leave it for a bit. Nine times out of ten you will get your “mojo” back soon and be able to finish it up. There is nothing worse that working while your frustrated! So don’t do it!!
credit: ebay.com
I’ve had today’s tutorial stored away in the back of my brain for months now. Since June, I’ve sewn my fair share of knit items with gathered waists including this Penelope Peplum and this sleeveless Out and About Dress. With the launch of the Winter Collection last week it seems only appropriate to finally show you my favorite method for gathering knits. In my opinion, this is by far the easiest and the most fool-proof method out there. The elastic method, that is.
Awhile back I showed you how to gather knits using the floss method. That’s a great method for beginners who haven't sewn with elastic or people who achieve perfectly spaced gathers despite any method they choose (mom, I'm looking at you). But I found that method isn't entirely reliable and without a lot of redistributing and patience my gathers wouldn’t always stay evenly spaced. The solution for evenly spaced gathers? Elastic! It does the work for you. Let me show you how.
Today I’m demonstrating this method on a modified Out and About Dress pattern. I’ve been dreaming of an elbow-sleeve, flowy peplum for winter that can be layered under sweaters, like this. To achieve this look, I’m simply adding width to the bodice pieces and shortening the skirt to hip height.
PREP ELASTIC
First, take out your two pattern pieces that will be sewn together once the skirt is gathered. For this pattern, I’m using the back bodice and one skirt piece. This is what they should look like after being cut on the fold. For this top I’m using a ponte de roma knit.
Now measure the length of the bottom of your bodice with fold over elastic by simply laying it over the raw edge. I use fold over elastic for this method because it’s considerably stretchier and less bulky than traditional elastic.
Trim your elastic to the same length as the bottom of your bodice.
Now, pin both ends of the elastic to the opposite edges of the skirt. Your elastic piece will be much shorter than the width of your skirt, this is normal. When using fold over elastic, you'll sandwich your fabric so that the raw edge aligns with the "ditch" of the elastic. Then fold over each side and pin.
To evenly distribute the elastic on the skirt waist we’ll be using the four corners method. Fold the skirt so that both pins are aligned and mark the halfway point on both the fabric and the elastic with a pin or tailor’s chalk. Align both half-way marks and pin.
Now divide that smaller section in half and mark with pins.
Continue to mark and pin your sections in half until you have eight evenly spaced sections pinned. Your pinned elastic should look like this.
SEW ELASTIC TO SKIRT
Now bring your skirt with pinned elastic over to your sewing machine and set your stitch to a narrow and long zig-zag stitch. You may want to practice stitch widths and lengths on a scrap piece of fold over elastic to ensure you have the right stitch settings.
Insert your skirt with pinned elastic under your presser foot, centering the stitch down the center of the elastic. Put your needle down into the fabric. Stretch the elastic so that it lays flat with the fabric and tuck all fabric up into the ditch of the fold over elastic.
Start sewing along the length of the elastic, stretching as you sew. I like to hold onto each pin as I sew, so that I know I’m stretching the elastic evenly along the length of the seam. You can see the fabric gathering behind the presser foot as you sew.
Continue to sew along the length of the elastic until you reach the end. There’s no need to backstitch as the end of the elastic will be enclosed in the seam. Your new skirt piece should look like this:
Look! Gathers already! No basting stitches, or tugging threads required.
SEW SKIRT TO BODICE
Now align your gathered skirt with your bodice right sides together. Some fold over elastic doesn’t recover 100% after sewing, so your skirt piece might be slightly longer than the bottom edge of the bodice. That’s okay! Simply trim off the extra width of the skirt with your fabric scissors. Once trimmed up your bodice and skirt should align like so:
Now pin your skirt to your bodice.
Bring your two pinned pattern pieces to your serger or sewing machine. I’ll be demonstrating this technique on a serger. If you’re using a sewing machine just remember to use a stretch stitch. Serge or sew your skirt to your bodice, making sure your stitch extends beyond the left edge of the fold over elastic.
Your finished seam should look like this, if serging:
Flip your skirt and bodice right sides out and inspect your seam. You can see below where my stitch didn’t extend beyond the left side of my fold over elastic and the elastic is peeking out of my seam on the right side.
This is an easy fix. Simply sew or serge back over that portion of the seam.
Now, press your seam allowance up towards the bodice of the top or dress. This is important to avoid bulk at the waist seam.
Admire your handiwork. 100% evenly spaced gathers. Am I right?
Let’s take a closer look. Ah, yes. Such satisfaction
For the Out and About Dress, you’ll repeat these steps with the front bodice and skirt pattern pieces. Once you sew up those side seams you’ll be itching to show everyone your perfectly gathered waist.
credit:indiesew.com
Infinity scarves are the perfect accessory! They can act as a warmer on chilly days, can dress up even the most casual of clothes, and are a burst of color and interest to a favorite outfit. Plus, they're easy to pull off--simply place the circle scarf around your neck and walk out the door with no fuss or styling. Make your own infinity scarf from any fabric material you'd like. (We made this scarf from an old pillowcase!)
Materials:
- 1--40x25" piece of fabric (if you want a longer scarf or one that can be wrapped multiple times, add length to your measurements)
- Finished scarf: 36x24" circumference
- Assemble the Scarf:
1. Lay fabric wrong side up (unpatterned side up). Press one short side of the fabric under 1/2"; pin in place. Using 1/4" seam allowance, sew the short end in place. Repeat on the opposite short side. This will prevent the ends from fraying.
2. Fold the fabric in half so long edges touch with right sides facing (pattern inside); pin in place. Sew the pinned length together using 1/4" seam allowance. You should now have a long tube. Turn the tube inside out, so the pattern is on the outside.
3. Fold the fabric tube in half so short ends are touching. Situate the tube so that the bottom sticks out 1/2" more than the top.
4. Fold the bottom fabric up so it overlaps the top fabric. Press it, then pin on the sides to hold it in place. You should have 1/2" overlapping fabric. When you pick the fabric up, it should form a complete circle. Sew the pinned length using 1/4" seam allowance. Make sure you keep the rest of the scarf out of the way while sewing, so you don't sew the seam to the opposite end of the scarf.
5. Turn the scarf inside out, so the seam you just made is on the inside. Your scarf is done!
credit: howtosew.com
7 ways to make a ruffle:
1. Basic fold-over ruffle: Fold over strip and gather the top.
2. Basic hemmed ruffle: Hem the bottom by folding over 1/4″ twice. Press and stitch. Gather the top.
3. Serged ruffle: Serge the bottom edge, gather the top edge.
4. Tube ruffle: Create a tube by folding a strip in half, sewing and turning it right side out. Gather in the middle of the strip.
5. Two-tone ruffle technique: sew two different color strips together, press the seam open and fold wrong sides together. Press again and gather the top.
6. Bias ruffle: Cut a strip out on the bias. Gather at the top or the middle for ruffle that won’t fray (too much!).
7. Knit ruffles: Make a ruffle with a strip of knit fabric, since it’s a knit you don’t need to finish the edges!
There are 7 ways! There are lots more, too!
credit:seekatesew.com
Designer: Amy Berger
Turn your desktop chaos into a productive work space with a coordinating trio of catchalls made from embroidery hoops. Mix and match your favorite patterned fabrics, and whip up three fun and functional organizers that feature pockets for pens, pencils, and letters, crisscrossed ribbons for tucking and pinning pictures and receipts, and felt loops for keeping keys at the ready.
Materials
10"-diameter wooden
Embroidery hoop
Fat quarter (18x22") of fabric
45" length of 1/8"-wide grosgrain ribbon
Sewing needle
Sewing thread to match ribbon
Tacky glue
2"-tall wooden clothespins
Assemble the String It Hoop
1. Remove inner ring from embroidery hoop. Lay fabric right side up over the inner ring, positioning the portion of fabric you wish to frame. Put embroidery hoop back together, pushing fabric between the pieces to hold it in place. Tighten the screw and adjust fabric tension as needed.
2. Lay grosgrain ribbon in a zigzag pattern across the framed fabric; place a pin where ribbon changes direction at each end. Trim ribbon ends if necessary.
3. Secure ribbon to the fabric with a few small stitches using doubled sewing thread and a sewing needle; remove pins.
4. Turn embroidery hoop over and trim fabric close to the embroidery hoop edges.
5. Run a thin line of tacky glue along the inner ring back edge, and press fabric edges into glue to prevent fraying; let dry.
6. Pin clothespins to ribbon.
Materials
- 10"-diameter wooden embroidery hoop
- 2 fat quarters (18x22" each) of coordinating fabrics (background and pocket)
- Tacky glue
Assemble the Hold It Hoop
1. Fold fabric for pocket in half with wrong sides together to measure 18x11". Using a straight stitch on the sewing machine, topstitch 1/8" from the folded edge along its length. Topstitch a second straight line approximately 3/8" below the first topstitched line (Diagram 1). This is the top pocket edge.
2. Fold pocket in half to measure 9x11"; finger-press or use an iron to crease. Unfold pocket and lay it on top of background fabric, aligning bottom and side edges (Diagram 2).
3. Topstitch a straight, vertical seam along pocket crease line, creating a pocket divider and joining pocket to background fabric (Diagram 3).
4. Remove inner ring from embroidery hoop. Lay fabric right side up over the inner ring, positioning the portion of fabric you wish to frame. Put embroidery hoop back together, pushing fabric between the pieces to hold it in place. Tighten the screw and adjust fabric tension as needed.
5. Turn embroidery hoop over and trim fabric close to the embroidery hoop edges.
6. Run a thin line of tacky glue along the inner ring back edge, and press fabric edges into glue to prevent fraying; let dry.
Materials
- 14-1/2"-diameter wooden embroidery hoop
- 3 fat quarters (18x22" each) of coordinating fabrics (background, pocket No. 1, pocket No. 2)
- Ruler
- Air-soluble marking pen
- Computer and printer
- 3⁄4"-wide iron-on veneer
- 1/2x16" felt strip
- 1-1/4"-diameter hinged metal rings
- Tacky glue
Assemble the In/Out Hoop
1. Fold background fabric in half with wrong sides together to measure 9x22"; press.
2. Fold pocket No. 1 and pocket No. 2 fabrics in half with wrong sides together to measure 11x18" each; press.
3. Place pocket No. 2 on top of pocket No. 3 with pressed edges at top and aligning all edges. Measure 7" from left of top right-hand corner; mark. Measure 7" down from top right-hand corner; mark. Using a ruler and air-soluble marking pen, connect the marks to form a diagonal line (Diagram 1).
4. Using a straight stitch, stitch along the drawn line. Trim off corner 1/2" beyond stitched line (Diagram 2). Press seam allowances open.
5. Open pocket panel and press (Diagram 3).
6. Use computer and printer to choose a typeface and print the words "In" and "Out" onto paper in the size you want (use a font size that produces letters less than 3/4" tall). Cut a piece of iron-on veneer to fit each word. Apply temporary adhesive to the back of each veneer piece, and attach veneer over each word on the printed samples. Feed the paper back through the printer to print the words on veneer.
7. Remove adhesive from each piece of veneer. Following manufacturer’s instructions, use an iron to attach a veneer word to each pocket.
8. Unfold background fabric so the crease is vertical. Measure 4" down from top along vertical crease; mark. Measure 1" down from first mark, staying on the vertical crease; mark. Continue marking in this manner until you have a total of nine marks.
9. Place the felt strip along the vertical crease. Topstitch the piece to the background fabric at each mark with a short horizontal seam, leaving a short raised half loop between each seam (Diagram 4). Note: Insert your index finger under the felt strip as a guideline to determine how high each raised portion should be.
10. Place the pocket panel on top of the background fabric, aligning the pocket divider seam with the vertical crease on the background fabric, just below the felt loop line. Sew in the ditch of the divider pocket line to secure the pocket panel to the background fabric.
11. Remove inner ring from embroidery hoop. Lay fabric right side up over the inner ring, positioning the portion of fabric you wish to frame. Put embroidery hoop back together, pushing fabric between the pieces to hold it in place. Tighten the screw and adjust fabric tension as needed.
12. Turn embroidery hoop over and trim fabric close to the embroidery hoop edges.
13. Run a thin line of tacky glue along the inner ring back edge, and press fabric edges into glue to prevent fraying; let dry.
14. Attach hinged rings to felt loops.
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