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Sewing Tips for Trouble Free Sewing

Sewing Tools: My Essential Top Ten

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There are a bewildering array of sewing tools available for today’s sewers. Today I want to share with you my choice of what I consider to be the essential sewing ones. I don’t mean the latest trendy gadgets, I mean the basic, tried and tested can’t do without tools of the trade.

Sewing Tools of the Trade

sewing_tools

Sewing Machine

If you are considering purchasing a machine for the first time, consider carefully what you actually want to be able to sew. Chances are you won’t need an all singing all dancing quilting or embroidery machine if you are just starting out.  

I would suggest that you don’t buy a very basic machine because you will find you outgrow it rather quickly.

For most soft furnishing or dress making projects a mid-range machine, either computerised or mechanical will be suitable.

Most sewing shops encourage you to try before you buy, to make sure you find the right machine for you, so pop along to your nearest showroom and have a play. Ask lots of questions and think about what you really want to use your machine for.

Scissors

You should try to purchase the best scissors you can afford. If you are left handed buy left handed scissors. Some scissors can be held in either hand, but left handed scissors have the blades the opposite way round making it easier to see what you are cutting.

The most important thing to remember about your fabric scissors, is only ever cut fabric with them. Cutting paper will blunt them and even if you sharpen them, they will never be the same again.

Pins

My preference are glass headed pins. Whatever type of sewing you do, you can be sure there will be lots of ironing involved and glass headed pins will not melt if you accidentally iron them.

Cutting Mat

These are a very useful addition to your craft room, as they protect your work surface from damage and are an absolute necessity if you use a rotary cutter.

They come in various sizes and are generally double sided; metric on one side and imperial on the other.

Originally they were all green but now they come in lots of lovely colours if you shop around.

Seam Ripper

This unassuming little tool is invaluable. It makes unpicking stitches a quick and easy task.

It can also be used to gently feed fabric underneath the presser foot and is extremely good for carefully opening buttonholes.

Rulers

Depending on the job in hand, there are a number of options.

For large projects like curtain making, a steel metre ruler is the best option, it gives a true straight line and its large size makes measuring long lengths easier.

Plastic rulers specifically designed for patchwork and quilting make measuring and cutting easy. I would suggest a 6″ square and a 6″ x 24″ oblong ruler as a starting point.

For measuring seams and hems little hem guides are an amazing invention.

Rotary Cutter

These come in a number of sizes and are ideal for patchwork and quilting.

They must always be used in conjunction with a cutting mat and with due care and attention. The blade should always be covered or retracted before the rotary cutter is put down, this helps to avoid accidentally cutting yourself on an open blade.

Always cut away from yourself and keep fingers out of the way. Only use patchwork and quilting rulers with a rotary cutter as ordinary rulers are not made to withstand their use.

Pincushion

You will definitely need a safe place to keep all of your pins. A pincushion is very practical because you can pick them easily whenever you need them.

Making your own is also a great use for your scrap fabric. They can be as fancy as you like, take a look on Pinterest for inspiration.

Thread

After spending time, energy and love creating your projects you want them to last. Using good quality thread means seams and finishes are more likely to stand up to everyday life.

Check out my post on choosing the correct thread for your project here.

Steam Iron

As I mentioned before, sewing actually involves a lot of ironing but this doesn’t mean you have to buy a really expensive iron. When I upgrade my everyday iron at home, I put the old one in my sewing room.

Although, you may not use much steam for quilting and patchwork, it’s always handy to have the option for other projects.

I hope you find this list useful. If you have any comments or questions I’d love to hear from you.

If someone you know would find this list helpful, please feel free to share.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Successful Sewing: My 5 Secrets

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The Secrets to Successful Sewing

I have 5 secrets to successful sewing and they will probably surprise you.

Sewing is a skill that we have to learn and not something we are born with.

Sometimes people refuse to learn anything new because they may feel vulnerable, but that’s how we grow. Staying inside our comfort zones is safe but it also means that we never experience anything new.

Read on to discover my 5 secrets to being successful, not just at sewing but anything creative.

1. Remember You Are Awesome.

Surprisingly, being successful at something creative, whether that’s sewing, baking, painting, knitting or something else, isn’t simply about having the latest, most expensive equipment or the largest studio in the most fashionable part of town. It’s much more fundamental than that.

It’s about YOU!

You are the one who has to put in the time and effort into your chosen field of study and practise. Again and again.

2. Practise Makes Perfect.

You don’t have to make complete projects every time you sew, just allow yourself time to play and experiment.

Make use of that basket of scraps, experiment with the stitches on your machine, treat yourself to a few new spools of thread. Check out my beginners guide to thread here.

embroidered_turquoise_pincushion

jewel_coloured_threads

I’ve seen so many people panic about creating something because they’ve never attempted a particular project before. However, if you are used to handling different fabrics and sewing notions, it becomes much easier to learn a new technique.

Successful sewing really is about building your confidence.

I’m not saying that by playing we’ll all suddenly become experts in everything, far from it. What I am saying is, if you familiarise yourself with the various aspects of your craft, you broaden your experience and expand your skillset.

For example, if you practise inserting zips, the next time you have to insert a zip into a cushion or a piece of clothing, you will at least have an understanding of the process. You will be familiar with it and it won’t be so scary. Use small scraps of fabric and keep them for future reference.

zip_sample

3. Handmade Not Homemade.

My mission is to encourage people to take up sewing and embrace all that that entails. To have a go, have fun and learn new skills. Join a sewing group in your area and make new friends.

Everyone makes mistakes, it’s part of the learning process. Your unpicker will become one of your best friends, believe me, I speak from experience! But, on the other hand, wobbly seams and uneven hems are not the end of the world and the next time you tackle them they will be much better.

However, I am not about cutting corners and making do.

It saddens me when I hear people say things like “life’s too short to hand close a seam”. Really? You would rather finish a beautiful bag by machine stitching the lining closed because it may take a couple of minutes to hand sew it with an invisible ladder stitch?

simple_ladder_stitch

In my opinion, if you are going to learn how to do something, you should at least learn how to do the basics properly.

4. Learning Resources.

I mentioned joining a local sewing group, but there are lots of options for you to consider when starting your successful sewing journey.

There are plenty of free videos and tutorials around, but be selective. Not all of the contributors are qualified or experienced, so my advice is to take recommendations or at the very least follow someone reputable.

Workshops are a wonderful place to start and can be less expensive and less time consuming than committing to a course of lessons. Being with a tutor is sometimes a better way to learn new techniques, especially if you are a kinaesthetic or hands on type of learner.

Sewing groups on social media can be a good source of information and support, again make sure they can offer what you need.

Last but not least, invest in a book or two.

5. Have Fun.

The main thing to remember on your journey to successful sewing, is to have fun.

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, we all make them. The trick is to learn from them so that we don’t knowingly repeat them.

Enjoy the process and be proud of the things you make.

If you’d like to share photos of your creations, you can share them over on Instagram using #gaynormdesigns. I’d love to see them.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx

Stitch Library – Ultimate Guide

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A stitch library is something every sewer should make.

“I finally bought the sewing machine, now what?”

I bet this question resonates with lots of people who’ve bought a sewing machine. You’ve dreamt of the day you can fill your world with things you’ve sewn yourself. The entire new wardrobe of clothes you’ll be able to make, the curtains and cushions…lots and lots of cushions.

You’ve spent weeks, months even years choosing just the right machine; you’ve watched all the shopping channels until you know as much about the technical aspect of all their machines as the presenters.

However, now you actually have the longed for sewing machine, what do you do? Where do you start?

Rainbow_threads_and_fabric

This scenario reminds me of the time, shortly after hubby and I got married; you know back when the world was still in black and white (as my boys thought when they were little!), when we bought our first microwave. I thought it was really exciting, hubby not so much, his mum already had one.

Anyway, we brought this cool, modern gadget home. This was going to save so much time, the gas cooker will just gather dust now, surely. Well, there it sat on the worktop and we stood and admired it, we read the manual, we read the suggested recipes. What though, should we actually cook first? No idea. We re-read the recipe suggestions. No. Nothing was jumping out.

Eventually, we heated something up, beans, I think. The point was, we were at a bit of a loss as to what we should do first. We, had been so caught up in  having a microwave that we didn’t really plan beyond buying it, and that’s how many people feel when they open their first sewing machine at home.

Juno_and_my_new_machine

Well, the first thing to do is take it out of the box. It’s okay to sit and admire it for a while; you can make a cuppa, take out the manual and read it.

Familiarise yourself with the basics of the set-up and following the instructions in the manual, thread your machine. Practise a few rows of straight stitching on a scrap piece of fabric to check everything is working correctly.

At this point, unless you have a definite plan of action it would be so easy to put everything away. You know how it all works, you’ve had a little sew. Well, I suggest you do this instead…

You will have noticed that in the manual and probably on the machine itself there is a library of stitches. This is a very handy reference guide for the number and type of stitches that your particular sewing machine can produce. However, as these are printed images, they can sometimes appear slightly different when you stitch them. One great way to see what the stitches on your machine look like in real life is to stitch them; create your own stitch library.

stitch_sample

 

It’s much easier to see all of the stitches this way, you can alter the stitch length and width to compare to the default stitch and you’ll have this for future reference.

Cut out two pieces of fabric; I used my long ruler as a measure and I chose the full width of a piece of linen and a piece of spare lining fabric.It’s much easier to see all of the stitches this way, you can alter the stitch length and width to compare to the default stitch and you’ll have this for future reference.

long_ruler_scissors_and_pen

It doesn’t matter if you have a basic machine with a handful of stitches or a top of the range model with hundreds, doing this exercise will enable you to create a very useful chart, get to know your machine and practise your sewing skills, all at the same time.

stitch_library_samples

The main thing to remember is to have fun! Making a stitch library will boost your confidence and when it’s finished, you’ll have something pretty to look at too!

Until next time…

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Thread: A Beginners Guide

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Not all thread is created equal. That may surprise some people, but like most things in life there are good ones and not so good ones! This guide is to help you differentiate between the various types used for machine sewing, quilting and patchwork.

My top tip is to always buy the best you can afford. Buying cheaply is false economy. Chances are you will not be happy with the result; the thread may break in use or fluff so much it affects the smooth running of your sewing machine, especially if you are working on a large project.

Rainbow_threads_and_fabric

Projects

Generally speaking, you should try to match your thread type to the project you are working on. So, for example, if you are making a pair of curtains an all purpose polyester will be fine, if you are working on an heirloom quilt you may want to use a quilting weight 100% cotton. As with everything though, personal preference will be the determining factor. It really is up to you. Years ago, it was considered important to match the fibre of your project with the fibre of the thread, however, with all the improvements in production techniques it isn’t so important. Good quality polyester thread is always handy to have in your cupboard.

Colour

Gutermann_polyester_thread

With all the advances in technology, the choice of colour is almost limitless. Trying to choose can sometimes make you feel like a kid in a candy store…there can seem to be too much choice.

When you are building your range of thread, start with the basics. Neutral tans, grey, black, white and creams, together with a few key colours will be suitable for most projects. After that, you can buy according to the projects you are working on.

Which brand?

As well as types of thread, there are lots of manufacturers. Everyone has their personal favourites. If you are just starting out on your sewing journey, a good place to start is your local fabric or haberdashery shop. They will be able to offer some initial guidance and you’ll soon discover your favourites and be able to build up your supply.

Some things to consider:

  • Darker shades blend in more, lighter shades stand out.
  • Don’t use old thread without testing it first. It may break or even disintegrate.
  • The higher the number on quilting thread the finer it is so; #60 is finer than #40. A good place to start is #50.
  • If there is a letter on the thread, A is fine and D is heavy.
  • Remember to check you have the correct needle when you use speciality threads.
  • For stretchy fabrics use a polyester thread because it has a little give in it.
  • Hand-sewing thread should not be used in your machine.
  • In most cases, it is perfectly fine to use the same thread in the bobbin. However, for machine embroidery, special bobbin thread is available, it is slightly finer and available in black or white.

Types of thread

Cotton  – has very little “give”. Suitable for basic machine or hand sewing projects. 

Polyester – is considered to be an all-purpose thread. Suitable for both machine and hand-sewn projects. It has a little “give” and is therefore useful for stretchy fabrics.

Heavy duty  – this is also a polyester thread and is suitable for upholstery, canvas and other heayweight fabrics.

Hand quilting – 100% mercerized cotton. Strong and silky.

Machine quilting – 100% cotton. Suitable for machine sewing especially good for long arm machine quilting. Not suitable for constructing garments.

Silk – very fine. Often used for embroidery. This is a good choice for basting / tacking fabrics together.

Metallic – Often used in machine embroidery but should not be used in the bobbin. A good choice for top stitching.

Invisible / Monofilament – can be either nylon or polyester. Nylon can become brittle and discolour over time and is not heat resistant. Use when you do not want the stitches to be visible.

I hope you find this guide useful wherever you are on your sewing journey.

Until next time…

Gaynor xx