SEWING TIPS

There aren't a lot of home seamstresses any more, but if you are among those numbers here are a few handy sewing tips.  I came across a few of these a few days ago and added a few of my own.

1.   Keep a magnet near by, if needles and pins drop on the floor, it’s a quick pick up!  I have a whole wall of sewing machines, and I have learned to keep a magnetic pin cushion by each of them.  I'm anything but a neat seamstress when I get busy, and this way I can just hold the magnet and suck up all the pins on the floor and around the machines.

2.   Save all of your hand sewing, buttons etc. for a beautiful day. Then take advantage of it and sew outside!!  When filling an order this isn't all too easy to do, but I have gone out to sit under my climbing roses to hand hem, and fresh air does help clear your head of problems.

3.   Keep your rotary blade and scissors sharp!  Keep them for fabric only!  I find myself repeating this to every person that picks up my scissors, especially kids.  I keep one scissors where only I know the location.

4.  Two is always better than one!  It is a luxury for some people to own more than one machine, but it sure can come in handy when you're in the middle of a project and one decides to mess up the tension or refuse to quite knotting the thread.

5.  Find your “space” and keep it your own.  I know this can be hard to do, and it wasn't until I started Punkydoo Kids that I actually moved into one room.  This is my production and planning room, and woe to he who enters uninvited!  What are your must have’s in your workspace? Mine is good lighting.

6.  When the sewing gets tough, take a break. Seriously. Less stress means more fun and, less mistakes!  It can also be a lifesaver for your project.  There have been a few times that I have become so frustrated that I stood up and ripped the fabric in half before I even realized what I was doing.

7.   Measure twice, cut once….and save yourself the headache!  I've ruined some expensive fabric in my time by not doing this very thing.  Cutting out and measuring your designs can be one of the most time consuming parts of a project, but it is always worth it to do it right the first time.

8.   Never under estimate the power of pressing with a Dressmakers Ham!  I sew newborn clothes, and there is no other way to iron little necklines and sleeves without stretching your material.  One other thing that I would add to this suggestion is a good iron.  Save up if you have to, but get one.  I'm still saving to get an even more professional iron.

9.  Before beginning a new project on your machine take the time to run a full bobbin of the proper color of thread.  I actually keep a bobbin run of the colors that I use all the time.  Can’t think of too many things more frustrating than having to stop the creative process for something as mundane as bobbin winding!!


10.  If you hate to gather. Try elastic thread in your bobbin.  There are other tricks to gathering, but I think I will save them for another post!

Put some of these hints into practice and your sewing time will be much easier and a lot more fun!  That statement seems a little like "do as I say and not as I do", but I think I will put these up on my bulletin board for my own benefit!