Top 14 best bits of advice

As some of you will know – to say that my sewing skills level is a beginner, may well be an overstatement. I learnt to hand sew when I was at school and I’ve never owned a sewing machine until three years ago (I now share one with Mum). I’ve never made anything for pleasure – only ever reaching for the needle and thread in a time of crisis.

If I see something I’d like to make, one glance at the instructions and I glaze over, as I used to, quite frequently during Math lessons at school. If only there was a cheat sheet or easy way of tackling sewing projects, it would be perfect. I’ve looked and there isn’t!

So, the next best thing is just to read other’s experiences and advice. I’ve put together a top ten list of great little pieces of advice. As a beginner, hey might shed some light and as someone experienced in the art of needle driving – some might be a handy aid memoir.

Here goes…

1. Give yourself space
If you are anything like me – there are constant piles of ‘stuff’ lying everywhere in my workshop and they get moved from one point to another regularly. Make sure the area around your workshop is clear and that you have plenty of space to swing that fabric around!

2. Success is finishing
Find a project that is simple and that won’t take long to complete. Look for something with straight lines (to sew) and that the fit isn’t essential on. For example. A simple bag with a draw string, a scarf or a bookmark.

3. Stitch and stitch again…
Practising your sewing/stitching on a spare piece of your chosen fabric. This way you’ll get a feel for how it reacts once placed under the needle of your machine. You might also want to try a couple of different stitches.

4. Choose the perfect partner
If your fabric is cotton, make sure your thread is cotton. If, it’s polyester, then so should your thread be. It’s hard to believe but this can be the difference between a nice, smooth line of stitches and a line that’s not a line but a collection of broken, messy threads.

5. Pin it, stick it, clip it and tack
Don’t try and save time by sewing pieces together without holding them in place. You’ll fail! There are lots of ways to hold your fabric together from traditional pins to clips and clasps along with wash out glues. Once I’ve attached the pieces together, I might also tack them – particularly handy when taking a pair of trousers up. That way you don’t have to worry about sewing over the pins as this can result in breaking the needle in your sewing machine.

6. Make it easy for yourself
Choose a fabric that is going to be simple to sew. Cotton is a really good starting point. It’s stable – meaning that it won’t curl or roll up at the edges. Don’t try anything stretchy as your first project!

7. All the gear and no idea
Make sure you’ve got the correct tools needed for the project. Otherwise you’ll lose your momentum – after half an hour of looking for your scissors!

8. Be prepared
Learn how to thread your sewing machine properly. Once you know the right and wrong way – this will make life a lot easier – especially if something goes wrong. It’s silly, but it’s worth practicing over and over again…

9. Take your time
With my foot down heavily and sewing machine set to ‘fast’, it’s no wonder things fail for me. I recently finished sewing two patches onto two t-shirts (something I thought I wouldn’t be able to do). I took it slowly and although it’s not perfect, I can honestly say I’m pleased with the results.
Keep calm & take your time…

10. Do some research
Before you start a project it’s always worth looking to see if there are any online tutorials available. I like to look at two or three as there are always more than one way of making something.

11. Having a sharp eye
It’s so true… sewing machine needles do become blunt! I now have a stash of needles. I’ve learnt to change them and it’s easy.

12. Bobbin in and out
Before you start to sew – make sure you have a nice, full bobbin. There’s nothing worse than running out of thread, just as you build your momentum!

13. Don’t overlook your over locker
If you’ve got spare over locking thread on large cones that you want to use up, don’t despair. Place the cone in a cup behind your sewing machine, then thread it. Your machine won’t know the difference.

14. Keep it sharp
If you use chalk to markup fabric, it can be kept sharp using a vegetable peeler. Run down the side gently and you’ll get that nice, sharp edge back.

It would be great to hear your top tips!