10 Sewing Tips from the Experts | National Sewing Circle 

Clear and informative, no music, no drama, enjoyed watching it. So refreshing to see.

That’s so funny, I also was thinking she just jumped right into it. How refreshing. She knew we didn’t care about the story of her life.

Great tips. I also love that you don’t have annoying background music going on!

Great tips, thank you! Another great thing to do, before you start a project, is to prepare one, or two, more bobbins so you don’t have to stop in the middle of a project and have to wind up some new bobbins ;)

To clarify about the spool pins for anyone who is new or doesn't know... There are two types of spools as far as how they wind them. Straight wind like coats thread (looks like a normal straight wind) and top wound like gutermann (when looking at the thread on the spool it looks like it's wound on an angle/diagonal like diamonds) For straight would you want to put it on the accessory pin so the thread unwinds from the side. If you have top wound it's better to use the sideways pin to be unwinding from the top of the spool when sewing. Straight wound is wound onto the spool from the side so should be unwound from the side. Top wound is from the top with an oscillating angle arm so unwinds better from top or bottom. If either are used in the opposite way you end up with twisting in the thread and can throw off your tension and even cause thread breakage. Just an FYI

When you change your needle, write the size down on aa sticky note or a piece of tape and put it on the side of your machine. I tend to forget what needle is in my machine.

I've been sewing all my life but still enjoy watching tips as one can keep on learning new things. I jotted down 3 tips you gave to use or buy. Thank you for an excellent presentation, right to the point.

Thank-you, especially about moistening the back of the needle instead of the thread! You may add there, that if you cut an inch wide piece off of a 3 X 5 index card, you can hold it behind the needle. This will help see the hole better, especially for us older folk. I keep one next to the machine, right by my pin box.

Another very important tip is the thread. Cotton will not stretch, polyester will so if you're sewing stretchy fabric, you must use polyester. I destroyed I don't know how many projects because I wasn't using the right thread until someone mentionned it to me at the fabric store. I ended up thinking Guterman (the thread I usually buy) was bad quality. Turns out Guterman is of excellent quality, I just wasn't using the right type of thread.

Also instead of tape as a guide to help you sew in a straight line you could use a rubber band. It doesn't make you machine sticky and you can slide it to whatever measurement you need!

Painters tape works great and it doesn’t leave any sticky adhesive.

Still relevant 7 years later ❤️❤️❤️ thank you. God bless.

Great tip about checking your thread in the needle before you go and fit it in the machine! Never thought of doing that but it makes great sense! Thank you!

Tip: When hand sewing, make sure you thread needle prior to snipping from spool. Why? Because once cut, you may be trying to shove fuzzy (wrong) end into the needle's eye. Thread is spun in a certain direction so make it easy on yourself and thread needle BEFORE you clip thread from spool so that it glides easily through needle's eye! 😊

I've been sewing over 60 years and my eyes aren't as sharp as they use to be, so I've found that before you thread the needle cut the thread like you're cutting it on the bias instead of cutting straight across the thread and it makes a point, even if you can't see the point. This has made threading needles easier for me. Of course I moisten it before I thread the needle and this helps a lot. I too appreciate that Ellen gets right to the subject instead of having a long, boring preliminary speech.

Also remember to clean your machine regularly. Removing lint is a good thing !

Wow! I learned something new in my 85th quilting year. Cant wait to hit my stash treasures.

Spot on. As a teenager, I took a class from an older sewing lady. One thing she always stressed is “If you sew, you rip”. I still think of her when I get frustrated and have to rip.

Love the one about the presser foot when threading, never knew that.

Been sewing over 25 years but loved your tip on wetting the back of the needle and also threading the needle onto the thread you will be using! Just shows you’re never to old or experienced to learn!

Threading the needle before you install it is a game changer for me. What an excellent idea! Thanks for the great tips. 😊

l like the way you present your material in clear concise terms. Thank you. i hope that you will make a tutorial on exactly HOW to use the walking foot and the foot used to narrow hem sheer fabric. Thank you.

I encountered ur video by chance due to Corona quarantine. I feel lucky to pick up these facts and tidbits from ur experience. Thanks for sharing. 😍

Instead of masking tape, I use a refrigerator magnet to mark the seam allowance.

Great idea with adhesive 👏👍

Thank you for the tips-I find them very helpful.

Thank you sister for sharing your tips

Thank God you get right to the point without going into your whole life story first like sooooo many other Y tubers.

A great tutorial. Until 5years ago I , I knew nothing about how to work a sewing machine. I wish I had seen your video then, it would have been so helpful. Please can we have some more, I am still learning?

Hello there. Thank You for your suggestions-&-thank you for helping all of US. All very important suggestions of yours!

Nice video. You hit all the important bits. The manuals are great (but I'll read anything anyway) especially for new sewers. They not only tell you everything about the machine but the sewing techniques as well.

Excellent vid. The seam ripper that came with my machine also has a little hole in the handle. It's for holding the needle when you are putting a new needle in or taking it out. It makes the whole operation less of a flaff.

Insightful. Thankful

These are here for a reason. BEST ADVICE EVER!!!

Thank you. Been sewing for 45 years and have never heard of wetting the back of the needle to thread. Going to try it. Thanks for the tips: )

Thank you!!!! Your tips were WONDERFUL! I am brand new to sewing and am trying to learn good habits to practice before starting my first project!!!

i have found that hair spray can be used insted of tempary spay adhesive it is also cheaper

Thank you I learned something new

Fantastic video! I keep chapstick by my sewing machine. Condition my lips then the thread. I have auto needle threaders, and I never use them. It is so much easier to just thread it.

Thank you for your sewing tips. For a beginner, this was helpful. 👍

Great info! Thank you…the changing needle advice is SO accurate! Image never changing the razor blade and shaving with the same one for a year..dragging it across you skin and causing razor rash and cuts. Each of your tips are so spot on and much appreciated.

Wow! Thanks for the minky/spray glue hint! I love sewing with minky but will love missing the sloppy struggles it brings!

That was so interesting. Wetting back of the needle and seeing if right cotton for needle size. Great tips, you are never too old to learn something new.

Great reminders sometimes we forget what we learned in our beginning years thanks.

Always cut the thread on a slant before trying to thread the needle...magic..

That needle tip is so so so true. My tension was off...so I thought, my thread was fraying,...bad thread I thought. Well it was my needle. Wise advise young lady. So many people skip the basics, interestingly enough, these basics make everything easier. Enjoyed your video. Darlene

Very good tips thankyou

Boy! Invaluable tip! Thanks so much.

Great tips! All useful, but that "moisten the back of the needle before threading," now, that *is* revolutionary! Thank you! :)

Greatest tips ever! Wish I had viewed this before I made a minky/fleece baby blanket. It was a nightmare without the temporary spray adhesive! Thanks again.

Revolutionary!

great tips......thank you!!

Nice tips, thank you

Those are great tips and will help the beginners like myself who is new to sewing and I just received a new Singer model 2277 machine and have not used it yet until I can get the supplies, thread, and material to work with. The video you provided have tips which will help me in my hobby and I thank you so very much for helping us new users.

I purchased a good sized seam ripper! Brilliant as these old hands need all the help they can get!

Thanks so much for the great tips, as I am new to sewing I am always looking for things that will improve my work an make things easier. I found your tips to be very helpful.

Thanks so much for these tips - it’s always good to be reminded of things. I really find the sewing community to be so helpful to each other and that’s a great feeling!

Excellent guides. Great instructor, easy to follow her tips and understand The reasons and purpose of each tip. Thank you.

Thank you for the GREAT sowing hacks.

Great tips! Thank you 😊 I love my Janome...it’s over 20 years old still works great.

THANK YOU!! I am coming back to sewing after a looooonnnnnggg absence, and one other tip for me to do is READ the pattern at least twice before starting. I made an apron and did not do two of the steps and the seam ripper became of dear friend again. I have saved this video and will refer back to it again.

All excellent tips and well presented! Thank you!

Thankyou so much for these tips. Would like to hear more from you

Great tip about moistening the back of the needle to thread the machine needle. Thank you.

Nicely done. Thumbs up for the needle/thread sizing trick and the threading trick. Kudos you.

I’ve had my machine 30 years I’ve never read my manual, but I always know were it is 😜 I did take a class for my machine when I purchased it. Thanks for the tips 😘

61yo sewing since I was 8 and just learned from you to moisten the back of the needle to facilitate threading. Thank you SEW much! P.S. Maybe in future, show items against contrasting background to make them more visible, such as seam rippers near end of video.

Gosh! This brought back some memories of school days. So glad, l found your channel! Ive got a 1970 sewing machine, haven't tried to use it yet! But you've inspired me. If l need, any help! I know where tp come. Happy sewing! Moira From England.

I love your sewing tips .Thank you 😊 God Bless you

Great tips....thank u! God's blessings sent your way.

thank you I learnt a lot from you... esp wetting the needle to thread better.... I learnt to use the walker foot recently, and now it use it for everything its just so nice

God Bless you and your family. We need this kind of loving family in our sewing world today.

love your tips .I am beginner and your advise are just a gold mind for me .Thank you for sharing .

Thank you! It looks like you have a really good machine, mine isn't so good, there's a lot of things you mentioned I don't have, but the gist of it I understood. My eyes kept going to the model (?) on the shelf behind you, it almost looks like a Singer sewing machine my mother used to use. I realize it's not but my mom used to sew a lot, also my uncle used to work for Singer.

Thank you, I learnt a lot.

These were all so helpful! Thank you!

Thank you so much! I learned many things from you. I also bought a magnetic seam guide. Love, love it! Truly keeps sewing on correct seam allowance. Thanks again!

When i get ready to thread, I cut my thread at an angle. This helps to thread the needle, no matter if it is a machine or hand needle.

I'm 81 sewed most of my clothes since I was 13, learned a lot through the years, my tip is use bee's wax to thread your needle, real bee's wax, I found it at ace hardware, ALOHA !

Wonderful video! Thank you for all the handy tips. Janet.

Thanks for the great tips & Love that black vintage machine on the shelf 👍🏻

That is so true about changing the needle. I have come across so many people who bugger about with the tension rather than change the needle - it drives me crazy

Great things! I started at age 7 on a trendle pedal operated by your feet pushing back and forth from grandma. The tools they have out are great like rotor cutters mats measure guide rulers circle arch things etc amazing.new needles for new projects are imperative to me.threads are important too. learned polyester all purpose stretch more and cotton is the sturdiest for like denim and heavy fabrics. Threads are important to be the same I. Tension and top thread for ex a heavy button hole thread on top and a reg all purpose thread in bobbin will mess up. That’s my tip.the presser foot tip to be up to thread is cool. Needle threaders to thread the needle in a machine is handy as well if you have no auto threader and it’s hard to see. I glued a magnetic strip from dollar tree on the bottom of my sewer edge for loose needles pins etc. maybe you can demonstrate the walking foot or the ones you like.👍😊 oh a sharp seam ripper is key when it dulls throw it out

Excellent tips and very clearly explained. Thank you for that, and I hope to get my tension sorted out.

Great tips, thank you 📍😊

"Press while you sew", is her last tip. It is probably THE most important tip given, & also the mist important tip I have impressed on every student I've ever had interaction with! Press, while you sew, and often, every step is my preference! Happy stitching!

Basting spray and surgical seam ripper thanks for great recommendations!

I loved your voice, knowledge and tips. Thank you

Wonderful tips and thanks for sharing!

Good basic tips. Clear and to the point!

Excellent presentation and content that I am planning to implement ASAP-thank you!!

Thank you so much for the great tips! I get your sewing new letter with video's but you can't comment, I just watch this video last week that came in my email box! Just love the great tips once again thank you! Did not know you where on RU-vid so glad I came across your channel I have now just subscribed to your channel!

That was great advice specially for me since I am a beginner. Thanks.

Loved this, straight to the point.

Thank you so much for sharing these tips with us, it’s so helpful and useful.....

Thanks for the tips❣️❣️

I am 67 years old and have been sewing everything from clothing (including fully lined suits) custom"western--ie Cowboy" shirts. Dresses,PJ's, curtains and drapes. To auto upholstery and furniture. Yet have NEVER heard of the trick of wetting the back surface of the needle. I have never figured out just how to use the automatic needle threader---but as I am extremely nearsighted--all I have ever done is get closer to my needle. Now tho,my M.S. has played games with my optic nerve/s fir decades,and yet for sewing I could get by,by just closing off one eye. As I have been in Optics since March of 1976, I do have more eyewear than seems reasonable--and know how the eye functions--or at least should.This one little tip is a lifesaver, As sewing and my work are the 2 things that have defined me, make me--ME. So while the MS stole my career, I could not bear also losing this creative outlet. Thank you so very much.

Your manual is your best friend

Great video. Thanks!

I re-read my manual and now have discovered what elastic stitch can do!!! 🥰