Labels definitely do make an item look more finished, but as someone who has cut every tag out of every article of clothing I’ve ever owned, I simply cannot imagine adding a label onto something that I’ve made
I'm from Australia and have met Kylie (creator of the KATM brand that Wendy used here) and I have never been itched by her labels! She specifically took that issue into consideration. 🙂
Turn your bias maker tool upside down, so that the folded edges are underneath, and it will work more smoothly and consistently. And shoot just a light spritz of starch on there first before running it through the tool and it’s magical.
The rolled hem hack belongs in "there's a tool for this". Like, rolled hem presser feet, folder attachments, etc, are a dime a dozen and with them being made out of polished metal instead of paper they work way, way better.
@@yanabanana5086 Try looking for part number P60666, the super-high to low-shank adapter. That will allow you to use low-shank feet, and you can add a low-shank to snap-on adapter to use snap-on feet. You can also find all-in-one kits that include the super-high adapter, snap-on adapter, and an assortment of snap-on feet.
Never have I seen a person more invested in actually learning something from these hacks without actively trying to debunk them first! I've used the glue one for many years, and the overlocker hacks are PRICELESS!!
you don't need a special sewing company glue pen. The dollar store glue sticks are exactly the same. I use it a lot for quilting. I had the fancy sewing one, other than that it's pink, it's exactly the same. And they make the Uhu sticks in pink that fade when drying too now.
That's good to know because my fabric or stick ran out recently and I need a new cartridge but might just grab a regular stick I should still have laying around instead
@@roxilemieux4632it's just for in the seam allowances. So you sew it a bit but not that much. It's just to hold the pieces together so they don't slip. A little dab will do ya
@@CentraalStationK I don't think that was the issue with my machine at that time, as the problem was fixed after changing out the needle. But it's good to know that that can be a cause, too.
@umbra6615 to be fair, while the timing being out is a big cause of problems, it's still good practice (and potentially much less hassle and expense) for the sewist to check if the needle and threading are right on their own before taking the machine to a professional to get the timing adjusted
One extra tip; when changing the serger threads, I set all four tensions to zero. Then the threads slide right through like a warm knife through butter. 😊
I was forever changed on gathering when I saw you can zig-zag stitch (longest and widest seeing) a string or floss in between and then the gathers are magically easy to adjust
Funnily enough, the overlock "hack" is a legit part of the manual to my overlock machine, and it's a cutie from the end of the 60ies/early 70ies. So that one has been around for a long time 😄 I'm debating with myself, if you can call it a hack, if it is an actual part of the official user guide 🤔 But in the end, I'll go with yes, because a lot of people in this comment section found it so useful ❤
I've started a custom tailor apprenticeship in the past and they showed me this exact same "hack" for not only the overlock machine, but also all the industrial sewing machines. It's pretty handy, but I can imagine it's usually written in the manual ^^
Yes, old machines are so difficult to re-thread that it's almost necessary to use this "hack" (same for industrial machines) I might suggest my mother to try it on her sewing machine too, mine is very easy to thread but hers is not.
I only really hand sew to mend things and the most magical thing I learned was the ladder stitch. It's not a hack, it's just a type of stitch. But I didn't believe it would bring two sides of a hole together so beautifully until I tried it!
I had to look it up. I found out, that I've been using this method instinctively, whenever I had to repair a ripped seam. I did not know it had a name :)
I have been known to do something similar to the ladder stitch but with two threads, each in a separate needle. Each needle starts by exiting the fabric's folded edge on each side exactly opposite each other. Each needle only travels through the folded edge on "its own side". After exiting the fabric the needles take one turn round each other and then go back into the holes they just exited, travelling up that folded edge before exiting again as for the ladder stitch. The needles always exit the fabric folds exactly opposite each other and turning round each other again. This locks the two threads together 'in between the the two layers' and is the closest I've been able to come so far to 'matching' a machine straight stitch. It's a bit of a fuss to do (not hard, just extra time) so I tend to use it for when I want to close the gap I've left in a machine-stitched seam (e.g. where I needed the opening to turn something through) and it is going to show.
I sew professionally, at my job we mostly make boat covers for dinghy boats (among some other stuff, including sails). We actually exclusively glue our seams, and never use pins. But we don't use a glue stick, we use seamstick, which is basically just double sided tape designed for sewing. We have it in 1/2" and 1/4" for different stuff. For sails, it's for two main reasons: One, it keeps the seam exactly the same width, which is important because sails have to be PERFECTLY the same shape. Two, the more holes you poke in the sail cloth, the more air passes through, so we have to limit that as much as possible. For covers, we mostly just use seamstick for time, but also because the material we use is SUPER thick and heavy duty, so pinning it would be an absolute nightmare and it would be almost impossible to keep the seams flat. I'm so used to gluing seams at this point that when I have to pin fabric for my own personal projects I usually don't bother. (It is an incredibly bad habit). I will say from experience though that the downside to glue is that it WILL gunk up your machine, especially if you use it a lot. So if you don't know how to take your machine apart, clean it well, and then put it back together I really do not recommend it. (Or, maybe do it anyway? I didn't know anything about fixing sewing machines before I started working where I do, but out of necessity cause most of our machines are from the 70's or 80's and we mercilessly abuse them, I've gotten pretty good at fixing them.) As for the thread thing? I've seen it awhile ago to tie thread together to feed it instead of feeding it manually, (as an aside the reef/square knot is extremely common in sailing and I always forget that's not everyone's first instinct to tie two things together) but the thread we use is basically equivalent to fishing line since the stuff we sew is designed to sit all day in direct sunlight, and even with the smallest possible knot it doesn't feed through well. But I guess it would work pretty well with normal thread.
I make bags for fun and profit, and I use double-sided tape whenever possible. Sometimes permanent leather tape, sometimes wash-away, depending on materials, but if I can avoid pinning or clipping, you best believe I am going to. 😂
I read your entire comment and enjoyed every second. I live in Michigan which has a huge boat culture. As someone who has assisted with booms and sails, they are really heavy! I'm trying to imagine the type of machines you use to sew the seams. How do you deal with all that tarp that wants to fall on the floor??
I am sure somebodys said this already but rolled hem foots exist and they work way better than the cardstock method! It still takes a bit of babysitting but doesnt all sewing go that way anyway 😢
@@Upper_echelon_exotics That's actually great. I didn't know much before I transitioned from hand-sewing to using a sewing machine, the transition should be easier if you ever want to use a sewing machine. Also, my hand-sewn repairs were atrocious 😂, hacks like these would have helped a bit, you are already miles ahead 😅
When turning an edge right side out, especially if it's scalloped or otherwise fiddly and hard to press, dipping your hands in a bit of water makes it so much easier to work that seam to the outside!
The hack with the folded card for narrow hems- my sewing machine- and my serger- came with a foot that folds the narrow edge as I sew. Very easy to use.
omg, the last one is life changing. I've been sewing for nearly roughly 25 years and I've seen the ones that worked for you before, and use a few of them. another way of turning a really long tube, like if you make a drawstring for a dress is to use some sort of long string inside the entire tube length, secured, at the beginning and kept inside the tube the entire length, then pull the string to turn it. I've only had my serger for a few years now though and I'd never seen the last one with pivoting the fabric and sewing off at a 90 degree angle, and it's brilliant. I don't often see "sewing hacks" that are new to me any more, but they are still fun to watch, so I was very pleasantly surprised to learn this one!
11:52 You can just leave a thread tail when you sew the seam and use that to turn the strap. You don't need the line of basting stitches. Then tie the thread to the eye of a large needle and run it backwards through the tube. Also, the glue is just to hold things in place temporarily before you sew them, since school glue stick glue washes out. (A lot if commenters seem to think they were using the glue to attach things permanently.)
Getting familiar with your serger/overlocker's manual will teach you so many more things you can do besides just finishing a raw edge while joining two pieces of fabric. (and you'll be able to rethread it without the pull through method if you need to)
That serging hack is something I also saw and adopted! Another trick is if you need to turn a corner (like I need to when sewing the two faces of a simple pillowcase together), serge off the edge just a cm or two, lift presser foot, pivot the fabric, bring down the presser foot, then return to serging the next raw edge. No need to break off thread nor deal with loose ends! The excess serging thread at the corner is minimal and you could even just serge right over it. If I serge completely around a perimeter, I cut off the beginning tail, serge over that first inch of serging (it’s like backstitching!) then pivot off like in your last hack. I have a tiny crochet hook handy to pull the ending tail into the loops. Neat and secure!!
I use glue sticks on almost every single project! I use it in lieu of pins for hems, "pinning" linings in place at the waistband, bias tape, facings, trim, you name it. It's washable, so a toss in the wash, and all is forgotten. I could not go back to life without glue!
I just used glue to keep a quilt binding in place before machine stitching in the ditch from the front to catch the back, and I adored it. I mean, it still took over an hour because it was a massive quilt, but compared to the time to hand sew it was a no brainer!
Wouldn’t a rolled hem foot basically do the same as the card stock in the second hack? I’m not sure if you can get them for all machines though so it may not count as “there’s a tool for that”
yes! And I feel like it's a much more elegant and dependable solution. Some of the hacks seem to be demonstrated on industrial machines which sometimes sacrifice foot versatility for specialization and speed, but also it doesn't make sense to depend on a bit of cardstock when you're running an INDUSTRIAL 😂
I dealt with this issue recently. I have a janome memory craft 7700QCP machine that came with a rolled hem foot. I never needed one until a few days ago, so I tried the rolled hem foot that came with it. It turned out to be too narrow (0.35cm wide rolled hem) for what I wanted (0.5cm rolled hem). I could order some rolled hem feet from janome that will fit on my machine but it's not cheap. In my search results I also came across stores selling universal sewing machine pressure feet for 2.5eu per foot or sometimes even per 3 (a set of different sizes). But then I found out those won't fit on my machine because the universal feet are for low shank machines and I own a high shank machine. However, then I came across a store selling an "adapter" piece that you can put on your high shank machine so you can use universal feet. I've emailed them to ask if it would fit on my particular machine. I haven't received a reply yet but it's a busy time for all stores at the moment. I intend on getting that adapter piece and ordering a bunch of universal hemming feet including some smaller rolled hem feet (0.4~0.7cm) and also for bigger hems (0.8~2cm) because it's just so much quicker. I had more than 10m of rolled hem to finish a few days ago. My old method would be to mark, iron the first fold, then iron the second fold, then to do all of the pinning, then sew. But I had learned about something that makes this a bit quicker and neater. So I still marked, then ironed the first fold, then used a large stitch on my machine to stitch the first fold just 1mm away from the folded edge, then trim a bit of the raw edge, then iron the second fold, then sew. This completely eliminates any pinning, and the first stitch line provides stability so it's just much easier. The trimming prevents bulk and makes everything lie flatter. The end result was beautiful and neat. There are two stitch lines visible on the wrong side, only one on the outside. I will do all my rolled hems this way (unless they're 0.35cm wide, since I've got a foot for that) until I get more rolled hem feet.
@@withwendythe advantage of the cardboard hack over the rolled hem foot is that you can put the fabric in a bit more easily. It can be helpful while learning or while trying to figure out if a rolled hem foot is going to be used or not.
You can tie on your serger needle threads with a square knot. When the knot gets close to the needle, hold the thread both in front of the needle and behind it so the knot is going through the needle in a straight line, pull gently until the knot passes through the eye. Works so well!
When I made my daughters circle skirt with 3 layers of ruffles on it, I used my overlocker to do the ruffles. The skirt had close to 100 feet of ruffles to make, and it wasn't going to happen unless there was a machine involved. It was amazing how easy that was. And the ruffles were double layered with a white ruffle on top of the ruffle that matched the skirt. I would totally recommend looking that hack up! I LOVE the reef knot trick... I will be trying it because I have been rethreading my overlocker every time I need new thread. Often enough that I got a couple of needle nosed tweezers to do it!
I hate labels. They irritate my neck skin, and sometimes stick up and look sloppy. I was at a formal event this weekend and formal dresses with sticky uppy labels on the back just look dumb.
I took a home ec style class at a local art school every summer when I was like 11-14, and my teacher was quite the interesting critter overall but she was outwardly against the idea of using glue- not as a permanent solution, but she was also firmly opposed to using glue as a guide or tool of any kind lol. Her argument was that it would keep us from “properly” learning sewing techniques, it was a similar attitude many math teachers had when they say “you won’t have a calculator with you every day” (as in, don’t rely on hacks or things that might prevent you from learning from experience). Safe to say that while I learned a lot from her, I still use glue especially to keep decorative bits in place and even sometimes when sewing rolled hems! Take THAT Miss Meder!
I HATED math classes. Excelled/was in gifted classes for every other subject. Come to find out many years later that it was in large part due to a TBI sustained in a horrible car accident that caused my issues with numerical data. All that to say, my math teachers can suck it because we all do have calculators with us every day (cell phones) now. Would have been a helpful comeback in the early 90s if I could have foreseen the future 😂😂 There was also a bit of a rigid inflexibility back then within teaching methods and I know I would have learned a lot better and not been so frustrated with myself if calculator functions had been a bigger part of the lesson plan. Teachers don’t always know best, but they generally mean well I suppose.
I havent watched the video yet but already know I am going to love it. My biggest improvement in sewing in the last year was when I watched a video about all the fancy sewing feet (is this the correcr plural?) I had in my drawer and how to use them. What a game changer 😅
The slit on the gathers footpresser is used to stitch two pieces of fabrics together. The bottom of the gathers foot will gather and the top will do a basic stitch. I hope that make sense! ☺️
I like Gertie's gathering hack: do a fairly long and wide zigzag stitch over top of a strand of dental floss, then scrunch the fabric in, pin to some other piececof fabric to keep gathers in place, and then sew down in a way that hides your zigzag. Doesn't work for all applications, but it's easy. The gathers feel a little loose, so it's easy to adjust them, but it's also easy for them to come out of place, so pinning straight away is important. Maybe if you didn't do your zigzag as big as I did it wouldn't be an issue. Oh yeah, and your garment may smell a little minty afterwards if you use mint floss. Thanks for trying out these hacks, Wendy! You're saving a lot of us a lot of time 😂
I would have put the zipper triangle in the “ask yourself if you have standards” category considering it’s a bit messy and “only for situations where nobody sees it”. Especially comparing it to how neat it looked before you cut it, with the squared fabric at the end (don’t know how else to describe it).
I actually really got into sewing during covid, I was making very basic masks for everyone I knew. A friend of mine 3D printed bias tape guides in 3 sizes and mailed them to sewists for free, so I got very lucky!
I know a better AND easier paper bias tape maker: Take your paper, and just fold it how the bias tape should be folded. Then you can open it and refold it with your fabric inside. It might not always pull super smooth, but I discovered that you can just iron over the paper, meaning you can make this thing pretty wide and do large chunks at a time. If you need double-fold bias tape this is much easier than the tool.
OMG, I recognized the flowered thrifted item you showed near the beginning of your video! I have a king sized sheet in that pattern that I have owned and treasured since 1975. It became a wall hanging behind my bed in my first apartment and I've since used it as a table cloth, duvet cover, couch cover and a few other uses and it's still one of my favorite things. Now you've inspired me to turn it into a dress! Thank you!
So cool to see you using KATM labels! I'm from Australia and have met Kylie, and have been using her labels for years. And watching you for years! The crossover I didn't know I needed 😂
That serger trick at the end _sounds_ so obvious, but I'd never done it until I saw my friend's wife do it. Feels like oh, instead of tucking and rolling out of a moving vehicle, what do you mean I could just stop the car first??? Changed my life for sure.
For the jeans hack, one has to sew right along the the reverse edge of the existing hem, as in the example video. You sewed a quarter inch away so there was a weird extra bit of material, perhaps what you meant by “bubble”.
For a rolled hem I think the BanRoll tip is a better method. I used a serger in a garment factory, that's where i learned to tie on the new thread by holding both threads together as one and making an overhand knot.
i've been passively watching videos while crocheting for the past few weeks and it's so fun how youtube is trying really hard to figure out my niche. i've been on knitting drama, crafting kits and now i'm given sewing hacks lol
I don’t prefold bias binding anymore. I cut the strips and send it through a binding attachment. Most coverstitch machines will have an attachment to buy for them, but there are generic ones. Attach it to your regular machine with masking tape or poster putty. I like poster putty for making adjustments while feeding it through. Press the bound edge after sewing.
Great video! The bias tape maker works even better with pinning the first bit of completed bias to the ironing board to pull against as you are pressing. Hope this helps!
I've never seen any of your videos before and I'm obsessed now. Your voice is so calming and your whole editing style is just so relaxing, I'm 100% about to binge your entire channel while I crochet!
1) The skipped stitches on knit fabric usually happen with nylon/lycra fabric, which tends to grip the thread so the bobbin race can't always catch the loop at the scarf of the needle. I hold the fabric taut in front of and behind the presser foot to minimize the play in the fabric as I stitch. 2) I always tie my new serger thread on with an overhand knot, as I find the "reef knot" sometimes slips apart, which means I would have to rethread that one by hand. To tie an overhand knot hold the two ends together, make a loop with both threads, and slip the ends through the loop -- it can't come undone, and goes through the looper eyes just fine -- you still have to thread the needle(s) though.
To make your own bias tape I found it so so so easy to use the hack of putting a pin in your sewing board so that it has an opening of the desired size, pre fold the fabric, slowly feed it through and press it. My explanation sounds lengthy but it's really simple and saved when I needed some bias and couldn't run to the shop and get the tool to do it
Omg I always have the same problem with the overlocker I’m deffo gonna try pivoting it from now on!! That finish was cleaaaan 😮💨 I love fabric glue!! I use it for my labels and placing pockets - such life saver!!!! Always a clean finish and super sturdy when sewing. Deffo recommend that to anyone who sews it’s such a great hack 🔥
There is a hack that actually works for turning tubes but it only works if the tube is open on both sides. You have to cut a small hole on the side. Then you place a bobby pin where one leg goes from the outer side through the hole you cut and the other leg sits inside. Then you pull onto the bobby pin and it will turn the tube into itself pretty easily.
the walking foot was a game changer for me. Especially with thin slinky fabric....and omg the pivot on the serger is SUCH A cool tip! i'm hella trying it.
I very highly doubt "withwendy" will read this, but when dealing with stretch, especially something that thin, a tricot foot is a much better option as opposed to a walking foot. It does the same job, but is made for thinner knits. It's also not an expensive foot.
With the shoulder straps hack, I have found thin ribbon works too, sometimes the thread can break so just a little bit of a thicker thread might improve this
I have some very narrow seam tape that is good for this. Cut a piece quite a bit longer than you need as you lose a little piece every time you use it unless you have the patience to unpick the end rather than cutting it off.
I know I've seen that video before and thought why did they sew it shut? And then cut it back open again? I didn't realize they were even trying to hem it!
I just bought the same glue pen, with all the fine detailing I do the pins were just cause problems. I have turning tubes a bit like a plastic straw and a bamboo skewer or chopstick depending on the size tube, best part is it works on any length tubing I make. Once turned I just slide out the tube, it’s about 10-12 inches long and I can turn shoulder strap or belt length. As for shoe string straps well the thread trick is best for them 😹😹 I cheated and bought myself a bias making machine for when I have to make meters and meters of binding. Otherwise I find for short runs it quicker to get the iron out, but now a glue down the one edge so that I’m not struggling with it trying to flip out when sewing it down. I always open one side sew the tape on then flip and stitch. I have 5 different rolled hemming feet it’s simple and fast plus I don’t go fast on the machine as I don’t use a foot peddle, I use the button on the machine. I tried the knee peddle but that like using the foot peddle just caused too much pain. I think that’s why me Mom insisted on buying me that machine 😹😹 I have a walking foot which I use for very thick fabrics, but for the thinner fabrics I have a Teflon foot, it’s used also for sewing vinyl and leather. I have a gathering foot for my machine if I remember to pull it out half the time 😹😹 I also have a special foot for doing 1/4” and 1/2” elastic, for smaller runs I just pin it at both ends and stretch it out and sew. Fast and simple. Got labels I sew them in anywhere but never at the back of my neck area, that’s the very first tag I remove on any bought garments, if I don’t I end up with a nasty rash right where the tag sits 😿😿
On the tube turner. I attach a long length of elastic to the (admittedly smaller) eyelet of my tool. Turns a six inch tool into a 14 foot tool if you need. I use the same tool for dragging cords into drawstring seams.
Elmer's glue stick actually works really well to hold something in place better than any pin while you sew it. Provides some nice stiffness and then washes out! I've done it when patching denim behind holes on a distressed pair of jeans. Then I can sew on the right side of the jeans and see exactly where i want to have my seam.
14:28 my innovation to give jeans a distressed look is to buy them as raw denim and wear them. Like in ye olde times. (insert "you kids get off my lawn" gif) It takes time, as the indigo wears off slowly, but they're unique to me and aren't next to falling apart before I've even put them on. Bonus: the warp threads on my jeans were first dyed rainbow colors, then the denim woven, then dyed in indigo. So as they fade, the rainbow shows. They're so heckin' cool! Naked and Famous is my fave cuz they have a good selection of curvy sizing.
I came here from the video Alexandra Gater did, where they redid your bedroom. It was so neat to see you talking about your mattress and seeing the re-do Alexandra had done in this video. I was so impressed with you on her video that I searched and subscribed even before I'd seen anything of this video. I love your calm. I admire how you showed us hacks we could use as sewers, and I've been wondering how I might incorporate labels into my creations.❤
I always need to re iron bias tape because it unfolds or bc i want it smaller. I just pin a pin onto the ironing board and feed the tape under that, works like a charm
Great video. Thanks. Another one for your list - sewing on a placket where they cut into the fabric at the corners, and then sew the placket on in a straight line
Glue... I hesitated as getting glue on the needle is a nightmare. Will give it a try, but it seems the glue must dry before stitching. Gathering with tension & length adjusted: LOVE it, have used it for years myself. Thread cutting & pulling the next color through can work, BUT no, no not on the air feed machines. I hold the tread tails & let the machine feed it through until it gets to the needle eye. Pivot at edge... will start doing that one today! And finally the one tip you gave along the way... PRACTICE! Always make a test sample. When doing a project, I sometimes make a mini sample of the garment to get any learning done before working the actual fabric. Ideal to use a similar fabric to the planned garment for best end results.
I'm so happy your channel popped up on my feed. I love how you speak, so calm and easy to listen to - and thats even before the helpful content. Subscribed!
I have been sewing over 60 years and most of what you showed yep agree. That last one with the serger turning it to finish is new to me and it will be a game changer for sure. Thank you.
I think I might be the only person that likes to thread my overlocker 😅 It also gives me the chance to give my machine a clean. And my machine has automatic needle threading - I absolutely went up a model just for that feature (Brother 4234D off the top of my head)
Automatic needle threading is one of my favorite features. I have a similar model. I don’t miss the days of licking the thread and trying to thread older machines 😂
The gathering hack changed my life! I do a lot of historical sewing where I often need to gather huge swaths of skirt into a small waistband, and even if I have to go back and adjust it manually when I'm finished, the head start it gives is so handy.
I am so lazy with my overlocker that I knot the new thread to the old thread but when it comes to the knot going through the needles, I just put my foot on the pedal and hammer it through lol!!
For skiping stitches, there are a fantastic solution. Stretch needles. Never skip a stitch again. Regular needles are for wowen fabric. Bonus. There are a wide range of needles for nearly every purpose: jeans, leather, stretchy fabrics, topstitch... And you should change them regurally, because they loose the "end" or point. Of course, thin fabric needs thin needle and thin thread, and so on, they all three should match. No trick, but knowledge. Best wishes.
the problem with the gathering hack is that it only works if you don't need to match the length of the gathered edge to another piece. it also easily bubbles and creates uneven gathering. the best way is 3 (2 if you're lazy) basting stitches next to each other and making the gathers by pulling the fabric while you hold the top threads. it's not like it takes long to make pretty and even gathering
Fun video! But I do want to add that skipped stitches on stretch can often be the result of using the wrong needle! I had this issue on some French terry & only change was from a Universal to a Jersey needle and no more skipped stitches!
My fave method for turning out straps is with a safety pin - you just pin it through the tube on one side and you have a nice little bit of hard metal that you can wiggle through the tube.
A sesing hack I really love is the fork pleating, to pleat as you go through the machine instead of spending hours measuring your oleats and having a spiky agressive project with dozens of needles to hold the pins down
Gluing hack, quilters have been using this for years! I’ve used it for more than 10 years. Love Elmer’s purple washable glue. Sewline and the like are nice but expensive. If you need a narrow line of glue, use a silicon solid paint brush. The bias tape maker is upside down, turn it over with the raw edges down
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the overlock threading one is the first thing I was thought in schools, but important info if you feel like something is holding the thread, lift the machine foot so the tensioner is open
Im not sure if anyone’s already said this, but I’ve found that when making bias tape, ironing the folds ahead of time isn’t necessary, although the method I use does make you use an extra pass through the machine, using more thread. For me it’s faster to just cut the piece of bias, sew it right side (bias piece) to wrong side (fabric), iron the seam flat, fold over and iron the seam allowance on the other side (bias piece), and then edge stitch it to the right side of the fabric. Sometimes you do miss the back edge of the bias piece, but if it’s not gonna be seen from the front and it’s for your own use, this works great for me. I hope this made sense 😅
Cool! Might try some. I've had skipped stitches on knits and stretchy fabrics but usually trying a couple different needles fixes the problem. But tape might be a faster solution I will try!
"Ask Yourself If You Have Standards" is a terrific name for a category.
Labels definitely do make an item look more finished, but as someone who has cut every tag out of every article of clothing I’ve ever owned, I simply cannot imagine adding a label onto something that I’ve made
I couldn't agree more! My neck started to itch as soon as the label went into the dress...
Try labels made out of a silk material, can be small, and you’ll never feel it.
I only sew them on flat, not hanging from an edge
I'm from Australia and have met Kylie (creator of the KATM brand that Wendy used here) and I have never been itched by her labels! She specifically took that issue into consideration. 🙂
As a certified Autistic, nice soft cotton labels are great. Scratchy, cheap, plastic labels are awful.
Turn your bias maker tool upside down, so that the folded edges are underneath, and it will work more smoothly and consistently. And shoot just a light spritz of starch on there first before running it through the tool and it’s magical.
No! Noooooooooooooo! That’s geeeeeeeniiiiiiiius! ❤
omg this is a LOVELY thing to learn thank you!
I gave up on bias maker tools. I'll have to try that, if I still have them.
I have them and still go manual.
Oooo! Thank you for sharing that! Xx
The rolled hem hack belongs in "there's a tool for this". Like, rolled hem presser feet, folder attachments, etc, are a dime a dozen and with them being made out of polished metal instead of paper they work way, way better.
Was gonna say this!!
Yeah, but it could work if you don't have the tool and can't get one for whatever reason
Yeah, they're not available for all the machines tho. I have vintage Kenmore with super high shank, and it took me a year just to find a zipper foot 🙂
@@yanabanana5086 Try looking for part number P60666, the super-high to low-shank adapter. That will allow you to use low-shank feet, and you can add a low-shank to snap-on adapter to use snap-on feet. You can also find all-in-one kits that include the super-high adapter, snap-on adapter, and an assortment of snap-on feet.
I came here to say the same thing
Never have I seen a person more invested in actually learning something from these hacks without actively trying to debunk them first! I've used the glue one for many years, and the overlocker hacks are PRICELESS!!
you don't need a special sewing company glue pen. The dollar store glue sticks are exactly the same. I use it a lot for quilting. I had the fancy sewing one, other than that it's pink, it's exactly the same. And they make the Uhu sticks in pink that fade when drying too now.
Yes, I've been using this method for many years, and it's good I can confess!😆
That's good to know because my fabric or stick ran out recently and I need a new cartridge but might just grab a regular stick I should still have laying around instead
It doesn't gum up your machine? I really want to try it because it seems ingenious, but I feel like it would leave glue goo on my needle.
@@roxilemieux4632it's just for in the seam allowances. So you sew it a bit but not that much. It's just to hold the pieces together so they don't slip. A little dab will do ya
Is it ok to sew through dried glue?
I've also had skipped stitches because of a dull needle! So, if your machine skips, sometimes switching to a new needle might help.
As someone that works with sewing machine repairs, if your machine is skipping you need to check your timing.
@@umbra6615 The timing of the machine, as in, something might be bent? Or the timing of something I am doing?
@@Darenim the timing of the machine, of when the needle picks up the tread etc
@@CentraalStationK I don't think that was the issue with my machine at that time, as the problem was fixed after changing out the needle. But it's good to know that that can be a cause, too.
@umbra6615 to be fair, while the timing being out is a big cause of problems, it's still good practice (and potentially much less hassle and expense) for the sewist to check if the needle and threading are right on their own before taking the machine to a professional to get the timing adjusted
One extra tip; when changing the serger threads, I set all four tensions to zero. Then the threads slide right through like a warm knife through butter. 😊
Or if the machine it's off that works too!
Well at least for me it has 😅
Or lift the pressure feet up
And presser foot up, always when changing thread. Same in sewing machine.
Some machines have a lever to completely release tension on all spools, just for threading like this.
Also if you use size 90 needles you can usually pull the knots through especially if you tied them tight.
I was forever changed on gathering when I saw you can zig-zag stitch (longest and widest seeing) a string or floss in between and then the gathers are magically easy to adjust
I saw that hack and I did it over elastic string, super easy!
And we want the explanation of the gathering foot...
With stretchy or slippery fabrics ive used tissue paper under the material and always works great!
Funnily enough, the overlock "hack" is a legit part of the manual to my overlock machine, and it's a cutie from the end of the 60ies/early 70ies. So that one has been around for a long time 😄 I'm debating with myself, if you can call it a hack, if it is an actual part of the official user guide 🤔 But in the end, I'll go with yes, because a lot of people in this comment section found it so useful ❤
I thought the same thing. If only people read instructions :P.
Same😂
I've started a custom tailor apprenticeship in the past and they showed me this exact same "hack" for not only the overlock machine, but also all the industrial sewing machines. It's pretty handy, but I can imagine it's usually written in the manual ^^
Imagine how many other things they explain in there. 😅😂😂😂
Yes, old machines are so difficult to re-thread that it's almost necessary to use this "hack" (same for industrial machines)
I might suggest my mother to try it on her sewing machine too, mine is very easy to thread but hers is not.
I only really hand sew to mend things and the most magical thing I learned was the ladder stitch. It's not a hack, it's just a type of stitch. But I didn't believe it would bring two sides of a hole together so beautifully until I tried it!
I learned that recently too and now I’m so excited every time I have an opportunity to use a ladder stitch!
Thats the one the beldam uses in the beginning of coraline, and it's exactly as satisfying as they portray it.
ooh yes ladder stitch is my favorite stitch!!
I had to look it up. I found out, that I've been using this method instinctively, whenever I had to repair a ripped seam. I did not know it had a name :)
I have been known to do something similar to the ladder stitch but with two threads, each in a separate needle. Each needle starts by exiting the fabric's folded edge on each side exactly opposite each other. Each needle only travels through the folded edge on "its own side".
After exiting the fabric the needles take one turn round each other and then go back into the holes they just exited, travelling up that folded edge before exiting again as for the ladder stitch. The needles always exit the fabric folds exactly opposite each other and turning round each other again.
This locks the two threads together 'in between the the two layers' and is the closest I've been able to come so far to 'matching' a machine straight stitch. It's a bit of a fuss to do (not hard, just extra time) so I tend to use it for when I want to close the gap I've left in a machine-stitched seam (e.g. where I needed the opening to turn something through) and it is going to show.
I sew professionally, at my job we mostly make boat covers for dinghy boats (among some other stuff, including sails). We actually exclusively glue our seams, and never use pins. But we don't use a glue stick, we use seamstick, which is basically just double sided tape designed for sewing. We have it in 1/2" and 1/4" for different stuff. For sails, it's for two main reasons: One, it keeps the seam exactly the same width, which is important because sails have to be PERFECTLY the same shape. Two, the more holes you poke in the sail cloth, the more air passes through, so we have to limit that as much as possible. For covers, we mostly just use seamstick for time, but also because the material we use is SUPER thick and heavy duty, so pinning it would be an absolute nightmare and it would be almost impossible to keep the seams flat. I'm so used to gluing seams at this point that when I have to pin fabric for my own personal projects I usually don't bother. (It is an incredibly bad habit). I will say from experience though that the downside to glue is that it WILL gunk up your machine, especially if you use it a lot. So if you don't know how to take your machine apart, clean it well, and then put it back together I really do not recommend it. (Or, maybe do it anyway? I didn't know anything about fixing sewing machines before I started working where I do, but out of necessity cause most of our machines are from the 70's or 80's and we mercilessly abuse them, I've gotten pretty good at fixing them.)
As for the thread thing? I've seen it awhile ago to tie thread together to feed it instead of feeding it manually, (as an aside the reef/square knot is extremely common in sailing and I always forget that's not everyone's first instinct to tie two things together) but the thread we use is basically equivalent to fishing line since the stuff we sew is designed to sit all day in direct sunlight, and even with the smallest possible knot it doesn't feed through well. But I guess it would work pretty well with normal thread.
Yeah no kidding doesn't everybody default to that knot? Is it just because I learned it in scouts when I was about 7 that I think they do?
I make bags for fun and profit, and I use double-sided tape whenever possible. Sometimes permanent leather tape, sometimes wash-away, depending on materials, but if I can avoid pinning or clipping, you best believe I am going to. 😂
Love your professional expertise and wisdom here. Thank you for sharing!
@@-beee- I love talking about sewing and my job in general, it is one of my favorite topics lol
I read your entire comment and enjoyed every second. I live in Michigan which has a huge boat culture. As someone who has assisted with booms and sails, they are really heavy! I'm trying to imagine the type of machines you use to sew the seams. How do you deal with all that tarp that wants to fall on the floor??
I am sure somebodys said this already but rolled hem foots exist and they work way better than the cardstock method! It still takes a bit of babysitting but doesnt all sewing go that way anyway 😢
I was thinking the same thing!
I'm embarrassingly proud of myself for knowing and already doing the hacks that worked. Small victories😂😂
proud of you, my people 🥲
Me too even though I don't know how to use a sewing machine 🤣 the most I do is small repairs by hand
@@Upper_echelon_exotics
That's actually great. I didn't know much before I transitioned from hand-sewing to using a sewing machine, the transition should be easier if you ever want to use a sewing machine.
Also, my hand-sewn repairs were atrocious 😂, hacks like these would have helped a bit, you are already miles ahead 😅
Ooooh, the last hack!! I need to do that! I’ve always just swerved off, but the pivot method!! 👌🏻
Idk why but RUclips just asked me to rate your comment for some reason
When turning an edge right side out, especially if it's scalloped or otherwise fiddly and hard to press, dipping your hands in a bit of water makes it so much easier to work that seam to the outside!
The hack with the folded card for narrow hems- my sewing machine- and my serger- came with a foot that folds the narrow edge as I sew. Very easy to use.
Yeah, that one belongs in "there's a tool for that"
Yeah, for anyone looking to purchase one. It’s called a rolled hem foot
And my brand of machine comes with different widths of the foot, so the twist of the folded edge can be narrow or wide.
omg, the last one is life changing. I've been sewing for nearly roughly 25 years and I've seen the ones that worked for you before, and use a few of them. another way of turning a really long tube, like if you make a drawstring for a dress is to use some sort of long string inside the entire tube length, secured, at the beginning and kept inside the tube the entire length, then pull the string to turn it. I've only had my serger for a few years now though and I'd never seen the last one with pivoting the fabric and sewing off at a 90 degree angle, and it's brilliant. I don't often see "sewing hacks" that are new to me any more, but they are still fun to watch, so I was very pleasantly surprised to learn this one!
wait, isn’t your tube turning trick exactly what the tube hack was? where a basting thread was used to turn the tube?
11:52 You can just leave a thread tail when you sew the seam and use that to turn the strap. You don't need the line of basting stitches. Then tie the thread to the eye of a large needle and run it backwards through the tube.
Also, the glue is just to hold things in place temporarily before you sew them, since school glue stick glue washes out. (A lot if commenters seem to think they were using the glue to attach things permanently.)
Getting familiar with your serger/overlocker's manual will teach you so many more things you can do besides just finishing a raw edge while joining two pieces of fabric. (and you'll be able to rethread it without the pull through method if you need to)
Applause
That serging hack is something I also saw and adopted! Another trick is if you need to turn a corner (like I need to when sewing the two faces of a simple pillowcase together), serge off the edge just a cm or two, lift presser foot, pivot the fabric, bring down the presser foot, then return to serging the next raw edge. No need to break off thread nor deal with loose ends! The excess serging thread at the corner is minimal and you could even just serge right over it. If I serge completely around a perimeter, I cut off the beginning tail, serge over that first inch of serging (it’s like backstitching!) then pivot off like in your last hack. I have a tiny crochet hook handy to pull the ending tail into the loops. Neat and secure!!
My favorite sewing hack, find someone who can sew because I can't sew a straight line to save myself. lol
Who needs straight lines anyway? Humans are all bendy and curvy.
I use glue sticks on almost every single project! I use it in lieu of pins for hems, "pinning" linings in place at the waistband, bias tape, facings, trim, you name it. It's washable, so a toss in the wash, and all is forgotten. I could not go back to life without glue!
This seems like an awesome hack, I was just wondering, do you get glue residue on your needle or your machine?
I just used glue to keep a quilt binding in place before machine stitching in the ditch from the front to catch the back, and I adored it. I mean, it still took over an hour because it was a massive quilt, but compared to the time to hand sew it was a no brainer!
Doesnt it get the needle sticky? Thats why i never tried it
@@LynnHermionethis is my concern too. I'd love to save time spent pinning. Maybe applying glue in the seam allowance would be fine?
Wouldn’t a rolled hem foot basically do the same as the card stock in the second hack? I’m not sure if you can get them for all machines though so it may not count as “there’s a tool for that”
yes! And I feel like it's a much more elegant and dependable solution. Some of the hacks seem to be demonstrated on industrial machines which sometimes sacrifice foot versatility for specialization and speed, but also it doesn't make sense to depend on a bit of cardstock when you're running an INDUSTRIAL 😂
I dealt with this issue recently. I have a janome memory craft 7700QCP machine that came with a rolled hem foot. I never needed one until a few days ago, so I tried the rolled hem foot that came with it. It turned out to be too narrow (0.35cm wide rolled hem) for what I wanted (0.5cm rolled hem). I could order some rolled hem feet from janome that will fit on my machine but it's not cheap. In my search results I also came across stores selling universal sewing machine pressure feet for 2.5eu per foot or sometimes even per 3 (a set of different sizes). But then I found out those won't fit on my machine because the universal feet are for low shank machines and I own a high shank machine.
However, then I came across a store selling an "adapter" piece that you can put on your high shank machine so you can use universal feet. I've emailed them to ask if it would fit on my particular machine. I haven't received a reply yet but it's a busy time for all stores at the moment.
I intend on getting that adapter piece and ordering a bunch of universal hemming feet including some smaller rolled hem feet (0.4~0.7cm) and also for bigger hems (0.8~2cm) because it's just so much quicker.
I had more than 10m of rolled hem to finish a few days ago. My old method would be to mark, iron the first fold, then iron the second fold, then to do all of the pinning, then sew.
But I had learned about something that makes this a bit quicker and neater. So I still marked, then ironed the first fold, then used a large stitch on my machine to stitch the first fold just 1mm away from the folded edge, then trim a bit of the raw edge, then iron the second fold, then sew. This completely eliminates any pinning, and the first stitch line provides stability so it's just much easier. The trimming prevents bulk and makes everything lie flatter. The end result was beautiful and neat. There are two stitch lines visible on the wrong side, only one on the outside. I will do all my rolled hems this way (unless they're 0.35cm wide, since I've got a foot for that) until I get more rolled hem feet.
@@withwendythe advantage of the cardboard hack over the rolled hem foot is that you can put the fabric in a bit more easily. It can be helpful while learning or while trying to figure out if a rolled hem foot is going to be used or not.
You can tie on your serger needle threads with a square knot. When the knot gets close to the needle, hold the thread both in front of the needle and behind it so the knot is going through the needle in a straight line, pull gently until the knot passes through the eye. Works so well!
When I made my daughters circle skirt with 3 layers of ruffles on it, I used my overlocker to do the ruffles. The skirt had close to 100 feet of ruffles to make, and it wasn't going to happen unless there was a machine involved. It was amazing how easy that was. And the ruffles were double layered with a white ruffle on top of the ruffle that matched the skirt. I would totally recommend looking that hack up!
I LOVE the reef knot trick... I will be trying it because I have been rethreading my overlocker every time I need new thread. Often enough that I got a couple of needle nosed tweezers to do it!
I hate labels. They irritate my neck skin, and sometimes stick up and look sloppy. I was at a formal event this weekend and formal dresses with sticky uppy labels on the back just look dumb.
I took a home ec style class at a local art school every summer when I was like 11-14, and my teacher was quite the interesting critter overall but she was outwardly against the idea of using glue- not as a permanent solution, but she was also firmly opposed to using glue as a guide or tool of any kind lol. Her argument was that it would keep us from “properly” learning sewing techniques, it was a similar attitude many math teachers had when they say “you won’t have a calculator with you every day” (as in, don’t rely on hacks or things that might prevent you from learning from experience). Safe to say that while I learned a lot from her, I still use glue especially to keep decorative bits in place and even sometimes when sewing rolled hems! Take THAT Miss Meder!
I HATED math classes. Excelled/was in gifted classes for every other subject. Come to find out many years later that it was in large part due to a TBI sustained in a horrible car accident that caused my issues with numerical data. All that to say, my math teachers can suck it because we all do have calculators with us every day (cell phones) now. Would have been a helpful comeback in the early 90s if I could have foreseen the future 😂😂 There was also a bit of a rigid inflexibility back then within teaching methods and I know I would have learned a lot better and not been so frustrated with myself if calculator functions had been a bigger part of the lesson plan. Teachers don’t always know best, but they generally mean well I suppose.
I havent watched the video yet but already know I am going to love it. My biggest improvement in sewing in the last year was when I watched a video about all the fancy sewing feet (is this the correcr plural?) I had in my drawer and how to use them. What a game changer 😅
The slit on the gathers footpresser is used to stitch two pieces of fabrics together. The bottom of the gathers foot will gather and the top will do a basic stitch. I hope that make sense! ☺️
I like Gertie's gathering hack: do a fairly long and wide zigzag stitch over top of a strand of dental floss, then scrunch the fabric in, pin to some other piececof fabric to keep gathers in place, and then sew down in a way that hides your zigzag. Doesn't work for all applications, but it's easy. The gathers feel a little loose, so it's easy to adjust them, but it's also easy for them to come out of place, so pinning straight away is important. Maybe if you didn't do your zigzag as big as I did it wouldn't be an issue. Oh yeah, and your garment may smell a little minty afterwards if you use mint floss. Thanks for trying out these hacks, Wendy! You're saving a lot of us a lot of time 😂
I would have put the zipper triangle in the “ask yourself if you have standards” category considering it’s a bit messy and “only for situations where nobody sees it”. Especially comparing it to how neat it looked before you cut it, with the squared fabric at the end (don’t know how else to describe it).
I actually really got into sewing during covid, I was making very basic masks for everyone I knew. A friend of mine 3D printed bias tape guides in 3 sizes and mailed them to sewists for free, so I got very lucky!
The walking foot crucial for machine quilting too. Fab ranking system!
I know a better AND easier paper bias tape maker: Take your paper, and just fold it how the bias tape should be folded. Then you can open it and refold it with your fabric inside. It might not always pull super smooth, but I discovered that you can just iron over the paper, meaning you can make this thing pretty wide and do large chunks at a time. If you need double-fold bias tape this is much easier than the tool.
OMG, I recognized the flowered thrifted item you showed near the beginning of your video! I have a king sized sheet in that pattern that I have owned and treasured since 1975. It became a wall hanging behind my bed in my first apartment and I've since used it as a table cloth, duvet cover, couch cover and a few other uses and it's still one of my favorite things. Now you've inspired me to turn it into a dress! Thank you!
Really liked the overlocker hack. As far as the tape on the foot is concerned you can get specialist smooth plastic or teflon feet for most machines.
Realizing I had one the whole time and never used it😭
"All jeans". No, just distressed jeans. Which I don't buy, because I can and will wear them down on my own, thank you very much.
One hack I’ve yet to try is attaching both ends of a short bendable straw to the two points of your feet when sewing lace fabrics.
So cool to see you using KATM labels! I'm from Australia and have met Kylie, and have been using her labels for years. And watching you for years! The crossover I didn't know I needed 😂
That serger trick at the end _sounds_ so obvious, but I'd never done it until I saw my friend's wife do it. Feels like oh, instead of tucking and rolling out of a moving vehicle, what do you mean I could just stop the car first??? Changed my life for sure.
I have added eight of those hacks to my "Tips and Tricks" documentation. This was a great 20-minute sewing class. :)
For the jeans hack, one has to sew right along the the reverse edge of the existing hem, as in the example video. You sewed a quarter inch away so there was a weird extra bit of material, perhaps what you meant by “bubble”.
For a rolled hem I think the BanRoll tip is a better method.
I used a serger in a garment factory, that's where i learned to tie on the new thread by holding both threads together as one and making an overhand knot.
i've been passively watching videos while crocheting for the past few weeks and it's so fun how youtube is trying really hard to figure out my niche. i've been on knitting drama, crafting kits and now i'm given sewing hacks lol
Same! I don't sew but I love her voice and calming demeanor. ❤
9:47 a teflon foot is also an option if the fabric is pulling a little on a regular foot
I don’t prefold bias binding anymore. I cut the strips and send it through a binding attachment. Most coverstitch machines will have an attachment to buy for them, but there are generic ones. Attach it to your regular machine with masking tape or poster putty. I like poster putty for making adjustments while feeding it through. Press the bound edge after sewing.
Great video! The bias tape maker works even better with pinning the first bit of completed bias to the ironing board to pull against as you are pressing. Hope this helps!
Yes skipping stitches is a problem! That and the needle getting tangled into the literal first spot when I try to “set” it at the beginning.
I've used sprayed on glue when I was making bras to keep the layers of filmsy fabric together. Got the work done.
I've never seen any of your videos before and I'm obsessed now. Your voice is so calming and your whole editing style is just so relaxing, I'm 100% about to binge your entire channel while I crochet!
1) The skipped stitches on knit fabric usually happen with nylon/lycra fabric, which tends to grip the thread so the bobbin race can't always catch the loop at the scarf of the needle. I hold the fabric taut in front of and behind the presser foot to minimize the play in the fabric as I stitch. 2) I always tie my new serger thread on with an overhand knot, as I find the "reef knot" sometimes slips apart, which means I would have to rethread that one by hand. To tie an overhand knot hold the two ends together, make a loop with both threads, and slip the ends through the loop -- it can't come undone, and goes through the looper eyes just fine -- you still have to thread the needle(s) though.
To make your own bias tape I found it so so so easy to use the hack of putting a pin in your sewing board so that it has an opening of the desired size, pre fold the fabric, slowly feed it through and press it. My explanation sounds lengthy but it's really simple and saved when I needed some bias and couldn't run to the shop and get the tool to do it
Omg I always have the same problem with the overlocker I’m deffo gonna try pivoting it from now on!! That finish was cleaaaan 😮💨
I love fabric glue!! I use it for my labels and placing pockets - such life saver!!!! Always a clean finish and super sturdy when sewing. Deffo recommend that to anyone who sews it’s such a great hack 🔥
There is a hack that actually works for turning tubes but it only works if the tube is open on both sides. You have to cut a small hole on the side. Then you place a bobby pin where one leg goes from the outer side through the hole you cut and the other leg sits inside. Then you pull onto the bobby pin and it will turn the tube into itself pretty easily.
the walking foot was a game changer for me. Especially with thin slinky fabric....and omg the pivot on the serger is SUCH A cool tip! i'm hella trying it.
I very highly doubt "withwendy" will read this, but when dealing with stretch, especially something that thin, a tricot foot is a much better option as opposed to a walking foot. It does the same job, but is made for thinner knits. It's also not an expensive foot.
With the shoulder straps hack, I have found thin ribbon works too, sometimes the thread can break so just a little bit of a thicker thread might improve this
I have some very narrow seam tape that is good for this. Cut a piece quite a bit longer than you need as you lose a little piece every time you use it unless you have the patience to unpick the end rather than cutting it off.
On the hemming hack, they sewed the jeans shut. It was not around the sewing machine, it was just right across the leg!
I know I've seen that video before and thought why did they sew it shut? And then cut it back open again? I didn't realize they were even trying to hem it!
I just bought the same glue pen, with all the fine detailing I do the pins were just cause problems.
I have turning tubes a bit like a plastic straw and a bamboo skewer or chopstick depending on the size tube, best part is it works on any length tubing I make. Once turned I just slide out the tube, it’s about 10-12 inches long and I can turn shoulder strap or belt length. As for shoe string straps well the thread trick is best for them 😹😹
I cheated and bought myself a bias making machine for when I have to make meters and meters of binding. Otherwise I find for short runs it quicker to get the iron out, but now a glue down the one edge so that I’m not struggling with it trying to flip out when sewing it down. I always open one side sew the tape on then flip and stitch.
I have 5 different rolled hemming feet it’s simple and fast plus I don’t go fast on the machine as I don’t use a foot peddle, I use the button on the machine. I tried the knee peddle but that like using the foot peddle just caused too much pain. I think that’s why me Mom insisted on buying me that machine 😹😹
I have a walking foot which I use for very thick fabrics, but for the thinner fabrics I have a Teflon foot, it’s used also for sewing vinyl and leather.
I have a gathering foot for my machine if I remember to pull it out half the time 😹😹 I also have a special foot for doing 1/4” and 1/2” elastic, for smaller runs I just pin it at both ends and stretch it out and sew. Fast and simple.
Got labels I sew them in anywhere but never at the back of my neck area, that’s the very first tag I remove on any bought garments, if I don’t I end up with a nasty rash right where the tag sits 😿😿
On the tube turner. I attach a long length of elastic to the (admittedly smaller) eyelet of my tool. Turns a six inch tool into a 14 foot tool if you need. I use the same tool for dragging cords into drawstring seams.
Elmer's glue stick actually works really well to hold something in place better than any pin while you sew it. Provides some nice stiffness and then washes out! I've done it when patching denim behind holes on a distressed pair of jeans. Then I can sew on the right side of the jeans and see exactly where i want to have my seam.
14:28 my innovation to give jeans a distressed look is to buy them as raw denim and wear them. Like in ye olde times. (insert "you kids get off my lawn" gif) It takes time, as the indigo wears off slowly, but they're unique to me and aren't next to falling apart before I've even put them on.
Bonus: the warp threads on my jeans were first dyed rainbow colors, then the denim woven, then dyed in indigo. So as they fade, the rainbow shows. They're so heckin' cool! Naked and Famous is my fave cuz they have a good selection of curvy sizing.
I came here from the video Alexandra Gater did, where they redid your bedroom. It was so neat to see you talking about your mattress and seeing the re-do Alexandra had done in this video. I was so impressed with you on her video that I searched and subscribed even before I'd seen anything of this video. I love your calm. I admire how you showed us hacks we could use as sewers, and I've been wondering how I might incorporate labels into my creations.❤
I always need to re iron bias tape because it unfolds or bc i want it smaller. I just pin a pin onto the ironing board and feed the tape under that, works like a charm
Great video. Thanks. Another one for your list - sewing on a placket where they cut into the fabric at the corners, and then sew the placket on in a straight line
Catherine Sews, another Canadian Seamstress who I watch has a great hack for making a crisp edge when using a serger and finishing a piece.
Glue... I hesitated as getting glue on the needle is a nightmare. Will give it a try, but it seems the glue must dry before stitching. Gathering with tension & length adjusted: LOVE it, have used it for years myself. Thread cutting & pulling the next color through can work, BUT no, no not on the air feed machines. I hold the tread tails & let the machine feed it through until it gets to the needle eye. Pivot at edge... will start doing that one today! And finally the one tip you gave along the way... PRACTICE! Always make a test sample. When doing a project, I sometimes make a mini sample of the garment to get any learning done before working the actual fabric. Ideal to use a similar fabric to the planned garment for best end results.
I'm so happy your channel popped up on my feed. I love how you speak, so calm and easy to listen to - and thats even before the helpful content. Subscribed!
I have been sewing over 60 years and most of what you showed yep agree. That last one with the serger turning it to finish is new to me and it will be a game changer for sure. Thank you.
this just made me want a whole video of "straight to jail" hacks lmao
I think I might be the only person that likes to thread my overlocker 😅
It also gives me the chance to give my machine a clean.
And my machine has automatic needle threading - I absolutely went up a model just for that feature (Brother 4234D off the top of my head)
Automatic needle threading is one of my favorite features. I have a similar model. I don’t miss the days of licking the thread and trying to thread older machines 😂
Omg! A sewing comedian! I love this! Helpful, too!!
Sewing police 😂
I’m a beginner and I don’t understand a word here but I like your explanations here and there which wants me to continue watching and learning !
The gathering hack changed my life! I do a lot of historical sewing where I often need to gather huge swaths of skirt into a small waistband, and even if I have to go back and adjust it manually when I'm finished, the head start it gives is so handy.
I am so lazy with my overlocker that I knot the new thread to the old thread but when it comes to the knot going through the needles, I just put my foot on the pedal and hammer it through lol!!
7:03 "(trying to engage all my learnings)" Oh my goodness, i need that on a t-shirt! 🤣🙌
Using a stretch needle or a needle for knit fabric is the easiest solution.
I find it so peaceful hearing her talk 🥹🥺🌟 and the baby
God bless her 🙏🏻
The second hack should actually be on "there is a tool for this" cause the rolled hem foot exists, there are even different sizes
I have one and love it. Just needs a little practice to get it right but they are priceless .
For jeans, i cut off that classic bottom seam, cut the jeans to the length i need, then resew just that bottom part on using jeans thread!
Love your mindful point of view on this, happy I came across your channel!
For skiping stitches, there are a fantastic solution. Stretch needles. Never skip a stitch again. Regular needles are for wowen fabric. Bonus. There are a wide range of needles for nearly every purpose: jeans, leather, stretchy fabrics, topstitch... And you should change them regurally, because they loose the "end" or point.
Of course, thin fabric needs thin needle and thin thread, and so on, they all three should match.
No trick, but knowledge.
Best wishes.
the problem with the gathering hack is that it only works if you don't need to match the length of the gathered edge to another piece. it also easily bubbles and creates uneven gathering. the best way is 3 (2 if you're lazy) basting stitches next to each other and making the gathers by pulling the fabric while you hold the top threads. it's not like it takes long to make pretty and even gathering
Fun video! But I do want to add that skipped stitches on stretch can often be the result of using the wrong needle! I had this issue on some French terry & only change was from a Universal to a Jersey needle and no more skipped stitches!
This video reminded me I need to get a walking foot for my Janome! I love it on my brother!
My fave method for turning out straps is with a safety pin - you just pin it through the tube on one side and you have a nice little bit of hard metal that you can wiggle through the tube.
A sesing hack I really love is the fork pleating, to pleat as you go through the machine instead of spending hours measuring your oleats and having a spiky agressive project with dozens of needles to hold the pins down
Gluing hack, quilters have been using this for years! I’ve used it for more than 10 years. Love Elmer’s purple washable glue. Sewline and the like are nice but expensive. If you need a narrow line of glue, use a silicon solid paint brush. The bias tape maker is upside down, turn it over with the raw edges down
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Wendy, the link doesn’t work.
The one in the description works!
@@moda78z Fixed it thank you!!
the overlock threading one is the first thing I was thought in schools, but important info if you feel like something is holding the thread, lift the machine foot so the tensioner is open
I would also recommend first trying how glue works on some scrap, so you don't accidentally ruin your work
The overlock hacks were amazing! Those have definitely changed me for good
I gasped with pivoting, like what kind of sorcery is that! I'm forever changed
Oh my gosh. Will be trying that pivot for my surgery now. Life changing.
Her vibe is so relaxing 🤩
Im not sure if anyone’s already said this, but I’ve found that when making bias tape, ironing the folds ahead of time isn’t necessary, although the method I use does make you use an extra pass through the machine, using more thread. For me it’s faster to just cut the piece of bias, sew it right side (bias piece) to wrong side (fabric), iron the seam flat, fold over and iron the seam allowance on the other side (bias piece), and then edge stitch it to the right side of the fabric. Sometimes you do miss the back edge of the bias piece, but if it’s not gonna be seen from the front and it’s for your own use, this works great for me. I hope this made sense 😅
Cool! Might try some. I've had skipped stitches on knits and stretchy fabrics but usually trying a couple different needles fixes the problem. But tape might be a faster solution I will try!
Glue basting is so great for bias tape. Elmers works fine.
My grandmother actually taught me that last one! It's a lifesaver for me