Discover the worlds greatest hobby. Not only is sewing exceedingly practical, it is also relaxing, personally satisfying, and creatively expressive. Sewing stands alone as a hobby derived from millenniums of necessity and work. The invention of the sewing machine and subsequent improvements transformed much of the world. While the textile industry has largely relocated to Asia, the creativity and expressive possibilities have become a modern passion.
The convenience features of advanced computerized sewing machines have opened up vast possibilities. 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.
Sewers today possess huge creative opportunities because of the wonderful variety and abundance of modern fabrics, colors, textures, notions, and threads.
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: Factors To Consider. The quality and character of fabric depends greatly on the base fabric. Often the same fabric print will be produced on different greygood qualities. The fabric count can very greatly with low quality fabrics using very low thread count per inch, and top quality fabrics using high thread counts. Fabric may look the same at first glance, but be very different in real quality.
Tip Four: Learn how to identify quality in fabrics. Read books on fabrics. Take classes. Ask sewing educator about identifying quality. 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 Five: Use these six tests: touch, light, fray, grain, stretch, scrunch. The touch test examines how the fabric feels when you touch it. The light test is done by holding the fabric up to the light and looking for its density and thread count. The fray check examines the cut edges of the fabric for stray or loose threads. The grain test inspects the grain, cross grain, and bias. The stretch test explores the ability of the fabric to retain its shape. The scrunch test is used to identify the tendency of the fabric to wrinkle or not. 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.
Six: Read the tag on top of the fabric bolt. Some stores reuse bolts, so this is not always available. However, read the tag when available. What is the content of the fabric? What are the washing instructions?
Tip Eight: The most common and in many ways one of the most versatile fabrics are cotton fabrics. Many of the modern cotton fabrics are finished with low wrinkle qualities that make cotton the all purpose fabric. It is an easy to sew woven fabric popular for clothing, quilting, home dcor, and many other applications. Cotton does have a potential shrinkage factor that you need to consider. If you are making a project that you never expect to launder, it is not too important. If, however, you plan to use the fabric in a project that will require periodic laundering; it is best to set the fabric before sewing it. To do so, wash the fabric in lukewarm water, and dry in cool dryer or air dry. The fabric will shrink up to 80 or 90 % of its total shrinkage. Better quality cottons will have already been processed to eliminate shrinkage and similar problems.
Tip Nine: Many other fibers have been blended with cotton yielding an even more versatile fabric. Polyester is often blended with cotton provide a wrinkle free fabric. Check the fabric label and remember blended fabrics will retain the features of both original fabrics.
The convenience features of advanced computerized sewing machines have opened up vast possibilities. 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.
Sewers today possess huge creative opportunities because of the wonderful variety and abundance of modern fabrics, colors, textures, notions, and threads.
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: Factors To Consider. The quality and character of fabric depends greatly on the base fabric. Often the same fabric print will be produced on different greygood qualities. The fabric count can very greatly with low quality fabrics using very low thread count per inch, and top quality fabrics using high thread counts. Fabric may look the same at first glance, but be very different in real quality.
Tip Four: Learn how to identify quality in fabrics. Read books on fabrics. Take classes. Ask sewing educator about identifying quality. 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 Five: Use these six tests: touch, light, fray, grain, stretch, scrunch. The touch test examines how the fabric feels when you touch it. The light test is done by holding the fabric up to the light and looking for its density and thread count. The fray check examines the cut edges of the fabric for stray or loose threads. The grain test inspects the grain, cross grain, and bias. The stretch test explores the ability of the fabric to retain its shape. The scrunch test is used to identify the tendency of the fabric to wrinkle or not. 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.
Six: Read the tag on top of the fabric bolt. Some stores reuse bolts, so this is not always available. However, read the tag when available. What is the content of the fabric? What are the washing instructions?
Tip Eight: The most common and in many ways one of the most versatile fabrics are cotton fabrics. Many of the modern cotton fabrics are finished with low wrinkle qualities that make cotton the all purpose fabric. It is an easy to sew woven fabric popular for clothing, quilting, home dcor, and many other applications. Cotton does have a potential shrinkage factor that you need to consider. If you are making a project that you never expect to launder, it is not too important. If, however, you plan to use the fabric in a project that will require periodic laundering; it is best to set the fabric before sewing it. To do so, wash the fabric in lukewarm water, and dry in cool dryer or air dry. The fabric will shrink up to 80 or 90 % of its total shrinkage. Better quality cottons will have already been processed to eliminate shrinkage and similar problems.
Tip Nine: Many other fibers have been blended with cotton yielding an even more versatile fabric. Polyester is often blended with cotton provide a wrinkle free fabric. Check the fabric label and remember blended fabrics will retain the features of both original fabrics.
About the Author:
Sewing educator Donna Trumble is famous for her Beginner sewing classes. Download your free copy of her Top Ten Sewing Answers one of the best sewing book for a beginner.
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