Ten Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Sewing
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- čas přidán 5. 08. 2024
- Hello Shiny Crafty People and welcome back! Today I’m recapping ten things I wish I’d learned when I first started sewing!
What things do you wish you’d known earlier?
Here’s a link to the vacuum attachment kit to clean your machine: amzn.to/3IDvfg4
Let’s all share our knowledge and, until next time, stay crafty! - Věda a technologie
I'm 70 and a relatively new sewer. Thank you for all these great pointers. I like your matter-of-fact teaching style.
I find it's nice to have more than one sewing machine. You never know when something will go wrong and if you have to get it repaired, you'll have withdrawals before it's done! I've found some really nice machines at thrift stores for practically nothing ($10-$15 for old Kenmore mechanical which are workhorses and $25 for new Singer computerized machine with tons of beautiful features and stitch patterns). Also, if you are in the middle of a FMQ project, you can't do anything else. The newer machines beep at you when the bobbin is out--I love that feature. You can also use the 2nd machine to fill a bobbin!
Love to watch you make a project, sew and give tips!
Although I can't sew a lick, I have worked where I had to wind bobbins by machine for others that were sewing and they really appreciated not having to stop their sewing when they needed a new bobbin. They just pulled a full one out and kept on going. Good advice.
Tim! Thank you for this video! I am, let's just say, a "little" older (64) than you and really just started sewing a lot over the last 3 years or so. I also don't know what to call myself (ie sewist, seamstress, etc), but it's ok. My daughter told me she saw some of your tutorials and recommended I check them out - which I have. Great stuff! I'm pretty much self taught and appreciate all the crafters out there are on CZcams posting tutorials. I entered my first craft fair last Nov and did pretty well because of all I've learned. I'm still learning and sewing has become therapy for me. So, thank you again! BTW...you have a calming voice and beautiful smile😃
I’m so glad! Best of luck to you, my friend.
Thank you Tim for your very wise advice. I agree with you about wishing we had known so many thing when w first started out journeys in sewing, but then where would the adventure be? I love your attitude and how you approach the lessons we learn in life. I started sewing when I retired from a 41 year career as a nurse. I had never sewn before other than to sew the rank and command patches on my husband's uniforms and uniform jackets. So off I went to my local quilter's workshop, told the owner I did not know a thing about a sewing machine, took out my checkbook and paid for lessons. Here I am 8 years later and I'm quilting, sewing clothing, purses, backpacks, satchels, totes, repairing sails for a sailboat, making pleated curtains, etc. It has been the best adventure ever! And for people like you and others on YT to put up their sewing tutorials I have learned so much and am ever so grateful. God bless you and all the sewists in the world. You all rock! 💗🤗😊🙏👍
I love that quilt you made for your grandmother! You put so much time into it. I know she loved it too. I wish I still lived in Central Florida so we could hit the thrift shops and fabric stores together. 👋🌞
Thank you so much!
Tim, you are the first person I thought of to tell. I just found out that cheap oven cleaner cleans an iron plate. Of course, use in well-ventilated area, and after treating, use the iron on steam and high heat on cotton scrap fabric.
Omg! I needed this so much. Do you know how many dead irons I have because the plate is crusted? It’s not more than three, I promise you. Lol
Thanks for your wonderful tip. It's so wonderful when people share great ideas. 👍
Thanks so much, Timothy and Meat Dog!
Another easy way to clean an iron plate is to iron over a dryer sheet. I save my used dryer sheets for my sewing room. I also use them as a foundation for small quilting blocks. Excellent way to upcycle.
Love your videos, Tim. Thank you for taking the time to share with all of us!
Great video of tips, Tim!! I recently bought new needles for my machine and today found some I already had. I’m guilty of not changing the needle unless it breaks. I’m doing that before my next project.
I’ve really come to appreciate #5, everyone makes mistakes. It’s just part of the process & to enjoy the process.
Thank you for sharing this fabulous information. I learned a lot. ❤
Hello Tim, I did a comment on one of your videos this morning - because it was my 1st time in your channel. So now, I’ve already watched 3 or 4 of your videos!!
This was an awesome video, as well! Just like my -st impression of you, I TOTALLY LOVE YOUR RELAXED TEACHING STYLE & EXPLANATIONS!! Your honesty really comes through!! I’m thrilled to have subscribed 👍👍🤗🤗😬👏👏!! Thank you!!!
Thank you Tim, you're very kind for sharing your wisdom. I learned some things from your long term experience. Live long and prosper my friend. I just purchased a used sewing machine, because I wanted to hem a bunch of shorts, and convert some old jeans into shorts, and before I knew it, I was fixing hoodies that had failed zippers, and turning cargo shorts into chino style shorts. This youtube thing is great! I learned in 3 weeks enough material to be halfway competent with a mechanical sewing machine. It's folks like you that make learning easy! You are a fantastic instructor. Thanks!
That’s very kind of you to say. Glad to share! And thanks for making my day!
Tim you are a great instructor. All too often, "just saying thanks for sharing" is proper etiquette to let the host know that he positively impacted someone's life. Thanks Tim, I just wanted you to know your posting is excellent. Too many folks in a hurry, forget that aspect. I try not to do that. (I attempt to do something everyday that makes God smile, as often as I can).
Loved this down to earth..video.. Smiles from NY
Tim- I ❤ this. Wish I knew that actually sleeves have a front and back
Thank you! I wish I had learned that I have to square up blocks before sewing them together.
Hi. I started sewing on a singer treddle in the late 1950s. Yep, I’m a grandma. I’ve owned and own a number of machines. My favorite is my 1970’s Elna Super. I’ve maintained it over the years, sewn, tailored and quilted on it. Now mchines are mostly made in Asia. My advice to newbees: use your head and ingage in good thinking. Experince is a good teacher. You’re using a machine and, most likely, it came with a manual. (I have the manual for all my machines). The internet has made your life easier too: manuals and demos are out there. Also new features are being added to machines, so you’ll alway need to learn new stuff. I’ve gifted machines to sewing students. For a beginner, big bang for buck are the Brother Sew-Embroidery combo, aroundb300$. I like the high end Janome and Brother machines. The juki TL series are fantastic. I personally avoid Bernina. Get yourself an air-threading surger. My 1990’s Baby Lock held up great. I think they (B-L) lost sole propriety of air threading. I made my ironing boards. Use a dry iron and nice spray-steam iron. I’m gonna learn free motion quilting and how to combine my ipad with a sewing machine. New stuff for granny. BTW, men were always in tailor guilds, and knitted too. Thanks for reading!
I have recently started sewing again after a long break. I remember an instructor telling us to change the needle with each n ew project. And then old carpenter 's adage measure twice, cut once. I just discovered you and your channel and I love it
That’s a great rule from your teacher!!
You will never know everthing.... I have been sewing for 60 years. And I still get tips from a youngster like you. Here are some reactions. Listen to your machine. If it is clattering, etc. Stop, clea, lubricate, inspect. In terms of quilting, be sure to plan your quilting before you start. I was a beginner and planned to quilt it by hand. If you want to use a stencil for the border pattern, make sur you border is wide enough to fit that border. And when you plan your quilting pa attention so you don't end up quilting on the seam allowances in every block. That bulk is hard to shove a needle through. Keep up the good work.
Thank you about saying that mistakes can be made...I spent all day yesterday making pinwheels, and ripping them apart, and putting together, and ripping apart til I got it right. Very humbling:)
I AM HOLLERING AT MY COMPUTER ABOUT THE BOBBIN! LOL!! OHMYGAWWD YESS!! OH THAT IS SO FREAKIN AGGRAVATING!!! I MEAN, YOU ARE SEWING ALONG, IN YOUR NICE ZEN MOMENT, LISTENING YOUR FAVORITE JAMS ON YOU TUBE THINKING YOU ARE DOING GREAT WITH YOUR SEWING THEN, YOU REALIZE, YOU ARE OUT OF FREAKIN BOBBIN THREAD!! LOL!!
OH HUNNY, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT MISTAKES! THAT IS PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS, TO BE HONEST. MY PROCESS IS, ZIPPERS! I MAKE CANVAS TOTEBAGS AND MAKE UP POUCHES AND I BEEN USING VELCRO A LOT. NOW I AM TRYING TO ADVANCE MY PROCESS TO ZIPPERS. SO YEAH, MISTAKES HAPPENED BUT I'M LEARNING IN MY PROCESS OF SEWING THEM IN. SO YEAH, FOR SURE, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES. THIS IS THE WAY WE LEARN HOW TO DO IT.
Press your pattern before cutting out (no steam!). Buy the best tools you can find. Keep a ziplock bag of scraps of every kind of interfacing, fusible, stay tape, tear-away, etc close at hand, so you have No Excuse not to use that bit of support that will make your project faultless.
Thanks Tim for taking the time to share the goodies! I appreciate all of your videos! Cheers
I know #10. At 70, having had a professional seamstress as my mother, I am continually learning from this wonderful community of sewist that are on CZcams. I don't make quilts so there are some things I have learned but not used. However most mistakes, problems, techniques and tips are lessons for general sewing, and sometime just life.
Very nice. You are refreshing and emboldening. Thanks for sharing. 👏
OMG Tim!!! I just got a "sidewinder"! It's a bobbin threader. Who knew I needed this in my life. Walmart had one on clearance and my BFF/roommate said "You have to get one because I'm tired of hearing about you running out of thread", I just bought 100 different colors of thread from Temu, and then realized that I had to get bobbins for each color. Now I'm thinking I just might need to order another 100 bobbins! AND the best part??!! It doesn't even feel like a chore to wind a bobbin now. Once I figured it out cause, ya know, Chinese instructions that aren't really??? Anyway, it's fun to use. Oh, and the "change your needle". YYEESSSS!!! I spent a few days trying to figure out what was wrong with my machine. Then one night on my way to work (I work overnight), it hit me that the needle was probably dull and needed changing. Great tips that I'm sure I'll forget about until it's too late, LOL. Thanks Tim.
If you can order the bobbins prefilled for those colors, they might be a good idea. Otherwise, plop down in front of a good show and go to town. Lol
Thanks for the kind words and the reminder about the sidewinder. I gotta get one of those!
You do! Its a game changer! My question is why sewing machine inventors haven't come up with a beeper or a light that tells you your bobbin is running low! Kinda like your gas indicator in your car when you are running out of fuel Great video and now I gotta find out more of who you are! Love down to earth videos!
Love this. Love the hey, you'll screw up and it's ok and you'll never know everything. So many people think that oh they will be awesome and all knowing in a few short months or years and then reality hits. It's great to hear people that have been doing it for ages that you'll still screw up and you still don't know it all 😅
You are so thoughtful for sharing ! You are so wonderful! 🎉
I have found the best (and cheapest!) product to clean my iron is Crest Anti Cavity Toothpaste. It’s the most basic toothpaste Crest makes and I usually get it at Dollar Tree. I just apply it with a damp cloth onto a warm iron, then wipe off all the built up gunk, like glue from interfacings, etc. with a damp cloth. My iron gets clean AND the room smells minty fresh for a while .😂 Works for me.
Thank you for the great tips (and pep talk, letting us know we're not alone making mistakes, and it's ok) I sure enjoy your videos, thank you for using your time to make them for us. 💕
You are so welcome! I really enjoy it, mostly because of the feedback like this. And I remember watching people like Nancy Zieman and Eleanor Burns who taught me to sew on PBS television. I think it’s always nice to pass it along.
💕Thank you so much for sharing. I've learned some of those the hard way. I'm still trying to convince myself that ironing/pressing makes a better outcome😂. I just don't want to get up from the sewing machine once I get started on a project. One of the best presents I ever got was a separate bobbin winder. I just have to make sure I have 2 spools of the same color thread😁
You gotta bring the iron closer. I have a travel iron and a wool pad I use.
Tim - I love your tutorials. I always get a huge smile when you modify/correct your process on your videos. I think you leve them in because you hear me, "No no Tim, you may want to..." 😂 I was taught to sew by my Gram. She gave me so many tips and reasons why. I was originally a garment sewist (wedding gowns, formals, and all my good work clothing). Then COVID happened and I started quilting. If someone is using a pattern, review the steps. Think about their process. If it does not make sense, "you do you." As pattern makers can make errors. My favorite machines are 70s Swiss made. I do my own maintenance & repairs.😊
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t like editing that much so leaving in the mistakes are easier, but I also dislike video creators who make it seem like everything is perfect and they made some intricate thing in four minutes. I prefer to do real time if possible and to show how I budget time to fix my mistakes!
Great ideas, Tim. Thanks.
IRON AND TOPSTICH!
Hi Tim. I know we will never meet in person, what a shame. Because I love sewing and crafts so , ipso facto, I love watching you offer up all your fun and informative videos. I am so grateful I found your channel. Thank you for being a generous and sharing educator and all around nice human being 😅Now let's get sewing🎉
Thanks for your kind words! Your encouragement means a lot. If you ever get an idea for a video you’d like to see, drop a comment on any video. I see them all, even if I don’t respond to some of them.
Great Stuff 😂 Doing the math was where I had no patience years ago...I t cost me greatly also due to not ironing .
Those little dental picks with brushes are great for around the bobbin case. I think we have all been bad about the needle changing. But, the industry standard used to be ever 8 hours of continuous sewing. I don't do it that often unless I'm working on something really important. What I would really like is a way to organize used needles. Like, if I swap a needle out because I'll be sewing with denim. How do I keep track of the all-purpose needle I take off, and the approximate time it had been used? My favorite tool for pushing out a corner is a chopstick. I have some plastic ones from Aldi that are perfect for it, but I've used disposable wooden ones as well. This was a great video. Thank you so much.
#5 & #10, thanks for the encouragement, Tim. I don't consider myself a seamstress because I don't garment sew. However, Maker/Sewist is a better description. I love your videos, keep them coming ❤️
Great way to look at it!!
I like Maker as I do all sorts of sewing and other crafts/art.
Excellent advice!!
Pipe cleaners are helpful for cleaning out the dust in tight spots too
Great tip!
A pipe cleaner is the only thing I've found that cleans between the feed dog teeth.
Love #5 Mistakes are normal proof of humanity 😊😊❤
Makes note to change my needle next time I'm sewing.. Thanks
Great advice. Thanks.
As usual, very good advice! Thanks Timothy!
My pleasure!
🎉 Great tips- love the simplicity of your creativity! ❤ We're not so intimidated when we see others do things in easy-to-use ways. Thanks for taking the time with us, to help us along our way of this never ending craft/skill.
Thanks so much! 😊
Hello thank you for sharing your love for sewing and making useful tips with our mistakes hope I worded that correctly thank you !!!God Bless!!!❤
Great Tips. I've experienced these too.
Oh my gosh! I learned so many things in this video! Thank you for posting this! ❤️💕
I’m so glad!!
Such great advice!! I'm sure your grandmother loved that quilt anyway! Happy sewing!
She cherished it! Hung in a shadow box in your kitchen (where she spent all her time) until she passed away. My grandfather left it to me on his passing.
thanks, Tim for the great tips! My method for picking quilt fabrics is easy. I select a multi colored fabric. I use the color dots on the salvage to match coordinating fabrics.
So smart!!!
Can I share this idea with others? I think it’s brilliant and I’m kicking myself for not thinking of it before!!
I use small children’s paint brushes to turn corners.
That’s a great idea!!
Me yesterday: "Oh, Tim Totten has a premiere video in the morning. 6am, I'm up by then. I don't need to click the "notify me" button." Yeah, that was the devil talking, LOL!
I really enjoyed this video. These are all really good tips, and a good reminder that I need to do some of them more often. Except the making mistakes part, I could benefit from doing that a little less (seriously - I stitched a pocket with the opening towards the bottom not just on my current project, but on the one I did before it, too!). Thank you for sharing & next time I'll click that remind me button 🙂
Those are the kind of mistakes I have to laugh at because they can be depressing twice in a row! Lol
I set the premiere for 9am eastern, where I live. Perhaps I need to push it back a little bit for the west coasters!
@@timothytotten9409 Right? You think I would have learned to double-check after the last time, but noooooo I had to go and do it again. Well it was an easy fix at least 🙂
In addition - you have given me some great ideas!
I'm so glad! I get inspired by so many creators and I’m glad I do that for others.
Very helpful. thanks. love the shirt
Thank you! My friend Matthew has a great channel called Your Barefoot Neighbor and this is one of his shirts.
Thanks for sharing, Tim!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing. ❤
You are so welcome
Ty Tim great info
Glad to help
I prefer the term Seamster as it converts
You really mean I have to change my needle? The one in my machine has been there since…maybe 1985…I guess it’s time to splurge on some needles and bobbins (I thought two were enough!). Truthfully, I don’t sew (with a machine) at all anymore, since a neighbor managed to sew a stitch right through her finger 😫. Scared me to death! But maybe one day I’ll conquer my fear…..
I’ve sewed through my finger more times than I can count. It only hurt the first five or six times! Lol
I learned these lessons the hard way too. Thank you for the gentle reminders. Could you offer any help on how to calculate pricing on hand made items? Much appreciated.
That’s a hard question! Its hard to price things what they are really worth because people are too used to mass-produce items sold cheap. I think if you’re doing a hobby and aren’t worried about making a big profit, you should price them at enough to get money that covers your costs and let’s you buy some more materials to keep the hobby going.
2nd attempt 😂: I prefer the term seamster as it covers all genders 😊
True!!
I need some of those stiches that are not always available
Blanket stich😢
And another pet hate is not checking my messages before I send them.
"Sewer " since childhood with a mother who worked in the House of Norman Hartnell, London, in the late 40s and 50s when the then Princess Elizabeth was marrying Prince Phillip. Hartnell designed the wedding dress and it was made in his workrooms by the 'sewers'.
Timothy I have a question, I have a computerized brother machine it’s a older one, I would like to know do I ever have to get it serviced? Thank you for all your help ❤
Does it work? If it’s not causing any issues, don’t worry about it. Just make sure you do some basic maintenance.
Any sewing machine recommendations for the low-intermediately-skilled ?
The less complicated, the better. Nobody needs dozens of different stitches. Just say no to machines with plastic parts.
This!!
enjoyed your lessons learned and unfortunately several examples sounded all too familiar. Thanks for putting this together.
What is your opinion on this?? There are several quilt videos, using can sprays and now glue. What do you think of using spray or glue??
I like spray adhesive, if you use the right stuff. Be very careful about spraying it in a confined space. I certainly encourage either a good mask or a full respirator.
Great info! Love your tshirt !
Do you have a link for the vac attachment?
This is the one I use: amzn.to/3IDvfg4
@@timothytotten9409 thanks! And it fits to a standard vac?
What is wrong with the word sewer" completely unisex says what you do, and ot as clumsy as 'sewist' and 'seamster' my pet hate words. Ugh of amIjust getting too old
Nothing wrong with sewer. But in writing it confuses people with thoughts of storm drains and gutters.
Honestly, I prefer creator. I think we’re all on that level, with a sewing machine just being my preferred creation tool.
I stared sewing in 1972. Thread tension and stitch length. I set up the machine and it was working. So, never touched either of them. They are so important. Always have your pressure foot up when you thread the machine. You need to get that thread between the tension disks. Great suggestions. Strive for 90% to 95% perfection. You will never achieve 100%. Don't beat yourself up. You will enjoy sewing more. Sewing for me is a hobby. I give or donate most of the things, that I make. Same with my crocheting. That way, I can use the colors and patterns, that I like and not forced to make certain items with certain colors and certain patterns. Much more enjoyable. I do make requested things. But, enjoy doing my own thing more.
I’ve been sewing for about 50 years, it was only in the last 5-10 years or so that I learned the tension discs release the thread with the presser foot UP! Before the knee bar I probably didn’t really need to know that but once I had a knee bar I couldn’t figure out why the thread was always so tight. 😮😅