15 ways I started sewing FASTER while making HIGHER QUALITY garments… 

I’ve been sewing clothes for 65 years now. Last year I bought a $45 pair (using an Amazon gift card) of rechargeable scissors and they are amazing. I have arthritis in my hands and wrists but I can now cut out multiple patterns pieces accurately and pain free. I realize now how often in the past I had retreated from sewing due to pain, but now I am recharged!

The best tip that my mother gave me is this one : instead of measuring a seam for the hem of a dress for example, I sew a line with the longest length possible on my machine according to the instructions on the pattern. For example, when the hem has to be folded at 1 inch, I sew a line with my machine at 1 inch. I fold and iron the fabric after and I topstitch the hem. This is fast and I am sure that the length of the hem is always exact and perfect. Love this very interesting podcast. Have a good day. Elise

1) Washable glue stick for quick basting seams before stitching, 2) washable crayola markers instead of fancy fabric marking pens that always run dry, and 3) setting up my sewing machine at a standing height. Your tips are amazing! I am totally drooling over that cutting and pressing table that folds down. Game changer!

HANDHELD (cordless) VACUUM YALL 👏💪 no dust everything under control 😤

Love, love, love tip #1, it's gold! As for me, at nearly 70 years of age, a tip from which i [personally] would probably benefit the most (and which is not on your list of course) is: TAKE A SEWING CLASS and actually learn to sew!! I say this facetiously, but i'm serious. I'm so tired of my free hand projects and occasionally having things serendipitously turn out well or sort of, well. Then i could make use of some of the nifty tools you feature here. Btw, my latest nail biter, $70 worth of gorgeous linen (i bought 2 years ago) from which i hope to make a maxi dress. Thanks ever so much for your delightful video!

I put my inexpensive adjustable height ironing board to my right side at 90 degrees. Handy worksurface, ironing surface while at the sewing machine. I set its height the same as my sewing table. It's so lightweight. Also since I no longer have kids underfoot, I use an ironing with long cord. I also use a powerstrip for the iron, and a task light. When done sewing, I turn off strip. If I see the task light on, I know my iron is still on. So good reminder for this older brain. I noticed all your dyed linen is sold out, will you be making more soon? Thanks!

Whether I have one project or several going (with different fabrics but the same thread), I gather everything that is ready for sewing and do it all at once. By that, I mean that I start piece 1, and then go on to piece 2 with just a few stitches between them, and then go on to piece 3, etc., all without stopping and starting my my sewing. Effectively, when done I will have a long string of sewn pieces. I snip them apart, and then go on to the next step of every project until I can do it all again. Saves so much time and much less to deal with in terms of thread ends.

I have a Singer heavy duty and I will sing its praise forever, it's a total beast. I am lowkey obsessed with it! Love the tips! I have electric scissors, but find it difficult to use on fabric flat on a table, so might save up for the electric rotary cutter, that seems a lot nicer. My little tip, is I have a ironing mat its not that big, but can be folded to fit any available work space, which works well for me because my desk is always messy so having the flexibility of ironing basically anywhere (even the floor if needed) is really helpful!

I would love a pattern for your Scarce Forester dress - would you consider making one? Thanks!

Great video! If your machine has a knee lift, that's a game changer.

Bias tape makers are some of the unsung heroes of my sewing (not that there are any heroes, but you know what I mean). I was surprised at how efficient they are.

All great tips! Especially winding a few bobbins before beginning a project; it’s a great tip for quilting as well. I never realized that an electric rotary cutter even existed until I started watching your videos. 😂

Excellent tips Léah! 👍 Thank you so much for sharing your video 🙏 Am going to have a look at the table as I currently use the end of the table where my serger sits or my ironing board and kind of shuffle the fabric around... not ideal! I do use some of the tips you have mentioned already, but would never have thought of taping buttons, how smart! I have your wide leg pants pattern, can't wait to get started on it! 💖☺️

The best iron I have ever used is a vintage iron straight from the 60s (it was new in the box). It’s easy to fill with water, gives really great steam and doesn’t shut off on me ever. It also heats up really fast. I have tried all the fancy irons but they’ve all broken on me or cause too much headache. I hope my vintage iron and I last for many years to come.

Very very helpful tips. Thank you for taking the time to help others have a better sewing experience.

--Stray and uncut threads make me crazy, so I keep scissors and a lint roller on my ironing board to help keep them at bay. --I use muslin to make pressing cloths--bought on sale, then washed and pinked into whatever size I want. They are easy to wash and reuse. --I use Crest Cavity Protection toothpaste to clean my iron--it’s their basic and least expensive toothpaste and I get it at Dollar Tree. Just put some on a damp wash rag then rub on a warm iron and the glue from interfacing, etc. is wiped away and your iron smells minty fresh!!!😂***Be careful to MAKE SURE you fold the wash rag THICK enough so you don’t burn yourself on the hot iron that you’re cleaning. DO NOT ask me HOW I know this!!!😂🤦‍♀️😂🤦‍♀️😂

That electric shear looks so fun! I don’t sew that much but I still want it jajaja

I’m so glad I came across your video… I love love your patterns!

I have the EZ cutter electric scissors. Love them! I can cut out a pattern so much quicker!

For gathering. Pull out a bunch of the top thread, at least 2x's the length of the fabric you want to gather. Set the stitch to a medium to large zigzag and stitch a couple of stitches then bring the top thread under the presser foot and zig zag over the thread. (You can pull on the thread a little bit if you need to as you go). This will gather your fabric and you can still adjust the gathers as you need. Am I clear as mud? lol I hope I'm not to confusing.

Thank you!

Wool pressing mat to press on my sewing table without having to get out ironing board. Mini iron for pressing seams without a heavy big iron

Soy principiante. Tus consejos son valiosos💜 . Gracias💜

I stick those stick on hooks on my sewing machines (I have 12) and hang scissors on there so they’re handy and I can see where they are. Also you can use this method for hanging a pin cushion on the sewing machine. Voilà!

Oohhhh...dated notes...that is so brilliant. I cannot even count how many times I've altered a pattern and then 6 months later gone to make it again and can't remember if I'm supposed to cut one line or the other...

great tips! I'm also a big fan of snips next to the sewing machine, snipping off the threads is so much more efficient than using scissors I found ^^ For the thread not getting pulled up by the machine, I got used to putting the needle in via hand wheel, might not be the most efficient though... I would like to add sewing clips to the list, I think they can be more efficient than pins, and less poky haha. Also, something I thought about ordering soon, is a better universal presser foot than the one my singer heavy duty came with, one where I can see multiple different lines of SA from both sides, so I don't have to switch my feet, for example for close edge stitching, and with that black button that's supposed to level the foot for getting over a bump of layers. Ps. I thought it's funny that you kinda look like a surgeon in your thumbnail, with that electric cutter and your blue top xD

Hi Leah! The link you provided for the electric rotary cutter isn't working. Is the Hercules AS100-K Electric Rotary Fabric Mini Cutter what you like & use? Thank you for these terrific tips! I am looking forward to trying your taping on of buttons! Besides keeping my space clean as an enticement to sew, which I only periodically remember to do, I can highly highly recommend the vintage Bernina 820 sewing machine. It was a game-changer for me. I love it so! Thank you for your terrific and informative videos!

So you can cut on the gridded ironing cover without damaging its surface?

Needle coming unthreaded is my number one problem, because the thread thing that goes up and down inevitably is always at the bottom when I stop sewing. When i go to sew it goes up and comes unthreaded. When I remember, I raise that to the top and it’s a non issue, do I remember?? Occasionally!

You’re machines are less expensive. I have the same ones. Wondering if you’ve bought these for the same reason I did-because you can replace it for about the same cost as having it repaired.

Great video. Your sound was too low.

I don't see the point of filling up bobbins before you need them. Why such a big deal to fill one when the other is empty? At the end of the project, you have to transfer the bobbin thread back onto the spool, but now the thread in the spool is not continuous.