Sewing Hacks You Have to Know!

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sewing hacks title pic

Whether you’re a pro or a newbie, there is always something new to learn about sewing!  I’ve compiled a list of some “must know” sewing hacks and hope they will make your sewing faster and more fun.  Check out the list, and be sure to leave a comment to let us know your favorite sewing tip or trick.

  1. Keep a pair of pliers in your sewing room. They are great to use when hemming blue jeans to compress the thick seams together so they are easier to see over.

sewing hacks

2. Keep a small needle nose plier in your sewing room. They are great for repairs on zippers, pulling a broken needle from under the bobbin, and pulling heavy threads when mending jeans.

3. Use larger serger thread on all machines and put it in a coffee cup to hold it in place.

4. Use hairspray to make threading a needle easier.
5. Use a rubber band to keep your sewing machine paddle from slipping.
6. Use steel wool in your handmade pin cushions to keep pins sharp.
Image from Melly Sews

Image from Melly Sews

7. Hot glue a measuring tape to the side of your table.

8. Use a side winder and an extra spool of thread to thread bobins. This way you don’t have to unthread your machine when bobbins run out.
magnet9. Keep a magnetic stick by your machine. Use it to pickup any pins you drop.
10. Keep a lint roller nearby to pick up threads when ripping out mistakes and for picking up threads when embroidering.
11. Use glass paper weights or large metal washers to hold down patterns instead of pinning them.
12. Use size 20 needles for all heavy fabric and jeans.
seam allowance
13. Rubber band pencils together, then trace the edge of your pattern piece for a perfect seam allowance every time.
14. Use a drop of clear nail polish to keep threads together and buttons on longer.
15. To find the fabric grain, clip into your selvage and pull a loose thread out.  The line this thread left behind is your cross-grain, which is perpendicular to your grain line.
16. To pull a cord or elastic through a waist band, pin the end with a safety pin and drag it through, bunching up the fabric as you go.
chopsticks17. Use sturdy Chopsticks for turning items.
18. Use fusible strip interfacing on a roll and always interface before putting a zipper in to keep the fabric from stretching. Both sides always line up, and the zippers look beautiful.
threads magazine
19. Use a plastic grocery bag to act as stabilizer when sewing terry cloth, fleece, and other fluffy or difficult to sew fabrics.
20. Add magnets to a bowl to keep your pins in place.
21. Cut your fabric out with pinking sheers to keep it from fraying while you sew.
22. Fake a hem with bias tape.
23. Use binder clips instead of pins for fabrics that are easily damaged.
sew 4 home

Image from Sew 4 Home

24. Use toe separators to store your bobbins.
25. When cutting a slick fabric, put a layer of muslin under the fabric and pin the layers together before cutting.
26. Cut a straight line through burlap by pulling out one strand and cutting along the gap.
27. Sharpen dull scissors by cutting tin foil or sandpaper.

28. Use old DVD towers or file cabinets to organize fabric.

What’s your favorite hack or sewing tip?  Let us know in the comments!

Morena Hockley morena

3 thoughts on “Sewing Hacks You Have to Know!”

  1. My Handmade Space says:
    03/16/2016 at 2:25 pm

    Great tips! I never thought in using a cup of coffee to hold serger threads in place!

    Reply
  2. Peggy Eads says:
    05/14/2016 at 1:49 pm

    Here’s a few tips:
    – Lay a magnet upside down on your sewing machine to hold the pins you pull out while you’re sewing.
    – use painters tape in lieu of a marking pencil for stitching straight lines. Simply stitch right align the tape edge and pull off when done.
    – Lay paper under fleece, Terry or microfiber when cutting with a rotary cutter to prevent the fibers from sticking to your cutting pat.

    Reply
  3. Charles Kemp says:
    07/15/2016 at 1:52 pm

    I have never thought to keep a pair of pliers for the sewing room. I think it would make sense and my wife would probably stop stealing my tools. I think it would really make a difference and she would really like it.

    Reply

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