Sewing Tips

"Recycle your tomato" - What do you do with classic tomato pin cushions that are not holding your pins anymore? You use it to put your sewing machine needs in! With a permanent marker, write the different size needles you have on each of the tomato sections. Next time you switch needles for different techniques, you can stick the needle in that section and reuse it again when the time comes. You can sort them by sizes and types. No more trying to remember what needle do I have in my machine!

"Pencil sharpeners" - Keep emery boards handy in your sewing room. They make excellent sharpeners for your sewing and quilting marking pencils.

"Thread Choices"- When choosing the color of thread, the general rule is to choose one shade darker than your fabric, if you cannot get a perfect match. For top-stitching and decorative stitching, you can choose a matching or contrasting color. For quilting, think about if you want the quilting pattern to show and be part of the overall appearance.

"Ironing vs Pressing" - Ironing is done by using a back and forth motion. Pressing is done by using an up and down motion. Ironing can stretch the fabric out of shape and cause wrinkling and puckering on finished garments. Always press.