Hi Everyone =)

Well, as you know, I’ve been practising with old baby clothes since Rebecca is growing up so fast! In the process, I’ve learned some things I hope will help any new beginner at sewing. So here they are, my tips and tricks that may help you on your journey to sewing =)

1) You WILL get a crick in your neck from straining while using the sewing machine…..add a few printer paper blocks under the machine and you will notice a big improvement.

2) Tie 2 pencils together (using tape, glue, rubber band, etc.) to create a seam allowance when tracing patterns…believe me, it helps. You can use an eraser on fabric to eliminate your pencil marks.

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3) I confess, I absolutely hate pins. I never use them. Since I never liked them, I learned to sew “freehand” so to speak, just folding the fabric back to create a seam as I sew along using my sewing machine seam allowance lines as a guide. Yes, I know you are wondering if my seams turn out straight? Well, most of the time they turn out just fine….if I need to use pins, I substitute with clothe pegs, binder clips, or paper clips…they are much faster to get on\off. 100_7491

4) Want to add appliqués to that beautiful blanket you are making but aren’t savvy with the sewing machine? Well don’t worry, neither am I =) So I just cut them off old clothing and hand sew them on to whatever I am making using embroidery thread!

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5) Recycle EVERYTHING found on baby clothes….snaps, buttons, appliqués, ruffles, etc…..as well as keep the clothing. You can re-purpose baby clothes like crazy! For example, see my post on making a super fast diaper cover out of an old onesie. Since baby clothes are made from stretchy cotton, you can actually re-purpose the clothes to last into the next stage (e.g. 0-3 month size clothing can fit a 4-5 month old baby, depending on how you re-purpose them). I’ll show you more on that in future posts =)

6) Use colored pencils to mark your pattern on fabric….but be sure to test on scrap fabric first to make sure it washes out.

7) Invest in a rotary cutter to cut fabric, shark teeth scissors to help against fraying when cutting fabric, as well as a self-healing cutting mat….they make all the difference in the world.

I hope you have enjoyed these tips and tricks =)

Happy Sewing!

Wanita =)