Sew n Such

SEWING TIPS & HINTS

• Hot Weather Cautions: DON'T leave sewing ma­chines or sergers in the car during hot summers or cold winters for any period of time. Almost all have plastic parts that will melt. Heat and moisture are also the enemy of electronic parts.

• Securing Buttonholes: On purchased clothing, when buttonholes start to unravel or pull out, thread a hand needle with fusible thread and run it through the buttonhole stitches; then heat & fuse.

• Fabric Marker Spots: When having difficulty re­moving blue or purple markings from fabric, your wa­ter may be acidic. Try adding 2 tablespoons of bak­ing soda to your cold water spritzer. The marks will usually come out and won't reappear.

  • Matching Thread Colors

- Wondering why thread colors match so closely in ready wear garments? Manufacturers buy fabrics and threads in large quantities and have threads dyed to match the fabric.

- For the best color match, buy fabric and thread at the same time.

- Choose thread in the same color, or one shade darker, than fabric. Thread appears lighter when sewn. For the best test, don't hold a whole spool of thread against the fabric; unwind a few inches and lay one strand on the fabric to compare.

- For plaids, tweeds and prints, match the thread to the predominant or background color.

  • Skipped Stitches: If your machine stitch quality is poor, don't be too quick to blame the thread; usually the culprit is the needle. Skipped stitches, puckered seams, poor tension, and thread breakage may be caused by a damaged needle or using the wrong size for the thread or fabric. New needles work wonders.

• Tangled Hand Sewing: Hand sewing needles have a right and wrong side that may not be visible. When having trouble with threads not going through the eye, try turning the needle around.

• Cutting & Finishing Edges: Wood-burning tools and some fine-tip soldering irons can be used on ny­lon and polyester to cut and finish the edge, all in one step. The fine tip allows drawing of graceful curved designs freehand, and the heat-finished edge pre­vents fraying.

• Gunk Off the Hoop: Using surgical adhesive re­mover (available from any pharmacy) works great to clean the sticky back from embroidery hoops. It does not eat the hoops like other cleaners. A quick wipe with a damp cloth will keep hoops sparkling.

Also you can try Mennen aftershave.  It cleans may marker and adhisive messes found in your sewing area.

 

 

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