Total breakdown: Fabric not cut on the fold
Let's start right off with a blunder that happened to me not just once, but twice with the exact same pattern. You have to be pretty talented to pull that off. Two beautiful, high-quality fashion fabrics completely messed up and irretrievably lost. What happened: I laid out the pattern, pinned it, and boldly started cutting. It's just a shame that I ignored the words "on the fold" at the edge. So, I cut the intended dress pattern in two layers. And, of course, I didn't have any seam allowance left to join the two lonely pieces together at the end. What I learned from it: Now, I always write "on the fold" in big, clear letters on my patterns. And if possible, I transfer the markings onto the fabric BEFORE cutting. And hope for the best. :)Driving me crazy: Turning opening left too small
Another classic that eats up more than just time! An opening that is too small for turning also strains your nerves because it makes the work so incredibly fiddly. Even worse: once the turning maneuver is finally finished, the makeup bag, the potholder, or the foldover bag is crinkled, crumpled, and totally disheveled. A sad sight for a sewing project you’ve worked on for a long time. And one you actually just want to be proud of. What happened: Well, I didn't follow the instructions again. They often state how big the turning opening should be. For reinforced sewing ideas, that can be a good bit. After all, the entire volume fleece (or whatever else) is supposed to be turned inside out along with it. What I learned from it: Before sewing it all together, think about it: Is a 5 cm opening really enough to turn it through? Or should I make it a bit larger to properly shape the corners from the inside afterwards? And if it happens anyway, I reach for the seam ripper and extend the turning opening a little bit. ;)
Going berserk: Zipper closed before turning
The next sewing trap I fell into. It's also cool when you realize while turning the makeup bag that not only did you forget to open the zipper, but the slider is also stuck fast and won't move a millimeter from the wrong side. Often, the only thing left to do is rip it out and curse like a sailor. Good thing you can't hear me then. ;) What I learned from it: Before I pin bags all the way around now, I automatically open the zipper a little bit. I've learned my lesson. Honestly. ;)
Not for the faint of heart: Interfacing after cutting?
A mistake that, admittedly, happened to me frequently, especially at the beginning of my "sewing career." Because the instructions always explained it exactly that way. And you stick to instructions, right? Okay, my sewing results only became really good when I stopped listening to them. And found my own way instead. What happened: When ironing on the fusible interfacing or the volume fleece, the accurately cut fabric warped. It doesn't just shrink from the steam and ironing heat: the hot plastic on the fleece does its part to turn a perfectly cut fabric piece into a crooked and twisted rag. Okay: A reinforced rag. What I learned from it: I always reinforce my fabrics before cutting. I iron the interfacing with great dedication onto a sufficiently large piece of fabric (this little "waste of fabric" pays off, believe me!). Afterwards, I let the fabric cool down while lying flat. Then it can be cut. And with much more accuracy, because the fabric is much easier to handle. Thanks to the reinforcement, it is phenomenal to work with. No warping, no fraying. Just perfectly cut edges. My extra tip: For floppy fabrics that aren't being reinforced, I get this effect with a few squirts of Fabric Booster*. You just have to know how to help yourself. ;)
Melting down: Ironed the fleece!
I'm in the middle of a beautiful creative frenzy and mass-producing rice bags for Christmas; everything is running like clockwork. And then it suddenly smells like plastic: I placed the iron-on fleece on the fabric the wrong way around. Fleece ruined, iron irretrievably lost. What happened: Well, what do you think? I didn't make sure that the shiny side or the side with the little rough nubs was lying on the wrong side of the fabric. By the way, I made it worse by trying to scrape the fleece off the hot iron. Veerrrry wrong! What I learned from it: Is one ever immune to such a mishap happening in the heat of the moment? Probably not. But what you should absolutely never do is try to save the hot iron. My tip for all cases: Switch off the iron, let it cool down, and calm down first. Afterwards, you can try to carefully peel off the fleece. Because the fleece also becomes solid again when cooling down. And if you switch off the iron quickly enough, the plastic has less opportunity to fuse firmly with the iron's soleplate. When the iron is cold, peel off the fleece residues as much as possible. Then clean the soleplate with nail polish remover. That will take care of most fleece coatings. Any remaining plastic residues are dissolved by the nail polish remover. You can then remove them very easily with a small, sharp knife. Especially with coated irons, you have a real chance of saving your precious tool. ;) Small extra tip: I always keep two sheets of parchment paper within easy reach for ironing on fleece. They are placed on top of and under the fabric during reinforcement. Because it's obviously not that great if the fleece fuses with the ironing board, either. By the next time you iron, the re-melting plastic will ruin another sewing project for you...
If you don't measure, you're in for a mess: Check the control square!
How frustrating is this: the new garment is all finished! And I really thought of everything: the seams already pressed, the hem made fine, and I even cut into my heavenly favorite fabric for it. And I'm already looking forward to that one moment: when I get to slip on the new dress for the first time. Okay. So I slip into it and lo and behold: it's too tight. At the chest, at the hips. Not to mention the arms. Unusable from top to bottom. What a failure! And yet, I had pre-washed the fabric! So it couldn't be due to shrinking. I even heeded the finished measurement table and sewed a real size 44 instead of the dreamed-of 42. I stare at the pattern. And then it hits me! What happened: I simply ignored the printer settings in the sewing instructions. Possibly, the printer scaled and altered the pattern a little bit. That can make a huge difference with garments. What I learned from it: Since this experience, I check the control squares. Down to the millimeter. I'll never have such a failure again. ;)
No insight: Steps not understood
One of the worst mistakes I have made and definitely don't make anymore today: starting before I have fully understood the workflow of a sewing idea. What happened: I used to do that: just cut first, stitch one seam or another. And then realize: this doesn't work at all! What I learned from it: Today, I take the time to visualize every single step. To really get the sequence of the instructions clear in my mind. And to adapt them for my own understanding if necessary. Because with time and sewing experience, the understanding of how things work also grows. What you have to take into account or what problems might arise. That's relaxing: I sit at the sewing machine much more loosely and calmly. And, honestly, I make far fewer mistakes. A sewing acquaintance who sews a lot once reported that as soon as she sits at the sewing machine, she pulls her shoulders up to her earlobes and is totally tense because she always fears doing something wrong. My tip: Try thinking through your planned sewing project from beginning to end. You won't just find it calming. Maybe you'll even have additional ideas for cool variations or pretty decorations! :) You really can tell by the finished piece at the end whether it was cobbled together in a rush. Or if you put some thought into it.Feel free to tell me about your worst sewing disasters in the comments! :) Happy simple sewing, yours, Sabine
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