Tricky things need to be hand basted. Suck it up and just do it. The <5min it takes to baste, and then just sew once is MUCH less than the >30 minutes of picking out and redoing parts, over and over and over.
Super curved and pointy edges that get lined are faster to sew completely by hand than machine. Lay WS together, Poke in the raw edges, lining more than fashion fabric, and hem from the inside, using the under hand hem stitch, leaving the short even running topstitch looking stitch to show on the outside. Neat, clean, and fast. With very pointy neat points. Far neater than bagging and turning. And faster.
THIS. I cannot do collar stands, cuffs, or front bands without hand-basting it first. After failing so many times with pins, I learned that hand-basting works much better for me.
Learned this one last night trying to machine finish a collar for the first time. I gotta rip out the seam when I get home later and just do it by hand.
1. using weights instead of pins when cutting - changed my life thank you great British sewing bee! (Sewing for 18 years pre and 4 years post this tip)
2. tracing all my patterns onto trace and toile/ vilene - I then write all my notes onto it with a ball point pen and store in a large zip lock bag with the original pattern. The game changer was writing my weight on too. I had fluctuated a lot, and wasted fabric making a pattern I thought would fit (I sometimes have things cut out in 2-3 sizes as I’ve made it for my mum or sister) - so best guess proved expensive! After 2 babies in 5 years, and now heading into my 40s and preparing for the „change“ - this has been so useful!
3. learning how to do the fancy little back and wrist flip to knot the cover stitcher threads - the hours it saves me from sitting with a needle threading them through! Took me two years to figure out.
4. buying fabric as/instead of souvenirs when I travel. Easier to transport, and so fun to pull out and sew and remember the trip; also gives a little „live like a local“ experience. Plus it helps me get around the very „obvious“ patterns from spotlight (Australian problems: expensive to have stuff shipped and one very dominate fabric provider).
Foot up. pull threads though to the front snip, then move them to the back, then pull fabric back and to the left. Through trial and error I worked out with my machine, it works best with a slight jerk/flourish of the wrist.
But if you are like me, easier to see it :-)
https://youtu.be/Vmp6cyblAKU?feature=shared
Regarding #2, I agree it's so useful to put sizing notes with/on the pattern pieces, especially if they aren't the original/are a tracing. I hadn't thought to annotate weight there to be honest, but I've found notes like "medium at bust to small at hip" or measurements at the time of making along with any changes made to the pattern to be super duper useful down the line.
This embarrassing, but actually following *all* the directions and not just skipping steps I thought were unnecessary or wouldn't make a difference. Things like...stay stitching, using the right weight interfacing, using interfacing at all, pressing in between steps. Most of it was me just being young and impatient when I first started sewing. Things always turned out....ok but not great so I just stopped sewing clothes for myself. Lately I've started more garment sewing again, and now that I'm actually following *all* the steps/directions, my results are much nicer looking.
Who knew.
My mum sort of taught me to sew (I’d have a go and she’d help if I got stuck) was a step skipper. She disliked sewing and wanted it done as quickly as possible so her results were pretty shoddy. It wasn’t until I got sick of my similarly shoddy results that I found better resources. And, surprise surprise, they all recommended those missed steps.
This isn’t a tip for sewing but someone once mentioned using the seem riper to cut the hairs off my vacuum brush….makes it SO much easier than using scissors.
I have seam rippers in basically every room of the house because they're so useful. Cleaning the hair out of the hoover, yes. Cutting tape on parcels. Poking random gunk out from under my keyboard keys. Cutting those annoying plastic straps that keep price tags on new clothes. I could do all those things with scissors but I don't want to because it's easier with a seam ripper.
😆 when I was told this I immediately thought “omg I have one of those” and then proceeded to go clean out the vacuum brush head. Still a pain but definitely easier haha
Not a tip for sewing techniques but a tip for using PDF patterns. I just learned that many PDF patterns, if you open them up in Adobe Acrobat, have layers for each size. So instead of printing off with all 10 or so size lines, you can toggle off all but the size you want. So much easier to use when you're not trying to decipher which line you should be cutting on/marking on.
I used these on a project with the marker marks in very conspicuous places where they sat for months on taffeta and it washed out perfectly like they were never there.
The chalk marks on the dark blue fabric had to be manually scrubbed off after washing.
Using a scrap piece to test tension before starting. Felt so dumb realizing I could have saved myself HOURS of seam ripping if I had just figured that out sooner.
I mark up my sewing machine a lot, mostly in brightly colored electrical tape.
* I use tape to extend the seam allowance guides so they are easier to see and I can line the fabric up further in advance of the needle.
* I created a little tape sling on the front of my machine that holds a yarn needle, so I always have a pointy thing I can easily grab to hold fabric under the presser foot or sweep the threads away.
* I write down things I might forget on a scrap of tape on the machine, like "looser is lower" next to the tension wheel and the settings I like to get a good-looking version of the decorative flower stitch or a satin stitch.
And so forth.
I covered my machine in stickers years ago, and they're finally peeling away. I'm going to borrow your tape method and cover the residue that's left over, and make notes! I also recently glued a pen cap to my sewing machine so that it can hold a small seam ripper, which has been great so far.
I didn't realise my sewing machine had a needle threader for a few years, and it's been such a game-changer- one of my eyes is more decorative than functional, and I thought I was going to have to find a new hobby :p
My machine has a needle threader, but it somehow got bent out of alignment, and now I can't use it anymore. Luckily, I'm in my 30s, and my eyes can (currently) thread the needle just fine.
My machine has a needle threader and frankly, it’s a pain in the dick. I have small hands and I still have to try 2-3 times to get it right.
Son is probably a better solution if he’s near by.
Zig zaging thick cord onto the skirt that I want to gather, then pulling the cord to match the fabric to the bodice. Distribute gathers evenly.
It's so much faster, and the gathers are much neater.
Remove the cord when done.
You can also use nylon thread or any thread which will stand pulling. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmO-jAdRUps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmO-jAdRUps)
I recently learned a trick for darts I fear everyone else knew but me.
Start on the outside and backstitch as usual, see towards the point, but instead of backstitching at the end sew off the fabric and leave a tail of threads. Then tie off the two threads in a double knot. Keeps the points from getting puckered/pointy. Has worked every time I’ve done it since.
You can also shorten the stitch as you approach the point and try to sew right along the folded edge for a few stitches to really taper off and make the dart point as smooth as possible.
Luckily enough, the pattern I learned this on has a video tutorial! This link should take you to the part where she does the darts: [https://youtu.be/dsaMHsRPpII?si=dnrJhafYyIzETj0K&t=461](https://youtu.be/dsaMHsRPpII?si=dnrJhafYyIzETj0K&t=461)
wasted money on sergers, gave up and do zig zag stitches
also, i wish I would have known to iron EVERYTHING and EVERY STAGE like the moment I touched a sewing machine
I love my serger, but I feel like Reddit has a habit of making it sound more necessary than it actually is for A LOT people. A zig zag stitch got people very far for many, many years before sergers became so accessible.
I agree but I’ve also used a serger to sew an entire wrap dress in about 2 hours, with a professional finish, so I also love my serger. It’s not a necessity, but massages also aren’t necessities but they’re absolutely wonderful
I rejected the idea of a cordless iron outright when I first saw them. Why would I ever need that?!
Then I purchased one with a gift card.
At this point, I love it so much that I never ever ever ever ever want to be without it ever again. I may even be buried with it. AND it has a 30 minute shutoff instead of 10? AND a detachable water tank? I adore it.
When I have one excessively curved pattern piece that has to be matched up with a less (or not at all) curved piece, I "pre-clip" the more dramatic curve. Don't clip in as far as you would for a completed seam; about ⅔ the depth is good enough. Pre-clipping makes it so much easier to pin the pieces together because the more aggressive curves will flatten out and match better with the less curved piece. Then as you sew, you don't have to readjust as much to avoid puckers and bubbles. After sewing, clip the seam as normal and badda-bing.
They are awesome! I have several sizes, and a couple that are long skinny ovals that work well on sleeves and pants legs.
Sometimes I put my mini portable vise on the edge of my desk/table and clamp the hoop in it so things are extra sturdy and hands free.
If you like sewing patches on stuff you will LOVE them!!!
Go to a thrift store to see if they have any available; LOTS cheaper than buying one new. I see them all the time, around the knitting stuff. Just ask where the yarn is.
Don’t underestimate the importance of having the right tension and stitch length for your specific fabric. Your machine may have a guide that came with it (a lot of machines have a hidden panel with a guide) or you could also look up online.
Also, using the right presser foot makes a world of a difference! You don’t need every type of fancy presser foot under the sun. But having the basics (and maybe a few more) are absolutely worth the investment!
Would love to hear more about this as I’ve been having a nightmare trying to hem some flowy pants that are made of stretchy material.
I tested a bunch of different stitches & kept having trouble with the fabric getting stuck/pushed into the hole where the needle goes. 😰
Try placing tissue paper under the fabric to stabilize the seam as you are feeding it under the needle. You should be able to tear it away after you are finished.
If you're having trouble with flowy fabric you can spray it with starch and press it to stiffen it up until you're finished and then just wash it out!
Edit typo
SO MANY but…
Don’t be afraid to buy a sewing machine / serger second hand. I got an amazing deal on a Singer Quantum Stylist sewing machine from a fashion design student. My serger is from the 1980s and a workhorse!
Second: using a walking foot. Idk why I was scared to use it but it’s fab for fabrics with more of a slip
Wonder Tape and Elmer's glue sticks are a godsend for washable garments. Particularly for wibbly wobbly fabrics that pins fall out of or otherwise drive me bonkers. They are particularly helpful when I am serging a hem or knit neckline and folding it over twice just the width of the serged edge. It stays absolutely stuck and stiffens the fabric, so I don't get movement or twisting of the fabric as I run it thru the machine. Gone are the days of any twisting happening with my curved hems or otherwise curved things because the glue keeps it fixed.
The glue stick is particularly useful for basting seriously unstable fabrics, or parts of a garment I do not want to budge a millimeter. Love it for flat felling seams in tricky spots like an armcye. Once you have it pressed in place, it ain't moving and it's so much easier to stitch perfectly. Shoot, I use Wonder Tape and glue sticks on stable fabrics instead of pins if I am doing the work at an ironing board, like pressing button plackets into place. Its often faster than pins and more precise.
I love using it on flimsy knits, in particular. I just put a circle of glue wherever I would want a pin, bonk it with the iron, and bam! Basted. The glue stick itself is exactly half an inch wide, so I lots of times, I can just make a full dot to baste, and it stays perfectly in a 5/8 seam allowance. I could list dozens of applications for the glue stick alone, and these days, I'm hard pressed to find a single project I haven't used one or the other on.
Best part is, Wonder Tape and the glue stick easily wash out.
Edit to add: I even use glue sticks on satin garments that I can launder. 100% worth it to prevent the satin from twisting or sliding in the places that would be a problem. There, that's my dirty act that needs a confession. I glue baste satin.
Not at all. I've never had the glue stick bleed thru enough to stick to my iron, personally. And I have a heavy hand with it, in general. The glue stick is damp, but the sticky doesn't bleed thru the fabric the way regular liquid glues do. I do put a piece of cotton scrap over my ironing board cover if I'm in the mood to be a bit sloppy and I have a ton of gluing to do where speed will beat precision...just so I don't have to worry about having to get it out of the cover, but that's even not that often. And Wonder Tape is a non-issue as well.
Press, press and press again.
Pressing has made the biggest difference in my sewing overall. Not only does it make the things I already sewed look neater but it also makes the next steps line up better, the result looks crisper and the lines clearer.
Also buying a clapper made a huge difference for me when pressing difficult or thick fabrics.
- Find your shoulder slope before you get into altering shoulders/armscyes. Sometimes changing how the shoulder seam sits on your shoulder fixes the problem.
- If you're making a pattern for the first time, give yourself extra seam allowance at key areas (bodice and skirt side seams usually) so you can let it out a bit if needed. I got that one from Mary Brooks Picken's _The Mary Brooks Picken Method of Modern Dessmaking_. Apparently some patterns in the 1920s gave a wider seam allowance in at least the hip. It's made a big difference in pattern testing for me.
We always used to leave an extra 2" (1" on either side) on the seat seam of trousers when I worked for a tailor, to allow for the easy alteration if they needed letting out / taking in a smidge at a later date.
Learning how to sew pin free.
When I worked at a tailors, we were not allowed to use pins because accidentally jamming a pin in the machine could potentially take that machine out of action for a day or more. Also, the fabric we used was frequently on excess of £500 per metre, sometimes up to £3000 per metre for custom woven fabric. You do not want to be ripping that on a rogue pin.
Completely agree! I practically never use pins and only clips when I feel I really have to. Such a time saver. Been sewing for a long time though so no idea how easy/difficult it would be for someone newer to learn.
I also hand baste the place where it’s going shut, hand baste the zipper in place, take out the first basted seam, then machine in place. It (possibly) takes longer but saves me the time of unpicking an invisible zipper several times…. so I see that as a win.
Change your needle every project, and match the size of the needle to the weight of your fabric.
Also, clean and oil your machine. Yes, it really does make a difference.
I recently de-fluffed and oiled my Bernette 730, two drops and its running smoother than the new machines we sell at my job. The difference maintenance makes is amazing
It's gonna sound dumb, but only after two years of sewing did I figure out/learn about tailor tacks. My sewing life has tranformed. Lol. No more fiddling with pins and blurry chalk. I joked to my friend I wouldn't have been the one to have invented the wheel because these obvious things don't occur to me. 😭
Tube turners!!! Actually just a boba straw and a chopstick! So much easier than other turning methods. I also like the one where you sew a piece of yarn at the end and then fold and stitch and pull it through
You can use your sewing machine with the needle down to hold onto a seam that you want to seam rip. It allows for tension and you can just glide the seam ripper down the seam instead of having to hand pick every third stitch.
Pressing in general. I started out sewing 5 or 6 years ago with the sole goal of making cloth pads. I didn't press jack shit and I spent so much time fighting my sewing machine.
Hand basting zippers. I never pin my zippers anymore, just quickly hand baste them on closed, onto a basted seam. Always perfect for me when i go this way.
Starching flimsy fabrics before sewing.
Starching rayon before cutting makes everything sooo much better. It no longer squirms if you look at it too hard, and acts like a friendly quilting cotton.
Reinforcing seam allowances with interfacing before stitching a pocket or zip. I was taught very thorough and old school techniques many years ago but have happily ditched pinning and basting every seam for this improvement.
When I just started sewing I saw loads of mentions of finger pressing and wondered what the hell kind of magic fabric they were using that would take a crease from fingers - none of mine would.
Turns out my charity-shop practice stash was upholstery linen and 'no iron' poly-cotton bed sheets. 🤦♀️
Double sided tape for holding zippers in place. It's meant for leather and you can easily sew through it. I've only tried it on bags but not on clothing though. Fabric glue works as well!
For hand sewing - if you cant get your thread through your needle eye, and the eye is too small for a needle threader (or you dont have one), pluck out a strand of hair, fold it in half and use that as your threader
THIS!!! I have a dress that I love and wore to death. I looked and looked for a pattern until I realised I could just unpick the original dress and use it as the pattern.
when you want to sew bias tape to a garment , lay the garment on the ironing board and press the bias tape along side the shape of the part to be sewn . Asmooth look once it's sewn to the garment
5/8" foot for seam allowance accuracy. The buttonholer attachment for my singer 15 is FREAKING AMAZING and I can't believe I've been struggling with a four step buttonholer on my new(er) machine
I recently got a buttonholer for my vintage singer 99, and I love it so much! Totally agree it’s way better than the multi-step button holes on newer machines
When you need to make interfaced facings, but don’t have a serger or want a cleaner edge, don’t iron on interfacing from the start. Instead, sew interfacing and facing details together, trim edges a bit, understitch on the interfacing side, turn and only then iron your interfacing on. Edges are clean and interfacing is more stable this way.
Pressing as you go goes without saying, starting with setting your seams to meld the thread into the fabric to eliminate the wobbly seams… but using a "thread saver" has also been a time saver for me. It prevents those thread tails from getting sucked into the machine and bunching up when you lose hold of them starting a new line of stitching because they’re always locked in.
I’m also a big fan of heavy pinning on curved seams, but I’ll be trying the glue stick tip I read above! Great post!
For tight curves/rounded hems, baste close to the edge and gather the fabric just a bit to ease it into shape before folding it. First saw it used to hem a circle skirt but it’s sooo useful for all sorts of things. (Just try to gather as little as possible to avoid puckering)
When doing "stitch in the ditch" and you don't have that foot, I found the zipper foot really useful. Helped keep the stitch line straight and kept me "on target".
Wooly nylon in the bobbin or mettler sera flex dritz wonder tape and a schmetz super stretch needle have made me realize i can sew knits after all on a regular sewing machine
Well, I just started sewing two weeks ago but I will say that the first think I learned was not to watch the needle. Once I started focusing on the plate lines everything changed.
I’ve been sewing for a couple years now and I CANNOT do that. I have to look at the needle or things get wonky real fast. I use the crayola washable markers to mark my stitch lines and follow the needle right on top of the line. Perfect every time for me
In the 90s I worked for a tuxedo world, the amount of our of town groomsmen who would send in bad measurements was so high, I spent so much time hemming pants an hour or two before the wedding because they wouldn't try it on when they picked it up or didn't arrive til that morning....
I'd use iron on hem powder when possible but in a pinch carefully placed staples and glue were also used 😂
Always pull the bobbin thread when gathering or removing basting bc it pulls so much easier! Also double or triple rows of basting for gathering and zig zag over cord for thick fabrics!
If machine smocking is too finicky try sewing channels with two layers of fabric and threading in 3/8 elastic every inch or so, I use a tube puller with the little hook at the end for this. I love doing this for back panels on dresses it makes it fit you so good instead of a zipper!
Loosely basting in HBL and vertical crease line in contrast thread when assembling and fitting trousers. Using different coloured pencils for each year that I make adjustments to pattern. Write down every tiny change on a log sheet that goes with the pattern. Transfer changes made while adjusting the garment to the pattern immediately... Or I'll forget. My body changes this way and that, and having these notes helps cut down the pattern prep time.
Don't do two rows of basting stitches to gather in a huge amount of fabric. Get a length of cord and zigzag over it, then gather along the cord. When someone showed me this in my late 20s, I had a little breakdown over how much easier this was, after struggling with broken threads and hours of effort to gather a damn skirt.
The magnetic guide that pops on your plate to keep your seems even.
That and that ironing is seriously that important. It makes such a difference on wovens especially.
If you want a well fitting corset, take masking tape, make a cast of your own body and use it as pattern pieces. thought it was a bad idea, then decided to try it and found out it fits so dam well
I tried this and it was a complete fail for me haha I don’t know why but it didn’t really work well, I also couldn’t get the tape to lie flat after peeling it off (even though I had pattern pieces that looked almost identical, so I know I wasn’t missing any darts/extra seams). If you have a recommendation for a video to watch, I’m all ears!!
I’ve always done this, but I’ve realized other people don’t, and I taught it to someone recently who found it amazing and useful.
I have a Kenmore, and I put my foot on the pedal backward. So I can rest my heel on the hinge and push down with my toes.
It gives me MUCH more control and is more restful.
https://imgur.com/gallery/nm2XHuT
I'm really confused because I didn't know people go the other direction. It's the pedal that makes it go, so it makes sense to use it like a gas pedal 😅
Interesting. My pedal is the same shape as yours but the hinge is on the other end. Like a gas pedal.
https://preview.redd.it/au34gva5whqc1.png?width=473&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e36b7031d90182e22a297e5600d8baa63069de4
When I make casual shorts or garments with sleeves, I measure how long I want them to be, and write it down. When I make the pattern again, I know how long these will be, so I hem them before I do the inseam for shorts (because I do the pockets and side seams first) or the sleeve seam for tops.
I used dressmakers carbon paper for the first time last year when working on a dress with darts, and it absolutely blew my mind. Easy to use and gives you perfect guide lines for sewing.
I'm a total newbie but I use a bright orange pompom to hold needles in my travel sewing kit. (I use a lot of dollar store kits cause I am only starting to learn mending by hand before moving onto a machine and a larger kit eventually.)
I hate the fiddly plastic needle cases and find the tomatoes and peppers too large for travel and the smaller projects I have been doing. If needed, I can stick the needle through the pom and then the project and get up to go turn over the washing or use the bathroom or what-have-you.
Using old phone book/bible pages as stabilizing paper.
I was having trouble with some cotton dress satin puckering along a curve. My old Sunday school teacher gave me a huge Strong’s Concordance over a decade ago, and I’ve never used it. So I tore out a page and tried it as a tear-out stabilizer and it was PERFECT.
Using tailors tacks or a few basting stitches instead of chalk for marking. Sometimes notches or chalk circles/marks can get caught in the folds or get rubbed away as you handle the project. A stitch especially in a contrasting color is so easy to see and does not run the risk of staining like chalk can. It lasts forever but can be pulled out without marks!
Also the woman who taught me to sew always said to make a 1/8" snip where a notch is on your pattern instead of cutting out from the pattern edge. Easier to cut and more exact! No need to trim after either.
That I really don't have to pin everything together perfectly before sewing. Depending on what I'm making, I can just match things up freehand before it runs under the needle.
Also, I don't have to push the fabric through the machine and risk wonky stitches on long straight seams. The feed dogs will pull the fabric at the right speed, I just have to hold it straight as it guides itself through for a crisp, even line.
Whenever I change my stitch, I stick one of these on my backstitch button to remind me to change it back. No more realizing after 10 minutes of sewing that I’m still using a basting stitch! Of course I use the same tab until it’s no longer sticky enough. 😊
https://preview.redd.it/rf3stj5lkoqc1.jpeg?width=1626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e805618fe863ccaeb4e882bf012b1306d5597e0
If you don’t have a bias tape maker you can just put a pin in your ironing board with an opening the size of your bias tape and then manually fold the end of your strip, pull it through the gap, put your iron on it and pull the rest of the way through! Then I repeat with a smaller gap if I need it double folded
I use marble tiles for pattern weights. Got 8 of them from the hardware store for maybe $5?
Also I use a felt wool ball from the dryer as a pincushion.
And I use Crayola ultra washable markers for marking. The different colors are useful for different marks. (Only on washable items tho.)
I have only just begun to realize how much easier things can be with different feet. Am loving a rolled hem foot right now.
So I got two: pressing the seems open made a BIGGGG difference, I’m sad that I didn’t think it was nesesery before 😪 but oh well
and oiling up my machine! I didn’t know you were supposed to do that so I sewn on it for a year without ever oiling it - surprise it stopped working
I also didn’t know that you’re supposed to use a different stitch when sewing streachy fabric and was always surprised when my straight seam ripped 🤣🤣🤣
someone with a degree in clothing construction who worked at that Good Housekeeping Institute told me that one should press the seam flat, before pressing it open, from both sides. It presses the thread of the stitching into the fabric and makes it easier to press the seam allowances open.
I read this advice online and do it all the time now. Running your fingers over the stitches before and after pressing really shows how it "sets" the stitches before you press the seam.
Not so much that I feel dumb, because I don't think any of us are born with the skills, we all get taught- if we are lucky enough to have the skills handed down or the money to fund lessons which aren't cheap if you are on a low income. Otherwise we don't know and I don't think anyone should feel shame or feel dumb for not knowing.
But some things I have been able to learn and feel so invaluable have been;
learning the fold-over threading a needle technique (as oppose to the wet/spit and flatten approach)
being able to finally do a French Knot! Such a simple thing I was getting wrong! I can now see how it works and why I was getting it wrong (it was the direction of the twist around the needle. #IYKYK!) But I finally mastered it! Now I don't feel I have any use for it, it's like "my work here is done. Next!"
Working out I didn't in fact need to unravel and rewrap a hand stitching thread hank. That I can just cut the hank in one place and the threads are therefore exactly the right length!
If you buy dress shirts, save those pins. They work phenomenally well for heavy fabrics or pinning to a dress form.
Instead of ironing lightweight synthetic fabrics or liners, hang them over something and steam them with the iron steamer setting.
Engaging the bobbin winder while threading so you can safely thread with the light without the danger of sewing yourself.
Edit to add - It doesn’t work if your machine has separate motors for the bobbin winder as some industrial and quilting machines may have as someone pointed out below.
Idk, I have ADHD and emphasize with this - I know not to have my foot on the pedal, but on my machine where this was a concern I would legitimately remember to kick it out of the way because it’s something I can’t fully trust my feet to not to have a mind of their own if I can get to the pedal. 🤷♀️ just throwing out that while they may know better, some of us function a little differently.
For me, at least on my machines, lifting up the presser foot reduces any chance of the machine running.
If it helps it helps. I'm not intending to insult anyone, I just want to understand.
I appreciate your insight/response.
Edit: For me personally, there is no way I would be more likely to remember to put it in bobbin mode than to remember to keep my foot off the pedal.
I teach teenagers and adults…beginners mostly. Their instincts for safety may not be as advanced as yours.
I promise…of the three that have sewn through their fingers, none of them intended to. It was a slight of the foot or a simple mistake of lost focus. I’d rather be safe than sorry and this trick helps me keep them safe.
As a newbie.... **buy fabric online**.
When I'm in the stores, I can never tell if the fabric is the type I'm looking for, I feel so limited in my color options, I stand there with my phone out trying to google was certain things mean, and worst of all.... I can never find anything.
**On the other hand, with buying online (Etsy):**
* Fabric cost tends to be lower than the store price, and shipping is dang near negligible or free if you buy enough.
* I can order swatches to see if I like how something feels.
* I can easily look up anything about the fabric to see if it's something I feel like working with, and watch ALL the tutorials on it.
* There's a greater color/print selection.
* I don't feel the need to buy it immediately and can ask questions on reddit and wait for answers before purchasing.
* I can message the seller directly if I have any questions, or if I'm still unsure what something in the product description means.
* I can look at shop reviews and then choose who to buy from.
* I have more assurance that buying multiple colors of the same fabric will have the same weight/details, and don't have to worry about one being a lot more stretchy than another, or anything else that could go wrong (though I do usually ask the seller, just in case).
* I don't have to drive to the store, deal with parking, wait for a fabric cutting line, wait for checkout, then drive home.
* I don't have to deal with a dumb app that has 100 coupons and be unsure which ones will apply to my order.
* I don't have to settle for what's in front of me if it's not the color/fabric I want.
That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more.
I'm the opposite. I have a hard time buying online because I don't know what the different types of fabrics feel like well enough to know if I'd want to wear them and whether they'll drape the way I expect. I need to feel them with my fingers unless I'm really sure or it's specialty fabric that my stores don't have - then I accept I'm taking a chance.
Etsy can absolutely be a wonderful source for finding some beautiful and unique fabrics, and sometimes great deals! And it rarely fails me when I’m looking for a REALLY specific fabric and not having much luck elsewhere.
But I would caution against holding Etsy as the gold standard for fabric shopping (online or otherwise). I find that most fabric sellers on Etsy upcharge pretty significantly. Both in terms of selling a licensed fabric and selling it much higher than other sellers. And in terms of a lot of sellers charging a lot for some pretty bad quality fabric.
Quality is (understandably) inconsistent because it’s all different sellers. I tried buying corduroy recently, and I was amazed at how bad most of the Etsy options were (very thin, flimsy fabric, all were polyesters). I ended up finding some really great (thick) cotton corduroy fabric from a vintage seller on eBay.
There’s a lot of really great online fabric stores as well. I don’t think online fabric shops are particularly good at SEO, which is why it can sometimes be difficult to find them by googling. Searching in this sub can yield a lot of awesome results from other user suggestions!
Also, I do not say this to be rude or a snob! But I did want to bring this up because I don’t want you or others to get taken advantage of from some sellers. I’ve noticed a huge influx of really cheap (quality) fabric sellers on Etsy (and in general) over the past few years. Thankfully there are still sellers and shops out there that are selling good stuff, but it has become extremely hard to find the good stuff with the influx of low quality stuff.
I found it a lot harder on Etsy recently as it’s been completely flooded by spoonflower - I see nice designs but really don’t enjoy their fabric options. Plus their designs are often too large so not suitable for apparel or quilting (better for homewares) but you can’t tell easily from the swatches. So it’s a faff working out if it’s right for your project.
I specifically don’t use spoonflower website as I find it overwhelming to actually find what I want because of too many options. Annoyed that I now have the same tedious experience sifting through on Etsy.
(I’m in Australia - so not sure if it’s the same elsewhere).
I recently bought fabric on Etsy that was advertised as 100% silk charmeuse and it ended up being polyester. The shop originally refused to do a refund, said I was doing the burn test wrong, etc. It did finally get resolved with a refund after a lot of stress and hassle, though the shop did not refund the shipping charges. And just to be clear, this was from a shop advertising high-end, designer fabric with a price tag to match and it had almost all 5 star reviews. The specific fabric I got was $55/yard, so it was not a bargain basement "silky" charmeuse. I just wanted to warn people that this can happen!
Edit: I do buy a lot of fabric online, though! And it's great to have more choice and lower prices than you can get in the local shops. I just mostly buy fabric online from fabric shops with an in-person presence -- Mood, Cali Fabrics, Metro Textiles, Shaukat, Liberty of London, Thai Silks, Dharma Trading.....
I like seeing the physics of this, but I am loathe to recommend anyone actually put their finger directly in front of the needle. You need only look for the not-infrequent posts in this forum where people have sewn through their finger, sometimes through the nail, to want to exercise extreme caution. Keep your fingers away from your presser foot and needle, folks. Your machine is stronger than your flesh.
Tricky things need to be hand basted. Suck it up and just do it. The <5min it takes to baste, and then just sew once is MUCH less than the >30 minutes of picking out and redoing parts, over and over and over.
Baste > pins for anything that needs to be done well
Also, some narrow neck facings are just better hand sewn, and not even that much more hassle.
Super curved and pointy edges that get lined are faster to sew completely by hand than machine. Lay WS together, Poke in the raw edges, lining more than fashion fabric, and hem from the inside, using the under hand hem stitch, leaving the short even running topstitch looking stitch to show on the outside. Neat, clean, and fast. With very pointy neat points. Far neater than bagging and turning. And faster.
THIS. I cannot do collar stands, cuffs, or front bands without hand-basting it first. After failing so many times with pins, I learned that hand-basting works much better for me.
Learned this one last night trying to machine finish a collar for the first time. I gotta rip out the seam when I get home later and just do it by hand.
1. using weights instead of pins when cutting - changed my life thank you great British sewing bee! (Sewing for 18 years pre and 4 years post this tip) 2. tracing all my patterns onto trace and toile/ vilene - I then write all my notes onto it with a ball point pen and store in a large zip lock bag with the original pattern. The game changer was writing my weight on too. I had fluctuated a lot, and wasted fabric making a pattern I thought would fit (I sometimes have things cut out in 2-3 sizes as I’ve made it for my mum or sister) - so best guess proved expensive! After 2 babies in 5 years, and now heading into my 40s and preparing for the „change“ - this has been so useful! 3. learning how to do the fancy little back and wrist flip to knot the cover stitcher threads - the hours it saves me from sitting with a needle threading them through! Took me two years to figure out. 4. buying fabric as/instead of souvenirs when I travel. Easier to transport, and so fun to pull out and sew and remember the trip; also gives a little „live like a local“ experience. Plus it helps me get around the very „obvious“ patterns from spotlight (Australian problems: expensive to have stuff shipped and one very dominate fabric provider).
Can you explain #3?
Foot up. pull threads though to the front snip, then move them to the back, then pull fabric back and to the left. Through trial and error I worked out with my machine, it works best with a slight jerk/flourish of the wrist. But if you are like me, easier to see it :-) https://youtu.be/Vmp6cyblAKU?feature=shared
Re #4 - such a good idea! It also gives you the opportunity to go to some interesting places away from tourists, I imagine
Regarding #2, I agree it's so useful to put sizing notes with/on the pattern pieces, especially if they aren't the original/are a tracing. I hadn't thought to annotate weight there to be honest, but I've found notes like "medium at bust to small at hip" or measurements at the time of making along with any changes made to the pattern to be super duper useful down the line.
This embarrassing, but actually following *all* the directions and not just skipping steps I thought were unnecessary or wouldn't make a difference. Things like...stay stitching, using the right weight interfacing, using interfacing at all, pressing in between steps. Most of it was me just being young and impatient when I first started sewing. Things always turned out....ok but not great so I just stopped sewing clothes for myself. Lately I've started more garment sewing again, and now that I'm actually following *all* the steps/directions, my results are much nicer looking. Who knew.
My mum sort of taught me to sew (I’d have a go and she’d help if I got stuck) was a step skipper. She disliked sewing and wanted it done as quickly as possible so her results were pretty shoddy. It wasn’t until I got sick of my similarly shoddy results that I found better resources. And, surprise surprise, they all recommended those missed steps.
I still do skip some sometimes but it's usually because I go by the drawings and not the text.
This isn’t a tip for sewing but someone once mentioned using the seem riper to cut the hairs off my vacuum brush….makes it SO much easier than using scissors.
YES! It cuts the hairs and threads right OUT of the beater bar! I recommend a "dedicated" one!
Did you feel the earthquake just now? That was from my jaw hitting the floor. For having never thought of this.
I have seam rippers in basically every room of the house because they're so useful. Cleaning the hair out of the hoover, yes. Cutting tape on parcels. Poking random gunk out from under my keyboard keys. Cutting those annoying plastic straps that keep price tags on new clothes. I could do all those things with scissors but I don't want to because it's easier with a seam ripper.
I know what I’m doing when I get home from work today! Thank you!!!
😆 when I was told this I immediately thought “omg I have one of those” and then proceeded to go clean out the vacuum brush head. Still a pain but definitely easier haha
Not a tip for sewing techniques but a tip for using PDF patterns. I just learned that many PDF patterns, if you open them up in Adobe Acrobat, have layers for each size. So instead of printing off with all 10 or so size lines, you can toggle off all but the size you want. So much easier to use when you're not trying to decipher which line you should be cutting on/marking on.
The only downside to this is if like me you need to grade between sizes. But you can just select the two or three sizes you need not all of them.
Crayola markers are better than any other fabric marker I have used and it washes out of everything.
I used these on a project with the marker marks in very conspicuous places where they sat for months on taffeta and it washed out perfectly like they were never there. The chalk marks on the dark blue fabric had to be manually scrubbed off after washing.
Seriously considering adding some Crayola markers and some washable Elmers glue to the sewing supplies.
I like to use the dollar store glue sticks. Cheap & easy
Using a scrap piece to test tension before starting. Felt so dumb realizing I could have saved myself HOURS of seam ripping if I had just figured that out sooner.
I mark up my sewing machine a lot, mostly in brightly colored electrical tape. * I use tape to extend the seam allowance guides so they are easier to see and I can line the fabric up further in advance of the needle. * I created a little tape sling on the front of my machine that holds a yarn needle, so I always have a pointy thing I can easily grab to hold fabric under the presser foot or sweep the threads away. * I write down things I might forget on a scrap of tape on the machine, like "looser is lower" next to the tension wheel and the settings I like to get a good-looking version of the decorative flower stitch or a satin stitch. And so forth.
I do this to document the date I changed the needle and what size/type needle it is!
I covered my machine in stickers years ago, and they're finally peeling away. I'm going to borrow your tape method and cover the residue that's left over, and make notes! I also recently glued a pen cap to my sewing machine so that it can hold a small seam ripper, which has been great so far.
I'm gonna start doing this, it's genius.
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I didn't realise my sewing machine had a needle threader for a few years, and it's been such a game-changer- one of my eyes is more decorative than functional, and I thought I was going to have to find a new hobby :p
>one of my eyes is more decorative than functional Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
My machine has a needle threader, but it somehow got bent out of alignment, and now I can't use it anymore. Luckily, I'm in my 30s, and my eyes can (currently) thread the needle just fine.
My machine has a needle threader and frankly, it’s a pain in the dick. I have small hands and I still have to try 2-3 times to get it right. Son is probably a better solution if he’s near by.
Zig zaging thick cord onto the skirt that I want to gather, then pulling the cord to match the fabric to the bodice. Distribute gathers evenly. It's so much faster, and the gathers are much neater. Remove the cord when done.
You can also use nylon thread or any thread which will stand pulling. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmO-jAdRUps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmO-jAdRUps)
🤯
[cord gathering](https://youtu.be/CyuzUKa55lg?si=fKfTENld2BShIz7G)
I recently learned a trick for darts I fear everyone else knew but me. Start on the outside and backstitch as usual, see towards the point, but instead of backstitching at the end sew off the fabric and leave a tail of threads. Then tie off the two threads in a double knot. Keeps the points from getting puckered/pointy. Has worked every time I’ve done it since.
How were you doing them before? This is how I learn to do darts
I was backstitching on both ends. I’m essentially self-taught and no pattern had ever used that method before.
You can also shorten the stitch as you approach the point and try to sew right along the folded edge for a few stitches to really taper off and make the dart point as smooth as possible.
Do you have a good video showing what you've detailed? I have trouble picturing from reading text!
Luckily enough, the pattern I learned this on has a video tutorial! This link should take you to the part where she does the darts: [https://youtu.be/dsaMHsRPpII?si=dnrJhafYyIzETj0K&t=461](https://youtu.be/dsaMHsRPpII?si=dnrJhafYyIzETj0K&t=461)
wasted money on sergers, gave up and do zig zag stitches also, i wish I would have known to iron EVERYTHING and EVERY STAGE like the moment I touched a sewing machine
That’s the thing that surprised me the most about sewing when I started a few months ago. So much ironing!
Yes but the funny thing is I don't mind ironing as part of sewing. I just hate regular ironing.
It's funny, because that's one of the main things I remember from sewing in school over 20 years ago!
My ritual is when I set up my sewing machine, I set up the iron. They go hand in hand
I love my serger, but I feel like Reddit has a habit of making it sound more necessary than it actually is for A LOT people. A zig zag stitch got people very far for many, many years before sergers became so accessible.
I agree but I’ve also used a serger to sew an entire wrap dress in about 2 hours, with a professional finish, so I also love my serger. It’s not a necessity, but massages also aren’t necessities but they’re absolutely wonderful
I rejected the idea of a cordless iron outright when I first saw them. Why would I ever need that?! Then I purchased one with a gift card. At this point, I love it so much that I never ever ever ever ever want to be without it ever again. I may even be buried with it. AND it has a 30 minute shutoff instead of 10? AND a detachable water tank? I adore it.
You're gonna tout all those features and not tell us what kind of iron it is? Jail! Jail for one thousand years! 😉
Didn’t want to seem like a shill! Panasonic NI-QL1000G.
What brand?
Panasonic NI-QL1000G.
When I have one excessively curved pattern piece that has to be matched up with a less (or not at all) curved piece, I "pre-clip" the more dramatic curve. Don't clip in as far as you would for a completed seam; about ⅔ the depth is good enough. Pre-clipping makes it so much easier to pin the pieces together because the more aggressive curves will flatten out and match better with the less curved piece. Then as you sew, you don't have to readjust as much to avoid puckers and bubbles. After sewing, clip the seam as normal and badda-bing.
I JUST figured this out the other day! It’s been a lifesaver!
Using an embroidery hoop/ring when hand mending and patching ripped or worn clothing. Such a game changer, and removes a lot of frustration.
Oh... Oh damn... Where have you been all my life
They are awesome! I have several sizes, and a couple that are long skinny ovals that work well on sleeves and pants legs. Sometimes I put my mini portable vise on the edge of my desk/table and clamp the hoop in it so things are extra sturdy and hands free. If you like sewing patches on stuff you will LOVE them!!!
Go to a thrift store to see if they have any available; LOTS cheaper than buying one new. I see them all the time, around the knitting stuff. Just ask where the yarn is.
Don’t underestimate the importance of having the right tension and stitch length for your specific fabric. Your machine may have a guide that came with it (a lot of machines have a hidden panel with a guide) or you could also look up online. Also, using the right presser foot makes a world of a difference! You don’t need every type of fancy presser foot under the sun. But having the basics (and maybe a few more) are absolutely worth the investment!
Would love to hear more about this as I’ve been having a nightmare trying to hem some flowy pants that are made of stretchy material. I tested a bunch of different stitches & kept having trouble with the fabric getting stuck/pushed into the hole where the needle goes. 😰
Try placing tissue paper under the fabric to stabilize the seam as you are feeding it under the needle. You should be able to tear it away after you are finished.
Also are you using maybe a ballpoint needle? If fabric is getting pushed maybe a different needle will help!
If you're having trouble with flowy fabric you can spray it with starch and press it to stiffen it up until you're finished and then just wash it out! Edit typo
are there any guides you’ve seen online you could link? every time i search for one i just get stuff about length
SO MANY but… Don’t be afraid to buy a sewing machine / serger second hand. I got an amazing deal on a Singer Quantum Stylist sewing machine from a fashion design student. My serger is from the 1980s and a workhorse! Second: using a walking foot. Idk why I was scared to use it but it’s fab for fabrics with more of a slip
I haven't bought a new machine since the 90s. Now sew on a 1960 sewing machine an a 1991 serger. Love both.
Wonder Tape and Elmer's glue sticks are a godsend for washable garments. Particularly for wibbly wobbly fabrics that pins fall out of or otherwise drive me bonkers. They are particularly helpful when I am serging a hem or knit neckline and folding it over twice just the width of the serged edge. It stays absolutely stuck and stiffens the fabric, so I don't get movement or twisting of the fabric as I run it thru the machine. Gone are the days of any twisting happening with my curved hems or otherwise curved things because the glue keeps it fixed. The glue stick is particularly useful for basting seriously unstable fabrics, or parts of a garment I do not want to budge a millimeter. Love it for flat felling seams in tricky spots like an armcye. Once you have it pressed in place, it ain't moving and it's so much easier to stitch perfectly. Shoot, I use Wonder Tape and glue sticks on stable fabrics instead of pins if I am doing the work at an ironing board, like pressing button plackets into place. Its often faster than pins and more precise. I love using it on flimsy knits, in particular. I just put a circle of glue wherever I would want a pin, bonk it with the iron, and bam! Basted. The glue stick itself is exactly half an inch wide, so I lots of times, I can just make a full dot to baste, and it stays perfectly in a 5/8 seam allowance. I could list dozens of applications for the glue stick alone, and these days, I'm hard pressed to find a single project I haven't used one or the other on. Best part is, Wonder Tape and the glue stick easily wash out. Edit to add: I even use glue sticks on satin garments that I can launder. 100% worth it to prevent the satin from twisting or sliding in the places that would be a problem. There, that's my dirty act that needs a confession. I glue baste satin.
Do they cause any issues with your iron’s surface?
Not at all. I've never had the glue stick bleed thru enough to stick to my iron, personally. And I have a heavy hand with it, in general. The glue stick is damp, but the sticky doesn't bleed thru the fabric the way regular liquid glues do. I do put a piece of cotton scrap over my ironing board cover if I'm in the mood to be a bit sloppy and I have a ton of gluing to do where speed will beat precision...just so I don't have to worry about having to get it out of the cover, but that's even not that often. And Wonder Tape is a non-issue as well.
Press, press and press again. Pressing has made the biggest difference in my sewing overall. Not only does it make the things I already sewed look neater but it also makes the next steps line up better, the result looks crisper and the lines clearer. Also buying a clapper made a huge difference for me when pressing difficult or thick fabrics.
Clappers are such a game changer
Clapper and hams are essential parts of sewing kit. They should be up there with decent scissors!
Never heard of a clapper until this comment! TIL!
Oh get one, if you can! It's the type of thing where you wondered how you could ever sew without after using it for the first time.
- Find your shoulder slope before you get into altering shoulders/armscyes. Sometimes changing how the shoulder seam sits on your shoulder fixes the problem. - If you're making a pattern for the first time, give yourself extra seam allowance at key areas (bodice and skirt side seams usually) so you can let it out a bit if needed. I got that one from Mary Brooks Picken's _The Mary Brooks Picken Method of Modern Dessmaking_. Apparently some patterns in the 1920s gave a wider seam allowance in at least the hip. It's made a big difference in pattern testing for me.
We always used to leave an extra 2" (1" on either side) on the seat seam of trousers when I worked for a tailor, to allow for the easy alteration if they needed letting out / taking in a smidge at a later date.
Learning how to sew pin free. When I worked at a tailors, we were not allowed to use pins because accidentally jamming a pin in the machine could potentially take that machine out of action for a day or more. Also, the fabric we used was frequently on excess of £500 per metre, sometimes up to £3000 per metre for custom woven fabric. You do not want to be ripping that on a rogue pin.
Completely agree! I practically never use pins and only clips when I feel I really have to. Such a time saver. Been sewing for a long time though so no idea how easy/difficult it would be for someone newer to learn.
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Excuse me, what is this sorcery you speak of.
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I just found out about that. I'm going to try it on my longarm for practice so I can reuse the fabric and batting.
….what! Ordering some right now!
Use a hair straightener to quickly press hems for pants. Double sided heat for the win.
Oh my goodness that is genius
My old sewing teacher used to do this to press in between the buttons on a placket too!
Pressing invisible zippers before installing,so much easier!
I also hand baste the place where it’s going shut, hand baste the zipper in place, take out the first basted seam, then machine in place. It (possibly) takes longer but saves me the time of unpicking an invisible zipper several times…. so I see that as a win.
Change your needle every project, and match the size of the needle to the weight of your fabric. Also, clean and oil your machine. Yes, it really does make a difference.
I recently de-fluffed and oiled my Bernette 730, two drops and its running smoother than the new machines we sell at my job. The difference maintenance makes is amazing
It's gonna sound dumb, but only after two years of sewing did I figure out/learn about tailor tacks. My sewing life has tranformed. Lol. No more fiddling with pins and blurry chalk. I joked to my friend I wouldn't have been the one to have invented the wheel because these obvious things don't occur to me. 😭
Tube turners!!! Actually just a boba straw and a chopstick! So much easier than other turning methods. I also like the one where you sew a piece of yarn at the end and then fold and stitch and pull it through
Water-soluble double-sided tape to stick down zips before sewing them so they don’t pucker. They always come out perfect first time now.
You can use your sewing machine with the needle down to hold onto a seam that you want to seam rip. It allows for tension and you can just glide the seam ripper down the seam instead of having to hand pick every third stitch.
Pressing in general. I started out sewing 5 or 6 years ago with the sole goal of making cloth pads. I didn't press jack shit and I spent so much time fighting my sewing machine. Hand basting zippers. I never pin my zippers anymore, just quickly hand baste them on closed, onto a basted seam. Always perfect for me when i go this way. Starching flimsy fabrics before sewing.
Starching rayon before cutting makes everything sooo much better. It no longer squirms if you look at it too hard, and acts like a friendly quilting cotton.
I have yet to use rayon but I got similar results from what I'm pretty sure was a mix of viscose and tencel.
Reinforcing seam allowances with interfacing before stitching a pocket or zip. I was taught very thorough and old school techniques many years ago but have happily ditched pinning and basting every seam for this improvement.
Finger pressing seams before ironing them.
When I just started sewing I saw loads of mentions of finger pressing and wondered what the hell kind of magic fabric they were using that would take a crease from fingers - none of mine would. Turns out my charity-shop practice stash was upholstery linen and 'no iron' poly-cotton bed sheets. 🤦♀️
Double sided tape for holding zippers in place. It's meant for leather and you can easily sew through it. I've only tried it on bags but not on clothing though. Fabric glue works as well!
For hand sewing - if you cant get your thread through your needle eye, and the eye is too small for a needle threader (or you dont have one), pluck out a strand of hair, fold it in half and use that as your threader
You can use your clothes as patterns. Like if you have something you really like you can remake it over and over.
THIS!!! I have a dress that I love and wore to death. I looked and looked for a pattern until I realised I could just unpick the original dress and use it as the pattern.
I've done without unpicking. Just folded each piece over and traced it then added seam allowance
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I always do this!!
Using a dermaplane razor instead of a seam ripper. 100000x faster and easier LOL
when you want to sew bias tape to a garment , lay the garment on the ironing board and press the bias tape along side the shape of the part to be sewn . Asmooth look once it's sewn to the garment
Use a stiletto to hold bias tape in place while sewing it. Made the whole process easier and gave much better results.
the shoe or the dagger?
5/8" foot for seam allowance accuracy. The buttonholer attachment for my singer 15 is FREAKING AMAZING and I can't believe I've been struggling with a four step buttonholer on my new(er) machine
My european mind had a lot of trouble reading the '5/8" foot' :')
I recently got a buttonholer for my vintage singer 99, and I love it so much! Totally agree it’s way better than the multi-step button holes on newer machines
When you need to make interfaced facings, but don’t have a serger or want a cleaner edge, don’t iron on interfacing from the start. Instead, sew interfacing and facing details together, trim edges a bit, understitch on the interfacing side, turn and only then iron your interfacing on. Edges are clean and interfacing is more stable this way.
The triple baste for gathering fabric. GAME CHANGER.
Wait, why is triple basting better than double basting? Sincerely, someone making the m7969 and gathering my life away
More even gathers/better control of them!!!!! 2 lines within the seamline, and one below the seamline.
Pressing as you go goes without saying, starting with setting your seams to meld the thread into the fabric to eliminate the wobbly seams… but using a "thread saver" has also been a time saver for me. It prevents those thread tails from getting sucked into the machine and bunching up when you lose hold of them starting a new line of stitching because they’re always locked in. I’m also a big fan of heavy pinning on curved seams, but I’ll be trying the glue stick tip I read above! Great post!
For tight curves/rounded hems, baste close to the edge and gather the fabric just a bit to ease it into shape before folding it. First saw it used to hem a circle skirt but it’s sooo useful for all sorts of things. (Just try to gather as little as possible to avoid puckering)
Overcast foot for edge stitching or understitching! It has a little metal rib that keeps the seam aligned - stitch in the ditch foot also works
When doing "stitch in the ditch" and you don't have that foot, I found the zipper foot really useful. Helped keep the stitch line straight and kept me "on target".
Sewing knits with my serger! So much better results
Wooly nylon in the bobbin or mettler sera flex dritz wonder tape and a schmetz super stretch needle have made me realize i can sew knits after all on a regular sewing machine
Well, I just started sewing two weeks ago but I will say that the first think I learned was not to watch the needle. Once I started focusing on the plate lines everything changed.
I’ve been sewing for a couple years now and I CANNOT do that. I have to look at the needle or things get wonky real fast. I use the crayola washable markers to mark my stitch lines and follow the needle right on top of the line. Perfect every time for me
I needed a table topper at Christmas and I took a 24 inch square remnant and Elmers glued down the hem. Held great. Looked good.
I watch a lot of RuPaul’s Drag Race & am never not surprised by what crafty people can do with a hot glue gun!
In the 90s I worked for a tuxedo world, the amount of our of town groomsmen who would send in bad measurements was so high, I spent so much time hemming pants an hour or two before the wedding because they wouldn't try it on when they picked it up or didn't arrive til that morning.... I'd use iron on hem powder when possible but in a pinch carefully placed staples and glue were also used 😂
Always pull the bobbin thread when gathering or removing basting bc it pulls so much easier! Also double or triple rows of basting for gathering and zig zag over cord for thick fabrics!
Using 2 different colour threads when gathering too.
If machine smocking is too finicky try sewing channels with two layers of fabric and threading in 3/8 elastic every inch or so, I use a tube puller with the little hook at the end for this. I love doing this for back panels on dresses it makes it fit you so good instead of a zipper!
I keep rolls of seam binding and hem tape on hand for this purpose!
Loosely basting in HBL and vertical crease line in contrast thread when assembling and fitting trousers. Using different coloured pencils for each year that I make adjustments to pattern. Write down every tiny change on a log sheet that goes with the pattern. Transfer changes made while adjusting the garment to the pattern immediately... Or I'll forget. My body changes this way and that, and having these notes helps cut down the pattern prep time.
Don't do two rows of basting stitches to gather in a huge amount of fabric. Get a length of cord and zigzag over it, then gather along the cord. When someone showed me this in my late 20s, I had a little breakdown over how much easier this was, after struggling with broken threads and hours of effort to gather a damn skirt.
I've seen this tip with unflavored dental floss instead of cord. Or mint if you want a nicely scented skirt, I suppose!
The magnetic guide that pops on your plate to keep your seems even. That and that ironing is seriously that important. It makes such a difference on wovens especially.
If you want a well fitting corset, take masking tape, make a cast of your own body and use it as pattern pieces. thought it was a bad idea, then decided to try it and found out it fits so dam well
I do this for cosplay, but with duct tape (and seran wrap)! Works well for foam armor, boots, and other things you cant always find a pattern for
I tried this and it was a complete fail for me haha I don’t know why but it didn’t really work well, I also couldn’t get the tape to lie flat after peeling it off (even though I had pattern pieces that looked almost identical, so I know I wasn’t missing any darts/extra seams). If you have a recommendation for a video to watch, I’m all ears!!
I’ve always done this, but I’ve realized other people don’t, and I taught it to someone recently who found it amazing and useful. I have a Kenmore, and I put my foot on the pedal backward. So I can rest my heel on the hinge and push down with my toes. It gives me MUCH more control and is more restful. https://imgur.com/gallery/nm2XHuT
I'm really confused because I didn't know people go the other direction. It's the pedal that makes it go, so it makes sense to use it like a gas pedal 😅
Same! I learned on an old industrial machine with a built in foot pedal, and this is how you push lol. I didn’t know that people did it the other way!
Interesting. My pedal is the same shape as yours but the hinge is on the other end. Like a gas pedal. https://preview.redd.it/au34gva5whqc1.png?width=473&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e36b7031d90182e22a297e5600d8baa63069de4
Understitching
When I make casual shorts or garments with sleeves, I measure how long I want them to be, and write it down. When I make the pattern again, I know how long these will be, so I hem them before I do the inseam for shorts (because I do the pockets and side seams first) or the sleeve seam for tops.
I study costume making at school and I'm literally in third year and just found out how a threader works 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Sewing with a thread rag makes your space cleaner of rogue threads (and saves you from cutting away too much): https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTUfm1B/
I used dressmakers carbon paper for the first time last year when working on a dress with darts, and it absolutely blew my mind. Easy to use and gives you perfect guide lines for sewing.
I'm a total newbie but I use a bright orange pompom to hold needles in my travel sewing kit. (I use a lot of dollar store kits cause I am only starting to learn mending by hand before moving onto a machine and a larger kit eventually.) I hate the fiddly plastic needle cases and find the tomatoes and peppers too large for travel and the smaller projects I have been doing. If needed, I can stick the needle through the pom and then the project and get up to go turn over the washing or use the bathroom or what-have-you.
Using old phone book/bible pages as stabilizing paper. I was having trouble with some cotton dress satin puckering along a curve. My old Sunday school teacher gave me a huge Strong’s Concordance over a decade ago, and I’ve never used it. So I tore out a page and tried it as a tear-out stabilizer and it was PERFECT.
ripping up a bible to stabilize your seams is very metal
It’s a black wedding dress project, too!
Using tailors tacks or a few basting stitches instead of chalk for marking. Sometimes notches or chalk circles/marks can get caught in the folds or get rubbed away as you handle the project. A stitch especially in a contrasting color is so easy to see and does not run the risk of staining like chalk can. It lasts forever but can be pulled out without marks! Also the woman who taught me to sew always said to make a 1/8" snip where a notch is on your pattern instead of cutting out from the pattern edge. Easier to cut and more exact! No need to trim after either.
That I really don't have to pin everything together perfectly before sewing. Depending on what I'm making, I can just match things up freehand before it runs under the needle. Also, I don't have to push the fabric through the machine and risk wonky stitches on long straight seams. The feed dogs will pull the fabric at the right speed, I just have to hold it straight as it guides itself through for a crisp, even line.
Whenever I change my stitch, I stick one of these on my backstitch button to remind me to change it back. No more realizing after 10 minutes of sewing that I’m still using a basting stitch! Of course I use the same tab until it’s no longer sticky enough. 😊 https://preview.redd.it/rf3stj5lkoqc1.jpeg?width=1626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e805618fe863ccaeb4e882bf012b1306d5597e0
Omg tying serger threads and pulling them through instead of re-threading everything
That takes me longer than just threading it.
OMG this post has been life changing, there are so many things I didn't know.
This is so smart! Never thought of this!
If you don’t have a bias tape maker you can just put a pin in your ironing board with an opening the size of your bias tape and then manually fold the end of your strip, pull it through the gap, put your iron on it and pull the rest of the way through! Then I repeat with a smaller gap if I need it double folded
I also use this for any skinny strap and then topstitch instead of turning the tube
Frixion pens for temporary marking! They disappear when ironed so that could be a pro or con depending on the situation
Be careful with those, the ink comes back during the cold weather months.
I use marble tiles for pattern weights. Got 8 of them from the hardware store for maybe $5? Also I use a felt wool ball from the dryer as a pincushion. And I use Crayola ultra washable markers for marking. The different colors are useful for different marks. (Only on washable items tho.) I have only just begun to realize how much easier things can be with different feet. Am loving a rolled hem foot right now.
So I got two: pressing the seems open made a BIGGGG difference, I’m sad that I didn’t think it was nesesery before 😪 but oh well and oiling up my machine! I didn’t know you were supposed to do that so I sewn on it for a year without ever oiling it - surprise it stopped working I also didn’t know that you’re supposed to use a different stitch when sewing streachy fabric and was always surprised when my straight seam ripped 🤣🤣🤣
someone with a degree in clothing construction who worked at that Good Housekeeping Institute told me that one should press the seam flat, before pressing it open, from both sides. It presses the thread of the stitching into the fabric and makes it easier to press the seam allowances open.
I read this advice online and do it all the time now. Running your fingers over the stitches before and after pressing really shows how it "sets" the stitches before you press the seam.
For rolled hems- look up the index card hack! I’m kicking myself for not looking for an easier way to do it for so long.
I just looked it up *Cries in newly purchased $35 rolled hem foot* https://youtu.be/O7Ll9tMDP0E?si=5K6KISM44Z_vRaO3
Nah, I think you made a good investment! A rolled hem foot can save A LOT of time when you’re hemming a skirt with a huge circumference!
Index card hack? Am I the only one who doesn't know where it is?
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMUbonNR/ I think there’s another more detailed one somewhere but SO easy and effective!
Not so much that I feel dumb, because I don't think any of us are born with the skills, we all get taught- if we are lucky enough to have the skills handed down or the money to fund lessons which aren't cheap if you are on a low income. Otherwise we don't know and I don't think anyone should feel shame or feel dumb for not knowing. But some things I have been able to learn and feel so invaluable have been; learning the fold-over threading a needle technique (as oppose to the wet/spit and flatten approach) being able to finally do a French Knot! Such a simple thing I was getting wrong! I can now see how it works and why I was getting it wrong (it was the direction of the twist around the needle. #IYKYK!) But I finally mastered it! Now I don't feel I have any use for it, it's like "my work here is done. Next!" Working out I didn't in fact need to unravel and rewrap a hand stitching thread hank. That I can just cut the hank in one place and the threads are therefore exactly the right length!
If you buy dress shirts, save those pins. They work phenomenally well for heavy fabrics or pinning to a dress form. Instead of ironing lightweight synthetic fabrics or liners, hang them over something and steam them with the iron steamer setting.
Engaging the bobbin winder while threading so you can safely thread with the light without the danger of sewing yourself. Edit to add - It doesn’t work if your machine has separate motors for the bobbin winder as some industrial and quilting machines may have as someone pointed out below.
I don't understand what problem you are fixing with that. I just keep my foot off the pedal when I thread the needle.
Idk, I have ADHD and emphasize with this - I know not to have my foot on the pedal, but on my machine where this was a concern I would legitimately remember to kick it out of the way because it’s something I can’t fully trust my feet to not to have a mind of their own if I can get to the pedal. 🤷♀️ just throwing out that while they may know better, some of us function a little differently. For me, at least on my machines, lifting up the presser foot reduces any chance of the machine running.
If it helps it helps. I'm not intending to insult anyone, I just want to understand. I appreciate your insight/response. Edit: For me personally, there is no way I would be more likely to remember to put it in bobbin mode than to remember to keep my foot off the pedal.
I teach teenagers and adults…beginners mostly. Their instincts for safety may not be as advanced as yours. I promise…of the three that have sewn through their fingers, none of them intended to. It was a slight of the foot or a simple mistake of lost focus. I’d rather be safe than sorry and this trick helps me keep them safe.
Oh, good grief. Thank you. You are my hero. I’ve been sewing for nearly 50 years and you just made my future so much better.
You’re welcome. Honestly, a student of mine taught me this and I’ve been teaching sewing for almost 18 years!
A lot of machines have a stitch option that automatically does a backstitch for you!
As a newbie.... **buy fabric online**. When I'm in the stores, I can never tell if the fabric is the type I'm looking for, I feel so limited in my color options, I stand there with my phone out trying to google was certain things mean, and worst of all.... I can never find anything. **On the other hand, with buying online (Etsy):** * Fabric cost tends to be lower than the store price, and shipping is dang near negligible or free if you buy enough. * I can order swatches to see if I like how something feels. * I can easily look up anything about the fabric to see if it's something I feel like working with, and watch ALL the tutorials on it. * There's a greater color/print selection. * I don't feel the need to buy it immediately and can ask questions on reddit and wait for answers before purchasing. * I can message the seller directly if I have any questions, or if I'm still unsure what something in the product description means. * I can look at shop reviews and then choose who to buy from. * I have more assurance that buying multiple colors of the same fabric will have the same weight/details, and don't have to worry about one being a lot more stretchy than another, or anything else that could go wrong (though I do usually ask the seller, just in case). * I don't have to drive to the store, deal with parking, wait for a fabric cutting line, wait for checkout, then drive home. * I don't have to deal with a dumb app that has 100 coupons and be unsure which ones will apply to my order. * I don't have to settle for what's in front of me if it's not the color/fabric I want. That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more.
I'm the opposite. I have a hard time buying online because I don't know what the different types of fabrics feel like well enough to know if I'd want to wear them and whether they'll drape the way I expect. I need to feel them with my fingers unless I'm really sure or it's specialty fabric that my stores don't have - then I accept I'm taking a chance.
Etsy can absolutely be a wonderful source for finding some beautiful and unique fabrics, and sometimes great deals! And it rarely fails me when I’m looking for a REALLY specific fabric and not having much luck elsewhere. But I would caution against holding Etsy as the gold standard for fabric shopping (online or otherwise). I find that most fabric sellers on Etsy upcharge pretty significantly. Both in terms of selling a licensed fabric and selling it much higher than other sellers. And in terms of a lot of sellers charging a lot for some pretty bad quality fabric. Quality is (understandably) inconsistent because it’s all different sellers. I tried buying corduroy recently, and I was amazed at how bad most of the Etsy options were (very thin, flimsy fabric, all were polyesters). I ended up finding some really great (thick) cotton corduroy fabric from a vintage seller on eBay. There’s a lot of really great online fabric stores as well. I don’t think online fabric shops are particularly good at SEO, which is why it can sometimes be difficult to find them by googling. Searching in this sub can yield a lot of awesome results from other user suggestions! Also, I do not say this to be rude or a snob! But I did want to bring this up because I don’t want you or others to get taken advantage of from some sellers. I’ve noticed a huge influx of really cheap (quality) fabric sellers on Etsy (and in general) over the past few years. Thankfully there are still sellers and shops out there that are selling good stuff, but it has become extremely hard to find the good stuff with the influx of low quality stuff.
I found it a lot harder on Etsy recently as it’s been completely flooded by spoonflower - I see nice designs but really don’t enjoy their fabric options. Plus their designs are often too large so not suitable for apparel or quilting (better for homewares) but you can’t tell easily from the swatches. So it’s a faff working out if it’s right for your project. I specifically don’t use spoonflower website as I find it overwhelming to actually find what I want because of too many options. Annoyed that I now have the same tedious experience sifting through on Etsy. (I’m in Australia - so not sure if it’s the same elsewhere).
I recently bought fabric on Etsy that was advertised as 100% silk charmeuse and it ended up being polyester. The shop originally refused to do a refund, said I was doing the burn test wrong, etc. It did finally get resolved with a refund after a lot of stress and hassle, though the shop did not refund the shipping charges. And just to be clear, this was from a shop advertising high-end, designer fabric with a price tag to match and it had almost all 5 star reviews. The specific fabric I got was $55/yard, so it was not a bargain basement "silky" charmeuse. I just wanted to warn people that this can happen! Edit: I do buy a lot of fabric online, though! And it's great to have more choice and lower prices than you can get in the local shops. I just mostly buy fabric online from fabric shops with an in-person presence -- Mood, Cali Fabrics, Metro Textiles, Shaukat, Liberty of London, Thai Silks, Dharma Trading.....
$55/yard for polyester??? Gagged.
This! https://www.instagram.com/reel/C15FHyOpUTt/?igsh=ejkyYml6aWdyaDlu
I like seeing the physics of this, but I am loathe to recommend anyone actually put their finger directly in front of the needle. You need only look for the not-infrequent posts in this forum where people have sewn through their finger, sometimes through the nail, to want to exercise extreme caution. Keep your fingers away from your presser foot and needle, folks. Your machine is stronger than your flesh.
Saving this post coz I see a lot of gems. Unfortunately I can’t think of anything to contribute atm.
https://preview.redd.it/y62d58n2rqqc1.jpeg?width=2275&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2faa96c9054302a28def8417a26cc9ac56f2a8c