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
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