10 unbeatable tips against sewing frustration: Do you know the feeling? Some days, everything really does go wrong when it comes to sewing! These tips are effective against sewing crises! :)
The most important things at a glance
- I have put together 10 tips against sewing frustration that have helped me a lot and that I still follow today when sewing
- If you pay attention to a few things, sewing fun is guaranteed and frustration will be a thing of the past
- I have tested many materials and put together the most important ones for you so that you don't have to try out as many as I did
Say goodbye to sewing frustration: 10 tips for more sewing fun!
Anyone who likes to sew knows the feeling: some days, simply nothing goes right. The seams end up crooked and uneven, the seam ripper makes holes in the fabric, and the worst mistakes happen while cutting.
At the end of the day, you can feel truly frustrated. Do you know that feeling?
Well, I have good news for you: or rather, 10 pieces of good news.
Here are my 10 tips for more sewing fun!
Well glued is half sewn?
My secret weapon, Wondertape*, became a real nightmare during one of my recent sewing projects. I wanted to fix the zipper of my Lovis with Wondertape. Well, that worked quite well. TOO well, to be precise. In the end, everything was stuck. Zipper, fabric, hands, seam ripper AND: the sewing machine needle.
That was really annoying. A tip from a blog reader came just in time: She recommended anti-glue needles*. In other words: anti-adhesive needles for the sewing machine. Embroidery machine owners might already know them. I, however, did not know about them yet.
Anti-glue needles are sewing machine needles coated with Teflon, which prevents glue from sticking to them as easily. I'm not saying not at all. I'm saying: not as easily.
If I'm having a real "Wondertape battle," it still happens now and then that I have to wipe the needle with nail polish remover or cleaning spirit. But after that, I can keep going immediately! Highly recommended!
Beautiful cuffs sewn quickly
Cuff me! That has become a real magic word for me! Lately, I really enjoy and often sew with pre-made cuffs*. I didn't dare use them for a long time because I didn't really know how to process them.
In the meantime, I have become a real pro with pre-made cuffs! They are not just quick to sew, they also look great!
You can find a detailed tutorial on sewing with pre-made cuffs here on the blog!
Secure the chain!
For a long time, I thought that overlock chains, i.e., the thread chains from overlock seams, didn't need any special attention. The rude awakening comes after a few washes, when the start of the seams begins to stretch!
Really annoying! Especially because it takes absolutely zero time to secure the overlock threads!
Simply thread them into a thick darning needle and pull them into the seam. If you want it to be even more discreet, pull the thread chain between the fabric layers in the seam, then nothing is visible at all!
The hem makes the shirt
Do you know how often this happens to me? Someone proudly shows me their self-sewn shirt, and my gaze immediately wanders to the hem? Well, honestly: if the hem is sewn well, it enhances the entire shirt!
Conversely: A shirt can be as pretty as can be, and the pattern can fit perfectly: if the hem isn't sewn cleanly, it results in point deductions.
I show you a few very fast and clean methods for sewing a hem in a separate post.
Quickly dress up the basics!
I'll show you how quickly you can dress up a simple pattern in my tutorial for a cool fake piping. You only need a matching pattern for that, for example my oversized sweater Kjella!
And: A few jersey strips in a nice contrasting color. In no time at all, you'll have conjured up a sporty top, completely without frustration and effort!
Sewing in an endless zipper when closed - here's how!
Actually the simplest thing in the world. Or so I thought.
Until questions kept coming in about how I actually do it: so that the zipper is fully closed with the slider threaded on.
An invaluable insider tip if you want to sew the perfect cosmetic bag!
And this is how it's done!
On the side where the teeth of the zipper* point slightly downward in a U-shape, I split the zipper a little bit.
On one side, I cut away 1 cm of the teeth.
Then I thread it onto the long side. Afterward, the shortened side comes on.
Then pull the zipper closed and straighten it a little at the end. And you're ready to start sewing it in!
Important: Make sure that the teeth don't bulge more on one side than on the other. The slider must sit nicely and symmetrically on the zipper tape. A crooked zipper can warp an entire little bag and make it look bad!
Sewing between sizes
Not that easy when there's a difference of a whopping three or four sizes between the bust and hips! There's only one thing that helps: sewing between sizes!
How do you do that? I'll show you in this tutorial using a sweater as an example!
This is the only way to ensure that your self-sewn garment really fits exactly as you need it to!
A test run for emergencies?!
Honestly, it's no use: before you sew a hem, a neckline, or a bag, you should familiarize yourself with the fabric. And very thoroughly at that!
My tip: Sew a test piece. Using this fabric, this thread, and this needle with these settings!
Only test results under realistic conditions guarantee that you won't have to reach for the seam ripper immediately after finishing the first seam. :)
The ruler trick
As simple as it is ingenious! When cutting bias tape, I have been using two rulers at once for some time now. With the right one, I keep the angle and fix the fabric, and with the left one, I measure whether the bias tape is the exact width.
By the way, you can see my new ergonomic rotary cutter* in the photo. A really practical little helper!
The right fabric, the right pattern
What does that mean? Please don't choose patterns that are way beyond your capabilities! That is a recipe for frustration.
At first, one falls into a state of procrastination. Maybe you've just downloaded the pattern and looked at the instructions. But printing it out is something you'll do "another time."
Such a shame for the beautiful pattern, right?
How you can avoid this: look for patterns that match your level of skill. Ideally, look for ones where you learn something small with every new project.
Mind you: something small! Especially when sewing clothes, the mere amount of material can be a challenge for you.
You'll be happy if you manage one and a half square meters of fabric. And don't have to add twenty pleats and top it off with a zipper as well.
The same applies, of course, to the fabric: Choose fabrics with which you have already gained some experience. Or buy a small piece of it beforehand to practice! Many local fabric retailers sell in 10-cm increments. You should use that to buy test pieces.
On this test piece, you can then practice seams and hems to your heart's content. And: choose which cutting tool works best for it. For some fabrics, scissors are great, other materials scream for electric scissors or rotary cutters.
One golden rule to wrap up
If you want to try something new: either choose a familiar pattern for an unknown fabric. Or test a new pattern for the first time with a fabric you feel completely comfortable working with.
That way, it will become a journey into sewing bliss. And not a living hell. :)
Happy simple sewing,
yours Sabine
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