Sunday, April 26, 2020

Sewing Shortcuts

As I was working on the dresses, I realize that I normally do a few things that make my sewing go faster.

Things like:
1. I wind two bobbins when I start a project.

2. I pull all the items I need to complete a project before I start - that means not only are fabric and pattern(s) chosen but notions (zipper/buttons/interfacing) and contrasting fabrics. 

3. I sew as many seams together as possible before I head to the iron.

4. When sewing on shank buttons, I thread 2 needles so I don't have to stop in the middle, especially when I'm sewing a large number of buttons onto the garment.

5.  Other buttons are sewn on by machine.

6.  I keep my basic colors of thread (white, black, brown, navy) in minimum 2 spools but I like to keep them stocked at 3-4 spools.

7.  I buy threads both sewing machine and serger on sale in larger spool sizes.


8.  I have a steam generator iron but it doesn't work in the sewing cave without blowing a fuse so I'm still ironing/pressing with my Rowenta. So before every big sew, I fill up all my water bottles so I don't have to keep going upstairs to have enough water to refill my iron.

Those are a few of the things I do to make sewing easier and a little faster when I start a project or a sewing binge.  How about you? What tricks do you have to make your sewing go a little faster?  This is the Question of the Day so talk back to me!

...as always more later!




38 comments:

  1. You have some very useful tips there. Thank you. I use a large Comfort/Lenor fabric conditioner bottle, the sort with a handle, to store my ironing water in. Even when the container has been thoroughly washed out to remove the conditioner, it retains a pleasant mild fragrance which then filters into the iron water a little bit.

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  2. Ah-ha! That explains how your sewing output is at a mind-blowing speed!

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  3. I use nearly all the items you listed but add music that suits my mood of the day. Lately I prefer swing music of the 40s-50s which keeps me mellow during this time of crisis. Karen

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  4. I finally found out how to send a comment! I loved today's post about all your prep work before sewing. Fascinating. Love your blog. Thanks, Ramona

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  5. My thread basics don't include brown but does include grey and beige-Grey was suggested t me many years ago as an all purpose blender color and the beige seems to be the equivalent for a lot of warm pastels.

    The other thing I use is gluesticks
    Several years ago, Mother Pletch's Painless Sewing, 80s version, recommended using dabs of glue to "baste" underlining. Fast forward to accidentally ordering a dozen dozen gluesticks from Amazon (I thought I was ordering a 1 box of a dozen), started using them for glue basting tricky little things...Most recently, holding elastic on face masks so it doesn't wiggle away as I sew...

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  6. Great tips. I also keep the scraps handy (rather than recycling straight away) so I can test out the machine stitching on that fabric and decide what is most suitable.
    I like matching thread and sew a lot of knits, so I try to have enough of a favourite colour to thread up, sewing machine, overlocker(serger) and coverhem machine. Then I try to make more than one project with the same colour thread to maximise that.
    Obviously that means a lot of spools of thread. I like Moon brand polyester thread, its inexpensive, comes in lots of colours and works in all my machines.
    I store the thread by colour in 3 drawers separated into slots with drawer dividers.

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  7. Your water bottles remind me of my ironing hack. I have a bathroom next to the room I sew in, so I set the ironing board up in there to press. Won't blow a fuse because the outlets are high enough amperage for hair driers, and there's water right there.

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  8. Susan in ManitobaApril 26, 2020 10:46 AM

    I like to trim threads as I sew, so I wet and fold a paper towel to fit in a coffee can lid. Static and clingy threads being clipped are no longer an issue - just dampen your fingertips, and when I'm done for the day, it's easy to discard all the clipped threads from the paper towel. No more clipped threads all over the place!

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    1. Love this idea! I’m tired of seeing all my threads thru the house and on my cats! Thanks!

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  9. I had fun thinking about this question. What do I do that actually makes things go faster...rather than what I pretend is helping? I finally settled on 3 things. 1. Using pattern weights and a rotary cutter (no pinning patterns to fabric and not using scissors). 2. Sewing without pinning first (with a few exceptions, mostly easing). (See videos of Margaret Islander and Janet Pray demonstrating this.) 3. Never following the pattern instructions for order of construction.

    Ooops. I just thought of a fourth - I have stopped using fusible interfacing. Sew-in interfacing works great with a glue stick or temporary spray adhesive...no more standing at the ironing board fusing and fusing and fusing. (Ugh)

    I have given up on batch sewing of as many seams as possible before pressing. I found that my body is way happier the more I stand up and walk the few feet to the ironing board.

    Thanks for asking this question!

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  10. Thank you for your faster tips. I am still using a very thirsty iron and keep water in emptied 2litre soda bottles.

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    1. That's another great suggestion. I might have to try that since I have loads of those these days.

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  11. I've been noticing your dress form. I'd like to have one that I can pin into. I can't fit to myself worth beans, so I'm hoping a good form would help. What brand do you have, and where did you find it, please and thank you!

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    1. It was a Christmas present and my daughter bought it from Amazon from Roxy Display.

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  12. Funny enough, most of your tips I avoid because for me sewing is about slowing down and enjoying each step to the fullest. I often find ways to interrupt myself, like NOT winding bobbins ahead of time.

    One thing that does save time, but for me saves chaos, is a very neat work space, with everything in its place, and then returned to its place as soon as it is no longer needed. That might help others save time. Also, a lint roller, which again, cuts down on chaos but is a time saver when it comes to cleanup. I do waste very little time on cleanup and generally can move right into the next project.

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  13. I recently made some jelly roll rugs and went thru a ton of bobbins- 12! So yes, I wind them ahead of time. I have a button stash, so I usually don't pick buttons until the end. I tend to change my mind when I pick them out early. I batch cut and then bag projects with everything needed, piling them on my sewing table. I also use a post it note or a marker to indicate what step I did last on the instruction sheet. And I get the next step set up and ready to go before I stop for the night.

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  14. I appreciate all your wonderful tips! I just started winding my bobbins before a project, lol! It took hundreds of times of running out mid-project in order to learn my lesson.

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  15. I have water bottles too! I sew in my basement which is near the laundry room, so it's not too big a deal to make a trip. I still fill the bottles and leave them near the iron.

    I use pinking shears to trim my seams and corners.

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  16. #2 and 3 - yes, yes, yes! I always have the zipper, interfacing and everything else piled with the cut pieces before I even fire up the machine. And we've had the conversation about sewing everything possible before going to iron. I iron in my laundry room, right next to the sink, so I don't need the water bottles. And if I don't have minimum 4 of white and black thread, plus 2 of more common colors, I have to order more. It's just for the best, right?

    I also tend to try to cut multiple things in the same color family, so I don't have to change serger thread. And if I can make multiple garments from the same fabric, like dresses for the granddaughters (because it's adorable when they match), I use different color pins on each garment, so I can see at a glance that the pieces are right.

    Great way to get us thinking on this rainy Sunday night!

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  17. I don't sew as often so speed is not an issue for me though I do also tend to sew multiple seams before heading to the iron. I love your idea of filling two bobbins. That is really clever as I hate having to refill mid seam. I pin fit and then head to the machine.The only trick I have is to sit my machine on a folded towel which has multiple benefits. It mutes machine noise, is handy to poke removed pins into and it also catches clipped threads.

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  18. I don't think I can sew without my steam generator iron (Reliable 300). I too make sure it is filled before I sew. Your other tips are absolutely on point.

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  19. These are great tips (yours and in the comments). I have one of those water bottles that football people use, with the long bent straw (so you can squirt the water into your mouth through the face mask)(so you can squirt the water into the iron without taking a bath). It holds a lot of water, which is pretty dang handy. I ron after every seam to get my butt out of the chair (but it's right behind my chair, so it's not a long walk. Maybe it should be.)
    I have one of those red lint things (mine is a ball, but a lint brush would work) next to the machine to grab the threads off my static-infested fingers. I also have a lint brush pad on the cutting table for the same thing.

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  20. Totally warms my heart to see that people are enjoying sewing. My friends would say to me "why are you still sewing when retail is so cheap". Well because of Corona people are dusting off their forgotten handy dandy machine to make home made masks. Keep sewing everyone for me its my go to when i feel a bit stressed. Please stay safe everyone.

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  21. great tips, fellow sewists! i keep a picture of my inspiration on the sewing table so i don't get sidetracked away from my design. my drawing skills are below basic but a rough sketch seems to work.
    also, my cutting table nearly abuts my sewing machine cabinet with just room for a wastebasket. loose threads and trimmed-off scraps can fall immediately into the trash. someday i hope to hang a small bulletin board on the wall for mood boards--just to keep my brain on track.--anne

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  22. Great tips, Carolyn! I enjoyed reading other's tips as well. I have water bottles near where I iron. I always read through the pattern instructions before starting a project. This helps me be aware of a potential tricky sewing spot and I highlight it. I pin the pattern instructions on my bulletin board above my sewing machine so I can easily look at instructions if needed. I also serge shoulder,side seams and sleeve seams prior to sewing if I plan to sew mostly using my sewing machine.

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  23. Hi, Carolyn, Question about interfacing: You always say where you get it but you don't say what type. I'm curious b/c I've looked at their site & there are so many choices. With this lockdown - not to mention there are only 2 choices for interfacing in my area, I want to find a good source for interfacing because you've really inspired me to get sewing for myself! I need something for knits and something for light weight wovens - knit tops and woven blouses. Do you have any suggestions for specific products or types of interfacing?
    Also wonder about a good online source for buttons.

    Thank you so much for your blog. I have so many things I want to make and have just been afraid to try. It's only fabric. Nobody will die if I make a mistake. Whew. Hugs and stay healthy. Lorrie

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    1. Lorrie - I actually don't know it's name since I buy it in person. When I was buying online from Pam I could link to what I was buying. This interfacing is a medium fusible, that's all I've got. However, if you want to buy some great interfacing online I would look at one of my earlier shirt posts where I link to the interfacing on Pam's site.

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  24. I keep small scissors, a pincushion, 6" ruler, etc. hanging on the wall over my ironing board, even though it is only a few steps from the sewing machine where the same supplies are available. It saves steps and aggravation. Sewing machine and serger are on small rugs or placemats: slide them forward to use; slide them back for workspace. I get up & move around frequently, as sitting too long makes for hip pain.

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  25. I also gather all items and put them in a container so everything I need is right at hand and I don't need to go searching for anything. I wind bobbins about 20 at a time (I hate the chore) and that usually keeps me on track. If I have to go looking for something.....oh look, squirrel!

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  26. Thanks for the tips! Here in Colorado, it's very dry and my hands and fingers are frequently dry and I can't seem to hold onto fabric without it slipping and sliding out of my hands/fingers.
    So, instead of constantly applying and re-applying hand lotion, I use "SortKwik" to keep my fingertips moistened so that I can easily grab and hang onto fabric pieces easily without making them greasy from hand lotion. I learned that from quilting ;)

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  27. I love the idea of threading multiple needles for sewing buttons. This idea will work well for hand sewing, basting and making tailor tacks. I use tailor tacks more and more for marking fabric. I find it faster than using tracing paper. Each machine has its own pin cushion and thread nippers. Small gift bags are great for collect cut threads. I have the bags every place that I clip threads. This saves me from having to clean the wheels of my sewing chairs. Altering patterns and cutting out fabric are my least favorite parts of sewing. I found that I am more productive if I cut out a bunch of projects at one time. My biggest tip is to be organized. Create a home for every tool that you use and teach yourself to return it when you are done. This was a hard lesson to learn but it saves me countless hours looking for missing seam rippers, etc.

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    1. Looking for items is a major time suck. Don't ask how I know!LOL

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  28. Hi Carolyn, My tip is to always check your bobbin before you start to do buttonholes. There is nothing more exasperating than realizing that the bobbin thread has run out half way through a buttonhole. I've enjoyed this post. Thanks. Carol in Boulder

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  29. Thank you, Carolyn -- and all the commenters -- for these valuable tips!

    Besides railroading pieces through the machine (not a grainline term, just pushing one seam through right after the other without stopping between to cut the threads, like connecting railroad cars in a train), putting all pieces of a project together into one container, and winding multiple bobbins at a time, my "time-saving" tip is to sew all your projects that use the same color thread and same size needle at the same time. Each project might take a little longer to complete, but by the end of your task you'll have finished 3 or 4 (or more) projects in far less time than if you had done each one separately from start to finish.

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  30. Best purchase I ever made for my freelance apparel design business - an industrial steam iron. In this case, a gravity feed model where you hang a container of water above your ironing board, and the iron delivers a blast of steam at the push of a button. I got mine from WAWAK.com for the same price of a mid-price Rowenta, that within a year will either leak or just quit working, or both. No more soda bottles of water, no leaky and weak steam home irons, and tons of steam, things guaranteed to speed up your sewing.


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  31. To my right is a drawer. I had this at my last house too. I have tons of threads like I am sure we all do but in that top drawer I have my basics, black, white, beige, brown, navy and gray. I am in that thread drawer constantly and the rest of my threads are across the room in a big organized situation. It is really handy having the basics right there.

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