crafts

I love to sew and actually sold a ton of my own sundresses at the very first Need here in Richmond, when it was called Blues. (I frequently kick myself in the ass for not keeping that up.)

Now, I’ll make the occasional pillow and hem or mend something. Major clothing ideas pop in my head all the time but I never get off my but and make anything happen. I keep thinking that I MUST have a dress form to do what I want correctly. Then I wonder if that would just be a crazy expense for something I’ll probably get bored of quickly, like I usually do with crafty endeavors.

It’s nice knowing how to do some basic things though and if you’re feeling helpless to alter your own clothing, fear not. Here are some things every person should have tucked away in a tidy box and basic tips for attacking that mending pile I know you have! (If you have a sewing machine, you probably already have these supplies and a basic grip on sewing. Here, I’m talking about hand-sewing to save yourself in an emergency and avoid paying a tailor.)

• All those buttons that come attached to your clothing – save them. Even if you never need to replace them, you may be able to use them for something else.
• a pair of new cheap scissors you only use for sewing
• pinking shears – scissors that cut in a zig-zag pattern and will keep tightly woven fabrics from unraveling (most expensive sewing supply – you can find them the cheapest on eBay – only needed if you plan on hemming pants/skirts and don’t have a serge stitch or serger)
• a small pack of needles in various sizes (smaller for delicate fabrics, larger for denim, etc)

• tailor’s chalk/pencil in blue & white for light and dark fabrics – this brushes/washes off

• hem gauge – use with the chalk – it is a lifesaver!

• seam ripper

• pins (I like longer ones with colored heads)

• tape measure

• A few spools of poly thread (won’t shrink) – in basic colors like white, black, brown, navy, beige, red…
• iron-on hem tape for emergencies.

All of this should cost less than $30 if you shop smart and I swear, you could sew anything with ease with these simple supplies.  Everything else is just a gimmicky gadget. I still haven’t found a thimble that didn’t drive me insane.

There are a ton of tutorials out there with fancy pics so I’m not going to teach you but here are some universal tips.

• Before you do anything, launder and iron your new clothing for shrinkage.
• If you have taken a hem out or pinned up a hem, iron before every step!
• Try on your pants with the shoes you plan to wear with them when you pin.
• Fold under and pin one leg at the length you want, in front of a mirror. Take your time. Since you’re bending over, you may have to do it a few times to get it perfect.
• Take the pants off and fold them in half perfectly and match the other leg to the one you pinned.
• Unless you have a serger or a (decent looking) stretch stitch on your regular sewing machine leave stretchy fabrics to professionals, unless it’s a quick mend.
• When hemming by hand, you want to do stitches that are teeny and barely catch the facing fabric and are well-spaced. a short video here
• Hemming jeans should be saved for a sewing machine. Match the color of thread to the original contrasting thread and practice your stitch length on a scrap first.

If you have any questions about sewing, feel free to leave a comment!

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