• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Polka Dot Chair logo

  • SEWING
    • Free Sewing Patterns
    • Bag Sewing Patterns
    • Costumes Sewing Tutorials
    • Apparel Sewing Patterns
    • Learn to Sew
    • Beginner Friendly Sewing Projects
    • Hand Embroidery Patterns
    • Tips & Techniques
    • All Sewing
  • QUILTING
    • Quilt Block Patterns
    • Learn to Quilt
    • Free Quilt Patterns
    • Quilt Patterns
    • All Quilting
  • CRAFTS
    • Disney
    • Cricut
    • Printables
    • All Crafts
  • HOLIDAYS
    • Seasonal Projects
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • All Holidays
  • TUTORIALS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • My Fabric Collections
    • Published Books
    • Press
    • FAQ’s
    • Contact
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
menu icon
go to homepage
  • SHOP
  • TUTORIALS
  • SEWING
  • QUILTING
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CRAFTS
  • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
  • ABOUT
    • Published Books
    • My Fabric Collections
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • SHOP
    • TUTORIALS
    • SEWING
    • QUILTING
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CRAFTS
    • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
    • ABOUT
      • Published Books
      • My Fabric Collections
    • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Sewing » Sewing Lessons

    7 of My Favorite Sewing Tips & Tricks

    Updated: Jan 11, 2022 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Sewing Tips

    Are you new to sewing and not really sure where to start? Someone told me once to always remember that all experts were once beginners!  So don’t worry, everyone has had to start somewhere.

    Polka Dot & Leather Fold Over Clutch Sewing Tutorial on polkadotchair.com and some of my favorite sewing tips and tricks!

    Get the Tutorial for the Fold Over Clutch HERE

    I love sewing, it has brought me so much joy in my life. I would love for others to also feel that same joy and sense of accomplishment.

    Learning how to sew can seem like a daunting task. Today I’m going to share with you 7 SIMPLE Sewing Tips & Tricks.

    My Favorite Sewing Tips & Tricks

    1. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

    This is my favorite of all of the sewing tips. Most everyone who is sewing now had some help at the beginning of their sewing career.  Maybe you have a friend who is an excellent seamstress, or a Grandmother who would love to share some of her knowledge with you, odds are that you know someone who can help you learn. 

    Asking something like, “I started sewing this purse and got a pretty good start but now I’m at a point that I am stuck and was wondering if you could help me out a bit?” should get a great response from most experienced seamstresses. 

    If you want to learn at some point there will be some “trial & error” and the only way to get past it is just to try, you are capable of doing a lot more than you think you are!! Give it a shot on your own then when you get stuck, turn to your friend to get some help.

    2. Take a Sewing Class

    Most cities have either heirloom sewing or quilting stores that offer classes, talk a friend into going with you and be BRAVE and just sign up!

    Even though I learned to sew as a teenager I still took sewing classes as an adult.   The teachers always helped me to look at things in new ways.  I learned techniques that I would never have figured out on my own, plus there is the added bonus that you FINISH the project during the class, so it doesn’t get thrown in the “someday” pile. 

    7 of my favorite sewing tips and tricks

    3.  Iron!

    It may seem like a pain to get up from your sewing machine and go over to your ironing board to iron each seam you sew, but you MUST do it!  There is no better sewing tip that I can give you than to IRON!  I can always tell a project that was poorly pressed along the way.  Invest in a good quality iron, next to your sewing machine this will be the most valuable tool in your sewing arsenal! 

    4.  Change your Needle

    Once in a sewing class, the instructor informed us that we should change our needle every-time we start a new project.  I don’t change mine that often but try to change it every few projects.  

    A dull needle will cause your machine to skip stitches, pull fabric or cause problems with your tension.  So ask yourself “when was the last time you changed your needle?” Probably been a while.

    5. Use your Seam Ripper

    I know no one ever likes to unpick something they have just sewn but just do it. If it’s not right, you will expend more energy trying to fix it later than just unpicking it in the first place. 

    Cute and Clever Sewing Room Organization Ideas; fun ideas for storage and ways to make your sewing space more functional

    6. Re-thread Your Sewing Machine

    Just think of it like rebooting your computer, one little thing can fix a multitude of ills.  If you break a needle, break your thread,  or your machine starts sewing funny,  rethread it.  Trust me it works 🙂 

    7. Know When to Walk Away

    If you get to the point in a project where you are sewing sloppily or find yourself saying “good enough” more than a few times, walk away. Put it down and go do something else. This is the thing that took me the longest to figure out.  

    I can not tell you how many times I have woken up in the morning and had a “uggggg” moment because I stayed up too late working on something that I was really not in the “mood” to be working on. 

    If you get frustrated with a project or lose interest, it’s OKAY to leave it for a bit.  Nine times out of ten you will get your “mojo” back soon and be able to finish it up.  There is nothing worse than working while you’re frustrated! So don’t do it!!

    You May Also Like:

    The Best Bag Making Tips & Techniques

    How to Fix a Broken Jeans Button

    50+ Beginner Sewing Tutorials and Projects

    Easy DIY Trick or Treat Bag

    Sewing Tips

    More Projects You May Enjoy

    • girl throwing giant pillow outdoors
      DIY Giant Floor Pillow Pattern
    • two brightly colored pillows with jockey silk applique on gray chair
      DIY Derby Jockey Silks Pillows
    • collage image with minky fabric and baby blanket
      How to Sew with Minky Fabric: Easy Tips for a Beginner
    • pink patchwork pincushion on gingham paper with sewing notions
      Charming Patchwork Pincushion Tutorial

    • Share
    • Email

    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! It’s nice to meet you.

    I’m Melissa. I like to design things, like fabric, printables, and projects.

    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

    COPYRIGHT POLICY

    All my images and text are copyrighted. You may NOT use any images from this site in any kind of Video (this includes YouTube). If you would like to feature my work, you may use ONE (1) NON-COLLAGED image and must “follow” link back to my original blog post. You may NOT edit, crop, or change my images in any way without written permission. You MAY NOT print out or copy and distribute any text, images or patterns from this site. All patterns, content, instructions, and templates are for personal use ONLY! Thank you! Violators will be reported.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimers
    • About Melissa
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Press
    • Published Books
    • Fabric Collections

    Welcome to the Polka Dot Chair! Here you’ll find easy, step-by-step, sewing, quilting, and crafting projects. We design projects for Makers of all skill levels. Beginners are welcome!

    DISCLAIMER:

    While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content on this website, the information is made available without warranty of any kind. The Polka Dot Chair accepts no responsibility or liability, whether direct or indirect, as to the currency or accuracy of the information, nor any consequence of its uses. This website is not intended to substitute the advice of a professional.

    Copyright © 2022 Polka Dot Chair

    [ Placeholder content for popup link ] WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin