5 GOOD Sewing Habits You Need! And All Beginner Sewers Should Develop! 

Best advice I ever got was from a friend who's handmade clothing always looked gorgeous. I asked her what her secret was. She said, "I take my time and do my very best." Simple, yet it transformed my own sewing from that point on!

If using expensive fabric and a new pattern. Make the pattern using cheap material first so you if you need to alter anything you don't accidentally damage the more expensive material.

My granny thought me to sew when I was a teen, her big tip was to take a moment to sew a test scrap at the beginning of a project, especially if using an expensive or unusual material. Love the channel and the great tips!

if you're making a complicated garment with lots of lining layers, or if you're working with a very slippery or fickle fabric, basting your layers together before you actually sew them is a great way to make sure everything comes out clean and precise! i believe it's a more historical practice, so not a lot of people do it nowadays, but it really can be a lifesaver

I learned, when teaching, that ironing & pressing are two Different things! Now it is a pet peve (sorry) of mine when someone says press, and they actually iron. Ironing is sliding the iron over the material which can stretch it. Press is place, hold a second or two, then lift and repeat. I like what you said about pressing immediately. It "sets" the stitches making the seam lay better. Use steam? Better check material first! Some won't take steam well. Great habits! I would add to turn machine OFF when changing needle.

When I was in school, learning to be a seamstress, I did sew through my finger. The sewing machine was in industrial one, so the needle got in deep. I had to go to the hospital, and ended up in a finger cast for six weeks. Two things we learned was put your hair up, a lot of us made a bun with like a pencil to holp it up, or strip of fabric. Also no needles or pins in your mouth.

I always wash my fabric when I come home from the fabric store. You never know how much It Will shrink. Greetings from Spain! 💕

I always use a scrap piece of fabric as a thread saver, it saves both time and thread, as you don’t end up having long ends to snip off what you are working on. At the end of your seam backstitch if you wish, then sew off the garment onto the scrap piece of fabric. Cut the threads between the garment and scrap, leaving the scrap under the foot. When you start your next seam butt the garment up against the scrap and sew off the scrap and onto the garment. I have several scraps in a pot next to my machine, it means I don’t have to rethread the needle, and as you have started sewing already the tension tends to be much better at the beginning of your seam.

My grandmother taught me to always wash, dry and iron my fabric according to manufacturers specifications, (tip: take a picture of the end of the bolt , which usually has laundering info, with fabric visible to keep as a reminder) before cutting my patterns, sometimes it is hard when you are really excited about a project but it really does avoid any nasty surprises with shrinkage and warp after you've spent so much time on a garment.

My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was 10. She told me to unplug the sewing machine every time I change the needle, and never to leave it plugged in and unattended.

As a 51 year old man trying to sew for the first time in my life: Thank you for such a helpful, nicely produced video. Subscribed!

I have all my machines and a lamp on a power strip and before walking away from my table, I turn it off. Because of the light, I never have to wonder if I left the iron or a machine on. Also, I recently was told by my repair man, when not in use for an extended time, to run my machine at least once every two weeks to keep the oils up inside the machines. He said to use a scrap of fabric and just run a foot of stitches in it.

One thing I've found helpful is to pick up pins and needles immediately when they're dropped. Only takes one time stepping on a sharp object hiding in the carpet to realize the importance of doing so.

Hi Evelyn, I have one good habit that I created: After I have selected the new project I am going to do, I always prepare everything I am going to use..Example, iron, iron board, spray bottle, clean the cutting board, clean layout area, the sewing tables and the machines. This way the whole sewing room is ready for a joyful time with me. Candles are lit and music on. Then I take out the the project which is in a plastic big bag. In the big bag has all the notions, fabrics, threads for sewing machines and serger. During the time of setting/cleaning, I wash/Semidry the fabrics. When I completed my project, I first clean all machines and dust/vacuum/clean the sewing room.. This way it is ready for the next project. note: since I have 3 jobs, I might not see my joy room for a week or so..gets a little dusty.

Hi! I just saw your video, thanks for the info! One thing I learned within the last year is to fill up 2 to 3 bobbins with my project thread at the beginning, so I don't have to stop mid-project to refill (something I find very irritating). That has made such a difference! I can quickly swap out the bobbin with no delay, especially if there isn't enough thread on it for a long seam. I get to avoid the dreaded moment when you realize that you ran out of bobbin thread 12 inches ago...😒

Some very good tips I learned in school! Always put your needles and scissors on the right side of your sewing machine so that it does not disappear under your fabric that you are working on. And always place your project / fabric that you are sewing as much as possible on the left side of your sewing machine and as little as possible under the arm of your sewing machine.

From my Home Economics teacher in the early 1960s in Bangor, Maine, USA: "PRESS THE SEAM IN THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS SEWN!" In other words, put the garment (project) under the iron after every seam, and keeping it closed/flat, press it BEFORE opening it up. It sets the stitches into the fabric and makes a HUGE difference in the finished product.

Thanks for always recognizing that there are gents out here too...

I like keeping a sewing diary where I write down "lessons learned" as tips and advice for sewing similar garments next time.

One of my habits is to never ever use my fabric scissors to cut anything but fabric or threads. My kids knew to never to touch my fabric scissors and I always made sure that they had an ample supply of paper scissors so they were never tempted.

I recently put one of those chalkboard stickers on the side of my machine so I can write down what the current needle in my machine is since I switch types and sizes relatively often. This way, if it's been a while since sometimes I'll go a while between projects, or if I'm changing the needle a lot in a short time period, I'll know what I was using last.

I use disposable eyelash wands to clean the machines! They are incredibly handy and they grab onto the fluff much better

I never sew when I'm tired.

If you sew with patterns, always read the instructions in full before you even start the project. There’s almost always something you‘ll get wrong or wish you had done differently otherwise. Or is that just me? 😂

My biggest tip for sewing efficiency is to work and sew things in a line. What I mean is, if you have similar seams you can feed them into the machine one right after another without cutting thread. I work on samples and production runs often, so I have learned how to divide simple steps like this, quilters will do this often as well. Also, my biggest tip, if you are going to cut out a garment to make from scratch you might as well make two... or more!!! You’re already doing the work, so why not just add another identical garment in another fabric? I wouldn’t do this for a lined coat, but for a casual top? Absolutely make multiples as it’s not that much extra work.

Put everything you need for a project -- pattern, fabric, thread, buttons, zippers, notions, even notes for yourself -- all together in an appropriately-sized box or bin. That way, if you do get sidetracked from working on your project right away, you'll still have everything you'll need for it in one place when you do get back to it.

A habit I developed 35+ years ago (when I had four young children) was to disengage the drive wheel every time I walked away from the machine. Young children find the foot pedal fascinating. The habit has stuck; I still do it - just as well, since I have eight grandchildren! Thanks for your videos, they are so informative and entertaining.

My habit for keeping track of the right/wrong side of fabrics is to put a piece of painters tape on the wrong side of every piece. I used to use pins for this, but then you run the risk of those pins getting snaged on another piece somewhere along the way, potentially ruining your project or atleast that piece. I sew quite alot, but i'm just a home sewer, so i sometimes leave projects for days in between sessions. and sometimes i even have to put my project away compleatly since i don't have a dedicated sewing room. This is where the tape really shines since i don't have to think too much about how i put my project away. No needles that can snag and each piece is clearly marked and easy to re-organize when i take it back out :D I use 95% black fabrics, so i don't like to mark them with chalk since it might (aka almost certainly will) rub off on the right side of another piece. :) A new thing i started dooing just a couple of years ago is to wind AS MANY bobbins as possible at the same time. It's such an obvious thing, but i used to just wind a new bobbin every time it ran out and it never even occurred to me that i could just pre-wind a whole bunch of them beforehand! I sure felt pretty silly when that thought finally hit me :P

A habit if mine I have developed is to finish a project before I start with another. In the past I have had so many projects on the go that in the end it all gets to much and I just walk away... no more 😘

I've been sewing since my gran taught me on her foot treadle singer back in the early 1950s... a couple of tips that have helped me a lot: 1. Change your needle more often than you think - every 8 hours of sewing is ideal - and match your needle to your fabric. One Size 12 needle does not fit all! 2. If your foot pedal has a tendency to slide away from you (if you have a non-carpet surface this can be a real pain) wrap several medium-size rubber bands around it. Not so tight that the pedal is compressed and starts the machine, but snug enough to provide some traction. Or you can try using a pattern of hot-glue dots on the base of the pedal that will help it to stop wandering away. 3. I keep a bulletin board on the wall over my machine so I can see the pattern I'm following easily. 4. Long seams (drapes, etc.) can be challenging and I use a special double-sided tape (usually found in the area of the quilting notions) rather than pins. It's water soluble. 5. Use the best quality thread you can find, and test old spools by tugging to see if they are still strong enough. Most cotton thread is only good for a couple of years, mixed threads (poly/cotton) or synthetics longer. Matching your thread to your fabric content gives the best results.

I always trace my pattern, so that I leave the original pattern pieces intact. My habit is to ALWAYS put the pattern number on each traced piece, so you know which pattern it belongs too, and then store the drafted pieces in a zip lock bag, which I store with the original pattern.

Absolutely right for all sewing! My mother taught me to sew 50 years ago and the habits stayed with me! (No backstitch in those days-it was pulling through top threads to the back and tying off!!!) I now am teaching my granddaughters to sew, not dressmaking yet-its patchwork and quilting and small projects to learn good sewing, good habits and good work flow! I'm RS together girl and always mark plain fabrics. No paper cutting with good scissors. Always tidy and cap your tools at the end of a session, and press seams and clip threads as you go! No food while you sew-take a break! No pins in your mouth-someone said that one already but it's SO important. I have a small workroom and I tidy after a session -threads in bin, floor, and tools capped, hang up rulers etc. as I can't begin again in a mess! Love your look, it reminds me of my mum so much. Btw, I wasn't allowed long nails either😂

I'm so glad I found you, Evelyn ! I'm having an absolute BLAST with my new addictive hobby ! I've been a violin-maker by trade for 61 yrs. and I'm accustomed to dealing with machines, however my sewing machine is different than say, my band-saw in that my saw does not have a foot pedal and it has never started suddenly making me jump in my seat. Keeping your foot off the pedal is one thing, but in my case I unplug the machine from the box whenever I'm doing anything with it other than sewing. Know your machine, but know yourself as well. I intend to watch all your videos since you seem quite capable, very knowledgeable, and are pleasant to watch as well. Thank you so much.

Some of my habits are, that when I have finished sewing for the day, I put scrap fabric under my footer & place the needle in the lowest position. If I am storing or taking my machine somewhere I remove the needle. NEVER rush when making a project, take your time & if you get confused or frustrated at all, take a break and go back to it. As you mentioned with the foot pedal, I push mine away from my feet so it's out of the way so I know I won't accidentally tap it if I move my feet around (which I often do). Always read the manuals with any new machine that you purchase, and keep them close at hand until you've tamed your machine. :)

I'm 60 and I just started sewing again during the shelter in place. I am having so much fun! My neighbor recently gave me a mountain of furniture and drapery fabric samples; wool, silk, cashmere, linen, velvet, leather and viscose (the can-do cloth) but the best part is all the amazing people like you posting entertaining, informative and quite charming videos so people like me can learn how to sew. I spent the day today learning all about knit fabrics and all things stretchy. Thank you!

I’ve just got back into vintage singers. They need more frequent oiling than newer machines because there are no plastic self lubricating bits. Only use good quality machine oil not 3in1 and definitely not WD40 which leaves a residue. And I learned that for Singers just because the light is off doesn’t mean the power is off. Many people think the light switch is the power switch and those old pedals can heat up all by themselves if they are a bit sticky, and burn a hole in the floor! I think the surge protector suggestion is great.

When you start sewing one row of stitching, hold both threads behind the foot and lower your needle to make your first stitch and then lock and then press your pedal. This helps with making your first stitches nice and clean. Always lock on the start and the finish.

Twice a year I clean my machine pedal. It gets dirty and dusty inside. I also clean up at the end of my sewing day...clear desk, sweep floor...makes it a pleasure to return to.

I actually overlock the cut edges of fabric before I throw it in the wash, this keeps me from having a thread mess and warped edges when I pull the fabric out of the machine! Also, I pre-wash everything as soon as it enters my home.

Hi Evelyn. Another wonderful video. I have two habits, one from my machine repair man and one hard and fast rule from my fashion school days. My repair man goes bonkers over people sewing over pins. He says that although the needle slips off the pins it throws the timing out ever so slightly. This will eventually get to the point where you have to get you machine serviced sooner than would otherwise be necessary. My other habit that was drummed into us at fashion school was to ALWAYS turn off your machine when you walk away from it, even if you are just nipping off to the loo or whatever, turn it off. My machine maintenance man also hates it when people have used the "trick" of using dental floss in the thread pathway to help smooth running of the thread. He says it builds up and he has a terrible time getting it out. Goodness knows why this maintenance man likes to complain to me about the things that people do that annoys him, but he does, so i have passed on his comments here 😉

My best friend (with 3 kids and a husband) taught me to get a pad lock for your sewing scissors, so no one can use them. Then go to the Dollar Store to pick up a few paper scissors to keep one in every room in the house for everyone else to use. Unfortunately she told me this after my husband broke a $50 pair of scissors, back in 1995. My mother bought me those scissors in 1975 for my birthday. (That was about 3 days wages back then; and for a single mother a small fortune.) What I didn't understand was the kitchen junk drawer had two pair of old scissors in it that were his mother's old ones, he knew were in there. My sewing scissors were at the far end of the sewing room, in a plastic dresser drawer he had to dig through to find, inside of a zippered bag. “But those were the closest pair to the back door, and I wanted to see what came in the box your grandma mailed you.”. To get to the junk drawer was about the same distance, and easier to find. They should sell locking chest of drawers for sewing supplies. They make locking file cabinets.

I love these! My iron habit is to switch the heat down to nothing and the steam to off, then empty out all water, before storing. That way I don't run the risk of switching it on and forgetting it's on - a friend had a kitchen fire that way. It also prolongs the life of the iron, and it also saves me from dumping a super hot iron onto fabrics that can't cope and ending up with a melted mess!

Excellent tips! My tip is to use bobbin "stays" so you avoid a spaghetti nest of threads in your bobbin box. I make them by cutting off roughly 6 or 7mm piece of plastic tubing - I use 1cm diameter from any hardware or aquatic shop - and then make another cut so that you can open it out (like the letter C). You can make loads of them from half a metre and it's much cheaper than buying them ready made. Whenever I change out the bobbin, I always take the stay off the new colour and immediately put it on the old one.

Good advice..i worked for 30 years in a sewing factory making men's suits and later ladies jackets and skirts. We had to clean and oil our machines every Tuesday. I cleaned mine whenever I started to have problems. The regular sewing machines had a bobbin winder on the side ..so you always had a full bobbin...this is a must.... always have extra full bobbins. I really enjoy your videos.

I always keep paper scissors at my machine together with fabric scissors. I don't get tempted to use fabric scissor to make even a tiny snip to open a parcel.

hello. I'm not a new sewer, but I'm not a good or confident one. thank you miss Evelyn and all of you who replied with more habits and tips. And I'm grateful how generous you are with your experience. blessings on you all.

Thank you Miss Wood. A good habit is having all my machines covered when not in use since dust is enemy number one - cover the machine you are using even at the end of the day even if you plan to use it the next day. Also, when not in use, I unplug my machines from electric power - when power returns after a power outage any surge in power could damage the motor. As a reminder I keep the plug end of the cable on top of the table next to the machine. This way, upon standing at the door of the sewing room, you can immediately see which machines are protected. Also, I don’t plug the machines directly to the wall but to a power surge protector. Keeping a small basket with a thread snipper, pin holder, seam ripper, and other items used regularly next to every one of my machines saves time hunting for those. Storing threads covered to avoid dust accumulation on them preventing dust getting into the tension mechanism and the bobbin. Is this OCD? Maybe but, once you create a habit, you do it automatically without wasted time. You don’t even notice that you are doing it. That is why, as Miss Evelyn Wood said, it is easier to create a new habit than correct a bad habit.

Your pleasant mannerism and clear and understandable instructions make learning from you a pleasure.

Tips:Get a spool holder with lid to keep the dust off the thread. Make sure it's big enough to hold the larger spools. Plug your sewing machine and iron into separate power strips that have circuit breakers to protect your investments.Keep a cover on your sewing machines to protect it. I even made covers for my irons to keep the dust out. Use a shallow container for your sewing machine doo-dads. Put them back into the container when done using them. Easier to find them and to carry them with you to another spot if you have to do that. Have duplicate tools - one for sewing machine area, one for ironing center, one for where you sit to do hand sewing. So you don't have to jump up and walk to another sewing area to get what you need every time you need it. Add a set of tweezers or bent hemostats to your sewing machine tools to get that little loose bit of elusive thread that you just can't get out of the bobbin area. Use thread cutters instead of your good scissors to keep them sharper longer. The selvedge part with the colors spots: Cut it off along with a few inches of the white selvedge. With indelible ink, write what you made with it. (You can take a picture of what you made and staple it to the selvedge too.) The selvedge may have the brand/artist on it. If not write that down too. Down the road, if you want to get more of the same fabric, or a fabric with the same colors, you can read/see what you made with it. If you can't physically find the same fabric you should be able to locate it online even if it's no longer available. This can help you locate something that's similar. Learn how to do the fabric burn test. This is "mandatory" for the fabric that is gifted to you. Don't rely on what the giver tells you about the fabric, verify what the fabric is before using it. Don't put water in your iron. It can possibly cause problems down the road. Use an inexpensive squirt bottle instead.

Hi, my mother taught me how to sew when I was a young boy, she believed that it was a skill that everyone should be familiar with. I've sewed throughout my life, and now I find that my sewing skill makes me very popular since so many people are looking for well made masks! I have always used a hand crank Singer antique sewing machine and loved it. I did however sometimes miss having a zigzag option and a reverse, so a couple of years ago I bought a Singer Talent electric sewing machine. I thought it would be easy to switch, I was wrong! I've had a tough time getting used to an electric machine and I'm often tempted to go back to my antique machine, but I'm determined to get used to the new one, but I don't find it easy.

Thanks for passing these 5 good habits on.I learned early these from my grandmother. One habit I learned early is to be willing to take that extra time needed to rip out a flaw. Don't pass over it. It will make all the difference in how your garment looks

I always unplug my machines when done for the day. I got into this habit when my daughter was young and wanted to "be a sewer, also". Thank goodness she didn't get hurt. I have found this is a good habit if you, also, have large dogs that decide one day they enjoy laying under the table your working on. 👧🐕🐕💖

My teacher always told is to put our hair in a ponytail/braid/bun while sewing. When i started fashion school, we had to watch a video about safty at the workspace. *warning this gets grafic* In that video, there was a clip of a surveilance cam that showed a woman who leaned forward while sewing and her long hair got cought and tangled in the mashine and got ripped of and the woman was bleeding...😱😱😱 since then, i ALLWAYS put my hair in a bun while sewing! (It's not that much of a problem with the mashines you use at home since they are almost completly encased in plastic, but when you use a industrial mashine, they can be a little more open)

Yes, indeed. I wish I had watched this sooner. I did not have "foot off the pedal " habit, and my little finger has a big black bruise on the nail where the machine came down on it. You are so right about all these habits. I started a new one. I have a waste can and I immediately drop the cut threads into it. I hate all those jumbled threads with the pins and stuff. Now, it is all neat when I am finished sewing.

If you have a rotary cutter, always close it after very cut, even if it's just for a few seconds. Rotary cutters are extremely sharp and dangerous if you cut yourself with them.

A clear space is a clear mind. Read your pattern instructions all the way through first or have a game plan if the pattern is your own.

...People take the bobbin out of the bobbin case? I'm so lazy I only ever take it out if I'm changing colours :P

If your using an older machine , mine are all over 50 yrs old. It is essential to defluff clean and oil regularly...and to keep them maintained, a well looked after seeing machine go on forever!

This video was in my recommended and it looked intriguing; about a quarter of the way through the video I’ve subscribed. I love how apparent it is that you care about your viewers who are starting out in sewing. You’re honest, passionate, and nonjudgmental in your approach. You’re so down to earth! Thank you for putting out such valuable content!

Great video, we always talk about tips but habits can be so much important. The habit that helped me so much is to always push the ends of my needle and bobin thread to the back before I start sewing and hold it for the first couple stitches

I’ve been sewing over 50 years and I leaned so much from you. Thank you from your newest subscriber.

I was told this as a young girl and I've done this ever since. When finished sewing for the day put a small piece of fabric under the needle and lower it all the way down. This protects the needle and mechanism if you are moving your machine around.

Love that your top 5 habits to do are the same as my top 5 habits. But another one is always clean up the left overs of the last project befor starting the next. I've been sowing for over 20 years. But everyday for the past 6 years. Sins having my kids! It's a grat stress reliever! Now my kids all wont to lern how!

For hand sewing always keep thread knotted on them. They are easier to find on the floor and make it easier to remove if is gets stuck in your foot. Make a sharps container, an old jar or bottle to place all of your used and dulled pins, needles and blades. When it is full toss the whole thing. Also a cleaned mascara wands are great for cleaning out sewing machines.

i just want to say thank you for always smiling. makes me feel more excited about sewing. thumbs up and please keep it up! 👍 (it is the first time i wrote a comment on a yt video.)

I started sewing late 2019. I learned from youtube videos. I have mainly altered men's clothes but have made a few simple bags, sweatpants, and wrap pants. My tips would be position then press each seam before you sew it then press each seam after it is sewed. I use chalk and pins a lot. Pinning takes *ages* but for me it it worth it for the better results. Snip off each thread after each seam and bin them right away do not just drop them on the floor. Seems like a little thing but it makes things much easier and tidier if you do this as you go. I am really disciplined with putting pins away and never dropping them or setting them loose on the table. As with the threads this discipline leads to a tidy workspace and your mind is free of thinking 'oh I must remember to tidy that up' and instead you can focus on the sewing. I usually first make test versions of items using op shop (thrift shop) fabric - this alleviates my fear of cutting in to my 'nice' fabric. Also, you see the unexpected parts that were much harder than you expected so you know to take extra care there. Like Michalina P says 'When you start sewing one row of stitching, hold both threads behind the foot and lower your needle to make your first stitch and then lock and then press your pedal. This helps with making your first stitches nice and clean. Always lock on the start and the finish.' This is huge. I didn't do this at first and had loose stitches plus every few seams the thread would come out of the needle and I had to rethread it. Now I hold both threads to start each seam and it makes a big difference. Related to above, at the start I nearly always did test stitches on a scrap of fabric. This saved me from many screw-ups that you make as a beginner. Like forgetting to change from zigzag back to straight stitch, or forgetting to change back some other setting, or just not threading it properly. I no longer do it every time but still do it after changing stitches as it catches mistakes. When sewing I always set out my small scissors to snip threads, my fabric scissors, and my paper scissors in the same area so I can use the ones I need each time and aren't tempted to switch because one pair of scissors is handy and the proper one isn't. Many youtube videos make things look easy they just run the item through the machine and the seams looks great. I have found I sometimes have to do a 'weird' thing to get something done. Even if no video shows that 'weird' thing, if you have to do it to make the seam, do it. I was tapering a vintage men's jacket and could not just run a nice straight seam to taper in the back seam, I had to have the jacket bunched up weird with my hand inside and fingers holding the seam together and constantly readjusting as I curved the stitches. If you have to do it - do it. Even if the videos don't do it. I do not often see this in videos, but if I get to part of the garment where there are suddenly many layers of fabric like top stitching over where the dart is fastened, I will often hand crank the stitches over that part. I generally take my time and do my best. Remember you put in time and effort and nice fabric and your nice strong new thread for your proper project - so it is worth fixing mistakes. You only get to sew it once - if you think 'Oh that mistake is not too bad I will let that pass' you will reach the point where you can no longer go back and fix it. So try to avoid the mistake, or fix it right away.

I sew heavy duty industrial high temperature blankets for engines and generators at work, and use an industrial machine often, was taught at a reasonably young age by my mum on how to sew by hand and with a machine, and now that I'm 29 I figured I would finally get my own personal machine for some clothing project ideas that I have at home, bought a singer 4423 last week, coming in the post, and subscribed just because of the great tips in this, going to have a nice long look through the channel! Thanks so much for the tips!

As a new sewer that taught myself a few months ago, I’m finally starting to watch videos and learn more of the terminology. It’s good to know that I’ve managed to teach myself good habits.

I stick the package of needles I am using onto the machine with Blue Tack.

Oh, my gosh! How have I watched so many of your fantastic videos and not subscribed until now? After spending the last few months moving from a tropical island to (sigh) the United States, my first sewing machine arrived today. You and a two or three other RU-vidrs opened my mind to all the reasons I really needed to learn to sew. My grandmother was a professional seamstress and designer but, strangely, never taught me! At any rate, early on, she didn't do your Tip No. 1 and sewed the needle on her professional machine right through her finger 30 years earlier than she told me the story. OUCH. So now I'll watch the rest of the video! Thanks for all you do!

Such a lovely, helpful video..... great reminder for stuff we have put on the back-burner! I always 1. Cover the machine when done ( btw, you can sew up a great cover with 2 pillowcases🤗) 2. Make sure the top of the thread take-up bar is not protruding, beyond the machine body; before you cover up for the day 3. Place a pin at the top of the seam I will be sewing when I return to the project Much love & luck from India 🤗

Use a vacuum to clean the the thread and fabric fluff from your machines. You can get attachments that are smaller. I have a mini vac in my sewing room. Also helps pick up all those little threads and pins! DO NOT USE CANNED AIR. It embeds that lint in there further and the air is moist so it makes it clump! Second good habit: change needles frequently. Every 2-3 garments. Third good habit: always use good quality thread. Don’t be tempted by the cheap stuff. There will be less breakage, nests and lint.

My home economics teacher from high school taught us to check bobbin before each project. Make sure your not about to run out of bobbin thread. Also test stitches on a scrap piece of fabric. There were 12 machines in the classroom & she had 6 classes using those machines. These were just habits for the classroom but I find myself still listening to my teacher. Thank you for the videos.

I'm so glad you mentioned the foot pedal. I am teaching my 5 year old son to sew and we had to have a talk about taking his foot off the pedal when he is adjusting his fabric.

When sewing from a pattern, I like to sew the hard parts first then the easy ones. I use my brain power when it’s fresh for the challenging bits first. The rest is easy and can be accomplished in a more tired state. * I have sewn/stabbed my finger before! I was holding the work and got too close! It hurt a bit. Lol

Your videos are so fun! Here are the habits my mom drilled into me from day one (she started me on simple sewing projects when I was 6). 1: Never, ever cut anything else with your sewing scissors. 2: Wash, dry, and iron new fabric first thing. 3: When using a commercial pattern, cut out, press, and trim pieces before you even start. I don't know many who are in the habit of #3, but it sure makes life easier for me!

never use a big scissors to cut threads. I used a big one and put a tiny hole in the fabric I was working on.

Thank you for positiv energy Evelyn, you make me relax and smile💖

Great habits suggestions Evelyn. My habit suggestion is to serge the raw edge and wash fabric as soon as it is purchased and before it is stored. It is then ready for your projects and pre shrunk.

Just found this fantastic channel! My biggest habit I have to make myself follow is DON'T RUSH!!! I always make mistakes when I am trying to hurry for whatever reason - broken needles by running over a pin, mixing up right/wrong side of fabric, puckers or other obnoxious simple errors you have to unpick. The faster I try to go, the longer a task with take me because of the errors. On top of that, it is SOOOO FRUSTRATING so you don't even have fun!

I appreciate the great tips for beginners, and love your retro look and wonderful, cute personality! Keep going strong Evelyn...

habits I learned back in the '60s when learning to sew; be organized. Bring everything needed for the project ie tools , notions and extra bobbins , prepare ALL project units needed to complete said project. Now you are ready and don't need to "find" something important. BEST habit I have is to CLEAN my room after each project, place all those notions and tools where they live and clean my machines. This allows me to come in and start any new idea without clutter from left over 'stuff' sitting around.

After watching this I immediately defluffed my sewing machine because I couldn't remember the last time I did. Didn't even know I should do it that often. I'll make a habit of now. And then I subscribed 👍 Another habit I've learned to keep as a pet owner, alwayssss put and store all your things away after you are done for the day, fabric, thread spools, pins, needles, those pin cushions (cats looove) because they will find it and lay on it or try to eat it. Not only is it annoying for you it's dangerous for your fur child. So until I get my dream storage sewing room with drawers covering a wall that will hold all my bits and bobs I use many containers and boxes to store sharp and tempting things. Those drawer bins things work well too

Thank you! Many of these are habits I didn't even realize I developed after 18 years of sewing and now that I have a niece who is dying to learn to sew this is a great place to start.

I just want to say that your videos have been sooooo helpful for me. I'm brand new to sewing. I started with face masks during quarantine. I have since made many for myself, friends, and family and I have definitely gotten better since that first one where my machine kept jamming and thread tearing. I was getting so frustrated! I searched for "why is my machine jamming" (or something like that) and came across your video(s). It helped so much and I am enjoying sewing so much more. I want to take your course and as I've been sewing masks and modifying some clothing I often have your videos on auto play. Thank you for the quality content!! You are amazing, talented, and adorable!

Great tips, especially pressing as you go. Press to set the stitching and then press the seams open or to a side. One tip l swear by is changing your needle regularly. Some sewing issues, like skipped stitches is the wrong needle or an old needle. Thanks!

Evelyn thank you so much 😊 those habits are very good indeed. One thing Ive learnt early on when I started to sew is, never cross a seam with another one unless you’ve ironed the seam....it was a valuable lesson, and very good practice. I’ve subscribed to you’re channel xx Mags

I'm a very beginner. Your vid and these comments really help. And I add my habits since I started sewing last month. They are : Never bare feet on pedal sewing. And I'll start to wear glasses. Just in case...😀 Because we're dealing with sharp tools here.

I’m so happy this video popped up in my feed! I’ve just started sewing again after many years, although I had never progressed out of the beginner phase! I never had much time or patience in the previous years! Anyway, I am happily sewing away now, and am totally hooked. I wish I would have discovered my love for this a long time ago, but better late (I’m a couple months shy of 60!) than never. I’m binge watching your videos and taking notes ~ you’re wonderful!! 💖

I always like to add a bit of something to my garments , either it’s lace trim around neck, hem or pockets on sides of skirts / dresses. Every time before I start sewing , I like to write down things I want to add or alter to the garment I’m going to make, and stick the note on the pattern envelope so that I won’t forget about it. And when I follow the instruction, I like to make note on the instruction paper so that next time when I make the same thing, it will just make things easier .

“Defluffed” my machine and it made an incredibly great difference! The story goes that The bobbin kept clacking and gnarling on the back of the fabric. So far the machine works smoother, recovers better if it catches, and it pressing the pieces with much force.

Great advice Evelyn, thank you. This one is simple, but makes a huge difference - Change the needle often and make sure you're using the right kind of needle for your project. Trying to sew with knit fabrics and the wrong needle is a nightmare.

Great video with useful information. I fill at least three bobbins with thread before I start each project, so I don't have to stop. To clean out the 'fuzz', I use a small artist's paint brush. You can really get into the nooks and crannies. I also use invisible tape to hold buttons in place when I sew them on by machine; it keeps the button from shifting. TFS.

I am glad to know these habits, I think I have done well to develop these sewing habits.

Now that I am embarking on a handmade wardrobe and sewing regularly this is an invaluable list thank you!

I'm listening, but dang! IM LOVING THE SHOES!!!!!

Hi from Melbourne Australia. I’m teaching my granddaughter to sew. These are great tips. Thanks for sharing

I am BRAND NEW to sewing!! I have never been a crafty creative person, my grandmother can sew, paint, and more!! She's made everyone in the family their own quilts a few times!! I'd LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO QUILT!!

I'm in a very very small sewing room... But it's beautiful, and I love it. I clean up my space and put things away about every 2 hours. Never a mess!

Your first tip is SO important! I accidentally sewed through my finger on an industrial machine. It was super painful and needed stitches at the doctor. Ouch! These are all great tips. Thanks for sharing!!