What to do before you start a sewing project
Sewing can be fun and tedious at the same time. Being organized will make you save time and make you enjoy what you do. Most times, we are so in a hurry that we forget to tidy up the little important and necessary things first.
Machine Cleaning
Although it may sound odd – but you can consider it as best practice to clean your bobbin area daily after use. This is for obvious reasons – the fabric bunnies have a way of multiplying beyond our imagination. This requires you to have a suitable brush that can pick out any dirt around the sewing needle compartment. Accumulated dirt in the machine overtime could cause a major delay in a project, especially on days when you are rushing to deliver a project. Also, it’s important to have a proper maintenance log schedule. A log will remind you of when the sewing machine is due for proper servicing. It will also help you plan your finances better because then, you can put this expense into your operating cost at the specific month in the year. Of course, the time you schedule for proper maintenance will depend on how often the sewing machine is used.
Needle Changing
Always check your needle before starting a project and be sure you are using the right needle for the right fabric. It’s good habit to change your needle as often as possible. This small task can prevent stitches from skipping, keeping your stitch tight and ensuring a smooth functioning of your machine. There is nothing as frustrating as having your needle damage your fabric as you sew. Not only can your needle damage an expensive fabric, but a bad needle used during a sewing project can also frustrate your sewing experience – to the point where you may end up abandoning the entire project for another day.
Bobbin
There is nothing as frustrating as when you are almost finishing your sewing project and then suddenly, the bobbin runs out of thread and you have to start by reeling a new one. The secret to this is simple, always wind as many bobbins as possible and in the desired colour. Do this ALWAYS before starting the project. This makes it easy for you to replace as soon as you discover the current one has no more thread. Guess what! this simple occurrence could make you abandon the project or in the alternative, you will be saving yourself some quality time if you plan ahead.
Cutting Tools
Most sewing projects starts by cutting on the table. Ensure your table is clean and tidy. Ensure your scissors, rotary cutter and seam ripper are nearby and not blunt. A frustrating experience can occur when you have to find all you need in between your project or realising that your cutting tools are not functioning properly. It’s good practice to always have a backup cutting tool.
Ironing and pressing tools
The iron is one of the most important tools towards a successful project and perhaps equally as important as a sewing machine. It determines how your project will inevitably look and will give it a polished and professional finish. Frankly speaking, there is no sewing without pressing. Every seam MUST be pressed and therefore, it is extremely important to clean your iron to avoid unnecessary markings left on your fabric.