Stitch your way to success with these the top 5 sewing tips!

Starting on a new sewing project – whether you’re a novice or an experienced sewer– can often come with its fair share of challenges.

The delicate relationship between needle and thread can sometimes leave us tangled in frustration! The good news is, when it comes to sewing, there’s always room to learn, improve, and discover ingenious ways to make the art of stitching a breeze.

From threading needles with ease, and organising bobbins to achieving straight hand stitches and mastering topstitching like a pro, these simple tips and tricks will save you a lot of time and effort and help you produce the perfect garments and creations every time.

1. No-fuss needle threading

Sometimes trying to get that thin little bit of thread into a needle is an absolute nightmare. No matter how hard you try, it never seems to want to go through, leaving you and probably the rest of the household quite frustrated. But fear not, as there is a way around it that won’t leave you with an incredibly sore head.

All you have to do is spray the tip of the thread with a little bit of hairspray and quickly pull it through the needle. Why not grab a small can of hairspray and keep it with your sewing materials so you don’t have to run back and forth to the bathroom to grab more when you need it?

2. Bobbin and thread organisation

If you’re a keen sewer you probably have a big collection of materials, and sometimes things go missing. It can be a real pain when you have to go searching, but one handy way to keep your bobbin and thread together is to use a golf tee! It may sound bizarre but all you need to do is place the bobbin on top of the spool of thread and insert the golf tee. They will never be separated again.

3. A guide for hand stitching

When you’re sewing a piece, the last thing you want is a wonky line. So in order to keep it nice and straight when hand stitching, first machine baste a line of stitches and use it as a guide. Just before you are ready to begin hand sewing, simply pull the machine stitches out and follow the holes that are left behind.

4. Crochet hook to remove basting

The number of tools in a crafter’s toolkit is endless and some can be used in more ways than one. A crochet hook is a great example as it can help to remove basting threads, ease stitching threads and open seams. The handy rounded point can be pushed under the stitch and the hook used to remove the thread altogether. There really is no need to buy any extra tools!

5. Tape guide for topstitching

Creating your own clothes or clothes for family members is one of the best things about being a handy sewer. You can make your garments just as you like and they always fit perfectly. But what isn’t so great is when you are left with an annoying mark from trying to make things look perfect. In order to avoid the dreaded line when sewing a straight topstitch, place a piece of masking tape along the fabric as your guide to follow. Then, once you are finished, simply remove the masking tape.

This article was originally published on February 27, 2021, and has been updated on April 19, 2024.