Sewing is a joy but everybody has an aspect of sewing they wish would be a little bit easier, whether it’s attaching cuffs, hemming, maintenance, and much more.
We’re a big fan of a good sewing life hack so we’ve compiled this blog post with 10 of our favourites!
If there’s a sewing tip we’ve missed, do comment below or share in our Facebook group.
Use quilters tape or wonder tape to secure your fabric before stitching, it eliminates slipping fabric and makes hemming that little bit less tedious.
If you’re not a fan of the twin needle (or can’t be bothered to change needles), you can also just use a decorative hem for an alternative hem.
Bias binding is a brilliant alternative to cuffs for garments such as vests, and makes a great topper for bunting. While you can buy it, sometimes you might wish your binding matched your fabric. Now you can!
With the bias binding maker you can make it using fabric you have already, great for matching or for when inspiration hits and you need bias binding now.
To use: Cut a length of fabric twice the width of the narrow end of the bias maker. Feed strip through the wide end and press it gently as it is pulled through.
I’m sure many of us have turned a garment or item with a ruler, pencil or chopsticks and heard the dreaded pop of stitches, that is a thing of the past with this awesome point turner.
This Clover Point Turner has a curved end and a tip for turning points perfectly, it’s designed to feel comfortable and secure in hand when using either end.
No more stressfully turning fabric and risking stitch popping, this point turner makes effortless work of turning fabric and ensures you have perfect corners without the risk of breaking stitching when using a knitting needle.
When our brand rep Nicola released this video it was like hotcakes! It’s a game changer when attaching cuffs and waistbands.
This method reduces bulk on your overlocker seams with this cool sewing hack.
It’s a common bugbear amongst crafters that snaps are so difficult to remove, not anymore with this die set!
Quickly and safely remove any damaged snaps using the pliers you already have with these removal dies. Prior to this, the only option was a separate pair of expensive removal pliers.
This hack is courtesy of The Great British Sewing Bee, we have a weekly thread in our Facebook group where we comment while we watch episodes and were all gobsmacked when Hazel used a fork to make pleats on a skirt in the transformation challenge.
By Hand London has this fantastic video showing how to use a fork to make pleats!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost my embroidery scissors that I use when I’m snipping threads when I had them just a second ago. There are a few ways you can avoid this, one of the tips comes from a grandmother, attach a lanyard to your scissors! It doesn’t necessarily need to live round your neck, but the long strip makes it much harder to lose them.
Alternatively, you can use this specific thread cutter which comes with a satin band! It is a true eye-catcher due to the mint design and white dots alone. It can be conveniently hung like an amulet using the satin band, therefore making it easily accessible when sewing.
Cutting out fabric or patterns can be very frustrating with blunt scissors, you don’t get a smooth sharp cut, so it’s imperative to sharpen your scissors regularly.
This freestanding Fiskars scissors sharpener is comfortable to use and easy to store. Two slots ensure proper positioning for optimal blade sharpening.
Simply place your scissors in the slots provided and draw them back according to the instructions. Be sure to handle sharpened scissors with care.
Many common troubleshooting issues can be resolved by some simple machine maintenance. A lot of machines will struggle and knot the thread if there a build up of lint.
This handy sewing machine maintenance kit will help you keep your machine in good working order. Keeping your sewing machine and overlocker in tip top condition, ensuring it’s clear of debris and not clogged in anyway.
Another must have is sewing machine oil, it’s vital to keep your sewing machine and overlocker oiled to ensure smooth running of your machine, prevent seizures in the machinery and easier sewing time.
Fabric snags happen for a multitude of reasons, include catching the fabric with the edge of a needle or brushing against a zip or velcro. It can be gutting to have an otherwise perfect garment with a tiny snag. This Snag Wizard banishes that issue.
The Snag Wizard is a 0.8 mm-thin repair nail that can be used to effortlessly remove protruding threads. This special nail has a spiral-like, ribbed end instead of an eye. It is simply inserted directly next to the damaged thread through the fabric or knitted item. By turning it several times, the thread can be snatched and pulled on the rear. This allows for minor clothing damage to be repaired very easily. You will wonder how you ever managed without it!
We hope you’ve learnt some game changing tips from this blog post, feel free to join our Facebook group to share tips of your own and follow us on Youtube where we share videos of handy tips and tricks!
Happy Sewing
