Practical Tips and Jokes on Sewing
Sewing can be a very fulfilling and relaxing part of your life. Most sewers on completing a garment feel immense satisfaction when they look at the finished product. The following points will hopefully assist beginners to master the art of sewing well-fitting clothes.
Take care in choosing what type of sewing machine you purchase. In the first instance it is advisable to purchase a machine which has all the features you need, is easy to operate yet sophisticated enough to meet all your requirements.
Before commencing sewing learn all the features of your machine which are available to you. For example, a variety of stitches such as straight sewing, zigzagging, overlocking, hemming and fancy stitches for embroidery etc.
It is important to maintain your sewing machine by regular oiling, dusting, removing fluff from the bobbin area and when not in use always cover the machine. It is advisable to place your sewing machine in a room protected from the sun.
If space permits it is a great advantage to have a separate room for sewing which permits all fabrics, cottons and sewing utensils to be kept in the one area which enables you to leave uncompleted work on the machine and recommence sewing when time permits.
After you are completely comfortable with the operation of the machine then it is time to consider what is important when first learning to sew. For example, choose easy to handle fabrics such as cotton, linen and polar fleece.
Avoid fabrics such as silk, satin, chiffon or other slippery materials. Sewing threads or cottons should be strong, good quality and well-known brands, not thin and weak threads.
After selecting your fabric and thread choose a suitable pattern. Commence with a simple and easy one.
Care must be taken when placing the pattern on the fabric making sure the straight grain line on the pattern is the correct distance from the selve edge (a selve edge is the bound outside edge of the material). This is extremely important as failure to take care in checking this will result in an ill-fitting garment.
All seams should be neat and finished off firmly so that they do not fray. Iron seams while assembling the garment step by step. It is very important not to leave ironing until the garment is finished as this results in untidy and bulky seams.
Familiarize yourself with easy sewing methods such as hemming, finishing off all seams, cutting off straggly ends or pieces so that the seams are flat, strong and withstand wear and tear.
After completing a few garments you will find you are more confident to proceed to more advanced patterns and gain great satisfaction from your work.
Sewing can be a relaxing and fulfilling hobby for many people from teenagers to working adults, expectant moms or grandmothers who now have the time to learn to sew. As your confidence grows you can venture into more detailed and interesting garments.
Before commencing sewing learn all the features of your machine which are available to you. For example, a variety of stitches such as straight sewing, zigzagging, overlocking, hemming and fancy stitches for embroidery etc.
It is important to maintain your sewing machine by regular oiling, dusting, removing fluff from the bobbin area and when not in use always cover the machine. It is advisable to place your sewing machine in a room protected from the sun.
If space permits it is a great advantage to have a separate room for sewing which permits all fabrics, cottons and sewing utensils to be kept in the one area which enables you to leave uncompleted work on the machine and recommence sewing when time permits.
After you are completely comfortable with the operation of the machine then it is time to consider what is important when first learning to sew. For example, choose easy to handle fabrics such as cotton, linen and polar fleece.
Avoid fabrics such as silk, satin, chiffon or other slippery materials. Sewing threads or cottons should be strong, good quality and well-known brands, not thin and weak threads.
After selecting your fabric and thread choose a suitable pattern. Commence with a simple and easy one.
Care must be taken when placing the pattern on the fabric making sure the straight grain line on the pattern is the correct distance from the selve edge (a selve edge is the bound outside edge of the material). This is extremely important as failure to take care in checking this will result in an ill-fitting garment.
All seams should be neat and finished off firmly so that they do not fray. Iron seams while assembling the garment step by step. It is very important not to leave ironing until the garment is finished as this results in untidy and bulky seams.
Familiarize yourself with easy sewing methods such as hemming, finishing off all seams, cutting off straggly ends or pieces so that the seams are flat, strong and withstand wear and tear.
After completing a few garments you will find you are more confident to proceed to more advanced patterns and gain great satisfaction from your work.
Sewing can be a relaxing and fulfilling hobby for many people from teenagers to working adults, expectant moms or grandmothers who now have the time to learn to sew. As your confidence grows you can venture into more detailed and interesting garments.
Sewing Jokes - You Know It's Time To Stop Sewing And Go To Bed When:
You wake up at your sewing table with the pattern imprinted on your forehead.
Your fingers have more holes in them than your pin cushions.
You have put your button holes where your zipper was meant to go.
You are dreaming you are driving your silver Audi TT convertible at high speed around winding coastal roads, only to wake up and find your foot on the sewing machine pedal and big swirly stitching all over your carefully cut out fabric.
You sew your sleeves together and somehow manage to create an arm hole right in the middle of your shirt.
Your carefully crafted trousers made from ridiculously expensive fabric somehow end up with three legs.
You can hear the whirrrr of the sewing machine, even when it isn't running.
You decide that hems don't really need stitching after all; a few pins won't hurt anyone.
You've sewn your pant legs different lengths and you seriously contemplate wearing different height heels instead of fixing the hems.
You honestly believe no one will notice if your child wears the shirt you just made with a collar on one side only.
You start considering sticky tape as a viable alternative to stitching.
Your fingers have more holes in them than your pin cushions.
You have put your button holes where your zipper was meant to go.
You are dreaming you are driving your silver Audi TT convertible at high speed around winding coastal roads, only to wake up and find your foot on the sewing machine pedal and big swirly stitching all over your carefully cut out fabric.
You sew your sleeves together and somehow manage to create an arm hole right in the middle of your shirt.
Your carefully crafted trousers made from ridiculously expensive fabric somehow end up with three legs.
You can hear the whirrrr of the sewing machine, even when it isn't running.
You decide that hems don't really need stitching after all; a few pins won't hurt anyone.
You've sewn your pant legs different lengths and you seriously contemplate wearing different height heels instead of fixing the hems.
You honestly believe no one will notice if your child wears the shirt you just made with a collar on one side only.
You start considering sticky tape as a viable alternative to stitching.