I get those magnetic parts holders from the hardware store for my pins. Sewing stores sell the same ones for significantly more money. The Pink Tax is real, ladies.
I use painter's tape to mark the back side of the fabric -- just a small piece near the seam line tells me it's the wrong side. I also use the painter's tape to label cut-out pieces that are not obvious at first glance. For example, SB (side back) CB (center back) written on the tape.
I live in USA we have big box stores Home Depot or Lowe’s and they have work benches that are adjustable in height by cranking the handle for up or down. Some even have a drawer. They are very sturdy, made of metal (steel) AND they have casters on the feet if you want to move them around. Also at Walmart in the sewing section they have vinyl that people can buy in yardage so you can make water proof table cloths. They have clear vinyl which is great for cutting and making LONG lasting pattern pieces.
I've been going with my woodworking husband to hardware stores for years. Your tips are spot on! For quilters I have a couple of additional suggestions: clamps of various sizes & plastic rulers with different curves. Much cheaper at hardware store. Love your site!
Here in the U.S. I shop at freight Habour as my go to alternative for craft store tools. You’d be surprised what you find for all kinds of crafts, including for your sewing stuff, and many of the items she suggested.
Excellent advice. I bought my buttonhole opener at a hardware store in 1984: a basic-quality 1cm wide wood chisel, and I'm still using it. The sewing store version hadn't been "invented" yet, and I was tired of blowing through the ends of buttonholes with either scissors or a seam ripper. The block of wood I use underneath it came from their off-cut bin in their lumber yard. One word of warning about painter's or masking tape: remove as soon as you're done with it, or at least pretty quickly. If you leave it for a couple of days, as I did once a long time ago, it will leave a residue that's really difficult to remove (from fabric, that is).
And if you don’t have wood scraps available you can use a dollar store cutting mat if available under the chisel. Brilliant I have chisels 8 feet from my sewing table . Never considered this ! Thanks
What I bought for sewing and cutting was a Camping table. It was long enough for cutting fabric, it was strong made of heavy plastic and legs. It was designed for a small camping grill, eating and to withstand wind. It works very well and will fold up if you need to move it. I have put my machines and overlock on it and it works very will without vibrating.
It's not a hardware store purchase, but this might help some people. Since I'm a man who quilts, regular quilting gloves often don't fit my hands. I found that baseball batting gloves do a great job holding on to the fabric and are quite comfortable.
I also use the washers for weights but I hot glue a small cheap wooden draw pull on to make them easier to handle. After I’m done if I’m not going to use for a while I pop off the knob, makes them easier to store.
I bought a box of 3/4 inch (that denotes the center hole size) washers which are 2 inches in diameter. Gluing two together gave the perfect weight for curtain hems without being too heavy. Much cheaper than a box of curtain weights at the fabric store.
I love hardwarestores! Spending hours to search for usefull sewing items. Last time using painter´s tape was with slippery wellness fleece. All needles were hidden in the thick fabric, never found😅 , but with painter´s tape it goes well to stick the pattern and mark signs (sorry for my bad English, I`m german, hope you get the point)
Daß manche Deutsche sich immer im voraus für etwas entschuldigen müssen. Furchtbar ! Bißchen mehr Stolz, bitte ! Ja ? Geht das ? ! Es wird im Netz auf Englisch geantwortet, daß sich einem die Zehennägel aufrollen. So what ?
Before i had a dedicated sewing space, i used a fishing tackle box to store all my tools. Clearly, my tools had to be kept to the basic supplies of scissors, thread, pins, needles, etc. it served me well for 30 years.
i bought a 6 foot Husky work table at Home Depot to use as my sewing/craft table . It's about 30 inches wide, raises up and holds my sewing machine, serger and other accessories. It is perfect!
I use a big fishing tack box for my small sewing, knitting and crochet equipment. I use big rolls of parchment paper, also called baking paper here sometimes, to trace my patterns onto.
In the U.S., the construction paper you talk about might be better known as contracter's paper. Here, construction paper refers to the smaller sheets or colored paper used by children for coloring and crafts.
All good advice. I used to use painters' tape for taping reminders to my wall, which was very effective until my young cats decided that ripping my notes down from the wall was a fun game.
Hi. I buy the fine interfacing for all my pattern making, as this way I can fold it and it does!nt crease very much. Also this way I can put them on a labeled zip bags. And it does not take up too much room. Thank You for all the ideas. Your information is fantastic. Thank You
I have used painters tape as a guide when sewing to help keep my seams straight. Another RUclipsr channel suggested building the guide up by layering pieces of tape on top of each other so that it helps keep you in the right place. I found that 4-6 layers worked really well for me, depending on the fabric.
Such great tips! I've been checking out the hardware store for sewing helpers too, but I've learned a few new hacks today! I'll add a couple of my own: straight rulers out of aluminium - they're usually at least 50cm long and have a handle in the middle; these are great for those of us who use rotary cutters! For pattern plastic - I love the gardening plastic idea, but if you can't find it, look for transparent rubble trash bags: these are incredibly sturdy, huge, and a roll of 10 or 20 is very cheap. The hardware store is also a great place to find high-quality fine machinery oil and grease for lubricating your machine, in larger bottles and lower prices per volume too. Little wooden stirring sticks for paint make great hem rulers, and great hem weights for straight curtain panels or roman shades. If you do corsetry, you already know all about the giant, thick zip-ties of course, but if you do lingerie or like to play with funky body edges, the hardware store has great options in wire that costs a lot less than buying the pre-formed stuff (you'll need pliers and cutters, of course, but hey, you're at the hardware store ;) ). And if you're working in a small space: a pair of the cheapest wood trestle legs and a pre-cut panel make a great on-the-spot cutting table that you can store away behind a door or under the bed.
I also place the paterns I buy from the shop in a medium zip bag as this will keep the patterns in very good condition and i place them in order of the project I am making stand up in a slall rectangle basket or a box. Very handy. Again Thank You. 😊
I worked in a hardware store, and I didn't think those heavy washers were inexpensive at all even with my discount! I found a pattern and demo on YT and made my own (3-D triangle shape filled with rice). They were practically free using scrap fabric. Plus, if the kids decide to play with them, they won't get hurt. I've seen people use their cans of food for weights--pretty clever and also free. A suction handle is great to attach to rotary cutting rulers for easy gripping. Awls are nice tools for sewing, too.
Such useful tips, thank you! I use washers too, but for painter's tape- I actually tape my patterns pages with it. I tried to tape with regular transparent tape, but in short time it comes off, but patterns that I have taped with painter's tape lasts for years in perfect condition.
I filter distilled water from the water collected by my heat pump dryer. Simply run the collected water through a paper towel or coffee filter to remove any textile particles and it's ready to use.
Also if you happen to have or are close to Harbor Freight or something similar pay them a visit you can purchase most things significantly cheaper prices.
When you get your hardware store desk, measure or make sure it is high enough for drawers underneath by already being a good height or adding heavyduty wheels. Also for vibration under machine when sewing fast, just add a cut piece of rubber backed carpet (from hardware store😅) usually they are here in nz $25 for 1 metre square. You could use the offcuts for under other machines or furniture.
I love this video. I like the way you spoke all in one take, or at least without loud change of setting other than clips of the product. And you spoke quietly and calm 😊 I don’t sew garments, like it seems this video was aimed for, but I’ll definitely take some of these. Thanks, great vid :)
I love the pattern weight idea! Very clever. I have bought this magnetic bowls for my pins. I have 3! For the sewing machine, cutting table & hand sewing by my chair. ❤❤❤ and I use painters tape to indicate on my quilt for machine quilting
Stainless steel rulers. 1m, 500cm 30cm and set square. All come in very handy for sewing. And they all have a pre-drilled hole so they hang in the wardrobe without taking up valuable space. In addition to this they’re a lot cheaper and last forever. £2. Backing/ lining paper (wallpaper) . The pin wheel (tracing wheel) pierces this but leaves your patterns in tact. I pop a table protector underneath prior the tracing patterns. This provides the cushion and protects my hardwood floor. My mum used to use this happily on her carpets growing up. Without protection pads. The pin wheel doesn’t cut fabric just marks paper.
I use a 4' metal ruler for my rotary cutter when i have a long piece to cut. I also got a metal right angle ruler. I can place one side against the wall to keep it from shifting while I'm cutting with the rotary cutter.
great ideas!! i have used the washers and definitely work great. however, i didn't get the film/plastic idea. but its ok, all the other ideas are fantastic!! thank you for the post!
I go to the sherwin willams paint shop an buy the big jumbo roll that will last you a year and more.they have different weights of paper from like thick cardboard like for permanent pattern to reuse over and over to light weight.
You can reduce jerking of machine. Purchase rubber sheet used inside car near feet,people use it for keeping car clean. Purchase from car tool seller or hardware shop. Put rubber sheet below feet. Rubber sheet will absorb shock.
I have been looking at the work tops at the hardware store. Some of them can change their hight, a great idea for cutting fabric for us taller lady’s, as well as being sturdy for the sewing machine. I use painters tape for marking ruffles for hems to line up with the foundation dress at the 1/2 and 1/4 points.
Tape stretches. Check to be sure it’s down straight. In the US yellow tape is masking tape. Do Not Buy. The blue tape is painters tape, get that. It has less adhesive and doesn’t leave a mess; yellow masking tape can cause nightmares. It’s gooey with glue and leaves it all over.
Using a small washer for marking the seam allowance is so clever!
I get those magnetic parts holders from the hardware store for my pins. Sewing stores sell the same ones for significantly more money. The Pink Tax is real, ladies.
I’m intrigued what a magnetic parts holder is.
@seabreeze3906 it's a round, shallow metal bowl with a large magnet glued to the bottom.
Great video! I have some washers for pattern weights but I didn’t know to use them for adding seam allowances. Genius!
same. I have them for weights, but will have to go and get some more little ones.
I use painter's tape to mark the back side of the fabric -- just a small piece near the seam line tells me it's the wrong side. I also use the painter's tape to label cut-out pieces that are not obvious at first glance. For example, SB (side back) CB (center back) written on the tape.
Merci de partager vos astuces 😅
I live in USA we have big box stores Home Depot or Lowe’s and they have work benches that are adjustable in height by cranking the handle for up or down. Some even have a drawer. They are very sturdy, made of metal (steel) AND they have casters on the feet if you want to move them around. Also at Walmart in the sewing section they have vinyl that people can buy in yardage so you can make water proof table cloths. They have clear vinyl which is great for cutting and making LONG lasting pattern pieces.
I've been going with my woodworking husband to hardware stores for years. Your tips are spot on! For quilters I have a couple of additional suggestions: clamps of various sizes & plastic rulers with different curves. Much cheaper at hardware store. Love your site!
I bought a magnetized extendable wand, I use it to sweep my floor and areas when I'm done to pick up any dropped pins or needles.
I now have 3. I use one to pick up stitch markers I drop when crocheting too.
Here in the U.S. I shop at freight Habour as my go to alternative for craft store tools. You’d be surprised what you find for all kinds of crafts, including for your sewing stuff, and many of the items she suggested.
Excellent advice. I bought my buttonhole opener at a hardware store in 1984: a basic-quality 1cm wide wood chisel, and I'm still using it. The sewing store version hadn't been "invented" yet, and I was tired of blowing through the ends of buttonholes with either scissors or a seam ripper. The block of wood I use underneath it came from their off-cut bin in their lumber yard.
One word of warning about painter's or masking tape: remove as soon as you're done with it, or at least pretty quickly. If you leave it for a couple of days, as I did once a long time ago, it will leave a residue that's really difficult to remove (from fabric, that is).
And if you don’t have wood scraps available you can use a dollar store cutting mat if available under the chisel. Brilliant I have chisels 8 feet from my sewing table . Never considered this ! Thanks
What I bought for sewing and cutting was a Camping table. It was long enough for cutting fabric, it was strong made of heavy plastic and legs. It was designed for a small camping grill, eating and to withstand wind. It works very well and will fold up if you need to move it. I have put my machines and overlock on it and it works very will without vibrating.
Yes I use a fold up banquet table and put bed risers under it to save my back. Game changer. When I’m done it’s goldered up and out of the way. 👍
Nice idea!
I did exactly the same:)
It's not a hardware store purchase, but this might help some people. Since I'm a man who quilts, regular quilting gloves often don't fit my hands. I found that baseball batting gloves do a great job holding on to the fabric and are quite comfortable.
I also use the washers for weights but I hot glue a small cheap wooden draw pull on to make them easier to handle. After I’m done if I’m not going to use for a while I pop off the knob, makes them easier to store.
I bought a box of 3/4 inch (that denotes the center hole size) washers which are 2 inches in diameter. Gluing two together gave the perfect weight for curtain hems without being too heavy. Much cheaper than a box of curtain weights at the fabric store.
I love hardwarestores! Spending hours to search for usefull sewing items. Last time using painter´s tape was with slippery wellness fleece. All needles were hidden in the thick fabric, never found😅 , but with painter´s tape it goes well to stick the pattern and mark signs (sorry for my bad English, I`m german, hope you get the point)
Daß manche Deutsche sich immer im voraus für etwas entschuldigen müssen. Furchtbar ! Bißchen mehr Stolz, bitte ! Ja ? Geht das ? ! Es wird im Netz auf Englisch geantwortet, daß sich einem die Zehennägel aufrollen. So what ?
Before i had a dedicated sewing space, i used a fishing tackle box to store all my tools. Clearly, my tools had to be kept to the basic supplies of scissors, thread, pins, needles, etc. it served me well for 30 years.
i bought a 6 foot Husky work table at Home Depot to use as my sewing/craft table . It's about 30 inches wide, raises up and holds my sewing machine, serger and other accessories. It is perfect!
I use a big fishing tack box for my small sewing, knitting and crochet equipment. I use big rolls of parchment paper, also called baking paper here sometimes, to trace my patterns onto.
In the U.S., the construction paper you talk about might be better known as contracter's paper. Here, construction paper refers to the smaller sheets or colored paper used by children for coloring and crafts.
Yes. At my local Menards it's sold near the paint department.
I'm impressed - most of your suggestions have never been mentioned before in others sewing videos. Excellent!
All good advice. I used to use painters' tape for taping reminders to my wall, which was very effective until my young cats decided that ripping my notes down from the wall was a fun game.
😂😂😂
Hi. I buy the fine interfacing for all my pattern making, as this way I can fold it and it does!nt crease very much. Also this way I can put them on a labeled zip bags.
And it does not take up too much room.
Thank You for all the ideas. Your information is fantastic. Thank You
I have used painters tape as a guide when sewing to help keep my seams straight. Another RUclipsr channel suggested building the guide up by layering pieces of tape on top of each other so that it helps keep you in the right place. I found that 4-6 layers worked really well for me, depending on the fabric.
Layering tape is such a great idea, I need to try it!🤩
Yes Karen brown at just get it done quilts!
Hi, greetings from Puerto Rico (US). I also use painters tape for secure buttons to garment in order to sew them using the button press foot.
Along the lines of using a toolbox, fishing tackle boxes work really well & you can usually find them at yard sales for next to nothing.
Such great tips! I've been checking out the hardware store for sewing helpers too, but I've learned a few new hacks today!
I'll add a couple of my own: straight rulers out of aluminium - they're usually at least 50cm long and have a handle in the middle; these are great for those of us who use rotary cutters! For pattern plastic - I love the gardening plastic idea, but if you can't find it, look for transparent rubble trash bags: these are incredibly sturdy, huge, and a roll of 10 or 20 is very cheap. The hardware store is also a great place to find high-quality fine machinery oil and grease for lubricating your machine, in larger bottles and lower prices per volume too. Little wooden stirring sticks for paint make great hem rulers, and great hem weights for straight curtain panels or roman shades. If you do corsetry, you already know all about the giant, thick zip-ties of course, but if you do lingerie or like to play with funky body edges, the hardware store has great options in wire that costs a lot less than buying the pre-formed stuff (you'll need pliers and cutters, of course, but hey, you're at the hardware store ;) ).
And if you're working in a small space: a pair of the cheapest wood trestle legs and a pre-cut panel make a great on-the-spot cutting table that you can store away behind a door or under the bed.
I also place the paterns I buy from the shop in a medium zip bag as this will keep the patterns in very good condition and i place them in order of the project I am making stand up in a slall rectangle basket or a box. Very handy. Again Thank You. 😊
I worked in a hardware store, and I didn't think those heavy washers were inexpensive at all even with my discount! I found a pattern and demo on YT and made my own (3-D triangle shape filled with rice). They were practically free using scrap fabric. Plus, if the kids decide to play with them, they won't get hurt. I've seen people use their cans of food for weights--pretty clever and also free. A suction handle is great to attach to rotary cutting rulers for easy gripping. Awls are nice tools for sewing, too.
Use a hemostat is a great gadget
Such useful tips, thank you! I use washers too, but for painter's tape- I actually tape my patterns pages with it. I tried to tape with regular transparent tape, but in short time it comes off, but patterns that I have taped with painter's tape lasts for years in perfect condition.
Rocks are free pattern weights
You can paint the washers as well if you want more color! Just be sure to seal it with a clear coat to avoid chipping after a lot of use 😊
Hello! Hammering thick seams is very cathartic!! Have a fabulous today, Steph😁 Happy New Year Everyone!
Great hacks. I have the washers but they came from my husbands workshop down stairs. They needed a good wash before use. 😅
I put fabric ribbon around it ( so colourful on my pattern paper) and glue it with hot glue
Thank you I know now my next shopping destination❤
I have those washers and I need to go get more. Love the idea of using painters tape to get fabric straight on the fold.
I filter distilled water from the water collected by my heat pump dryer. Simply run the collected water through a paper towel or coffee filter to remove any textile particles and it's ready to use.
The work tables at the hardware stores can have drawers and adjustable in height.
Also if you make backpacks or other bags fx, foam "padding" is SO MUCH cheaper at the harware store
Thanks for sharing❤ I love the idea with washers and construction paper. Destilled water and my drawers are from the Hardware Store already.
I love the magnetized tray for pins and the magnet on a stick for picking pins up from the floor.
Also if you happen to have or are close to Harbor Freight or something similar pay them a visit you can purchase most things significantly cheaper prices.
Thanks so much for these tips.
I also bought a long metal ruler that can be fixed to the craft table and used for many things.
When you get your hardware store desk, measure or make sure it is high enough for drawers underneath by already being a good height or adding heavyduty wheels. Also for vibration under machine when sewing fast, just add a cut piece of rubber backed carpet (from hardware store😅) usually they are here in nz $25 for 1 metre square. You could use the offcuts for under other machines or furniture.
I love this video. I like the way you spoke all in one take, or at least without loud change of setting other than clips of the product. And you spoke quietly and calm 😊 I don’t sew garments, like it seems this video was aimed for, but I’ll definitely take some of these. Thanks, great vid :)
Canvas drop cloths
I love the pattern weight idea! Very clever. I have bought this magnetic bowls for my pins. I have 3! For the sewing machine, cutting table & hand sewing by my chair. ❤❤❤ and I use painters tape to indicate on my quilt for machine quilting
Great post, I've learnt a lot. Thank you for sharing.
Stainless steel rulers.
1m, 500cm 30cm and set square. All come in very handy for sewing. And they all have a pre-drilled hole so they hang in the wardrobe without taking up valuable space. In addition to this they’re a lot cheaper and last forever.
£2. Backing/ lining paper (wallpaper) . The pin wheel (tracing wheel) pierces this but leaves your patterns in tact. I pop a table protector underneath prior the tracing patterns. This provides the cushion and protects my hardwood floor. My mum used to use this happily on her carpets growing up. Without protection pads. The pin wheel doesn’t cut fabric just marks paper.
I use a 4' metal ruler for my rotary cutter when i have a long piece to cut. I also got a metal right angle ruler. I can place one side against the wall to keep it from shifting while I'm cutting with the rotary cutter.
great ideas!! i have used the washers and definitely work great. however, i didn't get the film/plastic idea. but its ok, all the other ideas are fantastic!! thank you for the post!
Medical exam table paper works great
This was very helpful, thank you. Especially the paper for drafting patterns :)
I go to the sherwin willams paint shop an buy the big jumbo roll that will last you a year and more.they have different weights of paper from like thick cardboard like for permanent pattern to reuse over and over to light weight.
I love the idea of washers for pattern weights. What is the approximate diameter of the larger weights?
Great ideas!
You can reduce jerking of machine.
Purchase rubber sheet used inside car near feet,people use it for keeping car clean. Purchase from car tool seller or hardware shop.
Put rubber sheet below feet.
Rubber sheet will absorb shock.
Rotary cutters and blades are also cheaper in the hardware section
I had no idea that hardware stores sold rotary cutters and blades. Thank you! I will check it out.
I love your videos thank you
Loved this video, thank you
Canvas drop cloth / head lamp / long tweezers / tool section is FILLED with sewing and craft supplies
what is the canvas drop cloth for? I have a new one I bought for painting but not sure when that will happen :)
I use a tool chest for my cutting table , its just tne right height!?so could be used for ironing space.
New Subscriber! ❤❤ brilliant
What size washers?
My sewing table is electric table from Ikea. Good price.
I have been looking at the work tops at the hardware store. Some of them can change their hight, a great idea for cutting fabric for us taller lady’s, as well as being sturdy for the sewing machine. I use painters tape for marking ruffles for hems to line up with the foundation dress at the 1/2 and 1/4 points.
انتي مبدعه وانا اتعلمت منك الكثير❤
I have been trying to find the large washers at my local hardware stores but have had no luck. They only carry the small ones 😢
Ask men
Best water for irons is free - use boiled water once it has cooled
Tape stretches. Check to be sure it’s down straight.
In the US yellow tape is masking tape. Do Not Buy. The blue tape is painters tape, get that. It has less adhesive and doesn’t leave a mess; yellow masking tape can cause nightmares. It’s gooey with glue and leaves it all over.
Distilled water is cheaper at the grocery store.
Looks more like masking tape than painter's tape.
🙏💚💖💚🙏
Sewing machine oil
ruclips.net/video/3ajc851SsFA/видео.htmlsi=GgjUgKBcVt-hiRdG
JESUS IS COMING AGAIN DONT GET CAUGHT OFF GUARD ❤❤❤