Learn To Sew With The Right Fabrics

Choosing The Best Value In Fabric is one fabulous hobby.

Rising out of necessity, the modern creative hobby enjoys almost endless possibilities.

The convenience features of advanced computerized sewing machines have opened up vast possibilities.  Before you start any project, it is important to make sure your sewing machine is working properly and get sewing machine repair as needed.

This hobby finds expression in embellishment, home dcor, heirloom, clothing, crafts, quilting, and embroidery. The ease and creative potential, make sewing a highly satisfying hobby.

Sewing is also blessed by the rich array of sewing threads, notions, and fabrics. Colors and textures are available today that could not even have been dreamed about when the sewing machine was first invented.

One of the challenges creative sewing hobbyists faced, is choosing the right combination of fabrics, colors, and textures. The options are so great, that sorting through the choices is often very difficult. As a result, the following list of tips is provided.

Tip One: Consider the advice available to you. Too often we try to make our own choices without considering what the experts say. You can save loads of frustration by asking experts, teachers, and trusted friends for their advice. Reading the backs of patterns can shortcut the decision making process. While all advice is not equal, you are still in control. Use your own common sense, after getting all the suggestions you need.

Tip Two: Consider Quality. If you think about your project, and how much time and effort you put into it; ask yourself what quality materials do you need? Rest assured there are differences in quality. Three bolts of fabric may look just alike, one may be junk, another may be good quality, and the third may be top quality. Durability, finished appearance, and ease of sewing can vary greatly based on the quality of the fabric.

Tip Three: Understand grades of fabric. Fabrics are produced by first producing greygoods or the base fabric. If this greygood piece is woven, you may have one fabric made of 20 count, another of 60 count, and another of 200 count. By count we refer to the number of threads per inch. Obviously, the more threads in the greygoods, the better the fabric will be. The same print, coloring, or finish can be applied to each of these varying qualities of fabric. If you sew a project with low end goods, it will not wear as well or retain its quality as long as better quality materials.

Tip Four: Learn how to identify quality in fabrics. Read books on fabrics. Take classes. Ask sewing educator about identifying quality.  It is important to understand that even the finest sewing machine may have difficulty producing quality finished projects with poor quality fabrics.  If you take your sewing machine to your technician and have him repair sewing machines, it may not give you the result you want.  So, look for quality fabrics.

Tip Five: Price is not the only indicator. Generally, poorer quality goods will cost less, but prices do still vary. The key is identifying the real value of the fabric.


Tip Six: To examine the quality of fabric use your senses. Touch it, look at it up to the light, examine the weave, stretch it to see if it retains its shape, and scrunch up the fabric to see if it tends to wrinkle or not.

Tip Seven: Check out the labels on the end of the bolt. Check out fabric content and washing directions.

Tip Eight: Cotton fabrics are very popular because of their easy of use and the wide variety of colors and prints available. It is recommended that you pre-wash cottons to set the fabric and prevent shrinkage problems later.  Sewing your project and then shrinking it can be frustrating.

Tip Nine: Watch for blends.  Due to the great qualities of cotton fabrics, you will often find other fibers blended with cotton. Polyester is essentially plastic, but polyester cotton blends are great. They add durability, reduce shrinkage issues, and generally eliminate problems with wrinkling.

Learn to sew on a variety of different fabrics and master those special techniques on specialty fabrics that come from understanding how to sew on them.

It is important to check the fabric label for the percentage of fiber content. If there is a high polyester content, the character of the fabric will be more like polyester than cotton.

A shirt with 70% cotton and 30% polyester, is going to give the cotton the good features of the polyester, but maintain the good features of the cotton. The result is a shirt that wears wrinkle free with high durability that still breathes. Reverse the percentages, and the increased plastic features appear resulting in a very hot shirt. You will also find blends with other fibers. Examine the labels and consider the characteristics blended between the two fibers.

Creating is Exciting and relaxing when you know how to sew. Act now to learn to sew like a pro beginning with your free copy of Top Ten Sewing Answers available at www.SewingAnswers.com.

Imagine And Sew

When we see something we like, we can imitate it. 

When we get a flash of genius, all we have to do is enter our creative wonderland and sew together what we imagine. 

We can construct our own styles the way we want them.  We can express ourselves in ways others can only wish.

Fashion changes so fast it can be dizzying. 

Every season brings fresh new styles.  Magazines, shows, and advertizing put a spotlight on the new trends, but as fast as the new comes, the old fades away.  Hmmm, how long has it been since you saw a double knit leisure suit?

King Solomon said, There is nothing new under the heavens.  When it comes to fashion, he seems to be right on.  A close look at the current fashions, reveals that designers resurrect features, styles, and trends of the past.  They pick and choose to create new twists and turns to create fresh fashion styles. 
What stops you from doing the same thing?  Nothing. 

You too can pick and choose from thousands of patterns to create your own fresh styles.  You can learn to sew with confidence and master all those detailed how to sew techniques. 

Determine the neatest, newest, most exciting styles of the new fashion look. Then consider what kinds of  sewing projects could you envision?  

You might think to yourself, I need a new pattern and it is so hard to fit a new pattern.  Or you might imagine resurrecting some of those old patterns and using the parts that fit your new design.  You might even consider investing in design software like Dressmaker or Berninas new My Design. 
You may take a class to learn how to sew to create your own designs or fine tune fitting.

Just imagine all the fashion ingredients you could generate from your own sewing room. 
If you see something intriguing in a magazine, sew it up yourself.  You are limited only by your minds eye.  You can take standard items and make minor changes to create brand new effects. Change a collar, a sleeve, a cuff, or embellish with embroidery or appliqu.  You could make your own glamour dress, jacket, suit, blouse, or accessory.

You may not be a famous French fashion designer, but you could create your own exciting fashion styles. 

Think of all the different things you could make.  The possibilities are endless.  You can start from scratch.  You could imitate something you see.    You could take a stock item and embellish it. 
The new fashion styles can be what you make them.

Oh, you feel a bit hesitant?  Maybe you need a quality sewing machine or sewing supplies.  Maybe you need some sewing machine repair for your sewing machine.  Maybe you even need to find someone to repair sewing machines.  Do not let these obstacles stop you from creating your own fashion statement.


If it takes more than a few hours, some of us never get done.  So, frequently, I will buy a cheap ready to wear garment and then do my thing. 

Since most ready to wear does not fit my body, I usually have to make some adjustments anyway.  So, I do.  With a touch of decorative threads, metallic embellishment, sparkles, changing a collar, or even embroidery design, I take ordinary and turn it into extraordinary. 

As sewers, we can choose to design and sew from scratch or to transform a stock item. 
Either way, we are able to produce our own distinctive fashions.

Sometimes the newest fashions, can be made by recycling stuff already in the closet.  By making some alterations, adding some distinctive embellishment, or just using the item in a fresh new way; we produce our new style. 

It is so exciting when friends respond, Wow, how much did that cost?  It is so much fun being the envy of my friends.

What about color? 

The department stores cycle through different colors and styles based on what they think will sell.  One year I wanted to buy a light green dress, but found the stores were in a blue cycle.  There were no green dresses.  But, I sew.  So, I quickly put together my own fashion green.  Now I didnt, but I could have even died my own fabric if  I had wanted to.  Color makes a big difference.  A touch here or there changes everything.

For me, sewing offers me my own little world.  When I sew, I feel relaxed and at peace.  

I get so many creative ideas, I run out of time.  Nothing makes me feel better than to have people complement my sewing. 

When it comes to fashion, I am in charge.  I can create my own styles using the colors, textures, and designs I prefer. 

Sewing is a wonderful experience.

When you see that skirt at Dillards for $220, ask yourself, Could I make that? 

And then give yourself the answer you know is true. Yes, you can.  Not only can you sew it, you can do it a much less cost.  You can probably even improve on it. 

Then imagine the thrill when your friends say, She must have spent a fortune. 

Today, the modern sewing machines and other tools available make sewing so easy and convenient it is a real blessing. 

Using a quality sewing machine is fun, easy, and gives real satisfaction. 

Making your own styles has never been easier.  So, lets sew.  Lets create our own personal fashion statement