10 Tips to Master the Art of Sewing

It's a terrible habit to adopt. When you sew over straight pins, you risk the chance of damaging your needle and causing issues with your sewing machine. Pull the straight pins out before making the stitch.

Changing out the needle can prevent problems when working on the craft project. With the new needle, you know it will be sharp enough to go through the fabric. You will also know that there will be no burrs, nicks or bends that can happen with the old needle when doing a previous craft project. It is also the best time to switch out the needle and use the best one for the particular project and fabric you are working on.

If the thread is too tight, it will break. If it is too loose, it will create puckered seams. Learn how to adjust the tension on your machine to have nice, clean stitches.

It's great that you are using pattern packets and downloading PDF patterns from the Internet. Yet you can also make your own patterns. All you have to do is pick out a favorite shirt or dress from out of the closet. Then you need something to make pattern paper from, which could be as simple as buying brown wrapping paper for packages, and measuring your clothes to create the desired pattern.

You will never develop great skills if you work in a tight space. Always consider where you will be working on your craft projects and how much room you need to stretch fabrics out. Just because you use a closet as a computer room doesn't mean that same closet makes a good craft room.

When it comes to creating projects, the better the materials you use the better the project will be. While some fabrics and thread will be expensive, you will instantly notice the change in quality for your project.

Making curved seams can be tricky and frustrate even experienced seamstresses. The best way to handle a curved seam is to slow down your sewing speed and take your time. Trying to go at your regular speed may simply be too fast for your hands to handle while moving the fabric about.

There is always a good time to test yourself. Yet you have to tackle the small steps first. Start out with the simple projects until you become so proficient that you can make them with your eyes closed. Then move up to the next level. Continue to hone your skills and to use those talents to conquer other projects.

You can't master the art of sewing on a machine that isn't right for you. Get a machine that matches your skills and that is flexible enough to challenge you to become better. Also, if there are certain projects that you know you will be doing in the future, make sure the machine has the capabilities for you to make these crafts when you are ready. You don't have to buy the biggest and fanciest machine. Buy one that is suited to your preferences. Having said that, if you have kids that want to learn sewing, it is advisable to invest on a model that you and your child can both use and enjoy. You will be surprised how versatile these models are and you will be happy that you didn't waste your money buying those toy sewing machines.

This may seem like a strange tip. Yet perhaps the best way to master the art of sewing is to be able to tell people you can't make every project that they throw your way. There's nothing that can frustrate you more than to have someone ask you to make 20 costumes for the school play at the last minute, especially if you never made any clothing before. Stick with the projects you want to do for yourself and your friends as you won't lose your interest in the hobby by becoming angry over a project you never wanted to do in the first place.