My mom got me my first sewing machine when I was 16. It was a portable Singer and eventually, a perfect fit for me. But without any YouTube videos at the time to offer quick sewing tips and life hacks for my journey ahead, I was left to discover the best routes to successful completion of my projects on my own. Though I felt a level of excitement in the exploration and welcomed the challenge, it would take several mistakes and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears (literally!) before I discovered the joy of sewing. From my initially intimidating machine to the additional tools i discovered to assist along the way, i slowly but surely made the designs in my head a tangible reality.
Even if you aren’t a champ at sewing, every house should have a sewing box. Everyone gets fallen hems, popped buttons, and busted straps. However, those malfunctions usually occur at the worst possible time. Here’s the bare bones for a great basic sewing kit that will help you out of any pinch.
When you are working on a fabric project it’s easy to focus in on just the fabric you want to use to the exclusion of everything else. Nevertheless, with our selection of notions and tools, you won’t be at a loss for when you do remember these important items. Here is a selection of the notions that we have to offer:
Fiskars Heavy-Duty No.8 Bent Scissors
Gingher Knife Edge 8" Dressmaker's Shears
Fiskars SewSharp Scissors Sharpener
Seam Ripper: Deluxe
Tracing Wheel: Smooth
Sewing Kit
Dress Shield
Fabric Marking Kit
Just about a month ago J&O Fabrics started posting our “Sewing Tip of the Day” on our Facebook page. Some sewing tips got more of a response from our Facebook Friends than others. According to those responses, here are our top ten, or maybe I should say your top ten.
1. Keep a magnet near by, if needles
and pins drop on the floor, it’s a quick pick up!
2. Save all of your hand sewing, buttons etc. for a beautiful day. Then take advantage of it and sew outside!!
If you visit our Facebook page you’ll notice that we have a Sewing Tip of the Day. Fans get the chance to “like” these tips or comment on them. Sometimes the comments they make become another great sewing tip.
Here is a list of our top five tips from our Facebook fans.
Our Tip: Thread looks darker on the spool than it will on the fabric. Choose a thread a shade darker than the material you’ll be using it on.
Fan Tip 1. “I always pull a strip of the thread out and place on my fabric to check for correct color” ~ Donnette
Ever wonder about what scissors to buy? Here’s a brief tutorial.
First, I suggest you buy the best scissors you can afford for sewing. If you buy good scissors and follow a few simple rules they will probably last you a lifetime.
The difference between scissors and shears? From what I’ve read scissors have straight, flat handles and shears have bent handles that form around your fingers. I’ve also read that shears are for heavier cutting jobs. Scissors show up in your junk drawer, shears show up in the old movies usually in someone’s back!
