Thanks to home economics class, I learned sewing at a very young age and fell in love with it almost instantaneously. Sewing is fun, soothing, and allows you to see the results of your hard work and enjoy them too.
Sewing is a very practical skill to learn, regardless of how advanced you want to be. Learning the basics of sewing can help you with things like reattaching a loose button, fixing a seam, or hemming a pair of pants. On the other hand, and as you progress with your learning, you can start making things from scratch and even designing your own clothes. The internet offers some awesome sewing tips for beginners that can give you a head start. Where to begin, you ask? Here are four tried and tested sewing tricks that will give you professional results.
1. Perfectly Cut Fabric
Almost all projects that involve fabric require a single straight line, at least. The first step towards accomplishing that is to iron your fabric really well. Then, use a straight, hard surface to cut your fabric on – remember that all the edges of the fabric should be up there too, since any hanging bits can pull the whole piece from a side and ruin your cut. Using a ruler and a fresh pen, draw a straight line, and then cut along this line with a good pair of sharp scissors.
2. Quick and Fast Needle Threading
One of the first and most frustrating things every seamstress faces is threading a needle, as they try over and over to get it done with a limp piece of thread and no success. Try spraying the top of your thread with hairspray and watch how easily it glides through that tiny little hold! This is why you should always keep a travel sized can of hairspray next to your sewing machine for easy access.
3. Professional Looking Ruffles
Ruffles can add a little bit of much needed spunk to any outfit, so if you want to accessorize a blouse with a fun ruffle, follow this trick. Simply lay a piece of crochet thread (or even dental floss) along the seam allowance of the fabric, and stitch over it with a zig-zag stitch – be careful not to catch the thread in your stitch. After that, gently pull the thread to gather the fabric, and voila!
4. Consistent Seam Allowance
Who doesn’t dream of a neat, consistent seam allowance straight to perfection? It’s doable, simply use a piece of washi tape or sticky-backed ribbon to mark the seam allowance on your sewing machine. This will represent a clear guide that makes it easy to maintain a consistent seam allowance.
Practice Makes Perfect
We hope that the tips and tricks above will get you practicing your sewing soon, for they were proven to make life easier for both new and experienced seamstresses. Try them out on spare pieces of cloth first, just to see how they work for you before you start working on your next project. You’ll soon be well on your way to creating great things!