Sewing tips
Use the right needle
As oilcloth is a heavier-weight fabric, it is best to use a Size 16/100 sewing needle. You could also use a denim needle.
Help the fabric feed smoothly
Sewing with oilcloth is very similar to sewing any other fabric, but the “stickiness” of the fabric can make it difficult to feed through your sewing machine. A walking foot, Teflon presser foot or roller presser foot can help. If you don’t have one of these, some other options are:
- Place tissue paper between the presser foot and oilcloth.
- Put masking tape on the bottom of your presser foot.
- Put masking tape on the oilcloth itself (although this can be a challenge to remove!)
Use overlock thread for the sewing machine – this is how it works!
If you have a lot of unused overlock cones and prefer to sew with your sewing machine, you can use the large overlock thread rolls with a simple trick. Place the large roll in a cup and then thread it into your machine as you normally would. Now you can sew without the roll falling over! We hope you enjoyed our Top 10 sewing tricks and hope you have fun trying them out! If you are new to sewing and have been daunted by all there is to know or somehow hesitated to start the first project this article is for you! If you are interested in starting your sewing journey, you can look at these beginner crafting projects. Be sure to also check out our Pinterest or find your perfect pattern on Makerist!
Put labels on fabric scraps
Order in the fabric shelf is essential! In order to have your scraps of fabric at hand, you can easily label them. Label a note with the relevant information such as the type and size of the fabric and attach the label to the leftover fabric – we did it with tape.
Overcast with the zigzag scissors
If you don’t have an overlock machine, overcasting the edges of the fabric can often be a hassle. To avoid annoying fraying with cotton fabrics, you can easily take a pair of zigzag scissors and neaten the edges.
Simple and practical: Stick Your Tape Measure Down
Stick your tape measure directly on your work table! To do this, take the double-sided adhesive tape and attach it to the top of the outer edge of the table. Now you can always cut your fabrics precisely and easily!
Use matching threads
A sewing machine uses two threads. You should always use the same type of thread (same material, same thickness*) on the top and the bottom to avoid uneven tension, jams, and breakages. *You can mix colours of course (to match the inner and outer fabric, or create decorative stitching), just as long as it's the same kind of thread. The easiest way to match threads is to start each project with an empty bobbin and fill it from the spool. If you often use the same spool, go ahead and fill several bobbins at once to avoid re-threading your machine every time. Just make sure to keep track of where they came from! (label each bobbin or store it with its spool).
Pointed: Simply Peel Of The Tailors Chalk
To get exact lines with tailor’s chalk, you can simply take a vegetable peeler and peel it along the edges. Do this from both sides – this will point the side and you can draw perfect lines.
Simply Magical: The Magic Knot
If you find it difficult to get a “very simple” knot into your thread by hand(don’t worry we have all been there!), there is another simple trick that does not require finger art. First, thread the thread through the eye of the needle. Place the end of the thread on your index finger. Put the needle over it. Now wrap the thread around the needle several times while holding the end of the thread pressed against the needle. Pull the loops together a little and pull them down to the end of the needle. Then pull all the loops from the needle down to the end – and voilà: you have a knot!
At A Glance: Sort Sewing Machine Needles On A Cork Wall!
To keep track of your sewing machine needles, you can conveniently sort them on a cork wall. Divide a sticky note into boxes and label it according to your needle types and sizes. Then you pin the appropriate needle into the appropriate box. Voila!
