my #1 tip for sewing is that EVERYTHING can be undone, redone, adjusted, etc. UNTIL YOU CUT. So measuring properly, trying things on, and using good scissors/blades that give you the control and precision you need is essential
ohh i like that. "to finish fast, go slow." i also in the past, and was reminded of this, have loved "if you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
I've also heard the military slang "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" - go slow and do it right, and you won't take forever trying to fix a mistake or ruin the piece entirely.
I've been sewing for 30 years. My number one tip. TAKE YOUR TIME! I made a wool/satin coat three years ago. It took me 3 months to complete because I refused to work on it when I was tired as the fabrics cost far too much to mess up on. Three years later it's still my favorite coat and I get so many compliments on it. Feels pretty good knowing how much work went into it. My second tip would be youtube tutorials and trial patches. New technique, do a scrap sample to get to know it. Dont do it in the garment the first time. Good luck!!
Any suggestions as to what sewing machine is best for beginners? I have never used a sewing machine in my whole life and at the age of 43 decided to learn hope up sew
Number one tip: learn how to finish seams nicely without a serger/overlocker. I've been sewing for 6 years for myself and never bought a serger. This led me to skimp on finishing when I was a beginner: as I was using knits and jerseys, fabrics that don't fray a lot, I thought I could get away with it. As I got better, I realized just how crappy unfinished seams looked and learned how to finish my seams properly either by using French seams, mock French seams, felling down by hand the seam allowances, bias binding, or lining the garment. It makes your clothes look and feel so luxurious to have beautifully finished seams, and they last much longer.
Another good alternative to an overlock-machine is using a wide zick-zack stitch: just press your seams, then sew a zick-zack stitch over the raw edge - either each side separately or gather both edges together, stitch and then press them into on side of the garment.
@@jimiwills A serger or an overlocker is a special type of sewing machine used to either finish seams or sew and finish them simultaneously, used in a more industrial/large-scale setting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlock
I have a toxic relationship with wanting a serger. Because it would make sewing simple garments easier. But it would also make my more delicate clothes look like shit. Because french seams are luxurious. So I'm on a limbo whether I need one or I just want one to have one. French seams all the way baby!
Time stamps for anyone rewatching this: 0:38- tip #1, fabric choice 4:09- tip #2, proto-freaking type 6:54- tip #3, press and trim…always! 8:01- tip #4, perfect your finishings 8:50- tip #5, do your research 9:47- tip #6, the inside is as important as the outside 11:19- tip #7, cut zero corners
I cannot agree more. I realized that I was getting impatient and cutting corners with my first couple projects and had to nip it in the bud, embrace the perfectionist in me, and take my time. I also had to remind myself that as a beginner, I'm not going to be completing a whole garment within a few hours, even an easy one. Now I'm on my third and fourth projects and I've learned so much by simply researching techniques, fabrics, how to use pattern, and properly measuring and cutting. My biggest lesson has been to take it slow and choose projects at my sewing level. It's so good to practice basic techniques and learn what you're good and bad at. My other tip is to go ahead and invest in high quality supplies, like the right presser feet, better thread, good scissors, etc. You don't have to go crazy and get all the fanciest stuff, but you need a solid base of supplies that will last.
The more first projects I want to do, the more I realize how much I have to buy (ribbing, pattern paper, interfacing, elastics, and on it goes). I don't want to waste the organic fabric I buy so I have to make a toile or practice with something that is similar but cheaper. Anyway, to your point, practicing the thing on scrap fabric or ones we don't care about is an extra step, but worth the lesson.
My dad made me the most gorgeous wooden clapper. I use it EVERY time I sew/press. I definitely spend more time at the ironing board than the sewing machine. For me,sewing has turned into 10% sewing, 20% pressing, 50% collecting fabric, 20% watching other people sew on youtube and taking notes for my sewing binder. Reallocation of time is desperately needed.😮
Girl, it’s totally fine. Most people are sitting on their asses 100 % of time doing absolutely nothing nearly as productive. To me thinking about a new project and deciding which fabric to choose etc can take months or even years and who cares? Those are often the best pieces, some of them worn for many many years, totally worth the thought I put into them.
@@brinta19 I was lucky enough to have 3 dads. This particular dad adopted me at 3 days old and is the last one alive, barely hanging on from cancer. I'm on Arizona and he's in Alabama and I sure do miss him. He's very creative and handy and can build or fix anything. His craftsmanship is exquisite. But he's withered down to maybe 70-80 pounds. He was able to be a spokesperson and volunteer for prostate cancer awareness and newly diagnosed and helped so many men over the years. I'm very proud of him.
Very good tips! But just a note for people who are beginners, who are hobbyist, who have other responsibilities and little time to sew, who are trying to learn a new skill.... Don't stress it. This is something to aspire to, not an absolute rule you absolutely have to follow. I don't say this to undermine her, but because I understand what it's like to not have the tools or the skills or the time. And I don't want people to think you can't sew if you can't achieve this right away. Think of it as something to work towards over time, not a qualification you have to hit immediately. If you sew something for yourself or a family member, and it looks homemade, that's not the end of the world. It's okay. The next time you sew something, you'll do better. And the next time, even better. So many people (like me) have the perfectionist mindset and we struggle to actually produce what we see in our mind's eye. It's okay if you can't quite get things perfect yet, it's okay if you don't have money for a dress form or a serger or a steam iron or extra fabric or any of it. It's okay if you don't know how to do various hems and finishes. It's okay if you struggle at the math or reading patterns. So long as you try your best and enjoy your experience, you'll still be learning valuable skills. If you stress yourself so much you no longer enjoy sewing you'll stop. As long as you keep going your skills will grow, and eventually you might even fix some of your earlier problems, and that's really satisfying. So, these are excellent tips for looking more professional! But if you're not there yet, it's okay, just take your time!
I fully agree! And would point out to new sewists that the two you should really attend most to at first are the pressing and the stabilizing of your raw edges, especially if it's a garment that will get worn and washed and worn again. It's heartbreaking to have something you love start raveling from the raw edges to the point that it ravels to the seam and starts failing.
This is really helpful for those of us who suffer from perfectionism. This is the second comment in one hour I’ve seen about this. It’s better to produce then improve, produce then improve rather than getting put off starting or continuing because something wasn’t quite perfect.
THIS!! Ive abandoned so many hobbies bc the perfectionism destroyed me. personally, sewing & other textile work is much more satisfying bc I think u can make mistakes & there is still huge value in the piece. NOBODY is policing ur sewing bc the average person cant sew & cant tell the difference. learning is so fun 1 step @ a time. if u want 2 improve, do it 4 urself. but u dont have 2.
Wash, dry and iron the fabric before you start. Iron it! Washing and drying will pre-shrink the fabric but many then don't iron it. You're not cutting accurate pattern pieces if it's all bubbled underneath. Use the same thread type as your fabric type. Using polyester thread on cotton can be ok, but threads shrink and warp too. If they are doing this differently to your fabric it can create puckering, so try to match them. On that note, match the colours. Using black thread on navy fabric will be noticed, it will cheapen the look of your garment. But my biggest gripe is pattern placement. Centre the damn pattern. More than that, lay your pattern piece beside the print and get an idea of what is landing where. If you're working with a big floral you may not want those two flowers right over your boobs, so move the pattern piece up or down the fabric to allow for that. Yes, it might cost you some extra fabric but it will really affect your overall happiness with the project. Say you're working with a repeating unicorn print for a t-shirt and you centre the unicorn but then line the pattern piece as close as you can to the edge of the fabric, it's only when you've sewn it up that you realise front and centre, right at the neckline, you have a headless unicorn. Be mindful of these things before you cut your fabric. Even stripes need centering and thought, we aren't only referring to fun prints and florals. This can flow on into pattern matching which is a more advanced skill. Start by centering.
Question about washing and drying fabric before starting... I'm 100% brand new and only have sewn a pillow lol but I did wash and dry the (Cheapy) fabric I bought because I just think anything from the store is disgusting lol and um the fabric nearly came apart from the cut edges in the wash... does it need to be sewn on the cut edge just to avoid this or is it because I was using cheap ass scrap fabric lol
@@lololmanidek It's more likely the kind of fabric it was. Some fray worse than others. All woven fabrics will fray to some extent. A lot of people choose to overlock/serge the 2 cut ends before washing, I don't. I sew mostly with cottons and while they fray a little I don't mind trimming off the loose threads. Rayons and other slinky fabrics like satin can fray like a nightmare. Knit fabrics (jersey, ity, interlock, rib knit) wont fray at all. If you don't have an overlocker/serger, a zigzag stitch along the cut edges can also minimise fraying 🙂
@@lololmanidek Something I do with fabric before washing/drying it is to trim the edges with pinking shears - these are the "zig zag" scissors. The little peaks and valleys of the cut help protect against fraying in the wash.
#1 sewing tip: Follow your joy! Sew the fancy fabric, make something using a new technique, share your successes with your sewing friends. Sewing is my passion and perfectionism has stopped me from connecting with the joy I feel when sewing
no. these tips aren't just about a garment looking professional. they're about your garment being DURABLE! wrong material, bad technique and mediocre finishing WILL ruin your garment in every way possible... so no, tip number one is not 'follow your joy'. there's far too much clothing dumped out on a daily basis already... yes. use that fancy fabric, but practice and learn how to use it before going crazy on meters of material.
The number one tip is "press as you sew." Pressing IS sewing. As you showed, the more one sews, the more seriously one takes all the steps it takes to make a well fitted, well constructed garment. First, if the question is how to make clothes that look store-bought? The answer is: press as you sew. Again, and this is a quote from Roberta Carr: "Pressing IS sewing." If one spends more time at the ironing board than in front of the sewing machine, they're doing it right.
@@goddessspike3425 pressing is what you do with seams and hems. You spend a great deal more time on a given area than you would just ironing a wrinkly garment. If the fabric is delicate or likely to melt, you use a pressing cloth (frequently just an old piece of cotton muslin or an old cotton sheet) between the fabric and the iron because even at the correct heat setting, the time and repetition involved in pressing (rather than ironing) can risk scorching or melting. You end up with something that stays crisp even between washings and wearings, as opposed to the non-crisp wrinkliness that results from washings or wearings on the bulk part of the garment.
@@goddessspike3425 Pressing is when you hold the iron in one position vs. with ironing you're moving the iron around. Pressing is powerful because you are being very precise with your iron to get the fabric to lie just right and therefore shape the garment. With ironing the focus is just getting the wrinkles out.
@@Hemstitch071Is there a certain iron that makes this easier on beginners? Irons tend to scare me since i’ve ruined a few things in the past so I switched to a fabric steamer but if I get into sewing and it’s necessary, I want to make sure I learn and get a good one. thanks!
Just to add to the 'Google the techniques you're not sure of' I would say make sure you practice them on scrap as well. Got a new edge sititching foot? Practice with it. Got an overlocker? Practice with it. Not sure how to install a zipper? Sew a small pencil case and practice zippers before putting into your new dress. Also take a scrap of the actual fabric you want to use and put it through your sewing machine and overlocker before starting the garment so you know you have the right feet/tension /etc... Sometimes your machine setting work perfect for cotton but the dress is polly satin and it won't work as well, so using the 'real deal' will help you fine tune everything
I'd also say don't skip pinning down fabric (been there done that) and ironing down hem before sewing too, or it will create weird creases, especially on thin fabrics. Oh, and also I saw some newbies skip making darts, which is a NONO and makes for a poorly fit gament.
THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!! I have been sewing since I was 5 and I am now 68 so I can say this. My number one tip is if you are going to sew (or just alter) something do your best effort. Many of your tips are things I was taught in the 60's in 4H and later in home economics ( which was required for ALL 9th grade girls). I am so sick of seeing young sewers bragging about cutting steps and chopping into stuff.....yup the Shien of sewing. Me I want the inside to be as nice as the outside and nor have things that look homemade.
I've been sewing for a few years now and I think that at least for me making prototypes are key and trying on the garment after every couple of seams to make sure it is going well. Your videos always encourage me so much! 😊
I would say definitely do your fabric research! even if you have to buy online, go to fabric shops or even feel your own clothes to see what you like! Also I find that having good entertainment while sewing can do wonders! I get bored and start messing up if I sew in quiet
As someone who both cooks and sews, I would say I'm better about "press as you sew" than I am about "season as you cook"! Will need to recall that next time I feel like cooking.
Man, you’re so right about the zero cutting corners thing but it is so hard when you love to sew as a hobby and not as a full-time thing/career. I barely have enough free-time to make a garment using fashion fabric, I don’t know if i could buy time to make 1-3 prototypes 😢
Relatable lol I'm over here with a baby and toddler, getting like 5 mins of sewing time per week and usually with my son playing with the presser foot lever while I try to work
Try making larger seam allowances and basting seams you’re concerned about. That way something can be taken in, let out, or redone. You could also try partial prototypes. Like no finishes, hems, and maybe no zippers.
Of its for myself I take a dress which already fits good and/ or note down the measurements and just cut... if it's for others I worry.. and yes leaving big margins so you can undo and redo
I was wondering about the "prototype" stage as well since I wouldn't want to use that much fabric. I think my compromise is to create prototypes with tracing paper. I took a sewing class where we traced our pattern onto swedish tracing paper which seemed expensive for paper but it can fold and pin like fabric in a way I really like. Pinning, putting it on your body, and repinning till it fits lets you work with a single material. Anyone have a better idea?
@wendymccullough9928 Thrift sheets for prototypes - super cheap and you can undo and save the pieces if you haven't finished them - making a very durable pattern to keep rolled up in a small space instead of a massive paper pattern...
You know what, I made a jacket this weekend and I had too much fabric left on the armholes on the prototype. Guess what, when basting it was PERFECTLY where it was supposed to be. So guys : BAS-TING
All true (but I still skip prototyping lol). My new rule is that if I don't feel like figuring out how to do it right then I should stop sewing and do it later. I use my lazy time to watch RUclips videos on the new technique. Immediate difference in the finished quality of my garments. They now have pretty guts!
Ive really found (especially with adhd) thats regular breaks helps not only the quality of my garmets but the time it takes to finish it! I have a bad habit of getting into the zone and spending 6hr straight just working away at something but it causes tunnel vision very easily where i become too focused on one singular part of the garment making easy tasks take a very long time and ultimately just making myself frustrated. Stopping my work to take a step back to rest and come back to my project with fresh eyes felt counterproductive at first but has only ever helped my final outcome and mentality around sewing :D
The power of pressing! I was told by a couture seamstress that I knew, " the iron is the botches best friend". It's amazing what a little steam will do for easing seams etc. I hardly ever make a mock up, BUT, I seldom use commercial patterns. When I do I know what adjustments I always need to do first. Then I pin the pattern together and try that on. If I am still unsure, then I make a mock up with wide seams. The best thing I ever did was learn to pattern draft, it helps me even when I'm using a bought pattern.
My best tip is to not trust the size chart either. I have done patterns from the big 4 that tells me that the finished garment size is x.... only to find that even with perfect 3/8 inch seams it is 4 inches too large or 2 inches too small. Now I measure the pattern and find the true finished size.
I discovered this the hard way with a Simplicity pattern. I'm used to working with New Look, Butterick, and vintage patterns, which tend to be true to size for me. I graded my pattern like I always do and ended up with a bust that is 3" too wide. Thankfully just putting on a belt makes it look like a design choice and totally not because I didn't have time to prototype.
All excellent tips. The number one tip for making garments look store bought is pressing as you sew. Pressing IS sewing. The fitting tips are good, but whether or not a rtw garment fits, it still LOOKS well made (relatively speaking), The only way to get homemade garments to look that good is to press the seams as (or soon after) they're sewn. The. Only. Way. Pressing IS sewing.
I came on here because even though I taught myself to sew nearly 18 years ago, I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Thank you for this video and reminding me that I'm actually not bad I just need to work on some things (namely the prototyping, which I don't do every time) and neat finishing (like an 18thc dressmaker, I don't always make the inside neat, but seams are always finished). I'm planning on making my wedding dress and gearing up to do some prototypes out of muslin (and maybe a cocktail version) starting soon, as I get married Sept 2024 and I want to give myself time. Bad fabric choices seem to ALWAYS be a noobie mistake. I bought so many quilting cottons when I first started sewing! A friend of mine just started sewing and she made that same mistake (but I get it, the prints are fun and we don't know better in the beginning). LOL about pressing each seam--my mom (who came of age and made her clothes in the late 60s/early 70s at the height of polyester yuck) kept telling me when I was learning to sew that I did not need to press seams. I didn't listen to her (because I was 24 and it didn't make sense to me). Now she says "wow, all your clothes looks so much nicer than mine ever did!" Yeah, I know ma. Same family, my cousin learned to sew a lot younger, and my grandma & aunt took her to buy fabric and a pattern to make an outfit for school while she ewas visiting. She was like "shouldn't we wash the fabric first?" and they told her no--she was only 14 and she didn't argue. She said she only got to wear it once and when she washed it, the fabric all bunched up around the seams and she couldn't wear it again. She still had the outfit in her closet 10 years later when she told me this story because she was so sad about it. Funny thing is, my grandma made some very beautiful clothes--I have her wedding dress from 1949 (very simple cocktail out of gabardine) and a green and blue brocade sheath with matching jacket and a black lace shell (to change up the look---grandma was big on practicality).
I find that with my short and stocky figure it helps to have a croquis of myself and to sketch the garment over it. It has kept me from sewing many a garment that I liked in the fashion illustration but which just doesn't look the same when made for a person with half the length but the same width 😂.
I think #1 is pressing. I agree with you that you cannot skip that step. There is a creator who I LOVE, but never presses their garments in the tutorials. Maybe its off camera for the sake of time, but that could really throw off people who are jyst starting to learn.
Is the creator Rachel Maksy by any chance? She’s been told multiple times over multiple years and has no excuse! She makes amazing things but her lack of pressing takes them from a 10 to a 5 automatically. I love you Rachel, but PRESS YOUR SEAMS!
@@rebeccaanne3083 what do you mean? unless you're using polyester thread and melting your stitches (!) I can't see any way that could be literal but I also can't figure out what else it could be.
A really good tip that I, unfortunately, learned down the hill is to make basting stitches! Although they take time, when sewing sleeves or seams that require precision, they make a difference in the garment as if you were to hold it just with pins
I’m a very beginner sewer and haven’t been consistent . I’d say consistency is also important . I did four tote bags for Christmas bags and I took my time I ironed everything , pinned down , went slow, added interfacing . I did one today cutting all corners and after a year , ggiiirrrll 😂😂😂 . Definitely going to apply all these tips
I am literally sewing my prototype right now for my 14th century garb I shall wear to my first Renaissance Festival. I am 80 years old, and going to the Texas Renaissance Festival in November. The prototype I am asking now is the surcoat, and I made the pattern for it using my dimensions. First time I have ever done that. I felled all the seams on the chemise I just finished, and the inside is definitely as pretty as the outside! I just saved your video. Thanks.
Thanks for the insight. I bought an awesome jacket from the thrift store and I looked and the inside wasn't finished or lined. Outside it wore just fine. It was nice to know someone made it themselves.
My number one tip, which is in addition to (not instead of!) all of these in the video: baste your seams, preferably by hand. Pre-basting a seam allows you to make sure that you're constructing the garment correctly (I mean, who hasn't attached something back to front, or top to bottom, or put a pocket in the seam of their sleeve instead of the body *cough* my husband *cough*) and do a gentle try-on as you go. If you've made a mistake, it's way faster to undo a baste than an actual seam, and less likely to damage your fashion fabric, especially if it's something delicate! Furthermore, when you then take it to your sewing machine, you can sew at VROOM speed without having to slow down for pins, or worse, sew fast straight over them and risk the inevitable bits of flying metal when your machine's needle full on snaps one.
I recently finished a pair of linen shorts and I wasn’t sure if I had cut enough fabric to french seam them so I didn’t. They look great on the outside but disgusting on the inside. I then made a top from the same fabric and I french seamed all the seams and it really looks beautiful on the inside as well. I think this has taught me to consider the seams before cutting the fabric! However your comments on bias tape made me think that I could probably still add some bias tape into my shorts to make them look slightly neater from the inside, so I’m definitely going to look into that!
I have done bias tape inside shorts and pants to finish & protect the seams and it is definitely worth the time. Linen can be very high fray so if you don't pritect those seams, all your hard work in making the shorts will be for nothing if the seams allowances & you develop holes! I picked up the idea of using bias tape inside shorts from a pair of pants I used for work that I studied. Examining professionally made garments is a great way to pick up tips on how to make your own things better.
@@ZethsCraftDesk honey that is one of thee best tips..Examining professional pieces/garments to understand how important it is on the inside.Ex;your fav.shorts,jacket etc.
Great video. My tip: Take. Your. Time. If you rush you'll cheapen your garment by (like you wisely said) cutting corners, not lining properly, and not finishing things well.
for the 3rd tip, one thing i do that saves me time is that i already trim the thread really close when im getting it out of the machine after sewing, so then the thread is never is my way and i dont have a million pieces of little threads everywhere (the loose one i put into the little bin i have as soon as it cut it)
Just seen this and how refreshing to hear someone talking about making clothes in this way. I make almost all of mine. Nothing particularly fashionable. I like to wear what I like to wear....but I nearly always use french seams, quite often hand sew a whole garment, and even if a pattern doesn't call for it - I line it. So much more lovely to wear a dress that has been lined. New subscriber here... Thank you Kiana.
You’re so right about pressing! My sewing instructor always said that pressing is what makes or breaks a garment. You can fix bad sewing with a great press, but you can ruin good sewing with a bad press. ITS YOUR BEST FRIEND! Also, I will echo everyone else. TAKE YOUR TIME! You will have more to fix if you speed through. If you take your time you will get it done the proper way. And the more you do certain things the quicker you will become ❤
this is great advice and super helpful! I would add that, for me at least, while I do want to improve my skills and produce more professional clothing, I am still a beginner and if I get too bogged down in the details I will never actually finish garments. As I get better and can work more quickly, I’m sure I will start to be more of a stickler, but for now, I just want to actually finish pieces!
I did this! When I started sewing my mother always complain that my clothes weren't finished. But I sad, I'm a beginner, I don't need tô be perfect, better unperfect and done
As someone who only has a home machine with 6 stitches that can't even adjust stitch length and width, even less have a serger... A good way to finish your seams is to do a French seam or any type of folded seam. It actually makes both the inside and outside look so professional. All you need to do is after sewing once: 1) take your raw seams, iron them flat to one side 2) fold the raw edges in so they can't be seen and iron them flat again. 3) sew it to your garment with a straight stitch. It will look like the seams of jeans. Even better if you have twin needles.
I don't usually use patterns, do not have an iron, a sewing machine, dressmakers dummy, any good fabric stores near me, etc. But we make do. Going slow and taking care will always be worth it.
i always press during all the process and it truly changes the aspect of the pieces AND help a lot for every stitching ! Also i feel like topstitching adds something clean and professionnal to a garment
Fit your projects on as you go, even if you have done a prototype. Often the fabric I use for prototypes is slightly different from the final project fabric which can cause some differences in fit and how things lay.
My tip is to look at the pattern's "finished garment measurements" before doing any cutting. They are often printed on the individual pattern pieces and tend to provide a better fit than the size chart because they include wearing ease.
Oh yes. I ignored these recently in a very rookie mistake and now my daughter has a pair of lounge pants that are 4 inches too long for her. Luckily they were only ever intended to be for in-house wear, but...yeah. "She's tall" I said. "Of COURSE they will be the right length." I don't know why the pattern was made so long, but I will never ignore the finished length again. (I am also trying to figure out why the side seam is splitting already after only 2 weeks.)
Great tips! My sewing teacher in high school always said to cut the threads because it also makes the garment look cheap. So true. I always think of H&M in the U.S. or Forever 21. I used to have to cut the threads of those garments right when I would get home with them.
this video helped me upgrade my sewing so much, thank you! I'd never ginished a seam before in my life and every dress looked like that last garment you pullked out, raw edges everywhere. Took my time and have making it all the time it needed and now I'm so happy with a final product for the first time
Thank You, Kiana- You would be a fabulous teacher, not only for your succinct delivery but for your relevance for young aspiring fashion designers. Jo Young NZ Young Designers (ages11-12)
You have inspired me beyond my wildest dreams! It’s been three decades since I’ve sewn anything meaningful. I now have time, space and the ability to begin afresh and make beautiful things. I like your sass and your professionalism, Kiana! New sub…I’m reading to thread the needle!,🪡🎯
YES to prototyping! Something I have neglected to do in my own sewing practice. This was also throughly discouraged in the various companies I have worked for over the last 6 years. Many companies consider prototyping being "a waste of time." Yet it's so important in making the perfect fitting clothing. Thanks for these amazing tips!!! 🩷
Use a serger if you have the option to buy one. It has changed the way I make garments, drastically improving the finished product. My biggest tip... Use pins while finishing. Take your time and pin it so you know while sewing the material it will be where you want it to be instead of crawling all over the place. Just dont run pins through your serger, it'll dull the blade and potentially break your machine.
Awesome tips! I’m coming from quilting to sewing a wardrobe for myself. I definitely have been drilled in seam pressing! Thank goodness my style is lagenlook so my mistakes can be forgiven and even benefit the overall look. 😊
I actually have 2 tips 1. When estimating how long it will take to finish the project, take your prediction and multiply it by 3. Things will happen to the project (or life) that make it longer to complete. 2. Flatline the lining fabric to the main fabric before you start sewing pieces together. I've learned it last semester, and I've been changed for good.
Always make a sample in muslin or a similar fabric that your true project is suppose to be made out of so that you do not waste your good fabric. Like Kiana said, "make a couple prototypes before using your "intended fabric." Happy sewing !!!
Thank you. I'm a bit more mature,and didn't know what was meant by prototype, but I always made a muslin before using my fashion fabric with new design or pattern.
I start design school next week. I know nothing about sewing. I took a gap year before uni, so I figured it would be nice to learn. So here I am watching YT videos on sewing even if I don't know what proto-typing is
Material Prototype Press and trim Perfect your finishings ( Hems buttons etc... ) Research I'm glad you said that all company sizes aren't the same I've told ppl this and they look at me like I'm crazy!
My rule is not to stress and try to finish something faster than I should. It is ok to continue next time with fresh head. And if I have seam ripped twice same thing it is a sign to continue next day
I just completed my 1st sewing project, hemming some flared jeans for my petite legs. 🥹🥹🥹 The thing that I will remember most from this video is that the inside should look good. This will remind me to do everything else...press, don't cut corners, finishings, etc. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ❤
Thank you for this video! For learning about choosing fabrics, there's a sewing store that has a quarterly subscription for swatches matched with patterns for the upcoming season, the Confidenct Stitch {gar}Meant for You. They offer cool or warm bundles, and you also get s bunch of info, including any sew-a-longs they've done. I haven't seen many, but just feeling the fabrics and comparing to patterns helped me understand why past garments didn't work out for me!
this is so helpful !! im still learning while taking projects. i clearly dont know half of the finishing skills or nearly half of the basics ... which is fine cuz im still making things i like. im not striving 4 perfectionism, just good enough 4 myself. this video can make u feel pressured but plz dont. anybody will b impressed with any sewing project.
I just figured out how important good quality thread is. Walmart thread was dragging so much in my sewing machine that i kept taking the thing apart and oiling/cleaning it and wondering why it sounded like sandpaper. It raised the tension frustratingly too, and everytime i stopped the thread would snap. I bought some sewology thread from hobby lobby because i just happened to be there, and it's cheap too. Sews like butter and it's so much stronger. And pay attention to thread type vs fabric type when it comes to polyester or cotton, and make sure your needle is facing the correct direction. Saves hours of headache wondering why you're bird nesting.
#1 tip in sewing is press every seam while sewing: finish raw edges of seams and top stitch on right side edges depending on style; then press again. Thank you for sharing your experiences! ❤😊
This video is just absolutely perfect. My clothes are looking better because I have been doing some of the stuff you mention, but I can be less lazy and improve even more 😂
The thing that changed my sewing the most was ironing. I hate ironing so used to avoid it but omg, my projects are so clean and crisp looking now. Iron your seams babes!
Hahahaha I really needed you to yell at me. This is the kind of tough love I need right now! Going to slow down, not cut corners, and make the inside look as good as the outside 😁
Been sewing for 5 month and your vids are my go to….love if you made an in depth video about tips and tricks on the inside of your garments Id also love to see a video on what to do with excess fabric for a project OR how to cut fabric properly so you’re not wasting so much of it.
My biggest tip for anyone who already knows how to finish raw edges is basting! And stay stitching! Arm and neck holes love to stretch out on the bias, and taking the time to stay stitch the edges will save the garment from having bizarrely large/baggy shoulders where your sleeves attach. If you're sewing a shirt that doesn't call for gathering, you shouldn't have to gather your arm hole to fit around your sleeve. It takes maybe 2 minutes and it will save your garment!
ok I literally gasped when you showed the inside of the white dress. I mean, the pics of it are gorgeous, but I had never really thought about how much the inside matters before, I usually just follow the pattern which usually includes those things. I'll have to keep that in mind as I branch out and try my own things. Thanks for this.
Nice garments. You do nice work. I have a BS in home Econ. From back in the dark ages (the 70’s) great tips. Add in some pressing aids like a ham and seam roll etc because it doesn’t matter what you are making, be it a quilt or garment pressing as you go properly is where it’s at.
Hang on a second. Don't trust the size measurements on a pattern! Trust the *finished* garment measurements. Sometimes they're printed on the actual pattern piece but that's the info you need. I never make the size that my actual measurements are. Also - Nancy Zieman said years ago to choose your size based on your upper bust measurement so you get the shoulders right. You can fix everything from there down as you need but you're more likely to get the size closer to your own body that way.
Whenever I want to slack I think "Do I want this to look like a Halloween costume or actual clothing?" and that keeps me motivated. Cuz I know I'm not gonna wear it if it looks unfinished, bad fit, wrong fabric etc.
This video was great! I had to swallow my pride at a few points, (process the things I can and should do better) but this video had so much good advice and I found it super helpful :D
7:21 GURL THAT FACE I LOST IT🤣🤣🤣 I have NEVER laughed so hard at a sewing video ohmygosh. This is my first video I've watched of you, but I love your personality. I love how frustrated and passionate you're getting because it really shows how much it means to you that your followers truly learn and hone their craft to the best of their abilities. Thank you so much for making this video!!! =)
I'm currently sewing a dress with a stiff cotton like fabric, and i will admit that i had this fabric laying around at my house for months before i started anything. I accidentally bought way too much fabric so i have a lot left.
Take your time while cutting out the fabric for your project! A bad cut job can really impact how your garment goes together and how it turns out. So slow down, lay it out well, make sure it won't shift around, good scissors/blades, and try to create smooth movements over broken ones
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Hiya. What if you can't afford a surgery right now.
my #1 tip for sewing is that EVERYTHING can be undone, redone, adjusted, etc. UNTIL YOU CUT. So measuring properly, trying things on, and using good scissors/blades that give you the control and precision you need is essential
Yes. And making mockups of styles you have never worked on before.
and use paper before actual fabric, ( NOT JUST FOR BEGINEERS
@@channieluvspeachesdo you mean paper for the pattern or for a muslin?
Oooooh this is a GREAT tip, goodness knows I've made this mistake too many times lol.
@@channieluvspeachesexplain the paper please
My tip: when I am tempted to cut corners, it's time to stop, rest, and get a bite to eat. I make bad decisions when I'm hungry/tired.
That's a good life tip in general
So true!
That is so real!
needed this exact reminder right now...
Excellent advice fr
My big tip is: if you want to finish really fast go slow.
Also applies for hand sewing. Rushing to end up poking yourself until you bleed over white duchess silk or making a thread salad is not a clever idea.
ohh i like that. "to finish fast, go slow." i also in the past, and was reminded of this, have loved "if you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
Excellent tip!😁
"å skynde seg sakte" as we say in Norway. "To hurry slowly".
I've also heard the military slang "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" - go slow and do it right, and you won't take forever trying to fix a mistake or ruin the piece entirely.
I've been sewing for 30 years. My number one tip. TAKE YOUR TIME! I made a wool/satin coat three years ago. It took me 3 months to complete because I refused to work on it when I was tired as the fabrics cost far too much to mess up on. Three years later it's still my favorite coat and I get so many compliments on it. Feels pretty good knowing how much work went into it. My second tip would be youtube tutorials and trial patches. New technique, do a scrap sample to get to know it. Dont do it in the garment the first time. Good luck!!
Any suggestions as to what sewing machine is best for beginners? I have never used a sewing machine in my whole life and at the age of 43 decided to learn hope up sew
her bad examples look so much better than everything i've ever done 🥲
same here lol
Was thinking the exact same thing 😢
Me too 😂
@@forgetmenot_1613 Exactlyyy 😭
Exactly , i dont think i could sew that pink shirt properly
Number one tip: learn how to finish seams nicely without a serger/overlocker. I've been sewing for 6 years for myself and never bought a serger. This led me to skimp on finishing when I was a beginner: as I was using knits and jerseys, fabrics that don't fray a lot, I thought I could get away with it. As I got better, I realized just how crappy unfinished seams looked and learned how to finish my seams properly either by using French seams, mock French seams, felling down by hand the seam allowances, bias binding, or lining the garment. It makes your clothes look and feel so luxurious to have beautifully finished seams, and they last much longer.
Hi, how can we do mock french seams?
Another good alternative to an overlock-machine is using a wide zick-zack stitch: just press your seams, then sew a zick-zack stitch over the raw edge - either each side separately or gather both edges together, stitch and then press them into on side of the garment.
What's a serger?
@@jimiwills A serger or an overlocker is a special type of sewing machine used to either finish seams or sew and finish them simultaneously, used in a more industrial/large-scale setting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlock
I have a toxic relationship with wanting a serger. Because it would make sewing simple garments easier. But it would also make my more delicate clothes look like shit. Because french seams are luxurious. So I'm on a limbo whether I need one or I just want one to have one. French seams all the way baby!
Time stamps for anyone rewatching this:
0:38- tip #1, fabric choice
4:09- tip #2, proto-freaking type
6:54- tip #3, press and trim…always!
8:01- tip #4, perfect your finishings
8:50- tip #5, do your research
9:47- tip #6, the inside is as important as the outside
11:19- tip #7, cut zero corners
Thank you
Jfc thank you so much
Thank you!!
I cannot agree more. I realized that I was getting impatient and cutting corners with my first couple projects and had to nip it in the bud, embrace the perfectionist in me, and take my time. I also had to remind myself that as a beginner, I'm not going to be completing a whole garment within a few hours, even an easy one. Now I'm on my third and fourth projects and I've learned so much by simply researching techniques, fabrics, how to use pattern, and properly measuring and cutting. My biggest lesson has been to take it slow and choose projects at my sewing level. It's so good to practice basic techniques and learn what you're good and bad at. My other tip is to go ahead and invest in high quality supplies, like the right presser feet, better thread, good scissors, etc. You don't have to go crazy and get all the fanciest stuff, but you need a solid base of supplies that will last.
Completely agree with everything! I’m glad you realized early on because now you will progress so much faster :))
I learn this the hard way. I now give myself at least a week to make any garment however easy it may seem.
The more first projects I want to do, the more I realize how much I have to buy (ribbing, pattern paper, interfacing, elastics, and on it goes). I don't want to waste the organic fabric I buy so I have to make a toile or practice with something that is similar but cheaper. Anyway, to your point, practicing the thing on scrap fabric or ones we don't care about is an extra step, but worth the lesson.
My dad made me the most gorgeous wooden clapper. I use it EVERY time I sew/press.
I definitely spend more time at the ironing board than the sewing machine. For me,sewing has turned into 10% sewing, 20% pressing, 50% collecting fabric, 20% watching other people sew on youtube and taking notes for my sewing binder. Reallocation of time is desperately needed.😮
Girl, it’s totally fine.
Most people are sitting on their asses 100 % of time doing absolutely nothing nearly as productive.
To me thinking about a new project and deciding which fabric to choose etc can take months or even years and who cares? Those are often the best pieces, some of them worn for many many years, totally worth the thought I put into them.
Dads are The Best!!! Good for you to have a Great Dad!!!
@@olenkaki1326 you're 100% correct. Some of my favorite finished items are the projects that spent the most time in my head lol!
@@brinta19 I was lucky enough to have 3 dads. This particular dad adopted me at 3 days old and is the last one alive, barely hanging on from cancer. I'm on Arizona and he's in Alabama and I sure do miss him. He's very creative and handy and can build or fix anything. His craftsmanship is exquisite. But he's withered down to maybe 70-80 pounds. He was able to be a spokesperson and volunteer for prostate cancer awareness and newly diagnosed and helped so many men over the years. I'm very proud of him.
I forgot I even wrote this about my dad. Anyone know how to see your tear ducts closed? 😢
Very good tips!
But just a note for people who are beginners, who are hobbyist, who have other responsibilities and little time to sew, who are trying to learn a new skill....
Don't stress it. This is something to aspire to, not an absolute rule you absolutely have to follow. I don't say this to undermine her, but because I understand what it's like to not have the tools or the skills or the time. And I don't want people to think you can't sew if you can't achieve this right away. Think of it as something to work towards over time, not a qualification you have to hit immediately.
If you sew something for yourself or a family member, and it looks homemade, that's not the end of the world. It's okay. The next time you sew something, you'll do better. And the next time, even better.
So many people (like me) have the perfectionist mindset and we struggle to actually produce what we see in our mind's eye. It's okay if you can't quite get things perfect yet, it's okay if you don't have money for a dress form or a serger or a steam iron or extra fabric or any of it. It's okay if you don't know how to do various hems and finishes. It's okay if you struggle at the math or reading patterns.
So long as you try your best and enjoy your experience, you'll still be learning valuable skills. If you stress yourself so much you no longer enjoy sewing you'll stop. As long as you keep going your skills will grow, and eventually you might even fix some of your earlier problems, and that's really satisfying.
So, these are excellent tips for looking more professional! But if you're not there yet, it's okay, just take your time!
I fully agree! And would point out to new sewists that the two you should really attend most to at first are the pressing and the stabilizing of your raw edges, especially if it's a garment that will get worn and washed and worn again. It's heartbreaking to have something you love start raveling from the raw edges to the point that it ravels to the seam and starts failing.
This is really helpful for those of us who suffer from perfectionism. This is the second comment in one hour I’ve seen about this. It’s better to produce then improve, produce then improve rather than getting put off starting or continuing because something wasn’t quite perfect.
Thank you 🙏🏽
THIS!! Ive abandoned so many hobbies bc the perfectionism destroyed me. personally, sewing & other textile work is much more satisfying bc I think u can make mistakes & there is still huge value in the piece. NOBODY is policing ur sewing bc the average person cant sew & cant tell the difference. learning is so fun 1 step @ a time. if u want 2 improve, do it 4 urself. but u dont have 2.
Oh yes, perfectionism is paralyzing!😢
Wash, dry and iron the fabric before you start. Iron it! Washing and drying will pre-shrink the fabric but many then don't iron it. You're not cutting accurate pattern pieces if it's all bubbled underneath. Use the same thread type as your fabric type. Using polyester thread on cotton can be ok, but threads shrink and warp too. If they are doing this differently to your fabric it can create puckering, so try to match them. On that note, match the colours. Using black thread on navy fabric will be noticed, it will cheapen the look of your garment. But my biggest gripe is pattern placement. Centre the damn pattern. More than that, lay your pattern piece beside the print and get an idea of what is landing where. If you're working with a big floral you may not want those two flowers right over your boobs, so move the pattern piece up or down the fabric to allow for that. Yes, it might cost you some extra fabric but it will really affect your overall happiness with the project. Say you're working with a repeating unicorn print for a t-shirt and you centre the unicorn but then line the pattern piece as close as you can to the edge of the fabric, it's only when you've sewn it up that you realise front and centre, right at the neckline, you have a headless unicorn. Be mindful of these things before you cut your fabric. Even stripes need centering and thought, we aren't only referring to fun prints and florals. This can flow on into pattern matching which is a more advanced skill. Start by centering.
Question about washing and drying fabric before starting... I'm 100% brand new and only have sewn a pillow lol but I did wash and dry the (Cheapy) fabric I bought because I just think anything from the store is disgusting lol and um the fabric nearly came apart from the cut edges in the wash... does it need to be sewn on the cut edge just to avoid this or is it because I was using cheap ass scrap fabric lol
@@lololmanidek It's more likely the kind of fabric it was. Some fray worse than others. All woven fabrics will fray to some extent. A lot of people choose to overlock/serge the 2 cut ends before washing, I don't. I sew mostly with cottons and while they fray a little I don't mind trimming off the loose threads. Rayons and other slinky fabrics like satin can fray like a nightmare. Knit fabrics (jersey, ity, interlock, rib knit) wont fray at all.
If you don't have an overlocker/serger, a zigzag stitch along the cut edges can also minimise fraying 🙂
@@madeatbentwood Awesome, thanks so much! :-)
@@lololmanidek you are very welcome! Happy to help and will answer any questions to the best of my knowledge x
@@lololmanidek Something I do with fabric before washing/drying it is to trim the edges with pinking shears - these are the "zig zag" scissors. The little peaks and valleys of the cut help protect against fraying in the wash.
#1 sewing tip: Follow your joy! Sew the fancy fabric, make something using a new technique, share your successes with your sewing friends. Sewing is my passion and perfectionism has stopped me from connecting with the joy I feel when sewing
Yes. Facts.
Yesss, thank you! This is more important to me than it looking professional!
Chanel may not cut corners when sewing but grandma making clothes for 6 kids sure did. I’m not trying to be couture, just practical.
The most important tip!
no. these tips aren't just about a garment looking professional. they're about your garment being DURABLE! wrong material, bad technique and mediocre finishing WILL ruin your garment in every way possible... so no, tip number one is not 'follow your joy'. there's far too much clothing dumped out on a daily basis already... yes. use that fancy fabric, but practice and learn how to use it before going crazy on meters of material.
The number one tip is "press as you sew." Pressing IS sewing. As you showed, the more one sews, the more seriously one takes all the steps it takes to make a well fitted, well constructed garment. First, if the question is how to make clothes that look store-bought? The answer is: press as you sew. Again, and this is a quote from Roberta Carr: "Pressing IS sewing." If one spends more time at the ironing board than in front of the sewing machine, they're doing it right.
It's also important to know the difference between pressing and ironing.
What is pressing?
@@goddessspike3425 pressing is what you do with seams and hems. You spend a great deal more time on a given area than you would just ironing a wrinkly garment. If the fabric is delicate or likely to melt, you use a pressing cloth (frequently just an old piece of cotton muslin or an old cotton sheet) between the fabric and the iron because even at the correct heat setting, the time and repetition involved in pressing (rather than ironing) can risk scorching or melting. You end up with something that stays crisp even between washings and wearings, as opposed to the non-crisp wrinkliness that results from washings or wearings on the bulk part of the garment.
@@goddessspike3425 Pressing is when you hold the iron in one position vs. with ironing you're moving the iron around. Pressing is powerful because you are being very precise with your iron to get the fabric to lie just right and therefore shape the garment. With ironing the focus is just getting the wrinkles out.
@@Hemstitch071Is there a certain iron that makes this easier on beginners? Irons tend to scare me since i’ve ruined a few things in the past so I switched to a fabric steamer but if I get into sewing and it’s necessary, I want to make sure I learn and get a good one. thanks!
When you pulled out that pink blazer I was like THATS SO GOOD WTF😢 I think I’m less than a beginner this is a foreign language
Just to add to the 'Google the techniques you're not sure of'
I would say make sure you practice them on scrap as well. Got a new edge sititching foot? Practice with it. Got an overlocker? Practice with it. Not sure how to install a zipper? Sew a small pencil case and practice zippers before putting into your new dress.
Also take a scrap of the actual fabric you want to use and put it through your sewing machine and overlocker before starting the garment so you know you have the right feet/tension /etc...
Sometimes your machine setting work perfect for cotton but the dress is polly satin and it won't work as well, so using the 'real deal' will help you fine tune everything
I'd also say don't skip pinning down fabric (been there done that) and ironing down hem before sewing too, or it will create weird creases, especially on thin fabrics. Oh, and also I saw some newbies skip making darts, which is a NONO and makes for a poorly fit gament.
How do they bring the seams together when they skip the darts? Do they just trim the residual lengths? 😮😅🤣
@@ClaudiaArnold no they just have a poorly-fitted garment with extra fabric flapping around 😶
What is a dart?
@@ShamaHidayathen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dart_(sewing) Can't explain better than this
@bluenuttefly8813 thank you! 😊
THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!! I have been sewing since I was 5 and I am now 68 so I can say this. My number one tip is if you are going to sew (or just alter) something do your best effort. Many of your tips are things I was taught in the 60's in 4H and later in home economics ( which was required for ALL 9th grade girls). I am so sick of seeing young sewers bragging about cutting steps and chopping into stuff.....yup the Shien of sewing. Me I want the inside to be as nice as the outside and nor have things that look homemade.
Or doing things with a gluegun!
I've been sewing for a few years now and I think that at least for me making prototypes are key and trying on the garment after every couple of seams to make sure it is going well. Your videos always encourage me so much! 😊
I would say definitely do your fabric research! even if you have to buy online, go to fabric shops or even feel your own clothes to see what you like! Also I find that having good entertainment while sewing can do wonders! I get bored and start messing up if I sew in quiet
Press as you go is giving the energy of season as you cook. I love it. Same concept applies. It is just BETTER :)
As someone who both cooks and sews, I would say I'm better about "press as you sew" than I am about "season as you cook"! Will need to recall that next time I feel like cooking.
Man, you’re so right about the zero cutting corners thing but it is so hard when you love to sew as a hobby and not as a full-time thing/career. I barely have enough free-time to make a garment using fashion fabric, I don’t know if i could buy time to make 1-3 prototypes 😢
Relatable lol I'm over here with a baby and toddler, getting like 5 mins of sewing time per week and usually with my son playing with the presser foot lever while I try to work
Try making larger seam allowances and basting seams you’re concerned about. That way something can be taken in, let out, or redone. You could also try partial prototypes. Like no finishes, hems, and maybe no zippers.
Of its for myself I take a dress which already fits good and/ or note down the measurements and just cut... if it's for others I worry.. and yes leaving big margins so you can undo and redo
I was wondering about the "prototype" stage as well since I wouldn't want to use that much fabric. I think my compromise is to create prototypes with tracing paper. I took a sewing class where we traced our pattern onto swedish tracing paper which seemed expensive for paper but it can fold and pin like fabric in a way I really like. Pinning, putting it on your body, and repinning till it fits lets you work with a single material. Anyone have a better idea?
@wendymccullough9928
Thrift sheets for prototypes - super cheap and you can undo and save the pieces if you haven't finished them - making a very durable pattern to keep rolled up in a small space instead of a massive paper pattern...
The only thing I would add, is basting. Basting let’s you really fit your clothing. Excellent video!
You know what, I made a jacket this weekend and I had too much fabric left on the armholes on the prototype. Guess what, when basting it was PERFECTLY where it was supposed to be. So guys : BAS-TING
When do you baste?
@@sarahvessellier8219 Would you further explain please?
That black dress is STUNNING
All true (but I still skip prototyping lol). My new rule is that if I don't feel like figuring out how to do it right then I should stop sewing and do it later. I use my lazy time to watch RUclips videos on the new technique. Immediate difference in the finished quality of my garments. They now have pretty guts!
Ive really found (especially with adhd) thats regular breaks helps not only the quality of my garmets but the time it takes to finish it! I have a bad habit of getting into the zone and spending 6hr straight just working away at something but it causes tunnel vision very easily where i become too focused on one singular part of the garment making easy tasks take a very long time and ultimately just making myself frustrated. Stopping my work to take a step back to rest and come back to my project with fresh eyes felt counterproductive at first but has only ever helped my final outcome and mentality around sewing :D
The power of pressing! I was told by a couture seamstress that I knew, " the iron is the botches best friend". It's amazing what a little steam will do for easing seams etc.
I hardly ever make a mock up, BUT, I seldom use commercial patterns. When I do I know what adjustments I always need to do first. Then I pin the pattern together and try that on. If I am still unsure, then I make a mock up with wide seams.
The best thing I ever did was learn to pattern draft, it helps me even when I'm using a bought pattern.
My best tip is to not trust the size chart either. I have done patterns from the big 4 that tells me that the finished garment size is x.... only to find that even with perfect 3/8 inch seams it is 4 inches too large or 2 inches too small. Now I measure the pattern and find the true finished size.
The Big 4 uses 5/8 inch seams most of the time. But basically you are correct. Size chart only gets you so far.
I discovered this the hard way with a Simplicity pattern. I'm used to working with New Look, Butterick, and vintage patterns, which tend to be true to size for me. I graded my pattern like I always do and ended up with a bust that is 3" too wide. Thankfully just putting on a belt makes it look like a design choice and totally not because I didn't have time to prototype.
That was my tip too!!!
Your garments may have turned out too large because the usual seam allowance is 5/8”, not 3/8” ! 🙀
It was a typo, I had meant 5/8.
All excellent tips. The number one tip for making garments look store bought is pressing as you sew. Pressing IS sewing. The fitting tips are good, but whether or not a rtw garment fits, it still LOOKS well made (relatively speaking), The only way to get homemade garments to look that good is to press the seams as (or soon after) they're sewn. The. Only. Way. Pressing IS sewing.
My biggest flaw is that i like to cut corners 😢 I'm working on it, its bc i get so excited that i want to see the finished product
I came on here because even though I taught myself to sew nearly 18 years ago, I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Thank you for this video and reminding me that I'm actually not bad I just need to work on some things (namely the prototyping, which I don't do every time) and neat finishing (like an 18thc dressmaker, I don't always make the inside neat, but seams are always finished). I'm planning on making my wedding dress and gearing up to do some prototypes out of muslin (and maybe a cocktail version) starting soon, as I get married Sept 2024 and I want to give myself time.
Bad fabric choices seem to ALWAYS be a noobie mistake. I bought so many quilting cottons when I first started sewing! A friend of mine just started sewing and she made that same mistake (but I get it, the prints are fun and we don't know better in the beginning).
LOL about pressing each seam--my mom (who came of age and made her clothes in the late 60s/early 70s at the height of polyester yuck) kept telling me when I was learning to sew that I did not need to press seams.
I didn't listen to her (because I was 24 and it didn't make sense to me).
Now she says "wow, all your clothes looks so much nicer than mine ever did!" Yeah, I know ma.
Same family, my cousin learned to sew a lot younger, and my grandma & aunt took her to buy fabric and a pattern to make an outfit for school while she ewas visiting. She was like "shouldn't we wash the fabric first?" and they told her no--she was only 14 and she didn't argue. She said she only got to wear it once and when she washed it, the fabric all bunched up around the seams and she couldn't wear it again. She still had the outfit in her closet 10 years later when she told me this story because she was so sad about it.
Funny thing is, my grandma made some very beautiful clothes--I have her wedding dress from 1949 (very simple cocktail out of gabardine) and a green and blue brocade sheath with matching jacket and a black lace shell (to change up the look---grandma was big on practicality).
I find that with my short and stocky figure it helps to have a croquis of myself and to sketch the garment over it. It has kept me from sewing many a garment that I liked in the fashion illustration but which just doesn't look the same when made for a person with half the length but the same width 😂.
I do understand the point you were trying to convey... but I have skirt from Chanel. It came with uneven stitching and loose threads xD
I think #1 is pressing. I agree with you that you cannot skip that step. There is a creator who I LOVE, but never presses their garments in the tutorials. Maybe its off camera for the sake of time, but that could really throw off people who are jyst starting to learn.
Is the creator Rachel Maksy by any chance? She’s been told multiple times over multiple years and has no excuse! She makes amazing things but her lack of pressing takes them from a 10 to a 5 automatically.
I love you Rachel, but PRESS YOUR SEAMS!
I think people don’t realize pressing “locks” the stitches in 😊
@@rebeccaanne3083 what do you mean? unless you're using polyester thread and melting your stitches (!) I can't see any way that could be literal but I also can't figure out what else it could be.
I usually sew historically inspired clothes out of thrifted bedsheets/curtains/blankets, l make my own designs and draft the patterns, it's very fun
A really good tip that I, unfortunately, learned down the hill is to make basting stitches! Although they take time, when sewing sleeves or seams that require precision, they make a difference in the garment as if you were to hold it just with pins
I’m a very beginner sewer and haven’t been consistent . I’d say consistency is also important . I did four tote bags for Christmas bags and I took my time I ironed everything , pinned down , went slow, added interfacing . I did one today cutting all corners and after a year , ggiiirrrll 😂😂😂 . Definitely going to apply all these tips
I am literally sewing my prototype right now for my 14th century garb I shall wear to my first Renaissance Festival. I am 80 years old, and going to the Texas Renaissance Festival in November. The prototype I am asking now is the surcoat, and I made the pattern for it using my dimensions. First time I have ever done that. I felled all the seams on the chemise I just finished, and the inside is definitely as pretty as the outside! I just saved your video. Thanks.
Giving yourself enough TIME for the project. Hands down my number 1 tip.
Thanks for the insight. I bought an awesome jacket from the thrift store and I looked and the inside wasn't finished or lined. Outside it wore just fine. It was nice to know someone made it themselves.
My number one tip, which is in addition to (not instead of!) all of these in the video: baste your seams, preferably by hand. Pre-basting a seam allows you to make sure that you're constructing the garment correctly (I mean, who hasn't attached something back to front, or top to bottom, or put a pocket in the seam of their sleeve instead of the body *cough* my husband *cough*) and do a gentle try-on as you go. If you've made a mistake, it's way faster to undo a baste than an actual seam, and less likely to damage your fashion fabric, especially if it's something delicate! Furthermore, when you then take it to your sewing machine, you can sew at VROOM speed without having to slow down for pins, or worse, sew fast straight over them and risk the inevitable bits of flying metal when your machine's needle full on snaps one.
I recently finished a pair of linen shorts and I wasn’t sure if I had cut enough fabric to french seam them so I didn’t. They look great on the outside but disgusting on the inside. I then made a top from the same fabric and I french seamed all the seams and it really looks beautiful on the inside as well. I think this has taught me to consider the seams before cutting the fabric! However your comments on bias tape made me think that I could probably still add some bias tape into my shorts to make them look slightly neater from the inside, so I’m definitely going to look into that!
I have done bias tape inside shorts and pants to finish & protect the seams and it is definitely worth the time. Linen can be very high fray so if you don't pritect those seams, all your hard work in making the shorts will be for nothing if the seams allowances & you develop holes! I picked up the idea of using bias tape inside shorts from a pair of pants I used for work that I studied. Examining professionally made garments is a great way to pick up tips on how to make your own things better.
@@ZethsCraftDesk honey that is one of thee best tips..Examining professional pieces/garments to understand how important it is on the inside.Ex;your fav.shorts,jacket etc.
These tips are great. Pressing is my number one. It can really make or break the look of a garment.
Great video.
My tip: Take. Your. Time.
If you rush you'll cheapen your garment by (like you wisely said) cutting corners, not lining properly, and not finishing things well.
Addendum to taking your time: stop when you get hungry, annoyed, or tired. 😄
for the 3rd tip, one thing i do that saves me time is that i already trim the thread really close when im getting it out of the machine after sewing, so then the thread is never is my way and i dont have a million pieces of little threads everywhere (the loose one i put into the little bin i have as soon as it cut it)
Just seen this and how refreshing to hear someone talking about making clothes in this way. I make almost all of mine. Nothing particularly fashionable. I like to wear what I like to wear....but I nearly always use french seams, quite often hand sew a whole garment, and even if a pattern doesn't call for it - I line it. So much more lovely to wear a dress that has been lined.
New subscriber here... Thank you Kiana.
You’re so right about pressing! My sewing instructor always said that pressing is what makes or breaks a garment. You can fix bad sewing with a great press, but you can ruin good sewing with a bad press. ITS YOUR BEST FRIEND!
Also, I will echo everyone else. TAKE YOUR TIME! You will have more to fix if you speed through. If you take your time you will get it done the proper way. And the more you do certain things the quicker you will become ❤
this is great advice and super helpful! I would add that, for me at least, while I do want to improve my skills and produce more professional clothing, I am still a beginner and if I get too bogged down in the details I will never actually finish garments. As I get better and can work more quickly, I’m sure I will start to be more of a stickler, but for now, I just want to actually finish pieces!
I did this! When I started sewing my mother always complain that my clothes weren't finished. But I sad, I'm a beginner, I don't need tô be perfect, better unperfect and done
As someone who only has a home machine with 6 stitches that can't even adjust stitch length and width, even less have a serger... A good way to finish your seams is to do a French seam or any type of folded seam. It actually makes both the inside and outside look so professional.
All you need to do is after sewing once:
1) take your raw seams, iron them flat to one side
2) fold the raw edges in so they can't be seen and iron them flat again.
3) sew it to your garment with a straight stitch. It will look like the seams of jeans.
Even better if you have twin needles.
To anyone reading this You are so pretty inside and out 🎀 and hope you have an awesome day 🫶🏼
I need that blazer dress in whatever way I can get it. Pattern, sewing tutorial, it’s beautiful!
I don't usually use patterns, do not have an iron, a sewing machine, dressmakers dummy, any good fabric stores near me, etc. But we make do. Going slow and taking care will always be worth it.
i always press during all the process and it truly changes the aspect of the pieces AND help a lot for every stitching !
Also i feel like topstitching adds something clean and professionnal to a garment
Fit your projects on as you go, even if you have done a prototype. Often the fabric I use for prototypes is slightly different from the final project fabric which can cause some differences in fit and how things lay.
My tip is to look at the pattern's "finished garment measurements" before doing any cutting. They are often printed on the individual pattern pieces and tend to provide a better fit than the size chart because they include wearing ease.
Oh yes. I ignored these recently in a very rookie mistake and now my daughter has a pair of lounge pants that are 4 inches too long for her. Luckily they were only ever intended to be for in-house wear, but...yeah. "She's tall" I said. "Of COURSE they will be the right length." I don't know why the pattern was made so long, but I will never ignore the finished length again. (I am also trying to figure out why the side seam is splitting already after only 2 weeks.)
Great tips! My sewing teacher in high school always said to cut the threads because it also makes the garment look cheap. So true. I always think of H&M in the U.S. or Forever 21. I used to have to cut the threads of those garments right when I would get home with them.
this video helped me upgrade my sewing so much, thank you! I'd never ginished a seam before in my life and every dress looked like that last garment you pullked out, raw edges everywhere. Took my time and have making it all the time it needed and now I'm so happy with a final product for the first time
I don't even sew but here I am watching your videos over and over again!
Thank You, Kiana- You would be a fabulous teacher, not only for your succinct delivery but for your relevance for young aspiring fashion designers. Jo Young NZ Young Designers (ages11-12)
You have inspired me beyond my wildest dreams! It’s been three decades since I’ve sewn anything meaningful. I now have time, space and the ability to begin afresh and make beautiful things. I like your sass and your professionalism, Kiana!
New sub…I’m reading to thread the needle!,🪡🎯
YES to prototyping! Something I have neglected to do in my own sewing practice. This was also throughly discouraged in the various companies I have worked for over the last 6 years. Many companies consider prototyping being "a waste of time." Yet it's so important in making the perfect fitting clothing. Thanks for these amazing tips!!! 🩷
😊
Use a serger if you have the option to buy one. It has changed the way I make garments, drastically improving the finished product.
My biggest tip... Use pins while finishing. Take your time and pin it so you know while sewing the material it will be where you want it to be instead of crawling all over the place.
Just dont run pins through your serger, it'll dull the blade and potentially break your machine.
I like that you used your own work as examples to learn from.
Awesome tips! I’m coming from quilting to sewing a wardrobe for myself. I definitely have been drilled in seam pressing! Thank goodness my style is lagenlook so my mistakes can be forgiven and even benefit the overall look. 😊
I actually have 2 tips
1. When estimating how long it will take to finish the project, take your prediction and multiply it by 3. Things will happen to the project (or life) that make it longer to complete.
2. Flatline the lining fabric to the main fabric before you start sewing pieces together. I've learned it last semester, and I've been changed for good.
Always make a sample in muslin or a similar fabric that your true project is suppose to be made out of so that you do not waste your good fabric. Like Kiana said, "make a couple prototypes before using your "intended fabric." Happy sewing !!!
Thank you. I'm a bit more mature,and didn't know what was meant by prototype, but I always made a muslin before using my fashion fabric with new design or pattern.
I start design school next week. I know nothing about sewing. I took a gap year before uni, so I figured it would be nice to learn. So here I am watching YT videos on sewing even if I don't know what proto-typing is
Many people call it making a muslin.
I think the other commonly used term beside muslin is a toile. (Don't promise that I spelled it correctly but it's not yelling at me.)
Material
Prototype
Press and trim
Perfect your finishings
( Hems buttons etc... )
Research
I'm glad you said that all company sizes aren't the same I've told ppl this and they look at me like I'm crazy!
My rule is not to stress and try to finish something faster than I should. It is ok to continue next time with fresh head. And if I have seam ripped twice same thing it is a sign to continue next day
Thanks 😊
I just completed my 1st sewing project, hemming some flared jeans for my petite legs. 🥹🥹🥹 The thing that I will remember most from this video is that the inside should look good. This will remind me to do everything else...press, don't cut corners, finishings, etc. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. ❤
Thank you for this video! For learning about choosing fabrics, there's a sewing store that has a quarterly subscription for swatches matched with patterns for the upcoming season, the Confidenct Stitch {gar}Meant for You. They offer cool or warm bundles, and you also get s bunch of info, including any sew-a-longs they've done. I haven't seen many, but just feeling the fabrics and comparing to patterns helped me understand why past garments didn't work out for me!
this is so helpful !! im still learning while taking projects. i clearly dont know half of the finishing skills or nearly half of the basics ... which is fine cuz im still making things i like. im not striving 4 perfectionism, just good enough 4 myself. this video can make u feel pressured but plz dont. anybody will b impressed with any sewing project.
I just figured out how important good quality thread is. Walmart thread was dragging so much in my sewing machine that i kept taking the thing apart and oiling/cleaning it and wondering why it sounded like sandpaper. It raised the tension frustratingly too, and everytime i stopped the thread would snap. I bought some sewology thread from hobby lobby because i just happened to be there, and it's cheap too. Sews like butter and it's so much stronger.
And pay attention to thread type vs fabric type when it comes to polyester or cotton, and make sure your needle is facing the correct direction. Saves hours of headache wondering why you're bird nesting.
That thing with the blue collar and floaty sleeves is so clever. I wish I could make something that well fitted.
#1 tip in sewing is press every seam while sewing: finish raw edges of seams and top stitch on right side edges depending on style; then press again.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! ❤😊
This video is just absolutely perfect. My clothes are looking better because I have been doing some of the stuff you mention, but I can be less lazy and improve even more 😂
The thing that changed my sewing the most was ironing. I hate ironing so used to avoid it but omg, my projects are so clean and crisp looking now.
Iron your seams babes!
Yes, yes, yes. Press, press, press, as you go! Your iron is your best friend 🪡🧵👍🏻
Completely agree with making prototypes and pressing your garment! Interface when and where necessary as well. Buttonholes, waistbands, collars etc…
I'd never known anything about interfacing, and now I'm going to look up interfacing buttonholes because crap I'm bad at them
Hahahaha I really needed you to yell at me. This is the kind of tough love I need right now! Going to slow down, not cut corners, and make the inside look as good as the outside 😁
I love your style of communication, I get it!
Love your passion. And yes, you can research what you dont know. Preach sister.
I NEED a veil. I'm making my own because spending 100 to 200 was not an option for a piece of tulle. So a quick video for that would be FABULOUS.
Been sewing for 5 month and your vids are my go to….love if you made an in depth video about tips and tricks on the inside of your garments
Id also love to see a video on what to do with excess fabric for a project OR how to cut fabric properly so you’re not wasting so much of it.
I'm getting a sewing machine for my birthday, a 33 year old lady. I want to start sewing I'm not sure where to start but this helps!
Placemats, tablecloths, napkins!
Beginner sewist. I am learning new vocabulary here thank you
Omg I fell in love with that beautiful see-through black dress
My biggest tip for anyone who already knows how to finish raw edges is basting! And stay stitching! Arm and neck holes love to stretch out on the bias, and taking the time to stay stitch the edges will save the garment from having bizarrely large/baggy shoulders where your sleeves attach. If you're sewing a shirt that doesn't call for gathering, you shouldn't have to gather your arm hole to fit around your sleeve. It takes maybe 2 minutes and it will save your garment!
Omg lol your threats and hand gestures make me want to sew so much better so I don’t disappoint you hahaha thank you!!
ok I literally gasped when you showed the inside of the white dress. I mean, the pics of it are gorgeous, but I had never really thought about how much the inside matters before, I usually just follow the pattern which usually includes those things. I'll have to keep that in mind as I branch out and try my own things. Thanks for this.
my jaw dropped when i saw your patterns. i am so happy i stumbled upon your video
Nice garments. You do nice work. I have a BS in home Econ. From back in the dark ages (the 70’s) great tips. Add in some pressing aids like a ham and seam roll etc because it doesn’t matter what you are making, be it a quilt or garment pressing as you go properly is where it’s at.
Hang on a second. Don't trust the size measurements on a pattern! Trust the *finished* garment measurements. Sometimes they're printed on the actual pattern piece but that's the info you need. I never make the size that my actual measurements are.
Also - Nancy Zieman said years ago to choose your size based on your upper bust measurement so you get the shoulders right. You can fix everything from there down as you need but you're more likely to get the size closer to your own body that way.
Absolutely!!
Nancy Zieman was a treasure!
What fabric should one use to prototype? Any tips on prototyping?
“Let the fabric tell you what it wants to be” - yes, yes, yes!
Whenever I want to slack I think "Do I want this to look like a Halloween costume or actual clothing?" and that keeps me motivated. Cuz I know I'm not gonna wear it if it looks unfinished, bad fit, wrong fabric etc.
This video was great! I had to swallow my pride at a few points, (process the things I can and should do better) but this video had so much good advice and I found it super helpful :D
7:21 GURL THAT FACE I LOST IT🤣🤣🤣 I have NEVER laughed so hard at a sewing video ohmygosh. This is my first video I've watched of you, but I love your personality. I love how frustrated and passionate you're getting because it really shows how much it means to you that your followers truly learn and hone their craft to the best of their abilities. Thank you so much for making this video!!! =)
I'm currently sewing a dress with a stiff cotton like fabric, and i will admit that i had this fabric laying around at my house for months before i started anything.
I accidentally bought way too much fabric so i have a lot left.
Take your time while cutting out the fabric for your project! A bad cut job can really impact how your garment goes together and how it turns out. So slow down, lay it out well, make sure it won't shift around, good scissors/blades, and try to create smooth movements over broken ones