My BAD sewing habits and... why I do them! 

What are some of your bad sewing habits? :)

You really should not have to explain yourself. There is nothing wrong with variable seam allowenses for example. In fact it should be different for different seams, based on their shape and function. Many people criticise others just for doing things differently. You are very creative and present explain your project very well. Keep it up and happy sewing ❤

The beauty of sewing is that there is no Police, no laws, no right or wrong. It’s creative. Everyone is different, the end result is what matters. We all learned to do math differently, sewing is no different. What a beautiful world our sewing community is. 😊

I love your videos, I think you are a clever and accomplished sewist, and I could care less if you have “bad” sewing habits….

I think you’re a wonderful teacher. I’m a retired nurse that took up sewing after I retired. You have taught me almost everything I know about sewing. Yours was one of the very first videos I watched and I’m still watching and learning from you today. Thank you for helping me learn my favorite hobby.

About sewing tired: A long, LONG time ago when I was a very little girl, I was having trouble with some of the DOLL CLOTHES, that were of course made by elves and delivered by Santa. One particular garment was giving me problems, falling apart or something, maybe not fitting right.... and I said to my Mommy (mouths of babes) " Well, it looks like they didn't do a very good job, did they." Of course, I was VERY YOUNG, and therefore got to go to bed early and get enough sleep! She questioned me about it quite a few times, a number of different ways - before finally explaining that the elf must have been very tired (when she was sewing that seam). Years later, we got a good laugh about it. Fortunately, when I started sewing for myself, I learned early on that it was time to stop for the night when things started going poorly. Things always look different in the morning!

Sewing while tired is definitely a sure way to make time-consuming mistakes.

I‘m so sorry that you get criticized for how you do things… I agree with you, we all do things a different way and just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Your videos make my sewing so much better and easier. And I still don’t do everything your way but non the less, I learn something is all your videos that helps me… So thank you very much for all your hard work creating these videos for us…

I fell in love with sewing when I was about 5 or 6 yrs old. My grandma was a self-taught wedding dress designer cum maker and those days the wedding dresses had those big bell shaped skirts and long trains embroidered all over with pearls, sequences and crystals. My gran used to drawn the design on tissue paper that was then basted onto the completed dress before the embroidering would be done. My job was to sit with a sharp little scissor,, a blunt needle and tweezers and remove all the tissue paper amongst the embroidered flowers, trumpets,swirl and twirls without damaging the embroidery or the dress fabric.. I remember asking her once to promise that she would make me such a dress for my wedding one day. Sadly she died in a car crash when I was 9. However, I stayed in love with sewing, it's now 51 yrs. My worst sewing habit is to buy material for some project that I plan to do sometime in the future and then later I'd forget what I wanted to do with it 😁

When I saw your post yesterday. Sewing while tired was my first thought. Life does tend to slap that habit right out of me. By immediately giving me the opportunity to use my seam ripper. 😆 I learned to sew under protest. I saw sewing as a nasty chore for most of my life. I could do it but didn't like it. About 3 years ago, I decided to revisit sewing as a creative craft rather than a chore. I started by upcycling. I gave myself permission to toss any failures, guilt free. It sparked a passion in me. So, I am now grateful to my home economics teacher, my grandmother and my Mom for tying me to a sewing machine and forcing me to learn. It only took 50 years for me to appreciate their patience and hard work. 😉 Now if I could just get my stash down to a manageable size. A good sale just ruins me. 😛

I have been sewing for over 50 years. Ladies you can cut pattern tissue with fabric scissors. It is heavier paper that dulls the blade. If you are a newbie please do not worry about this. Cut out your work and move on to the sewing part that we all love! This video was great! Thank you for posting!

I don't sew at night ONLY because my family will likely hear the sewing machine working and wake up 🤣

I think my worst sewing habit is finishing 90% of something and then leaving it like that for months because I hate hemming 😅 No excuse or reason, I just put the fun in fundamentally lazy.

Alicia, I have enjoyed your videos. I have been sewing since I was nine years old and I’m 73 but I learn some thing whenever I watch videos whether it’s yours or someone else’s your energy is contagious! As a Young sewist working at the singer store I did a lot of things by the seat of my pants. And the older women in the store were just clicking their tongues and just shocking one even called my mother and said I needed to learn how to sew properly! Yet I was admitted to FIT with a full scholarship… My husband used to always clip my threads. I would try to clip them as I sewed. But my vision issue is such that I can’t always see them and this is the first time I wore some thing he would do a thread inspection, now I’m being more careful about clipping as I go because of that I don’t have him here to help anymore. He’s in heaven. I always add seam allowance is because I I will forget and I’ll cut out the fabric and a oh no seem allowance is so I make my own patterns and I add a 3/8 seem allowance. if I am going to be doing a center back zipper or any zipper especially an invisible zipper then I will add 5/8 and I will make a big red mark on the pattern reminding me that that is what the seam allowance is. Keep on with your wonderful videos and I love your flower jacket now I’m thinking even though I live in Florida I need a flower jacket, I still buy fabric on a whim. It’s an addiction.

I really like your way of describing and showcasing sewing. It really makes me more brave and bold in what i think I can and not. The way you really not only say that every way is ok but you actually show it makes everything so much easier.

I believe everyone has personal preferences and OCD tendencies. To each their own. If you do fluctuate in size a bigger seam allowance makes sense but if you don’t there’s no need. There are many sewist that do not add seam allowance to the pattern. I believe it is a personal journey to recognize bad habits and ease them out of your routine. Personal improvement is just that….personal.

Yes… the pin in the mouth! I’ve just broken that habit too! And I’ve stopped buying fabric on a whim!

When I learned to pattern draft, I was taught to not put seam allowances because seam allowances interfere when you are making changes in the pattern. Also I like narrow seam allowances on collars and necklines. I don't use a lot of pins, but I am prone to sticking them into my sleeve, I keep meaning to get a wrist pin cushion. Also I found that hand basting goes just as fast as pin basting and is easier to deal with. My worse sewing habit is not ironing as I go. I am working on this one because it really makes a difference.

Wonderful video..as always! Thank you. My worst habit is going to the fabric store to “take a look”…BAD BAD HABIT! I always buy things I don’t need or never use. Oh, and if you LOVE your sewing machine please do NOT browse the sewing machines at the local sewing center… I am perfectly happy with my little Husqvarna Emerald 116 but cannot resist looking at the fancier (expensive) models which I really do not need. I’ve come very close to spending a great deal of money when my little Emerald is just perfect for me ♥

I think you do a wonderful job. I am happy that you share.

Or a bad habit (though I have a few) but, why oh why do some people have to insist there is only one way to do something? Either do it my way or it’s the wrong way, such hubris. If it works why does it matter? I’m all for finding what works for me and using that method. And my worst habit is stash buying, both for fabric and for knitting!

Oh - you are so sweet! Thank you for sharing your humanity 😊 (the interruptive cat video was also welcome!). My worst habit is just wanting to get the damn project done and forcing too much fabric through the sewing machine / serger… usually resulting in a trip to the repair shop or even a new machine 😳

Yes i'm guilty of buying fabric whenever i see it,

Aww I think you’re being way too hard on yourself……you do you if it works . Love watching your creations come together ❤

Good morning! I will warn you... this comment may turn into a mini-rant, so feel free to pull up a chair and grab a coffee. Last night I watched your video concerning bad habits since I *may* possess a few. Lol! I was rather taken aback as I do not consider the majority of what you covered as bad habits. (Ok, ok.... maybe pins in the mouth.... I'm trying, I'm trying.....). I usually don't read the comments, so I don't know the context of the criticisms. I can see myself asking "why" on a method you use to understand the significance, if any. Such as not marking seam allowances - btw, I also vary my seam allowances according to what I'm sewing. So if it's a bad habit, I'm right there with you. I grew up being taught sewing by my mother, who was a professional seamstress ("the inside of your project should look as good as the outside....") and the thing that was immediately noticeable to me and contributed to me becoming a member, was the quality of your work. You are an excellent sewist. If I can learn new skills and improve my old skills, then I'll happily follow you, regardless of any perceived bad habits!

I sewed over and broke off a needle in the middle finger of my left hand while sewing when very tired. Spent six hours in a Miami ER, before they could attend to me. No sleep, missed work that day… I no longer sew when tired, because apparently, I CAN be taught!!😂

I used my good(ish) dressmakers scissors to cut off hay bale twine that I had driven over, which wrapped around the axle of the farm vehicle. 😬🙄😄

I don’t always pin the fabric when I know I should. Then my stitches aren’t straight, then I spend an hour ripping seams. 😢

I think maybe adding seam allowenses to the pattern is an American thing, when I buy sewing pattern in Europe, I have to add the allowenses myself, exactly for the reasons you pointed out😊.

I think of sewing as an art. Each "sewist" is an artist, with their own techniques. Just like a painter, or a musician, can use any various technique.

Definitely pins in the mouth, and taking too many shortcuts, or as I think you would call them, 'savage moves'. Haha, I love when I see those in your videos, they make me smile. :) I've definitely free hand drew many an arm curve for both myself and my toddler.

I love all your videos. Wish you were doing them when i was much younger. We can all learn new things. I used ro sew late at night when the kids were small. No one seemed to mind here , but i agree dont sew when you're tired. Ive also used different seam finishes on different parts of a garment. I too have some similar bad "sewing habits," so i really never noticed yours. Would love to see more finishes around neck and arm holes without adding those large interfacing ones that the pattern companies insist on. You don't find them on ready to wear garments. Thank you for all you do.

Pins in mouth very occasionally, generally when I dont have a magnet near by. Coin sized magnets around my sewing area saves me from a lot of accidents, on "rings", "bracelet", next to the machine on both sides and sometimes use double sided tape to put one right next to the presser foot so hem pins can be slid out quickly without stopping.

I never thought of the way you sew as bad habits. Just the way you do it. There is no right or wrong. The one thing I never do is sew tired. Nothing good ever happens when I am tired. Sometimes I may see a way you could do something better, but that doesn't may the way you do it wrong.

Once I was not paying enough attention and cut out 2 left leg pant details instead of 1 left and 1 right 😱 thankfully the fabric looks exactly the same on the wrong side, so I used the wrong side as the right side.

I, too, broke the habit of putting pins in my mouth. I was sewing like 2 or 3 in the morning, trying to finish a performance dress for my daughter, and I put a pin in my mouth and unfortunately took a breath as I had made a mistake and the pin got stuck in the back of my throat standing straight up. I had a calm myself down enough to reach inside my mouth and get the pin out before it went down my throat. That scared me enough that when I go to put a pin in my mouth, I remember that experience. I quickly broke that habit! I love your videos. Keep Smiling 😃

Pins in mouth I've mostly stopped. Needles in the arn chair arm was a bad habit when I was younger, others did get minor stab injuries 😂. My stash is definitely my guilty pleasure or shopping for fabric is 😊😊. My worst habit I'm working on is not cutting corners and challenging myself to not shy away from new and better techniques.

Oh my goodness! I'm going to buy a scissors sharpener! I didn't know these existed. Thank you for showing them!

Hide your good scissors! Hahahaha! My adult sons claim I traumatized them by telling them DON’T TOUCH MY GOOD SEWING SCISSORS! They are in their 30s now. 🤣 Honestly, I use rotary cutters a lot.

Anything you cut with your scissors dulls them…INCLUDING FABRIC! The reason I make my family believe my sewing scissors are so fragile is to ensure they don’t grab them for something harsh like wire. Sure I dedicate my sewing scissors for fabric but I don’t think it’s a “sewing sin” to occasionally cut some paper with them.

Alisa, no one person should be critical of another! Except for pins in our mouths 😊 I did swallow one when I was a child (I had to have cotton wool sandwiches, and castor oil!) not pleasant! I love your videos, keep them coming. 💐

I love your videos and getting so much from them. I don’t believe anyone has the right to criticise and I’m so sorry you feel you have you explain. You don’t. I’m a fellow late night sewer and definitely do o a LOT of unpicking. I learnt very young that the more tired I got, the more mistakes I made, but like a hard headed mule, it didn’t stop me 😝 having a young family meant the only time to sew without constant interruptions was at night when the household was sound asleep, and I was tired. Another bad habit I share with you (-and funnily enough it dawned on me only today, before I saw this video) is that I too hold pins with my lips. I used to watch my grandmother and mother do it. How dangerous !! 😮😮 note to self, must drop this habit. Thanks for the videos! You’re great ❤

I agree with you there is not only one way to sew. I think as long as the finished product is made durable and meets your needs you did it right! I think with all the sewing videos of people from all over the world we see that there are different ways to sew to get a good result. I too used to sew tired and made my share of mistakes. 😉. My solution now, as my kids are all grown, is to get up several hours before everyone and then I am wide awake and can sew in peace and quiet. Always love your videos and your designs and how you are not dogmatic about your sewing but share with respect. ❤

Except for the pins in your mouth (it's risky) I would not consider this bad sewing habits. They are just different sewing techniques/styles, like different painting styles/techniques. I was taught to sew first by my mother when I was 10 and had 4 years of sewing in High School, that is 59 years of sewing. I had a hard time adjusting to different techniques offered by RU-vid videos because I was taught to sew over pins (machines were made to do that back then) and I was taught that you always place your pins perpendicular, never parallel to the cutting and sewing edge. I think the pin placement was the most challenging for me to watch, (at first I would not watch a video if the person placed the pins "wrong"). I think this was because if we placed pins "wrongly" in school we would not get a passing grade on our project. I overcame that and occasionally do it myself now.

I have one too: I reuse basting thread. I only discard it, if it shorter than 6 inches.It’s not that I don’t have basting thread!I have whole box.I also pin needles to my bra when stitching on sewing machine and don’t have a pin cushion close by and lazy to get one.I’m considering sewing tired is not a bad habit, but simply life ( job, children, chores) and 5/8 SA are a very bad habit ! I’m adding my own as i find it ridiculous.Overwise, i’m same as everybody- fabric and notions hoarder( but i called it a better name- collector)

Ahhhh, yes….whim buying! For some people it’s yarn, some people it’s clothes, but for some of us it’s ditsy print fabrics! (Okay, that might just be me). I know that many people believe they are giving “constructive” criticism. For me, the line between being “constructive” and just plain critical, has become less and less defined. I remember when one wrote a letter, put it in a drawer, reread it a day later, and, if it still was what one wanted to say, in that particular tone, only then was it sent. Many letters were thrown away, or rewritten. Perhaps copying the comment, rereading and deciding if it’s ok to send the following day, is an alternative?

I’ve also been sewing for 55 years and I was taught some techniques, plus I dreamed up some other ones, and also watched other people so I could copy. If someone does a technique that is different to mine, I often try it and guess what? I learn something new! That’s a good thing. Sometimes we have to do things a certain way depending on our circumstances but no one should be telling others that their way is wrong on RU-vid! We are all free to do as we choose, now we are grown up, and I love learning new and innovative ways of performing a certain task. I have learned how to pattern draught through watching your videos and I like the explanation for not giving seam allowances - when you showed us 2 different pants with different fabrics, it made perfect sense. Keep doing what you’re doing - we all love your work because it’s so accessible to everyone and because you are so patient and kind. That’s by far the best thing to be - being ‘correct’ is not as good as being kind. Bless you ❤

There are no specific guidelines for sewing each individual does as they see right! I do the same as you wait till I finish all my serger stuff then clip all hanging pieces at one time ! It’s my way & Ill never change , I used to put pins in my mouth until my neighbors daughter ran to my house , saying please come help my mom she’s swallowed a machine needle ! I gasped said “ what ?” when I got there my friend said she was sewing, kids were running around yelling, she looks up & screams at them to stop ! Just then her machine needle hits a pin , breaks , the broken end hit her on the tongue , she pulls it out but can’t find the “ eye “ part of it ! She thought it was stuck on there , I looked for it but it wasn’t there . I found it stuck on feed dogs ! Thank god it was there & not in her mouth ! Another cousin actually swallowed a needle , she put it in her mouth , coughed & in it goes ! These are just 2 examples of why you shouldn’t put pins or needles in your mouth ! People shouldn’t criticize your ways or habits of doing things , there’s no guidelines! I would like to say something, when you pull out a piece of fabric for tutorial it’s usually from your stash , I would like for you to press your fabric that way it’ll be easier to cut ! I wash my fabrics & press even if they’re going to be used right away or set aside for later use ! I’m offering you a suggestion not criticizing!

Criticizing people for the methods they use, although maybe not "by the book", is a type of gatekeeping and I am not here for it. Let people sew they way they want to and find easiest. You might even learn something. I see nothing wrong with any of these, in fact I'll do you one better. I only trim the threads at the VERY end. I learned sewing from my grandma, who was a professional seamstress, and always asked me to trim the threads and take out any basting stitches right before she gave the garment a final press. If she could do it, then certainly so can I. I find it so relaxing to trim threads as a final step as I wind down from the project, and hate interrupting the flow of construction with trimming. Live and let live I say.

I'm 70, when I was in High School, our Home Ec teacher would take points off our grade , if she saw us with a pin in our mouth, still don't do that to this day !

You have a way of easily explaining each step..and take your time. I use to work in sewing alterations, fast, and tired was the name of the game..to keep up with customer demand!! I would also go home and sew my own clothes late at night....very tired.. i had a system of ripping (the prep) and repin and then sew all at the same time....g

Thank you Alicia, you're so kind to yourself. It's lovely to hear you talk about the reality of sewing. We're fortunate to have you helping us along this journey. Xx

You are definitely right,...sewing is not linear. I stopped sewing at night because I was doing the same thing, which is losing focus. Thanks for sharing this.😊 I am trying to stop putting pins in my mouth too!😢

There is actually a really good reason to leave tails for a while, (for delicate fabrics or super thick fabric layered up, or knits) tails offer something to hold and pull when starting a stitch on the machine.

The "don't cut paper" came about when paper was much rougher so it's not actually as relevant anymore.

My bad sewing habit is I leave my thread tails long and I don't always back stitch my seams. That way if I have a fitting issue, it's really easy to alter the fit. Then I clip them when the garment is finished.

I am absolutely shocked that people were criticising the variable seam allowances! I always vary them depending on what i'm going to do and even on commercial patterns that indicate a certain seam allowance, i change it up if i feel like it. I don't have a serger and i don't like zig zag finishes so i always have to calculate if i want a french seam, flat felled etc etc.

It's great that you're sharing your bad habits and the reasons behind them. We can learn and grow together🙂. We sent you an email, please take a look.

I love her content!! Also is it wired that the whisling hurts my teeth is like S but very sharp lol

1 buying too much fabric 2 being afraid to start a project so Ithink too much about it 3too much beautiful fabric so I stress about cutting it 4 putting the pins in my month like you

I have made a rule that I don't serge anything after 10 pm, too many tears have resulted from late night serging 😭

Sewing over pins is my worst habit. I've broken so many needles and I do try not to do it, but I still do 😀

You are my favourite sewing guide, so non judgemental

Hmm... Sewing while tired is probably my number one bad habit!

love the vest you wear

Can you make a one size pant pattern made to help a blind student. Thank you

haters gonna hate You are Kind, thoughtful and creative

My bad sewing habit that I refuse to give up: rethreading my serger from scratch every time I change colour, instead of using the knotting trick 😂 For me it is faster and leaves less room for things going wrong 🤷🏻

Well, you know that the one who dies with the most fabric wins, right?

YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER PAIR OF PAPER SCISSORS MAYBE A DIFFERENT COLOR. YOU DESERVE IT

We cut tissue paper along with fabric when cutting out a big 4 pattern.

cutting tinfoil also sharpens, works on pinking shears too that are hard to sharpen on sharpeners

Years ago, I was forced to sew in a more confined space, ie. a room dedicated to sewing/quilting...because one of my cats swallowed a huge amount of serger thread as it was unrolling from the machine that I had left out. I was devastated!!! I didn't realize it till later that day! A very costly mistake, costly in as $2,000 for surgical removal of the thread; he couldn't pass it. (My cat survived, this happened when he was 10 yrs old. He lived to the ripe old age of 18.) Lesson learned....keep sewing/quilting away from animals!

I better not let anyone see me sew.😂😂😂

Pins in my mouth :)

Do you have a video I missed of you making the rose cactus jacket!!?? It is stunning! I won’t have as pretty of fabric but I love the style of it!! ❤

I am still learning. Love your videos

I cut paper with my fabic scissors all the time.

Did you know that Fiskars scissors have full life time warranty. And they have a line of products for sewing and crafting. I have several sizes Fiskars scissors for different uses and the sharpener. Greetings from Finland, home of Fiskars tools 😊.

Great video. I found a scissor sharpener like yours in a sale bin and couldn't believe my good fortune. I had umpteen pairs of dull scissors because they had been used for paper so many times they didn't really like paper either. Needless to say I don't have that problem anymore. I do have a treasured pair of shears that belonged to My grandfather when he was a supervisor at the Monarch Knitting Mill 70 years ago. They cut fabric only. I knew a lady who swallowed a couple of pins so that is one habit I never acquired. This reminder is something everyone should hear. I always look forward to your videos.

I like watch your videos.I have many bad habits But the one I thing never give up with is that I am fabric Плюшкин- I believe you know what I mean

I have also stopped putting the pins in my mouth. It was a habit I picked up long ago, and had been much better about not doing it, but became very conscious of it when my granddaughter would watch me sew. Thanks for another fun video!

Just wondering why you couldn't buy a pair of scissors for your husband and a pair of scissors for your daughter and a pair of scissors to go in the kitchen drawer for opening stuff, so they leave yours alone?

I use my scissors to cut everything. The only reason why I don't have a cow is because I sharpen my own scissors in the woodshop 😂

Oh look, fabric!😊

I’ve been sewing for years, and I recently sewed two front legs together, too!! 😂 Then I went to the serger and overlocked the seam! Big job to undo it all. 😢

I'm with you on seam allowances! Lately I have discovered how much easier it is to set in a sleeve with a smaller seam allowance. Game changer.

My bad habit, is buying a Thrift item to remake, and then don't do it. Why?? Fear that I will ruin it. 😅 Right now I have a over sized Circle Skirt with a Beautiful print that I absolutely love. I want to make an off the shoulder top for the summer. Its August! summer is almost over! This will the 3rd year & I still haven't made it. I guess that is as bad as buying fabric on the whim 😉

When I watched/listened to this over the weekend, the only 'bad' habit I heard was the pins in your mouth. I agree what is a 'bad' habit to some isn't for others (Like not including seam allowance on your patterns). I do because if I don't, I will forget and know I will. I definitely agree some things we do (sewing when we are mentally/physically tired) are not great habits and can lead to mistakes. And sewing too fast so I forget about the pins in my sewing and killing serger blades and/or pins... definitely not great. But, it is a mistake. I agree with @LovingHandsDesign, there aren't any right/wrong ways or police. As I teach someone to sew I explain WHY I do it the way I am teaching and give a few other methods. Or I explain why, over the 30+ years I have sewn, the way I am teaching is a better way. I am trying to help instill better habits... like looking AT the pattern tissue on commercial patterns to ensure the right sizing is purchased.

I'm going to be 70 at the end of this month. I've been sewing since I was about 10-12 yrs old. I sew more quilts and bags than clothing these day and my tired sew cue is if I have to rip more than one seam I put it down and come back tomorrow. I still make crazy errors when I'm tired because we all want to push through. BTW even with years of sewing I always learn something from watching you! Thank You

Guilty! Specifically cutting paper with fabric scissors 😅 - I try not to do it too much, but if they are the nearest thing. Then I will use them. I was more of a “tidy threads at the end” type of person, but I would then hate sitting there for ages trying to find them all, (only to still be finding something weeks later) so I am making more of an effort to tidy as I go now. I was also the “pins in mouth”, but I think I saw a video or something of a bad injury from someone doing this, and now keep a small tub nearby, the pins go straight in the tub while I am working. It keeps them handy and stops them from being all over the place on the table. My other bad habit was leaving scissors all over the place and not making sure to keep them in a safe place when using them. Accidentally sitting on a pair and getting them in my leg (not a major cut..but it was NOT pleasant) has quickly got me out of doing that one. (Now they are always somewhere I can see them, and when I use them, I put them in the same place each time). I think my worst habit (and probably one I may never be able to change), is that I don’t have a lot of patience with sewing. I just want to be able to sew more and make my own clothes and bags etc. but my sewing is terrible (uneven stitches, not so straight lines….and stitching on curves…… even worse). But I just want to be able to make something though. I have tried taking my time and making the effort to get really good stitches, and lines etc, but it would just take so long ….to the point, that I was just hating it. Now I just try and enjoy it, and do my best. I think that many of my items look great at a distance…….but if you got up close……..and really look at the sewing…… yikes 😬 😅

You are so cute.

Love this!

Thank You for posting this video, bc I too have a couple bad sewing habits. 1. Don’t use a rotary cutter in bad lighting & tired. I was donating handmade facial masks 3.5 years ago. I cut into the tip of my index finger. Bleeding would not stop after 45 mins of pressure. A trip to the ER & I was better. Now I have a scar tissue notch close to the knuckle that looks like I have early arthritis. Remember use proper lighting when cutting and not late at night either.

Alisa, approximately how many hours a week do you spend sewing? Love your videos! And, I have a couple of the same bad habits which probably most sewers have, i.e. putting pins🪡 in our mouths & cutting very limited amouts of paper with our good fabric scissors ✂️ 😊😊

People can ask questions….but if the comments are more judgmental, that’s inappropriate. Be Like Me! is not our right to expect of others, it’s a negative way to behave with people. We do not have to explain ourselves to others in theses situations so I wouldn’t label it a bad habit. A bad habit is interrupting people, being rude, expecting people to be like you just to get a list started. You do you, you’re delightful and fun to watch!

Thanks for the heads up about Linen & Double Brushed Poly dulling scissors~ I love to sew with both of those I now I know why the scissors don’t seem quite as sharp as they used to be.

I also leave the sides undone until I am ready for the final touch, sometime I have something so many raw edges and pieces of yarn sticking out that I hardly think it will work out fine. I do not have a locker, but just a good sewing machine, due to the lack of a locker my insides are not often as pristine as clothes from a shop. But what is on the inside I cannot be bothered with that much, as long as the outside looks fine and nothing can unravel (is that the correct word?) But bloopers like sewing when tired an knowing you have to watch certain fabrics (specially the smooth and slippery ones, silk-look a likes) and even being carful still end up sewing a back to front or missed a spot due to the foot slipping away, then having to undo it sucks... My latest being shoving my scissors aside to get a bit more space for putting pins in a pants, the scissors closing on a just finished perfectly straight hem and cutting just a tiny hole in it... grrrr Nobody can see it but I see it, pants waisted...

your doing it your way. which you have said in your videos many many times. and i know your way will work for me. if it makes sense when i hear it. i know i am 99% of the way to actuarily doing it for real. YOU are the one that will get me making garments, i know this. so Thank you. x (bad habits or not) lol lol

I trace my patterns rather than cut them out using butcher paper. That paper I cut with the old pair of fabric scissors which is marked with thread. I’ve known folx who mark all their scissors according to their purpose. My sewing stuff is in storage but I had a scissor drawer! 🤣