You really should not have to explain yourself. There is nothing wrong with variable seam allowenses for example. In fact it should be different for different seams, based on their shape and function. Many people criticise others just for doing things differently. You are very creative and present explain your project very well. Keep it up and happy sewing ❤
I have been sewing for over 50 years. Ladies you can cut pattern tissue with fabric scissors. It is heavier paper that dulls the blade. If you are a newbie please do not worry about this. Cut out your work and move on to the sewing part that we all love! This video was great! Thank you for posting!
The beauty of sewing is that there is no Police, no laws, no right or wrong. It’s creative. Everyone is different, the end result is what matters. We all learned to do math differently, sewing is no different. What a beautiful world our sewing community is. 😊
I think you’re a wonderful teacher. I’m a retired nurse that took up sewing after I retired. You have taught me almost everything I know about sewing. Yours was one of the very first videos I watched and I’m still watching and learning from you today. Thank you for helping me learn my favorite hobby.
I‘m so sorry that you get criticized for how you do things… I agree with you, we all do things a different way and just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Your videos make my sewing so much better and easier. And I still don’t do everything your way but non the less, I learn something is all your videos that helps me… So thank you very much for all your hard work creating these videos for us…
About sewing tired: A long, LONG time ago when I was a very little girl, I was having trouble with some of the DOLL CLOTHES, that were of course made by elves and delivered by Santa. One particular garment was giving me problems, falling apart or something, maybe not fitting right.... and I said to my Mommy (mouths of babes) " Well, it looks like they didn't do a very good job, did they." Of course, I was VERY YOUNG, and therefore got to go to bed early and get enough sleep! She questioned me about it quite a few times, a number of different ways - before finally explaining that the elf must have been very tired (when she was sewing that seam). Years later, we got a good laugh about it. Fortunately, when I started sewing for myself, I learned early on that it was time to stop for the night when things started going poorly. Things always look different in the morning!
When I saw your post yesterday. Sewing while tired was my first thought. Life does tend to slap that habit right out of me. By immediately giving me the opportunity to use my seam ripper. 😆 I learned to sew under protest. I saw sewing as a nasty chore for most of my life. I could do it but didn't like it. About 3 years ago, I decided to revisit sewing as a creative craft rather than a chore. I started by upcycling. I gave myself permission to toss any failures, guilt free. It sparked a passion in me. So, I am now grateful to my home economics teacher, my grandmother and my Mom for tying me to a sewing machine and forcing me to learn. It only took 50 years for me to appreciate their patience and hard work. 😉 Now if I could just get my stash down to a manageable size. A good sale just ruins me. 😛
I fell in love with sewing when I was about 5 or 6 yrs old. My grandma was a self-taught wedding dress designer cum maker and those days the wedding dresses had those big bell shaped skirts and long trains embroidered all over with pearls, sequences and crystals. My gran used to drawn the design on tissue paper that was then basted onto the completed dress before the embroidering would be done. My job was to sit with a sharp little scissor,, a blunt needle and tweezers and remove all the tissue paper amongst the embroidered flowers, trumpets,swirl and twirls without damaging the embroidery or the dress fabric.. I remember asking her once to promise that she would make me such a dress for my wedding one day. Sadly she died in a car crash when I was 9. However, I stayed in love with sewing, it's now 51 yrs. My worst sewing habit is to buy material for some project that I plan to do sometime in the future and then later I'd forget what I wanted to do with it 😁
Alicia, I have enjoyed your videos. I have been sewing since I was nine years old and I’m 73 but I learn some thing whenever I watch videos whether it’s yours or someone else’s your energy is contagious! As a Young sewist working at the singer store I did a lot of things by the seat of my pants. And the older women in the store were just clicking their tongues and just shocking one even called my mother and said I needed to learn how to sew properly! Yet I was admitted to FIT with a full scholarship… My husband used to always clip my threads. I would try to clip them as I sewed. But my vision issue is such that I can’t always see them and this is the first time I wore some thing he would do a thread inspection, now I’m being more careful about clipping as I go because of that I don’t have him here to help anymore. He’s in heaven. I always add seam allowance is because I I will forget and I’ll cut out the fabric and a oh no seem allowance is so I make my own patterns and I add a 3/8 seem allowance. if I am going to be doing a center back zipper or any zipper especially an invisible zipper then I will add 5/8 and I will make a big red mark on the pattern reminding me that that is what the seam allowance is. Keep on with your wonderful videos and I love your flower jacket now I’m thinking even though I live in Florida I need a flower jacket, I still buy fabric on a whim. It’s an addiction.
I really like your way of describing and showcasing sewing. It really makes me more brave and bold in what i think I can and not. The way you really not only say that every way is ok but you actually show it makes everything so much easier.
Wonderful video..as always! Thank you. My worst habit is going to the fabric store to “take a look”…BAD BAD HABIT! I always buy things I don’t need or never use. Oh, and if you LOVE your sewing machine please do NOT browse the sewing machines at the local sewing center… I am perfectly happy with my little Husqvarna Emerald 116 but cannot resist looking at the fancier (expensive) models which I really do not need. I’ve come very close to spending a great deal of money when my little Emerald is just perfect for me ♥
*However* one impulse purchase was fantastic: a used Janome 634D I purchase for fifty bucks at my Husqvarna Dealer where I bought my Emerald ….I LOVE IT and it works PERFECTLY! It has really given me the wonderful overlocked seam finishes I craved. Best fifty bucks spent ever!
I, too, broke the habit of putting pins in my mouth. I was sewing like 2 or 3 in the morning, trying to finish a performance dress for my daughter, and I put a pin in my mouth and unfortunately took a breath as I had made a mistake and the pin got stuck in the back of my throat standing straight up. I had a calm myself down enough to reach inside my mouth and get the pin out before it went down my throat. That scared me enough that when I go to put a pin in my mouth, I remember that experience. I quickly broke that habit! I love your videos. Keep Smiling 😃
I have also stopped putting the pins in my mouth. It was a habit I picked up long ago, and had been much better about not doing it, but became very conscious of it when my granddaughter would watch me sew. Thanks for another fun video!
When I learned to pattern draft, I was taught to not put seam allowances because seam allowances interfere when you are making changes in the pattern. Also I like narrow seam allowances on collars and necklines. I don't use a lot of pins, but I am prone to sticking them into my sleeve, I keep meaning to get a wrist pin cushion. Also I found that hand basting goes just as fast as pin basting and is easier to deal with. My worse sewing habit is not ironing as I go. I am working on this one because it really makes a difference.
Oh - you are so sweet! Thank you for sharing your humanity 😊 (the interruptive cat video was also welcome!). My worst habit is just wanting to get the damn project done and forcing too much fabric through the sewing machine / serger… usually resulting in a trip to the repair shop or even a new machine 😳
I’ve also been sewing for 55 years and I was taught some techniques, plus I dreamed up some other ones, and also watched other people so I could copy. If someone does a technique that is different to mine, I often try it and guess what? I learn something new! That’s a good thing. Sometimes we have to do things a certain way depending on our circumstances but no one should be telling others that their way is wrong on TH-cam! We are all free to do as we choose, now we are grown up, and I love learning new and innovative ways of performing a certain task. I have learned how to pattern draught through watching your videos and I like the explanation for not giving seam allowances - when you showed us 2 different pants with different fabrics, it made perfect sense. Keep doing what you’re doing - we all love your work because it’s so accessible to everyone and because you are so patient and kind. That’s by far the best thing to be - being ‘correct’ is not as good as being kind. Bless you ❤
I agree with you there is not only one way to sew. I think as long as the finished product is made durable and meets your needs you did it right! I think with all the sewing videos of people from all over the world we see that there are different ways to sew to get a good result. I too used to sew tired and made my share of mistakes. 😉. My solution now, as my kids are all grown, is to get up several hours before everyone and then I am wide awake and can sew in peace and quiet. Always love your videos and your designs and how you are not dogmatic about your sewing but share with respect. ❤
I love your videos and getting so much from them. I don’t believe anyone has the right to criticise and I’m so sorry you feel you have you explain. You don’t. I’m a fellow late night sewer and definitely do o a LOT of unpicking. I learnt very young that the more tired I got, the more mistakes I made, but like a hard headed mule, it didn’t stop me 😝 having a young family meant the only time to sew without constant interruptions was at night when the household was sound asleep, and I was tired. Another bad habit I share with you (-and funnily enough it dawned on me only today, before I saw this video) is that I too hold pins with my lips. I used to watch my grandmother and mother do it. How dangerous !! 😮😮 note to self, must drop this habit. Thanks for the videos! You’re great ❤
Thank you Alicia, you're so kind to yourself. It's lovely to hear you talk about the reality of sewing. We're fortunate to have you helping us along this journey. Xx
You are definitely right,...sewing is not linear. I stopped sewing at night because I was doing the same thing, which is losing focus. Thanks for sharing this.😊 I am trying to stop putting pins in my mouth too!😢
I love all your videos. Wish you were doing them when i was much younger. We can all learn new things. I used ro sew late at night when the kids were small. No one seemed to mind here , but i agree dont sew when you're tired. Ive also used different seam finishes on different parts of a garment. I too have some similar bad "sewing habits," so i really never noticed yours. Would love to see more finishes around neck and arm holes without adding those large interfacing ones that the pattern companies insist on. You don't find them on ready to wear garments. Thank you for all you do.
Great video. I found a scissor sharpener like yours in a sale bin and couldn't believe my good fortune. I had umpteen pairs of dull scissors because they had been used for paper so many times they didn't really like paper either. Needless to say I don't have that problem anymore. I do have a treasured pair of shears that belonged to My grandfather when he was a supervisor at the Monarch Knitting Mill 70 years ago. They cut fabric only. I knew a lady who swallowed a couple of pins so that is one habit I never acquired. This reminder is something everyone should hear. I always look forward to your videos.
Oooooh, you have the same sharpener? That's so awesome. I use mine pretty often, especially after cutting any polyesters, which I don't work with anymore as much, but man, it dulls scissors so so fast! I love those special treasures in our every day lives that get passed down, your Grandfathers scissors are very special! Have a wonderful day and thank you for always wonderful comment full with interesting thoughts ;)
You have a way of easily explaining each step..and take your time. I use to work in sewing alterations, fast, and tired was the name of the game..to keep up with customer demand!! I would also go home and sew my own clothes late at night....very tired.. i had a system of ripping (the prep) and repin and then sew all at the same time....g
Alisa, no one person should be critical of another! Except for pins in our mouths 😊 I did swallow one when I was a child (I had to have cotton wool sandwiches, and castor oil!) not pleasant! I love your videos, keep them coming. 💐
Definitely pins in the mouth, and taking too many shortcuts, or as I think you would call them, 'savage moves'. Haha, I love when I see those in your videos, they make me smile. :) I've definitely free hand drew many an arm curve for both myself and my toddler.
Thanks for the heads up about Linen & Double Brushed Poly dulling scissors~ I love to sew with both of those I now I know why the scissors don’t seem quite as sharp as they used to be.
I am very new to sewing and have started learning it on youtube only. Thanks to God that I found you, as you have a wonderful way of explaining for people like me.
I taught sewing to beginners for years and I am so refreshed watching your videos. You are an amazing teacher and I am learning many new concepts. I would love to create a jacket like the one you are wearing. Have you made a video on this cute jacket? I am considering joining and becoming a member. Thank you for sharing your talents.
I'm going to be 70 at the end of this month. I've been sewing since I was about 10-12 yrs old. I sew more quilts and bags than clothing these day and my tired sew cue is if I have to rip more than one seam I put it down and come back tomorrow. I still make crazy errors when I'm tired because we all want to push through. BTW even with years of sewing I always learn something from watching you! Thank You
Or a bad habit (though I have a few) but, why oh why do some people have to insist there is only one way to do something? Either do it my way or it’s the wrong way, such hubris. If it works why does it matter? I’m all for finding what works for me and using that method. And my worst habit is stash buying, both for fabric and for knitting!
I’ve been sewing for years, and I recently sewed two front legs together, too!! 😂 Then I went to the serger and overlocked the seam! Big job to undo it all. 😢
Love and appreciate your techniques and your clear and complete directions. Thanks for educating all sewers, even ones like myself. I've been sewing for 60+ years and drafting my own dress patterns that get lots of compliments for my style and use of great fabric. But there are still things that I'm learning from you. Keep up the great work. It will certainly help more sewers feel successful with their projects. Many thanks!!!
Thank you! That's the one we made together in the Members Only Shirt series, here is the final video of the series - th-cam.com/video/9FUhm8tWIt4/w-d-xo.html
The 1st time I drew up a pattern from you was the Kimono. It took me 6 hours to figure out how to draw up the pattern. Kept on going back to the video.
Pins in mouth very occasionally, generally when I dont have a magnet near by. Coin sized magnets around my sewing area saves me from a lot of accidents, on "rings", "bracelet", next to the machine on both sides and sometimes use double sided tape to put one right next to the presser foot so hem pins can be slid out quickly without stopping.
Pins in mouth I've mostly stopped. Needles in the arn chair arm was a bad habit when I was younger, others did get minor stab injuries 😂. My stash is definitely my guilty pleasure or shopping for fabric is 😊😊. My worst habit I'm working on is not cutting corners and challenging myself to not shy away from new and better techniques.
Neeeedles in the arm chair- ouch :) he he... I once left a pin in short I was sewing for my husband, he STILL asks if there are any pins if I ask him to try something on :D
I believe everyone has personal preferences and OCD tendencies. To each their own. If you do fluctuate in size a bigger seam allowance makes sense but if you don’t there’s no need. There are many sewist that do not add seam allowance to the pattern. I believe it is a personal journey to recognize bad habits and ease them out of your routine. Personal improvement is just that….personal.
Once I was not paying enough attention and cut out 2 left leg pant details instead of 1 left and 1 right 😱 thankfully the fabric looks exactly the same on the wrong side, so I used the wrong side as the right side.
I made pj pants for my family last year and didn’t pay attention to the print for one pair. Everyone got nice comfy pants, by my brother in law got all the reindeer upside down for one leg😫 Worse is I didn’t have enough fabric to recut it.
I never thought of the way you sew as bad habits. Just the way you do it. There is no right or wrong. The one thing I never do is sew tired. Nothing good ever happens when I am tired. Sometimes I may see a way you could do something better, but that doesn't may the way you do it wrong.
True! I like to compare sewing with cooking (because that's the nearest thing most of us do) and everyone cooks differently, but as long as it is all cooked (food safe temps) and tastes good - it really is juts a preference on how you like yours to be done.
Alicia, you are wonderful! I have been sewing since I was a kid, starting out making doll clothes quite crudely with felt, progressing to making most of my clothes in my 20's & 30's (mainly because I have expensive taste). I am a pin (& needle) in the mouth person-I am working on it!
I think my worst sewing habit is finishing 90% of something and then leaving it like that for months because I hate hemming 😅 No excuse or reason, I just put the fun in fundamentally lazy.
That was me before I got a machine you could blind hem with. Had very few work clothes but a closet full of clothes I couldn't wear because they were not hemmed. 😅
Hello Alisa 😊. I never noticed any of these things lol. I’m always focussed on the information you are sharing. Now that you’ve pointed them out I can admit I have a few of these habits as well. I’m sure we all do. It’s a good reminder to us all. I love how you aim for learning and improving always. 👌🏼
Years ago, I was forced to sew in a more confined space, ie. a room dedicated to sewing/quilting...because one of my cats swallowed a huge amount of serger thread as it was unrolling from the machine that I had left out. I was devastated!!! I didn't realize it till later that day! A very costly mistake, costly in as $2,000 for surgical removal of the thread; he couldn't pass it. (My cat survived, this happened when he was 10 yrs old. He lived to the ripe old age of 18.) Lesson learned....keep sewing/quilting away from animals!
I was chuckling to myself thru this, as it sounds almost identical to my habits! I don't consider them bad, rather how we learned! Like you, if it is fabric, I will continue to remake it until there is nothing left of the fabric❣️ It keeps one busy and our resources plentiful😉
People can ask questions….but if the comments are more judgmental, that’s inappropriate. Be Like Me! is not our right to expect of others, it’s a negative way to behave with people. We do not have to explain ourselves to others in theses situations so I wouldn’t label it a bad habit. A bad habit is interrupting people, being rude, expecting people to be like you just to get a list started. You do you, you’re delightful and fun to watch!
Thank You for posting this video, bc I too have a couple bad sewing habits. 1. Don’t use a rotary cutter in bad lighting & tired. I was donating handmade facial masks 3.5 years ago. I cut into the tip of my index finger. Bleeding would not stop after 45 mins of pressure. A trip to the ER & I was better. Now I have a scar tissue notch close to the knuckle that looks like I have early arthritis. Remember use proper lighting when cutting and not late at night either.
When I watched/listened to this over the weekend, the only 'bad' habit I heard was the pins in your mouth. I agree what is a 'bad' habit to some isn't for others (Like not including seam allowance on your patterns). I do because if I don't, I will forget and know I will. I definitely agree some things we do (sewing when we are mentally/physically tired) are not great habits and can lead to mistakes. And sewing too fast so I forget about the pins in my sewing and killing serger blades and/or pins... definitely not great. But, it is a mistake. I agree with @LovingHandsDesign, there aren't any right/wrong ways or police. As I teach someone to sew I explain WHY I do it the way I am teaching and give a few other methods. Or I explain why, over the 30+ years I have sewn, the way I am teaching is a better way. I am trying to help instill better habits... like looking AT the pattern tissue on commercial patterns to ensure the right sizing is purchased.
Love the garment you are wearing!! BTW, Burda doesn’t include seam allowances either! (Great minds think alike!!! 😆😉😉) Keep up the good work, Alisa! Your videos are inspiring sewists everywhere!
Oh yes :) I started sewing with Burda ( I am European, and that was what my mom used when she was sewing when I was little, I still have a few magazines from early 2000). Thank you for kind words and happy sewing :)
I get most of my sewing done after my daughter goes to bed. I tuck her in, turn on her music and head into my sewing room. She actually has a harder time going to sleep on the rare nights I don't sew! Lol! It did take a few months for this routine to work though.
Guilty! Specifically cutting paper with fabric scissors 😅 - I try not to do it too much, but if they are the nearest thing. Then I will use them. I was more of a “tidy threads at the end” type of person, but I would then hate sitting there for ages trying to find them all, (only to still be finding something weeks later) so I am making more of an effort to tidy as I go now. I was also the “pins in mouth”, but I think I saw a video or something of a bad injury from someone doing this, and now keep a small tub nearby, the pins go straight in the tub while I am working. It keeps them handy and stops them from being all over the place on the table. My other bad habit was leaving scissors all over the place and not making sure to keep them in a safe place when using them. Accidentally sitting on a pair and getting them in my leg (not a major cut..but it was NOT pleasant) has quickly got me out of doing that one. (Now they are always somewhere I can see them, and when I use them, I put them in the same place each time). I think my worst habit (and probably one I may never be able to change), is that I don’t have a lot of patience with sewing. I just want to be able to sew more and make my own clothes and bags etc. but my sewing is terrible (uneven stitches, not so straight lines….and stitching on curves…… even worse). But I just want to be able to make something though. I have tried taking my time and making the effort to get really good stitches, and lines etc, but it would just take so long ….to the point, that I was just hating it. Now I just try and enjoy it, and do my best. I think that many of my items look great at a distance…….but if you got up close……..and really look at the sewing…… yikes 😬 😅
I use a metal nail file or emery board to sharpen my scissors. Important thing to remember is to go only in one direction, toward the center, one blade at a time.
I like to sew in the ends at the end of a project as I like to do it while watching TV or relaxing generally. Also I've never been so keen to sew that I've sewn past 10pm. Doesn't stop me making mistakes with sewing the wrong legs together though!
Hello there! :) thank you! It is just a relaxed fit button up shirt - there is a full series for Members Only on how to draft one from a bodice block and how to sew it. This is just a variation from that simple style, also shown in one of the Members videos :)
I also took a chance on the Fiskars sharpener and have had great luck with them. I went around sharpening ALL my scissors and they all cut better. I have one pair of serrated shears, and I use those for paper and fabric, and so far, so good. I also use my rotary cutter for paper as well. Whoops! I’m such a rebel. Easily replaceable blades when they are needed. I’ve tried to stop the pins in the mouth thing, but old habits die very hard, even with a wrist pincushion. I sewed a peasant top with similar pieces and ended up sewing the bodice pieces as sleeves and sleeves as bodice pieces. I almost threw it out because I couldn’t figure out why it was so wonky, lol. The light bulb finally went off and it fixed it, and now it’s a favorite. I sew over pins. Slowly, but I also wear glasses, and use thin silk pins, and so far nothing bad has happened. Not giving it up, sorry (not sorry). 😂
your doing it your way. which you have said in your videos many many times. and i know your way will work for me. if it makes sense when i hear it. i know i am 99% of the way to actuarily doing it for real. YOU are the one that will get me making garments, i know this. so Thank you. x (bad habits or not) lol lol
Hello Betty :) If you mean the shirt I am wearing - it is a button-up shirt that I drafted and sewed and the mini-series is available for Members of the channel, if you are talking about the zipper jacket on the dress form, then here is the video - th-cam.com/video/LumzOROW9Ko/w-d-xo.html
Good morning! I will warn you... this comment may turn into a mini-rant, so feel free to pull up a chair and grab a coffee. Last night I watched your video concerning bad habits since I *may* possess a few. Lol! I was rather taken aback as I do not consider the majority of what you covered as bad habits. (Ok, ok.... maybe pins in the mouth.... I'm trying, I'm trying.....). I usually don't read the comments, so I don't know the context of the criticisms. I can see myself asking "why" on a method you use to understand the significance, if any. Such as not marking seam allowances - btw, I also vary my seam allowances according to what I'm sewing. So if it's a bad habit, I'm right there with you. I grew up being taught sewing by my mother, who was a professional seamstress ("the inside of your project should look as good as the outside....") and the thing that was immediately noticeable to me and contributed to me becoming a member, was the quality of your work. You are an excellent sewist. If I can learn new skills and improve my old skills, then I'll happily follow you, regardless of any perceived bad habits!
Deloyce, thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment. I think sewing is one of those forms of creating/art/craft that is always developing, it never stops and so many things influence that - from technology, to innovations and of course our way of life. I think that is what fascinated me the most - that it develops with us, with time. :)
There is actually a really good reason to leave tails for a while, (for delicate fabrics or super thick fabric layered up, or knits) tails offer something to hold and pull when starting a stitch on the machine.
I also leave the sides undone until I am ready for the final touch, sometime I have something so many raw edges and pieces of yarn sticking out that I hardly think it will work out fine. I do not have a locker, but just a good sewing machine, due to the lack of a locker my insides are not often as pristine as clothes from a shop. But what is on the inside I cannot be bothered with that much, as long as the outside looks fine and nothing can unravel (is that the correct word?) But bloopers like sewing when tired an knowing you have to watch certain fabrics (specially the smooth and slippery ones, silk-look a likes) and even being carful still end up sewing a back to front or missed a spot due to the foot slipping away, then having to undo it sucks... My latest being shoving my scissors aside to get a bit more space for putting pins in a pants, the scissors closing on a just finished perfectly straight hem and cutting just a tiny hole in it... grrrr Nobody can see it but I see it, pants waisted...
I think maybe adding seam allowenses to the pattern is an American thing, when I buy sewing pattern in Europe, I have to add the allowenses myself, exactly for the reasons you pointed out😊.
I am absolutely shocked that people were criticising the variable seam allowances! I always vary them depending on what i'm going to do and even on commercial patterns that indicate a certain seam allowance, i change it up if i feel like it. I don't have a serger and i don't like zig zag finishes so i always have to calculate if i want a french seam, flat felled etc etc.
My bad sewing habit is I leave my thread tails long and I don't always back stitch my seams. That way if I have a fitting issue, it's really easy to alter the fit. Then I clip them when the garment is finished.
My bad sewing habit that I refuse to give up: rethreading my serger from scratch every time I change colour, instead of using the knotting trick 😂 For me it is faster and leaves less room for things going wrong 🤷🏻
Jolette, this is a very good think that you mentioned! I tried the knotting trick years ago and it did not go right, I tried it again and it just made a mess, I tried it again and it did not go faster than re-threading so... I never suggest it and just like you - I re-thread from scratch :) after you do it so many times it comes easier and easier :)
Absolutely! It's almost as natural to me as threading the sewing machine at this point. My mom doesn't get it at all - every now and then she asks if I've switched to knotting yet 😆 For her (and most people I think) it's easier, and that's totally OK.
When I use the knotted technique I don't knot until after the front tension area. Also, clip the thread on the needles and lift foot to release all the tension. Then just pull on the threads to pull the color in place. Then thread the needles. This isn't as fast as what they show in class but think it is less wear and tear on machine and gets the area of serger harder to thread threaded. Having said that, think it is important to know how to thread a serger and not be afraid of the machine.
I sewed over and broke off a needle in the middle finger of my left hand while sewing when very tired. Spent six hours in a Miami ER, before they could attend to me. No sleep, missed work that day… I no longer sew when tired, because apparently, I CAN be taught!!😂
I have one too: I reuse basting thread. I only discard it, if it shorter than 6 inches.It’s not that I don’t have basting thread!I have whole box.I also pin needles to my bra when stitching on sewing machine and don’t have a pin cushion close by and lazy to get one.I’m considering sewing tired is not a bad habit, but simply life ( job, children, chores) and 5/8 SA are a very bad habit ! I’m adding my own as i find it ridiculous.Overwise, i’m same as everybody- fabric and notions hoarder( but i called it a better name- collector)
Criticizing people for the methods they use, although maybe not "by the book", is a type of gatekeeping and I am not here for it. Let people sew they way they want to and find easiest. You might even learn something. I see nothing wrong with any of these, in fact I'll do you one better. I only trim the threads at the VERY end. I learned sewing from my grandma, who was a professional seamstress, and always asked me to trim the threads and take out any basting stitches right before she gave the garment a final press. If she could do it, then certainly so can I. I find it so relaxing to trim threads as a final step as I wind down from the project, and hate interrupting the flow of construction with trimming. Live and let live I say.
Alisa, approximately how many hours a week do you spend sewing? Love your videos! And, I have a couple of the same bad habits which probably most sewers have, i.e. putting pins🪡 in our mouths & cutting very limited amouts of paper with our good fabric scissors ✂️ 😊😊
I trace my patterns rather than cut them out using butcher paper. That paper I cut with the old pair of fabric scissors which is marked with thread. I’ve known folx who mark all their scissors according to their purpose. My sewing stuff is in storage but I had a scissor drawer! 🤣
My bad habit, is buying a Thrift item to remake, and then don't do it. Why?? Fear that I will ruin it. 😅 Right now I have a over sized Circle Skirt with a Beautiful print that I absolutely love. I want to make an off the shoulder top for the summer. Its August! summer is almost over! This will the 3rd year & I still haven't made it. I guess that is as bad as buying fabric on the whim 😉
I was taught in class to put a little (a small drop) of sewing machine oil (or water) evenly on the blades of my scissors before I put them in the sharpener. This is supposed to make your sharpener last longer and do a better job. It works for me. Today many new pins have oil them (to help prevent rusting before they are sold). Some people are allergic to the chemicals in the oil (the oil may cause blisters and other problems on your lips; plus, you don't want those chemicals inside your mouth). After the oil has been removed by your mouth and lips, those pins may rust into your fabric (because you just wet them). I have been thinking of making myself a third breast . A third breast is a pin cushion made from one cup of an old bra (which is safety pined between, and slightly above, the natural breast on to your top, or to your bra under your top). This should stop my bad habit of putting pins in my shirt and forgetting them (which I sometimes find in my laundry later). I don't want anymore pins, or needles, in my washer or dryer. Plus, wherever I go my third breast (when pined on) will also go (ironing board, cutting table, sewing machine, etc.). I shouldn't have to hunt for a pin cushion anymore.
Did you know that Fiskars scissors have full life time warranty. And they have a line of products for sewing and crafting. I have several sizes Fiskars scissors for different uses and the sharpener. Greetings from Finland, home of Fiskars tools 😊.
1 buying too much fabric 2 being afraid to start a project so Ithink too much about it 3too much beautiful fabric so I stress about cutting it 4 putting the pins in my month like you
What are some of your bad sewing habits? :)
You really should not have to explain yourself. There is nothing wrong with variable seam allowenses for example. In fact it should be different for different seams, based on their shape and function. Many people criticise others just for doing things differently. You are very creative and present explain your project very well. Keep it up and happy sewing ❤
I have been sewing for over 50 years. Ladies you can cut pattern tissue with fabric scissors. It is heavier paper that dulls the blade. If you are a newbie please do not worry about this. Cut out your work and move on to the sewing part that we all love! This video was great! Thank you for posting!
There is an interesting article about this topic - I linked it in the description of the video :)
I agree, I have been cutting pattern paper with my fabric scissors for years and they still cut fabric perfectly.
I DO THAT & BEEN SEWING SINCE 1967
The beauty of sewing is that there is no Police, no laws, no right or wrong. It’s creative. Everyone is different, the end result is what matters. We all learned to do math differently, sewing is no different. What a beautiful world our sewing community is. 😊
I think you’re a wonderful teacher. I’m a retired nurse that took up sewing after I retired. You have taught me almost everything I know about sewing. Yours was one of the very first videos I watched and I’m still watching and learning from you today. Thank you for helping me learn my favorite hobby.
I took up sewing also after I retired from being a nurse.
Thank YOU for being here and sewing with me, big hugs!
Your black lace top is gorgeous.
I‘m so sorry that you get criticized for how you do things… I agree with you, we all do things a different way and just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Your videos make my sewing so much better and easier. And I still don’t do everything your way but non the less, I learn something is all your videos that helps me… So thank you very much for all your hard work creating these videos for us…
You said what I wanted to say. Thanks for getting this out there :)
About sewing tired: A long, LONG time ago when I was a very little girl, I was having trouble with some of the DOLL CLOTHES, that were of course made by elves and delivered by Santa. One particular garment was giving me problems, falling apart or something, maybe not fitting right.... and I said to my Mommy (mouths of babes) " Well, it looks like they didn't do a very good job, did they." Of course, I was VERY YOUNG, and therefore got to go to bed early and get enough sleep! She questioned me about it quite a few times, a number of different ways - before finally explaining that the elf must have been very tired (when she was sewing that seam). Years later, we got a good laugh about it.
Fortunately, when I started sewing for myself, I learned early on that it was time to stop for the night when things started going poorly. Things always look different in the morning!
I love your videos, I think you are a clever and accomplished sewist, and I could care less if you have “bad” sewing habits….
When I saw your post yesterday. Sewing while tired was my first thought. Life does tend to slap that habit right out of me. By immediately giving me the opportunity to use my seam ripper. 😆 I learned to sew under protest. I saw sewing as a nasty chore for most of my life. I could do it but didn't like it. About 3 years ago, I decided to revisit sewing as a creative craft rather than a chore. I started by upcycling. I gave myself permission to toss any failures, guilt free. It sparked a passion in me. So, I am now grateful to my home economics teacher, my grandmother and my Mom for tying me to a sewing machine and forcing me to learn. It only took 50 years for me to appreciate their patience and hard work. 😉 Now if I could just get my stash down to a manageable size. A good sale just ruins me. 😛
I fell in love with sewing when I was about 5 or 6 yrs old. My grandma was a self-taught wedding dress designer cum maker and those days the wedding dresses had those big bell shaped skirts and long trains embroidered all over with pearls, sequences and crystals. My gran used to drawn the design on tissue paper that was then basted onto the completed dress before the embroidering would be done. My job was to sit with a sharp little scissor,, a blunt needle and tweezers and remove all the tissue paper amongst the embroidered flowers, trumpets,swirl and twirls without damaging the embroidery or the dress fabric.. I remember asking her once to promise that she would make me such a dress for my wedding one day. Sadly she died in a car crash when I was 9. However, I stayed in love with sewing, it's now 51 yrs. My worst sewing habit is to buy material for some project that I plan to do sometime in the future and then later I'd forget what I wanted to do with it 😁
Alicia, I have enjoyed your videos. I have been sewing since I was nine years old and I’m 73 but I learn some thing whenever I watch videos whether it’s yours or someone else’s your energy is contagious! As a Young sewist working at the singer store I did a lot of things by the seat of my pants. And the older women in the store were just clicking their tongues and just shocking one even called my mother and said I needed to learn how to sew properly! Yet I was admitted to FIT with a full scholarship…
My husband used to always clip my threads. I would try to clip them as I sewed. But my vision issue is such that I can’t always see them and this is the first time I wore some thing he would do a thread inspection, now I’m being more careful about clipping as I go because of that I don’t have him here to help anymore. He’s in heaven. I always add seam allowance is because I I will forget and I’ll cut out the fabric and a oh no seem allowance is so I make my own patterns and I add a 3/8 seem allowance. if I am going to be doing a center back zipper or any zipper especially an invisible zipper then I will add 5/8 and I will make a big red mark on the pattern reminding me that that is what the seam allowance is. Keep on with your wonderful videos and I love your flower jacket now I’m thinking even though I live in Florida I need a flower jacket, I still buy fabric on a whim. It’s an addiction.
I really like your way of describing and showcasing sewing. It really makes me more brave and bold in what i think I can and not. The way you really not only say that every way is ok but you actually show it makes everything so much easier.
Aww I think you’re being way too hard on yourself……you do you if it works .
Love watching your creations come together ❤
Wonderful video..as always! Thank you. My worst habit is going to the fabric store to “take a look”…BAD BAD HABIT! I always buy things I don’t need or never use. Oh, and if you LOVE your sewing machine please do NOT browse the sewing machines at the local sewing center… I am perfectly happy with my little Husqvarna Emerald 116 but cannot resist looking at the fancier (expensive) models which I really do not need. I’ve come very close to spending a great deal of money when my little Emerald is just perfect for me ♥
*However* one impulse purchase was fantastic: a used Janome 634D I purchase for fifty bucks at my Husqvarna Dealer where I bought my Emerald ….I LOVE IT and it works PERFECTLY! It has really given me the wonderful overlocked seam finishes I craved. Best fifty bucks spent ever!
I, too, broke the habit of putting pins in my mouth. I was sewing like 2 or 3 in the morning, trying to finish a performance dress for my daughter, and I put a pin in my mouth and unfortunately took a breath as I had made a mistake and the pin got stuck in the back of my throat standing straight up. I had a calm myself down enough to reach inside my mouth and get the pin out before it went down my throat. That scared me enough that when I go to put a pin in my mouth, I remember that experience. I quickly broke that habit! I love your videos. Keep Smiling 😃
I have also stopped putting the pins in my mouth. It was a habit I picked up long ago, and had been much better about not doing it, but became very conscious of it when my granddaughter would watch me sew. Thanks for another fun video!
Patti, I am with you on the pins. It always seems that little ones pick up our bad habits so much faster than the good ones :) he he :)
When I learned to pattern draft, I was taught to not put seam allowances because seam allowances interfere when you are making changes in the pattern. Also I like narrow seam allowances on collars and necklines.
I don't use a lot of pins, but I am prone to sticking them into my sleeve, I keep meaning to get a wrist pin cushion. Also I found that hand basting goes just as fast as pin basting and is easier to deal with.
My worse sewing habit is not ironing as I go. I am working on this one because it really makes a difference.
Oh - you are so sweet! Thank you for sharing your humanity 😊 (the interruptive cat video was also welcome!). My worst habit is just wanting to get the damn project done and forcing too much fabric through the sewing machine / serger… usually resulting in a trip to the repair shop or even a new machine 😳
I’ve also been sewing for 55 years and I was taught some techniques, plus I dreamed up some other ones, and also watched other people so I could copy.
If someone does a technique that is different to mine, I often try it and guess what? I learn something new! That’s a good thing. Sometimes we have to do things a certain way depending on our circumstances but no one should be telling others that their way is wrong on TH-cam! We are all free to do as we choose, now we are grown up, and I love learning new and innovative ways of performing a certain task.
I have learned how to pattern draught through watching your videos and I like the explanation for not giving seam allowances - when you showed us 2 different pants with different fabrics, it made perfect sense.
Keep doing what you’re doing - we all love your work because it’s so accessible to everyone and because you are so patient and kind. That’s by far the best thing to be - being ‘correct’ is not as good as being kind. Bless you ❤
Sewing while tired is definitely a sure way to make time-consuming mistakes.
I agree with you there is not only one way to sew. I think as long as the finished product is made durable and meets your needs you did it right! I think with all the sewing videos of people from all over the world we see that there are different ways to sew to get a good result. I too used to sew tired and made my share of mistakes. 😉. My solution now, as my kids are all grown, is to get up several hours before everyone and then I am wide awake and can sew in peace and quiet. Always love your videos and your designs and how you are not dogmatic about your sewing but share with respect. ❤
Yes… the pin in the mouth! I’ve just broken that habit too! And I’ve stopped buying fabric on a whim!
Well done!!! When my daughter started sewing with me it really struck me that it is a SUPER bad habit that I don't want her to take over :/
MY DENTIST ONCE ASKED IF I STILL DO THAT
I'm with you on seam allowances! Lately I have discovered how much easier it is to set in a sleeve with a smaller seam allowance. Game changer.
Now why didn’t I think of that? I’m trying that on my next shirt.
@@marieg2815 Do try! Reducing the seam allowance makes convex/concave curves fit together much easier.
I love your videos and getting so much from them. I don’t believe anyone has the right to criticise and I’m so sorry you feel you have you explain. You don’t.
I’m a fellow late night sewer and definitely do o a LOT of unpicking. I learnt very young that the more tired I got, the more mistakes I made, but like a hard headed mule, it didn’t stop me 😝 having a young family meant the only time to sew without constant interruptions was at night when the household was sound asleep, and I was tired.
Another bad habit I share with you (-and funnily enough it dawned on me only today, before I saw this video) is that I too hold pins with my lips. I used to watch my grandmother and mother do it. How dangerous !! 😮😮 note to self, must drop this habit.
Thanks for the videos! You’re great ❤
Oh my goodness! I'm going to buy a scissors sharpener! I didn't know these existed. Thank you for showing them!
You are my favourite sewing guide, so non judgemental
Thank you Alicia, you're so kind to yourself. It's lovely to hear you talk about the reality of sewing. We're fortunate to have you helping us along this journey. Xx
You are definitely right,...sewing is not linear. I stopped sewing at night because I was doing the same thing, which is losing focus. Thanks for sharing this.😊
I am trying to stop putting pins in my mouth too!😢
I love all your videos. Wish you were doing them when i was much younger. We can all learn new things. I used ro sew late at night when the kids were small. No one seemed to mind here , but i agree dont sew when you're tired. Ive also used different seam finishes on different parts of a garment. I too have some similar bad "sewing habits," so i really never noticed yours. Would love to see more finishes around neck and arm holes without adding those large interfacing ones that the pattern companies insist on. You don't find them on ready to wear garments. Thank you for all you do.
Great video. I found a scissor sharpener like yours in a sale bin and couldn't believe my good fortune. I had umpteen pairs of dull scissors because they had been used for paper so many times they didn't really like paper either. Needless to say I don't have that problem anymore. I do have a treasured pair of shears that belonged to My grandfather when he was a supervisor at the Monarch Knitting Mill 70 years ago. They cut fabric only.
I knew a lady who swallowed a couple of pins so that is one habit I never acquired. This reminder is something everyone should hear.
I always look forward to your videos.
Oooooh, you have the same sharpener? That's so awesome. I use mine pretty often, especially after cutting any polyesters, which I don't work with anymore as much, but man, it dulls scissors so so fast! I love those special treasures in our every day lives that get passed down, your Grandfathers scissors are very special! Have a wonderful day and thank you for always wonderful comment full with interesting thoughts ;)
@@ThoughtfulCreativity 💕🌻
You have a way of easily explaining each step..and take your time. I use to work in sewing alterations, fast, and tired was the name of the game..to keep up with customer demand!! I would also go home and sew my own clothes late at night....very tired.. i had a system of ripping (the prep) and repin and then sew all at the same time....g
Alisa, no one person should be critical of another! Except for pins in our mouths 😊 I did swallow one when I was a child (I had to have cotton wool sandwiches, and castor oil!) not pleasant! I love your videos, keep them coming. 💐
I think you do a wonderful job. I am happy that you share.
Definitely pins in the mouth, and taking too many shortcuts, or as I think you would call them, 'savage moves'. Haha, I love when I see those in your videos, they make me smile. :) I've definitely free hand drew many an arm curve for both myself and my toddler.
Ha ha, SAVAGE moves sometimes is the way to go, lol :D You know how it is - it does not always go all as planned :D
Thanks for the heads up about Linen & Double Brushed Poly dulling scissors~ I love to sew with both of those I now I know why the scissors don’t seem quite as sharp as they used to be.
I am very new to sewing and have started learning it on youtube only. Thanks to God that I found you, as you have a wonderful way of explaining for people like me.
I taught sewing to beginners for years and I am so refreshed watching your videos. You are an amazing teacher and I am learning many new concepts. I would love to create a jacket like the one you are wearing. Have you made a video on this cute jacket? I am considering joining and becoming a member. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Keep up the great work! I love watching your videos and I wouldn’t say you have bad habits, they’re just your habits. Nothing wrong with that!
I'm going to be 70 at the end of this month. I've been sewing since I was about 10-12 yrs old. I sew more quilts and bags than clothing these day and my tired sew cue is if I have to rip more than one seam I put it down and come back tomorrow. I still make crazy errors when I'm tired because we all want to push through. BTW even with years of sewing I always learn something from watching you! Thank You
I am still learning. Love your videos
Or a bad habit (though I have a few) but, why oh why do some people have to insist there is only one way to do something? Either do it my way or it’s the wrong way, such hubris. If it works why does it matter? I’m all for finding what works for me and using that method.
And my worst habit is stash buying, both for fabric and for knitting!
THEY ARE KARENS?
I like that you shared your bad habits That is so real I have plenty myself
I used my good(ish) dressmakers scissors to cut off hay bale twine that I had driven over, which wrapped around the axle of the farm vehicle.
😬🙄😄
You win!!! Was it plastic twine? Not that it matters much at this point. The good thing is, is that you managed to get it off the axle. ✂🚜
I’ve been sewing for years, and I recently sewed two front legs together, too!! 😂 Then I went to the serger and overlocked the seam! Big job to undo it all. 😢
I DID THAT LAST WEEK
Love and appreciate your techniques and your clear and complete directions. Thanks for educating all sewers, even ones like myself. I've been sewing for 60+ years and drafting my own dress patterns that get lots of compliments for my style and use of great fabric. But there are still things that I'm learning from you. Keep up the great work. It will certainly help more sewers feel successful with their projects. Many thanks!!!
love the vest you wear
Thank you! That's the one we made together in the Members Only Shirt series, here is the final video of the series - th-cam.com/video/9FUhm8tWIt4/w-d-xo.html
The 1st time I drew up a pattern from you was the Kimono. It took me 6 hours to figure out how to draw up the pattern. Kept on going back to the video.
Pins in mouth very occasionally, generally when I dont have a magnet near by. Coin sized magnets around my sewing area saves me from a lot of accidents, on "rings", "bracelet", next to the machine on both sides and sometimes use double sided tape to put one right next to the presser foot so hem pins can be slid out quickly without stopping.
Pins in mouth I've mostly stopped. Needles in the arn chair arm was a bad habit when I was younger, others did get minor stab injuries 😂. My stash is definitely my guilty pleasure or shopping for fabric is 😊😊.
My worst habit I'm working on is not cutting corners and challenging myself to not shy away from new and better techniques.
Neeeedles in the arm chair- ouch :) he he... I once left a pin in short I was sewing for my husband, he STILL asks if there are any pins if I ask him to try something on :D
I believe everyone has personal preferences and OCD tendencies. To each their own. If you do fluctuate in size a bigger seam allowance makes sense but if you don’t there’s no need. There are many sewist that do not add seam allowance to the pattern. I believe it is a personal journey to recognize bad habits and ease them out of your routine. Personal improvement is just that….personal.
Absolutely! :)
Once I was not paying enough attention and cut out 2 left leg pant details instead of 1 left and 1 right 😱 thankfully the fabric looks exactly the same on the wrong side, so I used the wrong side as the right side.
I made pj pants for my family last year and didn’t pay attention to the print for one pair. Everyone got nice comfy pants, by my brother in law got all the reindeer upside down for one leg😫 Worse is I didn’t have enough fabric to recut it.
I never thought of the way you sew as bad habits. Just the way you do it. There is no right or wrong. The one thing I never do is sew tired. Nothing good ever happens when I am tired. Sometimes I may see a way you could do something better, but that doesn't may the way you do it wrong.
True! I like to compare sewing with cooking (because that's the nearest thing most of us do) and everyone cooks differently, but as long as it is all cooked (food safe temps) and tastes good - it really is juts a preference on how you like yours to be done.
Alicia, you are wonderful! I have been sewing since I was a kid, starting out making doll clothes quite crudely with felt, progressing to making most of my clothes in my 20's & 30's (mainly because I have expensive taste). I am a pin (& needle) in the mouth person-I am working on it!
I think my worst sewing habit is finishing 90% of something and then leaving it like that for months because I hate hemming 😅
No excuse or reason, I just put the fun in fundamentally lazy.
That was me before I got a machine you could blind hem with. Had very few work clothes but a closet full of clothes I couldn't wear because they were not hemmed. 😅
I’ve used double sided tape so I can wear them straight away. But then the hem falls down😂
Wish I were there. I love to hand hem...not so much the machine part :))
Hello Alisa 😊. I never noticed any of these things lol. I’m always focussed on the information you are sharing. Now that you’ve pointed them out I can admit I have a few of these habits as well. I’m sure we all do. It’s a good reminder to us all. I love how you aim for learning and improving always. 👌🏼
Hello, hello! I think we all do, after all - we are people, each one is different, and we also all learn differently :)
haters gonna hate
You are Kind, thoughtful and creative
Years ago, I was forced to sew in a more confined space, ie. a room dedicated to sewing/quilting...because one of my cats swallowed a huge amount of serger thread as it was unrolling from the machine that I had left out. I was devastated!!! I didn't realize it till later that day! A very costly mistake, costly in as $2,000 for surgical removal of the thread; he couldn't pass it. (My cat survived, this happened when he was 10 yrs old. He lived to the ripe old age of 18.) Lesson learned....keep sewing/quilting away from animals!
I was chuckling to myself thru this, as it sounds almost identical to my habits! I don't consider them bad, rather how we learned! Like you, if it is fabric, I will continue to remake it until there is nothing left of the fabric❣️ It keeps one busy and our resources plentiful😉
Yes, 100% with you on making and remaking and remaking again :) he he :) love it and thank you!
People can ask questions….but if the comments are more judgmental, that’s inappropriate. Be Like Me! is not our right to expect of others, it’s a negative way to behave with people.
We do not have to explain ourselves to others in theses situations so I wouldn’t label it a bad habit. A bad habit is interrupting people, being rude, expecting people to be like you just to get a list started.
You do you, you’re delightful and fun to watch!
Thank You for posting this video, bc I too have a couple bad sewing habits.
1. Don’t use a rotary cutter in bad lighting & tired.
I was donating handmade facial masks 3.5 years ago. I cut into the tip of my index finger. Bleeding would not stop after 45 mins of pressure. A trip to the ER & I was better. Now I have a scar tissue notch close to the knuckle that looks like I have early arthritis.
Remember use proper lighting when cutting and not late at night either.
When I watched/listened to this over the weekend, the only 'bad' habit I heard was the pins in your mouth. I agree what is a 'bad' habit to some isn't for others (Like not including seam allowance on your patterns). I do because if I don't, I will forget and know I will. I definitely agree some things we do (sewing when we are mentally/physically tired) are not great habits and can lead to mistakes. And sewing too fast so I forget about the pins in my sewing and killing serger blades and/or pins... definitely not great. But, it is a mistake. I agree with @LovingHandsDesign, there aren't any right/wrong ways or police. As I teach someone to sew I explain WHY I do it the way I am teaching and give a few other methods. Or I explain why, over the 30+ years I have sewn, the way I am teaching is a better way. I am trying to help instill better habits... like looking AT the pattern tissue on commercial patterns to ensure the right sizing is purchased.
Sewing over pins is my worst habit. I've broken so many needles and I do try not to do it, but I still do 😀
cutting tinfoil also sharpens, works on pinking shears too that are hard to sharpen on sharpeners
Love the garment you are wearing!! BTW, Burda doesn’t include seam allowances either! (Great minds think alike!!! 😆😉😉) Keep up the good work, Alisa! Your videos are inspiring sewists everywhere!
Oh yes :) I started sewing with Burda ( I am European, and that was what my mom used when she was sewing when I was little, I still have a few magazines from early 2000). Thank you for kind words and happy sewing :)
I don't sew at night ONLY because my family will likely hear the sewing machine working and wake up 🤣
That’s the great thing about being an empty nester with a retired husband. Only one problem! I need my overhead light installed in my hobby room.
I get most of my sewing done after my daughter goes to bed. I tuck her in, turn on her music and head into my sewing room. She actually has a harder time going to sleep on the rare nights I don't sew! Lol! It did take a few months for this routine to work though.
Guilty!
Specifically cutting paper with fabric scissors 😅 - I try not to do it too much, but if they are the nearest thing. Then I will use them.
I was more of a “tidy threads at the end” type of person, but I would then hate sitting there for ages trying to find them all, (only to still be finding something weeks later) so I am making more of an effort to tidy as I go now.
I was also the “pins in mouth”, but I think I saw a video or something of a bad injury from someone doing this, and now keep a small tub nearby, the pins go straight in the tub while I am working. It keeps them handy and stops them from being all over the place on the table.
My other bad habit was leaving scissors all over the place and not making sure to keep them in a safe place when using them. Accidentally sitting on a pair and getting them in my leg (not a major cut..but it was NOT pleasant) has quickly got me out of doing that one. (Now they are always somewhere I can see them, and when I use them, I put them in the same place each time).
I think my worst habit (and probably one I may never be able to change), is that I don’t have a lot of patience with sewing. I just want to be able to sew more and make my own clothes and bags etc. but my sewing is terrible (uneven stitches, not so straight lines….and stitching on curves…… even worse). But I just want to be able to make something though.
I have tried taking my time and making the effort to get really good stitches, and lines etc, but it would just take so long ….to the point, that I was just hating it.
Now I just try and enjoy it, and do my best. I think that many of my items look great at a distance…….but if you got up close……..and really look at the sewing…… yikes 😬 😅
I use a metal nail file or emery board to sharpen my scissors. Important thing to remember is to go only in one direction, toward the center, one blade at a time.
Love this!
I like to sew in the ends at the end of a project as I like to do it while watching TV or relaxing generally. Also I've never been so keen to sew that I've sewn past 10pm. Doesn't stop me making mistakes with sewing the wrong legs together though!
Do you have a video I missed of you making the rose cactus jacket!!?? It is stunning! I won’t have as pretty of fabric but I love the style of it!! ❤
Hello there! :) thank you! It is just a relaxed fit button up shirt - there is a full series for Members Only on how to draft one from a bodice block and how to sew it. This is just a variation from that simple style, also shown in one of the Members videos :)
I also took a chance on the Fiskars sharpener and have had great luck with them. I went around sharpening ALL my scissors and they all cut better. I have one pair of serrated shears, and I use those for paper and fabric, and so far, so good. I also use my rotary cutter for paper as well. Whoops! I’m such a rebel. Easily replaceable blades when they are needed. I’ve tried to stop the pins in the mouth thing, but old habits die very hard, even with a wrist pincushion. I sewed a peasant top with similar pieces and ended up sewing the bodice pieces as sleeves and sleeves as bodice pieces. I almost threw it out because I couldn’t figure out why it was so wonky, lol. The light bulb finally went off and it fixed it, and now it’s a favorite. I sew over pins. Slowly, but I also wear glasses, and use thin silk pins, and so far nothing bad has happened. Not giving it up, sorry (not sorry). 😂
OK I WILL TRY IT. I HAVE A SMALL ONE & IT DOES NOTHING
your doing it your way. which you have said in your videos many many times. and i know your way will work for me. if it makes sense when i hear it. i know i am 99% of the way to actuarily doing it for real. YOU are the one that will get me making garments, i know this. so Thank you. x (bad habits or not) lol lol
Never knew one get a scissor sharpener❤❤
Oh look, fabric!😊
I think of sewing as an art. Each "sewist" is an artist, with their own techniques. Just like a painter, or a musician, can use any various technique.
YES, same here. Sewing is a form of art!
Is there a video on how to make your coat?! It’s so cute!
Hello Betty :) If you mean the shirt I am wearing - it is a button-up shirt that I drafted and sewed and the mini-series is available for Members of the channel, if you are talking about the zipper jacket on the dress form, then here is the video - th-cam.com/video/LumzOROW9Ko/w-d-xo.html
@@ThoughtfulCreativity thanks!!!
Good morning! I will warn you... this comment may turn into a mini-rant, so feel free to pull up a chair and grab a coffee. Last night I watched your video concerning bad habits since I *may* possess a few. Lol! I was rather taken aback as I do not consider the majority of what you covered as bad habits. (Ok, ok.... maybe pins in the mouth.... I'm trying, I'm trying.....). I usually don't read the comments, so I don't know the context of the criticisms. I can see myself asking "why" on a method you use to understand the significance, if any. Such as not marking seam allowances - btw, I also vary my seam allowances according to what I'm sewing. So if it's a bad habit, I'm right there with you. I grew up being taught sewing by my mother, who was a professional seamstress ("the inside of your project should look as good as the outside....") and the thing that was immediately noticeable to me and contributed to me becoming a member, was the quality of your work. You are an excellent sewist. If I can learn new skills and improve my old skills, then I'll happily follow you, regardless of any perceived bad habits!
Deloyce, thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment. I think sewing is one of those forms of creating/art/craft that is always developing, it never stops and so many things influence that - from technology, to innovations and of course our way of life. I think that is what fascinated me the most - that it develops with us, with time. :)
We cut tissue paper along with fabric when cutting out a big 4 pattern.
There is actually a really good reason to leave tails for a while, (for delicate fabrics or super thick fabric layered up, or knits) tails offer something to hold and pull when starting a stitch on the machine.
I also leave the sides undone until I am ready for the final touch, sometime I have something so many raw edges and pieces of yarn sticking out that I hardly think it will work out fine. I do not have a locker, but just a good sewing machine, due to the lack of a locker my insides are not often as pristine as clothes from a shop. But what is on the inside I cannot be bothered with that much, as long as the outside looks fine and nothing can unravel (is that the correct word?)
But bloopers like sewing when tired an knowing you have to watch certain fabrics (specially the smooth and slippery ones, silk-look a likes) and even being carful still end up sewing a back to front or missed a spot due to the foot slipping away, then having to undo it sucks...
My latest being shoving my scissors aside to get a bit more space for putting pins in a pants, the scissors closing on a just finished perfectly straight hem and cutting just a tiny hole in it... grrrr Nobody can see it but I see it, pants waisted...
I think maybe adding seam allowenses to the pattern is an American thing, when I buy sewing pattern in Europe, I have to add the allowenses myself, exactly for the reasons you pointed out😊.
I think it is, seems like it anyway. I am from Latvia and started sewing with Burda and there you had to add your own as well :)
I am absolutely shocked that people were criticising the variable seam allowances! I always vary them depending on what i'm going to do and even on commercial patterns that indicate a certain seam allowance, i change it up if i feel like it. I don't have a serger and i don't like zig zag finishes so i always have to calculate if i want a french seam, flat felled etc etc.
My bad sewing habit is I leave my thread tails long and I don't always back stitch my seams. That way if I have a fitting issue, it's really easy to alter the fit. Then I clip them when the garment is finished.
My bad sewing habit that I refuse to give up: rethreading my serger from scratch every time I change colour, instead of using the knotting trick 😂 For me it is faster and leaves less room for things going wrong 🤷🏻
Jolette, this is a very good think that you mentioned! I tried the knotting trick years ago and it did not go right, I tried it again and it just made a mess, I tried it again and it did not go faster than re-threading so... I never suggest it and just like you - I re-thread from scratch :) after you do it so many times it comes easier and easier :)
Absolutely! It's almost as natural to me as threading the sewing machine at this point. My mom doesn't get it at all - every now and then she asks if I've switched to knotting yet 😆 For her (and most people I think) it's easier, and that's totally OK.
Exactly! Whatever works for each person is the way to go, you how in math there are so many different ways to resolve a math problem. Same here ;)
When I use the knotted technique I don't knot until after the front tension area. Also, clip the thread on the needles and lift foot to release all the tension. Then just pull on the threads to pull the color in place. Then thread the needles. This isn't as fast as what they show in class but think it is less wear and tear on machine and gets the area of serger harder to thread threaded. Having said that, think it is important to know how to thread a serger and not be afraid of the machine.
I sewed over and broke off a needle in the middle finger of my left hand while sewing when very tired. Spent six hours in a Miami ER, before they could attend to me. No sleep, missed work that day… I no longer sew when tired, because apparently, I CAN be taught!!😂
Oh nooooo....... I hope all is fine with the finger, that must have been horrible! :(
It's great that you're sharing your bad habits and the reasons behind them. We can learn and grow together🙂. We sent you an email, please take a look.
I have one too: I reuse basting thread. I only discard it, if it shorter than 6 inches.It’s not that I don’t have basting thread!I have whole box.I also pin needles to my bra when stitching on sewing machine and don’t have a pin cushion close by and lazy to get one.I’m considering sewing tired is not a bad habit, but simply life ( job, children, chores) and 5/8 SA are a very bad habit ! I’m adding my own as i find it ridiculous.Overwise, i’m same as everybody- fabric and notions hoarder( but i called it a better name- collector)
Criticizing people for the methods they use, although maybe not "by the book", is a type of gatekeeping and I am not here for it. Let people sew they way they want to and find easiest. You might even learn something. I see nothing wrong with any of these, in fact I'll do you one better. I only trim the threads at the VERY end. I learned sewing from my grandma, who was a professional seamstress, and always asked me to trim the threads and take out any basting stitches right before she gave the garment a final press. If she could do it, then certainly so can I. I find it so relaxing to trim threads as a final step as I wind down from the project, and hate interrupting the flow of construction with trimming. Live and let live I say.
I love her content!!
Also is it wired that the whisling hurts my teeth is like S but very sharp lol
I like watch your videos.I have many bad habits But the one I thing never give up with is that I am fabric Плюшкин- I believe you know what I mean
я читаю и думаю, Плюшкин из «Мёртвые души»? Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about :) Thank you, Luna!
Not using fabric scissors for anything else is engrained since childhood 😱. My mum's scissors were strictly off limits.
Alisa, approximately how many hours a week do you spend sewing? Love your videos! And, I have a couple of the same bad habits which probably most sewers have, i.e. putting pins🪡 in our mouths & cutting very limited amouts of paper with our good fabric scissors ✂️ 😊😊
YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER PAIR OF PAPER SCISSORS MAYBE A DIFFERENT COLOR. YOU DESERVE IT
Can you make a one size pant pattern made to help a blind student. Thank you
I trace my patterns rather than cut them out using butcher paper. That paper I cut with the old pair of fabric scissors which is marked with thread. I’ve known folx who mark all their scissors according to their purpose. My sewing stuff is in storage but I had a scissor drawer! 🤣
My bad habit, is buying a Thrift item to remake, and then don't do it. Why?? Fear that I will ruin it. 😅 Right now I have a over sized Circle Skirt with a Beautiful print that I absolutely love. I want to make an off the shoulder top for the summer. Its August! summer is almost over! This will the 3rd year & I still haven't made it. I guess that is as bad as buying fabric on the whim 😉
I was taught in class to put a little (a small drop) of sewing machine oil (or water) evenly on the blades of my scissors before I put them in the sharpener. This is supposed to make your sharpener last longer and do a better job. It works for me.
Today many new pins have oil them (to help prevent rusting before they are sold). Some people are allergic to the chemicals in the oil (the oil may cause blisters and other problems on your lips; plus, you don't want those chemicals inside your mouth). After the oil has been removed by your mouth and lips, those pins may rust into your fabric (because you just wet them).
I have been thinking of making myself a third breast . A third breast is a pin cushion made from one cup of an old bra (which is safety pined between, and slightly above, the natural breast on to your top, or to your bra under your top). This should stop my bad habit of putting pins in my shirt and forgetting them (which I sometimes find in my laundry later). I don't want anymore pins, or needles, in my washer or dryer. Plus, wherever I go my third breast (when pined on) will also go (ironing board, cutting table, sewing machine, etc.). I shouldn't have to hunt for a pin cushion anymore.
I'd end up with pins in the washing machine, and worse! OUCH!
Did you know that Fiskars scissors have full life time warranty. And they have a line of products for sewing and crafting. I have several sizes Fiskars scissors for different uses and the sharpener. Greetings from Finland, home of Fiskars tools 😊.
Thanks for the tip! Much appreciated and a big hug!
1 buying too much fabric 2 being afraid to start a project so Ithink too much about it 3too much beautiful fabric so I stress about cutting it 4 putting the pins in my month like you
I don’t always pin the fabric when I know I should. Then my stitches aren’t straight, then I spend an hour ripping seams. 😢
Ah, I have been there.... It will get better :) ripping is part of the journey, it really is :)