Sewing with Vinyl | Tips&Tricks

So recently I have been trying to experiment more with vinyl (clear vinyl for card pockets in wallets and faux leather for clutches) but my presser foot was sticking to the vinyl so much that it was becoming nearly impossible. I read a few places that you can put a piece of paper on top of the vinyl so it will glide through easier but then you can't see where you are sewing so that method didn't work too well for me.

I looked into buying a non-stick presser foot for my machine which is made for sewing with vinyl but I decided to research some cheaper or free options first before I take the plunge and order one online.

I found a great tip on the blog Rosy Corner Creations that suggests using scotch tape on the bottom of the presser foot to create a non-stick surface.

I can't wait to get home and try it out! I'd much rather try using scotch tape for free before I buy one online for around $20.

I'll let you guys know how it works! :)

Fiddlers Creek Designs & Supplies

I wanted to share one of my favorite Etsy shops with you guys today. It's called Fiddlers Creek Designs & Supplies and I love it! I've made quite a few purchases from them now and I couldn't be happier! It's the best place to get hardware to make fabric covered buttons, earrings, bobby pins, etc! My favorite part is they ship out pretty much the same exact day I place my order so I get my package within just a few days. I actually just ordered a bunch of stuff this morning to make button earrings and decorative bobby pins!

Thrifty Crafting | Placemat Clutch

I previously posted about a Faux Alligator Placemat that I used to make an adorable clutch. The other day I went to World Market and was amazed at their selection of adorable placemats! I loved the patterns! And the best part? The opposite side is a complementary colored pattern that goes great with the front pattern! You literally just have to fold the bottom up about 1/3 of the way and sew along the edges! 

For the bag above I did trim it a little on the sides and added a piece of sew-in interfacing to add stability. With the placemat disassembled I also added a magnetic snap closure. I then placed the two pieces right side together and sewed along the edges leaving an opening for turning. Once it was turned right sides out I folded the bottom up 1/3 of the way and sewed the edges and topstitched the flap. I love how it turned out! I used some of the material I trimmed off to make a strap for the side so it can be used as a wristlet. 

Next time I think what I am going to do (to save time, because really this should be a super fast project that I unintentionally made longer than it needed to be by taking the placemat apart) is just fold the bottom up and sew the sides. After that I will attach the magnetic snap. Since the snap will be showing on the top of the flap I think I am going to use some complementary colored fabric to make a fabric covered button and then glue it (with E6000 glue) to the back part of the magnetic snap that will be showing on the flap. 

I definitely recommend checking out World Market for placemats if there is one near you! They also have super cute napkins that I saw on sale that would be great for little zipper pouches or small bags. If there isn't a World Market near you then you might want to check Pier One, I'm sure they have great stuff that is comparable!

Thrifty Crafting: Faux Alligator Clutch

I just had to share this with all of you! I was at Marshall's last night and saw this vinyl faux alligator skin placemat and thought "That would be perfect for a clutch!". They were super cheap (about $3) and came in red, black and tan. I just cut a piece of Muslin and Pellon SF101 Interfacing the same exact size as the placemat to use for the lining and fused them together (the muslin and interfacing that is). I then installed one of the internal zipper pockets that I love (like in my Braided Belt Messenger Bag Tutorial). I added some heavy weight interfacing to the top of the lining fabric for the magnetic snap. On the placemat I used my rotary cutter and ruler to trim off the edges of the placemat because they were a little thick and I wasn't sure if my machine could handle it. I then placed the placemat and the lining right sides together and sewed along all the edges leaving a 5" hole on one side for turning. Make sure you clip the corners before you turn it inside out because the material is very stiff and will make it hard to push the corners out unless you cut off some of the excess material. 

Once it was turned right side out I topstitched around the entire bag to close the opening and hold the seams down (because like I said the material is very stiff and looks a little wonky unless the seams are stitched down). Once the bag was topstitched I just folded the bottom up about 2/3 of the way and sewed along the sides. Now all I had to do was add the other magnetic snap! It was super easy!

(Incase my explanation was a little confusing, I read this tutorial on the See Kate Sew Blog a while ago and that's kind of what I was basing my design off of).

I'm going to go search all of the stores for cute placemats now!

[+] I forgot to mention, since the vinyl was thick and stiff, make sure you use a leather needle on your machine when sewing through this material. Even the leather needle had trouble going through in a couple of areas, so I think a regular needle would probably break very easily. 

Save Money on Sewing Supplies this weekend!

I just had to share this little bit of information I found out today. Joann Fabrics is having a BIG sale this weekend, so put on your sneakers gals, it's time to stock up on sewing supplies! First, here is a link to the mobile coupons site, which is fantastic and is where I get all of my Joann coupons. They have a 10% off your total purchase coupon on there right now. As well as a 40% off any single cut of regular fabric (just to clarify, because I called Joann's myself this morning to make sure, a single cut means it can only be one type of fabric but you can get as many yards of it as you want. When they send out these coupons that is when I usually stock up on interfacing), 50% off any regular priced notion item (i.e. zippers, buttons, pins, etc), and a few more worth while coupons. 

On top of those coupons (which are already amazing), Joann's is having a huge sale for President's Day weekend. Here is the flyer for the sales this weekend. There are some AMAZING sales this weekend if you are trying to get all your basics for your beginning sewing kit. All rotary cutting supplies are 50% off, anti-pill fleece is 50% off, all home decor fabric is 50% (PERFECT for messenger bags and because it is so heavy you don't need to interface it!), Fat-Quarters are on sale for $1.29 (regularly $1.99), 50% batting and....my absolutely favorite thing that is on sale this weekend...50% all interfacing!!

Trust me ladies, if there is a long list of projects on your to-do list (like mine) that require interfacing, this weekend is the time to stock up and get as much interfacing as you can. I personally plan on buying about 15 yards of Pellon SF101 and 10 yards of Decor Bond. 

Happy shopping this weekend! Let me know what you guys stocked up on :)

Recommendation: Pattern Website

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend! I didn't stop sewing long enough to update my blog, so expect some photos of my finished projects soon! I purchased some new patterns on Friday that I love! One of them was the Pleated Wristlet Pattern from Keyka Lou Patterns. It is so cute and a wonderfully written pattern. It was easy to follow and I love the finished result! I would recommend checking out her site because all of her patterns are absolutely adorable.

I finished one of the Pleated Wristlets last night and brought it to work to show my Mom and she purchased it from me  before I could take photos of it ;)  I'll try to steal it back for a few minutes to take some pictures.

BEGINNING SEWING SUPPLY LIST

On my Sewing Tips for Beginners post someone commented requesting that I make a list of some basic supplies that I think a Beginning Sewer should have. I thought it was a great idea so I set out to compile a list of what I think are some basic supplies that you should have when you start your sewing journey. These are my personal favorite items, however, when you get started you may find that something else works better for you and that is perfectly fine! I try to keep my supplies as affordable as possible (I'm sure I don't have to reiterate how awful the economy is) so I will give you some tips on keeping sewing affordable on a small budget. 

First things first...

1) The Sewing Machine

I personally use a Brother CS6000i machine and I love it! However, if you are just starting out and don't want to splurge (because you are like me and don't know for sure that you are going to stick with your hobby in a month..or week...or couple days) then by all means try to find something a little cheaper! I have been sewing for a very long time and the first machine I used was a hand-me-down from my Grandma and was by no means glamorous. It was yellowed from age and barely worked. I used that machine for years, and when it would give me too much trouble I would just turn it off and hand sew. As frustrating as it was at the time I appreciate learning on a difficult machine because I am fully confident in my hand sewing capabilities from having to rely on them so often. After that machine (many years later) I purchased a Brother LS-2125i which was pretty cheap. That machine worked really well for many years and only started to give me problems towards the end. I would recommend starting on a Brother LS-2125i if you are looking for something pretty cheap to learn the basics on. It wasn't until I felt really confident in my sewing abilities that I looked into upgrading to a more expensive machine. 

2) High Quality Thread

My personal favorite is Gutermann Natural Cotton Thread. As I mentioned in my Sewing Tips Post, when I buy thread I buy the largest spool I can of a neutral color and use it on every project. It seems to be a really effective method because I don't have to constantly change my thread to a different color or fill bobbins with corresponding colors. I personally use a light grey color (almost the same as the one in the picture). Higher quality thread will prevent a lot of problems with your machine. 

3) Back-Up Needles For Your Machine

When you get your machine make sure you verify what needles it uses so you purchase the correct ones. Make sure you are always using a sharp needle when sewing. That doesn't mean you have to change it every time you start a project, but when it starts to dull or you notice that it is having trouble going through the fabric then it is time to switch to a new, sharp needle. Also, make sure you are using the correct needle for the type of fabric you are using. Thicker, heavier fabrics and lightweight fabrics use different types of needles. When you know what machine you are using a quick Google search can tell you what needles you need for your machine.

4) Bobbins

As with the needles, you need to verify that you are getting the correct bobbins for your machine. A search online or the User Manual that comes with your machine will be able to tell you what bobbins to get. 

5) Straight Pins

Make sure that you get straight pins that have thin, sharp needles. This will make it a lot easier when going through multiple layers of fabric. 

6) Rotary Cutter, Self-Healing Mat and Clear Ruler

Using a rotary cutter, self-healing mat and clear ruler will make it a lot easier when cutting your pattern pieces. They aren't super cheap but it will make your life a lot easier. You can get a kit (like the one below) that has all three items together, it might be cheaper to buy the kit then everything separate. 

7) Something to mark your fabric

When you are sewing you are going to have to make marks on the fabric at some point. You can either buy special marking pens or pencils, use chalk or (my new personal favorite) use Pilot Frixion pens, which have ink that disappears when heated with an iron. They are cheap and the ink disappears immediately when heated with an iron leaving no trace of the ink. It's truly amazing!

8) An Iron

Make sure you get an iron with a steam and spray function. They aren't expensive and you can find them at a lot of places (or you might already have one around the house). 

9) Something to hold your straight pins

You can go the traditional route and get a pin cushion to put your straight pins in, however, I decided to use something a little different. At first I had my straight pins in a pin cushion but then my ridiculously mischevious cat (Doug) learned how to pull the pins out and throw them all over the floor. I had to adapt and find another method of housing my pins and what I ended up using I like even better than a pin cushion. I use a magnetic paper clip holder to hold my straight pins. The pins are easy to grab and pull out, and at the same time they are secure because the magnet holds them in the container. 

10) Large Fabric Cutting Scissors

Another thing that you don't want to skimp on. Don't just grab scissors from the "junk drawer". Make sure you get a pair that are sharp so they can cut through multiple layers of fabric. 

11) Small Scissors

I personally use a tiny pair of nail cuticle scissors for cleaning up thread thats sticking out when I am finished with a project. I find that need use them quite a bit at the end of a project, especially if I have sewn on a label. 

12) Seam Ripper

At some point you are going to need a seam ripper, especially if you are just starting out. That doesn't mean that you are bad at sewing so don't be hard on yourself! Even the most experienced sewers use seam rippers. They are very useful to back track if you accidentally sewed something wrong or want to try again on a seam that isn't perfectly straight. They are also great (and necessary) if you plan on using your new sewing skills to alter clothing, such as taking in the waist of a pair of pants. 

13) Interfacing

Check with my Sewing Tips for Beginners for a quick overview on interfacing and a link to a detailed description of all the different types of interfacing. If you plan on making quality projects then I recommend familiarizing yourself with interfacing early on. If you are just starting out I would recommend buying some Pellon SF101 Fusible Interfacing, which you can buy at your local Joann Fabrics. Pellon SF101 is my personal favorite and is very easy to use and fuse. 

14) Tape Measurer

I personally don't use my tape measurer often, however, that's not to say that I don't have one close by all the time just incase. Especially if you are going to be making clothing or altering clothing it is good to have a tape measurer. If nothing else you can use it to measurer your waist if you are losing weight or walk around with it draped over your shoulders so you look like a professional ;)

15) Ironing Board

You are obviously going to need somewhere to iron but if you don't already own an ironing board and live in a small space like me then I have a solution for you. My "ironing board" is actually an extra TV tray that I already had with fabric stapled on top. It works great and folds down to save space when I'm not using it! I used an extra piece of fleece I had laying around and put that on top first to create padding and then stapled the fabric over that. Here is an example of a TV tray ironing board (*Note this isn't mine, I found the picture on Google images):

16) Hand Sewing Needles

Even with a sewing machine there are going to be times when you need to hand sew. A pack of hand sewing needles is a must :)

I hope this list helps all of you who are new to sewing! Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions! 

TIP FOR PERFECTLY FOLDING YOUR FABRIC LABELS

Last week I posted that I had received my custom fabric labels from Spoonflower and so far I love them! One thing that I noticed was a little difficult was folding the sides in. Usually my dexterity is pretty good when working with tiny things but I found it extremely difficult to fold in the corners and then iron them flat without ironing my fingers (over and over and over...). On the blog See Kate Sew she mentions to use a small rectangle piece of cardboard as a template when folding in the sides. I did use the cardboard as a template but I used a different method of folding that I found much easier for me. 

[I apologize in advance for the quality of the pictures. It was pretty difficult photographing on my bright red homemade ironing board. My ironing board is actually a TV tray that I turned into an ironing board. I am going to be re-doing it soon so I will post a tutorial when I do so you can make one too!]

Here is my unfolded label and the cardboard template I made which is the size I wanted my finished label to be

First, I used the "Spray Mist" function on my iron to completely soak my label

Once my label was wet I laid the cardboard template on top and folded the sides and ends in over the cardboard

I then took the template off of the label and pushed the sides and ends back down. With the label being wet they stick and stay down very easily so the sides will stay down while you iron without you having to hold them (and burn your poor little fingers). 

After my sides and ends were pressed down I took a tiny bit of DecorBond interfacing and cut it to the same size as the label. I don't know about everyone else but I always end up having a lot of small strips or scraps of interfacing left over. I have been saving the scraps for a while just incase I found a use for them. This is the perfect use! You only need such a small amount to fit on the back of the label that I have more than enough interfacing just in my scrap box. 

Fuse the interfacing to the back of the label. This will ensure that the sides and ends won't pop up ever again! It makes it much easier when you go to sew your label to your project. It also helps with the opacity of the fabric because my label is printed on white fabric. 

Here is the back of my finished label

Here is the front. Do you notice how the fabric looks thicker and less opaque than at the beginning of this process. 

Now, all you have to do is sew your label to all of your projects!

SIDENOTE: I have started using this "Soaking and then Pressing" process for many different things now. Anytime I am folding and ironing something fairly small where I feel there is a risk I will burn my fingers I will use the "Spray Mist" function and soak it first. I used this method when folding in the sides of the blue fabric on the key fob above. It seems to work great! The only downfall is how often you will have to fill your iron with water :)

Knitting on a Loom

Knitting on a loom is an easy, quick way to make high quality projects. I started using a loom about 6 months ago and was amazed with how easy it was! I wanted to post the 3 YouTube videos from Joccy101 that I watched myself when I was learning how to use a loom. They are very easy to follow! Even my Mom watched the videos and learned how to knit on a loom after just one view!

These videos teach you how to cast on, knit and cast off on a rectangular loom.

I wasn’t able to find a video that I liked when I started using a round loom so I will work on getting a tutorial up that I make myself on using a round loom.

Rectangle looms are great for making scarves and ear warmers! The looms themselves are fairly cheap and are great because you can use different weights of yarn (I prefer chunky yarn). You can find a rectangle loom at pretty much any craft store (i.e. Joann's or Michaels). However, you can also find them at Walmart, which might be a little cheaper. 

Here are some projects I have made on my loom:

 *Note: This hat was made on a round loom and the bow was made on my rectangle loom. I'll try to get a tutorial up soon on how to make a hat like this on a round loom.

*Note: The bow I made on a rectangle loom and the straps to the headband I hand crocheted.

*Note: This ear warmer was made on a rectangle loom and the bow was crocheted. 

[Feel free to contact me if you would like some references on crocheting for beginners. I have found a lot of articles and videos over the years that have helped me with learning how to crochet.]

*Note: I will be putting up a tutorial eventually on how to make this adorable (and warm!) ear warmer.

Rectangle Loom Knitting Videos (watch the videos in the order below):

How To: Cast On Using a Loom

How To: Knit With a Loom

How To: Finish/Cast Off Using a Loom

I hope you enjoy knitting on a loom as much as I have! It is such a fun, easy thing to do while sitting on the couch watching TV or if you are on a long road trip. Once you learn how to knit on the loom you can pretty much "zone out" while you knit, before you know it you will look down and have an entire scarf made! 

P.S. Loom knitted scarves make great gifts! Just ask all of my family members ;)

120 Custom Labels for only $10!

After reading about how to make your own labels on the Blog See Kate Sew, I decided to give it a try.
It was actually an extremely easy process! I made my design in Photoshop and then ordered a custom Fat Quarter of fabric from Spoonflower. It came in about a week and only cost $10 and 120 of my label designs fit on one Fat Quarter!

I have to say, I am pretty happy with how they turned out!

Sewing Tips for Beginners

I don't consider myself the best in the world at sewing, however, I have been doing it for quite a few years now and have learned a few things over the years that I feel are worth sharing (Side note: I started sewing at around age 8 when my Grandma gave me an old sewing box of hers. Back then my sewing projects mainly consisted of cutting the legs off my jeans and then sewing up the bottom to make a ridiculously ugly denim purse. I thought I was awesome and those denim bags would be my claim to fame one day).  

If you are like me and are self-taught at sewing then you know that it is a gradual process that includes stumbling upon random bits of information that, over time, improve your technique and skill level. 

Here is a list of things I wish I would have known sooner and some Blog articles that have helped me along the way:

1) The importance of ironing and steaming your projects

This is quite embarrassing to admit and I'm not really sure why, but up until about a year ago I didn't even own an iron. When working on a sewing project from a tutorial I would just skip the ironing part, like it was just a recommendation. I don’t know if I thought my Fiancé would start asking me to iron all of his clothes if I owned an iron? What a mistake that was looking back…Irons are so cheap and it takes no time at all to iron a project. The benefit of how crisp, professional and polished my projects look after ironing and steaming throughout the process immensely outweighs any “fiancé clothes ironing” I may have to do as a result of now owning an iron. All of my seam lines are straighter because the fabric does not bunch up and items that have a fold in them (like a wallet that folds in half or a clutch with a flap that folds over) stay closed with ease. Since discovering the wonders of ironing I iron through out the entire project, sometimes more times than I can count. And then I use the steam function at the end to steam my whole project. Trust me, your projects will look so much more polished. You will never go back.

2) Interfacing...My new best friend

Another embarrassing fact is that up until just a few months ago I had never used interfacing. I really didn’t understand exactly what it was or which kind a tutorial was asking for (which is why if I ever put a tutorial up on here I will always mention the exact interfacing that I used). I found this article on Erin Erickson’s blog Dog Under My Desk (http://erinerickson.com/category/interfacing/). It is probably the best thing I have ever come across! It explains interfacing better than I ever could and talks about the many different types and the results that they give.

Interfacing is a fabric material that gives weight and stability to your projects. It comes in two different types: Fusible (which has little dots of glue on one side that, when ironed, fuse to the wrong side of your fabric) or Sew-In (that one is pretty self explanatory). Before I discovered fusible interfacing when a tutorial would ask for “Interfacing” in the material list I would just use fleece. Fleece will work...ok…I guess. But once you use a fusible interfacing you will never want to go back. I LOVE INTERFACING! It takes more time to fuse it to your fabric, is another thing to measure and cut, and is an added cost…but it is so amazing that even with the cons it is completely worth it. I have a huge rubber made box filled with different types of interfacing now. Erin Erickson mentions that her favorite type of interfacing is Pellon SF101 so that was the first type I purchased to get accustomed to interfacing, and I have to say it is also my favorite. It fuses quickly and I have not noticed that it wrinkles at all. If you have not used interfacing before I would recommend trying some Pellon SF101. My tip is I wait until Joann’s Fabric send me a 40% off fabric coupon in my e-mail and I buy a larger quantity of Pellon SF101 so I have some for backup. It runs about $4.99 a yard at my Joann’s Fabric and when I have the 40% fabric coupon I usually buy about 5 yards, so I end up spending about $15. 

Here is an example of a non-interfaced zipper pouch and an interfaced zipper pouch:

This zipper pouch is not interfaced. See how it looks a little flat and flimsy? It makes it look a little “cheap” and unprofessional in my opinion. (This was made prior to my discovering the wonders of interfacing)

This zipper pouch is interfaced with a heavy weight fusible interfacing (I believe I used DecorBond). See how it looks firm, stable and the fabric appears tight and unwrinkled? I think the interfacing gives the project a much more professional and “complete” look compared to the non-interfaced pouch above.

3) Using straight pins

You will notice that most tutorials will say to “pin your project” at some point in the tutorial. I’ve learned over the years that if it says to pin, then you should pin. Back in the day I would skip the pinning and think that I would be able to hold my fabric steady enough while sewing that pinning wasn’t necessary. But with all the things going on while you are sewing (trying to maintain a steady speed on the pedal, making sure you are sewing in a straight line, ensuring the fabric is staying lined up, feeling like you are going to go cross-eyed watching the needle go up and down and up and down…) it will be too much going on and knowing that the pins are holding your fabric lined up will be one less thing to worry about.

[Side note: I purchased the straight pins below at Joann’s and while they are very cute with the little leaf on top the needle part is pretty thick and is very difficult going through the fabric. My tip: skip on the “cute” straight pins and get some that have nice thin, sharp needles]

4) Invest in a Rotary cutter, Self-Healing Mat and Clear Ruler

A rotary cutter, self-healing mat and clear ruler will make your life a million times easier when cutting up your fabric. Your lines will be straighter and you can cut through multiple layers of fabric at a time. A time saving tip that I do is if I need to cut multiple pieces of different fabric in the same size I will measure the first piece out perfectly. And then instead of measuring each piece I will iron my first piece well and then place it on top of the other fabric, lay my clear ruler on the edge and cut around the first piece of fabric. This saves time with measuring out each piece and if you ensure that the first piece of fabric is lined up perfectly and use the ruler to make sure you are cutting right on the edge it will yield the exact same results as if you measured each piece separately.

5) Making your own pattern pieces

If I find a particular tutorial that I fall in love with and know I am going to want to make again I will cut out the specified pattern pieces in cardboard to save time when I make the project again in the future. For example: In my Zipper Pouch Tutorial I said to cut out 4 pieces of fabric and 2 pieces of interfacing all 7”x4 ½”. To save time (because I know I am going to make this same Zipper Pouch many times) I first cut out a piece of cardboard 7”x4 ½” so every time I make this project all I have to do is lay the cardboard on top of the fabric or interfacing and then cut around it instead of re-measuring every time. I have a plastic box filled with cardboard pieces that I write the size and name of the project. Any time I buy a new pair of shoes I will save the box and use the cardboard from it to make pattern pieces.

6) Slow and Steady Wins the Race

When you are sewing on your machine, make sure that you keep the pressure on the pedal even and at a moderate pace. I can’t tell you how many times when I first started sewing and wasn’t used to the amount of pressure to put on the pedal I would step too hard or fast and the machine would go zooming through my fabric. This would scare me every time, which would in turn make me jump, move the fabric and create crooked, uneven lines. Make sure the needle is in the down position when you start sewing and ease down on the pedal. Once you have a moderate pace, take note of the pressure you are putting on the pedal and try to replicate it every time you sew. After a while it will just be muscle memory and you won’t even have to think about how hard you step on the pedal. It’s just like driving a car, once you get it you will never forget.

7) Don’t skimp on thread

Buying the cheapest thread you can find will only create more problems for you in the end. Cheap thread causes problems for your machine’s tension system, which can result in skipped stitches or the thread knotting together on the underside of your project (which happened to me for a while).

This is the thread I have been using and I love it:

It is Gutermann Natural Cotton Thread

What I normally do is buy the largest size of this type of thread in a neutral color (like off-white or light gray) and then use it on every project. This allows me to fill multiple bobbins ahead of time (because I hate filling bobbins) so they are ready incase I run out.

8) Clipping Corners and Excess

If you are sewing something that needs to be turned inside out at the end, make sure you clip the corners before you turn it right side out. This will make it easier to push the corners out because there won’t be so much excess fabric in the corners. Also, if you have a lot of excess fabric on the sides you may want to trim some of it off before you flip the fabric right side out as well.

See how the corners are clipped?

9) Boxing the bottom corners of a bag

I was so happy when I found out how to do this. It is a little hard to explain in words so for this I might need to show pictures.

Before you turn your bag right side out, squeeze the corners together so the seam on the bottom and the seam on the side are aligned.

Sew a line across the seam as in the picture above. Note:  The farther in from the corner that you sew will result in a larger “box” effect on the bottom of the bag.

Clip off the excess corner.

Do you see how the bottom of the bag is flatter now?

10) The benefits of Topstitching

Have you ever attempted to sew something that needed to be flipped right side out at the end and are left with a couple inch wide hole in one side of your project that you need to close now (i.e. A purse, pillow, etc)? There are tutorials online showing you how to close that hole and do what is called an Invisible seam (Here is a good one from Fern and Freckle: http://fernandfreckle.com/tutorial-invisible-seams-the-hidden-stitch/).  Personally, although I have tried many times, I cannot master a hidden stitch or invisible seam. My method to avoid that process is to topstitch my project whenever possible. Yes, it is more time consuming and maybe there are projects you wouldn’t want to topstitch but I have yet to complete a project that I didn’t think looked adorable with a topstitch around the perimeter (for the people who are still very new at sewing, a topstitch is when you sew a line on the outside (or right side) of your project).

For example, this iPhone pouch was topstitched around the sides and top.

However, for some things you are not going to be able to or do not want to topstitch. In a case like that I would check out the tutorial on Invisible Seams from Fern and Freckle listed above. This is a great example of why teaching yourself to sew is a gradual process, one that I am still working on myself. Invisible seams are an example of a sewing technique that I am still in the process of mastering and learning.

I hope this list of tips was helpful! If even one beginning sewer learns from a mistake that I have made myself then I am happy!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments!

I’d be happy to help you in your sewing journey.