From threading to stitching: Clever sewing hacks for effortless crafting

No matter if you’re new to sewing or have been doing it for years on end, there is always something new to learn and ways to make the task at hand that little bit easier. These simple tips and tricks will save you a lot of time and effort and help you to produce the perfect garment each and every time.

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 thread with a little bit of hairspray and quickly pull it through the needle. As an added benefit, grab a small can of hairspray and keep it with your sewing materials so you don’t have to run back and fourth to the bathroom to grab some more.

Bobbin and thread organisation

If you’re a keen sewer there is no doubt you have a big collection of materials, and probably more often than not, things go missing. It can be a real pain when you have to go searching for things. One handy way to keep you 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 go missing again.

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.

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 to open seams. The handy rounded point can be pushed under the stitch and the hook used to remove the thread all together. There really is no need to buy any extra tools!

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 create 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.