1. Straight pins... Be careful where you throw those things! They really tend to sneak away so keep a box, a pin cushion, or whatever you'd like to use nearby while you are sewing and pulling those little babies out.
2. Piping freaking blows. And while I'm at it, so does making bias tape. My most frustrating sewing projects included both.
3. Sharp scissors are awesome. You know was even better than a nice pair of sharp sewing scissors? A rotary cutting tool! I just want to go give the inventor of the rotary cutter a huge bear hug. I have spent so many hours cutting strips of fabric by hand for my banners. This tool cuts down my time tremendously! Thanks for the little secret Joanne! Also a big cutting mat is necessary. They cost an arm and a leg but they help when you are making cuts on large fabric. They also are another tool for measuring. With that being said...
4. Measure everything a million times. Oh wait, a million and one times.
5. Good light is key. You make way more mistakes if you don't provide yourself with good lighting.
6. Fabric pens work a bajillion times better than any other pen, pencil, or sidewalk chalk. Yes I said bajillion and yes I'll admit it, I've used sidewalk chalk. Sometimes when you are out of tools you've got to use what you have.
7. Iron everything before you sew it. I hate ironing. I never ever ironed until I realized that I save myself so much frustration when I iron before I sew. Not only does it cut down on errors, it makes it easier to sew evenly. It also evens out your fabric when you sew layers. Nothing is worse when you're sewing a few layers together and the fabric gets bunched and you have to rip the seam out because you didn't press the fabric beforehand.
8. Have bobbins of your main thread color already filled with thread. It sucks when you have to stop sewing 50 times during one project to refill the thread on the bobbin. I believe the right term is respool but hey, like I said, I'm new here.
9. Sewing on a taller surface helps prevent your back from feeling like it belongs to an elderly lady. Seriously, when I get in my groove I hunch over my machine. Tall tables prevent all that hunching thus allowing me to feel like my usual 25 year old self.
10. Ripping fabric makes me cringe. You know that one thing that just gives you the heeby jeebies? Yep, found another one of mine.
11. I love burlap. Like I seriously LLLOOOVEE burlap. On the other hand, Sheila, (my Brother LX2500) can't stand to stitch on it. We are currently in counseling about it... So far Sheils is sticking to her guns (or should I say sticking to her needle? HAR HAR) and refusing to make anymore than a few stitches on my burlap banners. Like I said, our negotiating is still in progress and she's a stubborn brat.
Last but not least...
12. For bigger projects that require more than one sewing sit down, it's easier to cut at a large table but to sew in an area that you can leave your project materials out. That way you can pick right back up where you left off. Some people don't have that issue. I on the other hand, cut fabric on my giant dining room table but sew on a little desk in my crafty cave. I'm very much in love with my new Crafty Cave thus the endearing room title. In my early projects, (before the Crafty Cave) I did all of my sewing at the dining room table. I had to pack up every time I was done and then break out everything the next session. This also helped me realize my very first tip of watching where you put those dang pins.
I hope that my 12 trial and error tips have either helped you in your sewing adventures or given you a few giggles at my expense.
Mahalo for reading.
Erin
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