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Sewing is a skill that anyone can pick up, regardless of age, gender or occupation. However, although it is easy to pick up it requires dedication to master. To be able to sew like a pro, you have to spend hours learning the tricks of the trade. Luckily, sewing doesn’t require the purchasing of expensive tools and it can be a new hobby that the whole family can pick up. All you need is a sewing machine and some free time. This means that you won’t just be acquiring a new skillset and a hobby, but you will also be able to spend precious time with your family.

When it comes to sewing, there are no time-saving tricks. You have to learn by reading and doing. There’s no alternative if you want to sew like a pro. If you’re ready to begin your journey, here’s everything you need to know in order to get started.

Fabric Quality

A successful sewing project is highly dependant on the use of high-quality raw materials. Regardless of how good your skills get, the quality of the finished product will be linked to the quality of the fabric. As a beginner, it’s recommended to try a wide variety of materials. You should use everything from cotton, wool, and silk to synthetic fabrics so that you can grasp their properties and understand how each fabric works and responds to sewing.

Once you understand the properties of the fabric it’s time to move on to the quality of the thread. Once more, the quality of the thread is just as important as the quality of the fabric. First off, the color of the thread should match that of the fabric you’re sewing. Secondly, choose the content of the thread based on that of the fabric: cotton threads for natural fibers and synthetic thread for synthetic fibers.

Pressing

Never skip this process when you are cutting patterns from the fabric. It’s important for the material to be as smooth as possible before cutting the patterns, otherwise you’ll end up with wrinkled cuts that will lower the quality of your finished product. If you want to take extra precaution, you can also press the pieces after cutting the patterns. This should protect you from further issues with the fabric. Please note that pressing is not the same as ironing. While the motion for ironing is back-and-forth, pressing requires an up-and-down motion.

Topstitching

The technique of topstitching is a way to not only give your projects a more professional look, but also to add more functionality. The topstitching standard is about ¼ inches from the edge of the fabric. If you’re uncertain of your skills or you’re preparing for your first topstitch project, it’s recommended to attach an edge stitch foot to your sewing machine. Usually, you can find such an attachment from the same brand as your sewing machine, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.

Porcia Aue