Sewing Tips

Learning how to properly thread a needle is an essential step to becoming a great sewer. It sounds like a simple enough task to do, but it is not always the easiest. Take the time to practice threading needles with different size eyes using different threads. Practice makes perfect.

Keep your sewing area organized. This will help you to be able to know where the right button or spool of thread is to complete your project.

The internet is filled with patterns for a large variety of projects for sewers of all skill levels. A quick internet search will bring you to all of the appropriate websites.

Find a great teacher to show you who to get started and tricks and techniques for sewing. If there is someone in your family that sews, have them teach you. If there is not someone in your family, ask at your local craft store if they know of a teacher in your area.

Take the time to learn the multitude of sewing terms.

Get yourself acquainted with all the different tools necessary for sewing. You will need to invest in things such as - assorted size sewing needles, a good pair of scissors just used for sewing, seam ripper, small spools of thread in the basic colors, fabric tape measure, Straight pins, Fabric chalk and a cutting board.

Invest in a good sewing machine that will allow you to do the kind of sewing that you wish to do. Not all machines are made equally as some are designed to do specific kinds of sewing. Do your research before purchasing.

As a beginner, keep your projects simple. Don’t try to take on too large of a project before you are ready to. Also remember that you are going to make mistakes and that is ok. That is why you work on these smaller projects to learn the steps before tackling a huge project.

Some basic items to always keep on hand in your sewing kit include, a diverse selection of buttons, needles, and threads, scissors, pins and a pin cushion, a thimble, and a tape measure.

When purchasing a thimble, try it on. You want one that fits securely on the middle finger of your sewing hand, though there are also many that sew and wear one on their thumb. Find what works best for you.

Two good things to keep with your pins are a magnet and a bar of soap. The magnet will come in handy if you drop a pin on your floor. It will help you find it faster. The bar of soap doubles as both a pin cushion and it will help lubricate the pins - making them easier to go through rough fabric.

Re-use things! Before you get rid of any clothing that is no longer fit to wear, make sure to take off all buttons and clips. You never know when they might come in handy.

When purchasing pins, there are two things to keep in mind. First, buy a variety of lengths, but definitely buy the longest ones you can find. Second, buy pins with glass or plastic heads as these tend to be the easiest to use.

Be very careful when selecting a thread color to use with fabric. Always remember that thread will appear darker on its spool then it will next to the fabric. Try to pick a spool of thread a little darker than the fabrics color.

Storage and organization are key to staying creative. If you know where everything is, and you can easily find what you are looking for, then sewing is a lot easier. Storage containers can be purchased anywhere, or you can get creative and reuse things such as coffee containers or baby food jars.

Study your pattern carefully so that you will know exactly how much fabric to purchase. You never want to start a project only to find out you do not have enough of the fabric you need and you can't find it in any store anywhere. It's better to purchase an extra yard just in case you miscalculated or you messed up.

Read the manual for your sewing machine. Each and every one of them is different and has its own quirks. Just because something worked one way on one machine does not mean it is going to work exactly the same on another. Also, if you're getting your first machine, start with a simpler one. Get a more complex machine when you're more comfortable with basic sewing.

Teach the young people how to sew…even the boys. It's always a good thing to at least know how to replace a button on a shirt if it pops off. Plus it's nice to be able to make something and to say that you did it at a young age.

Spray just a little bit of hair spray on thread ends for easier needle threading.