Category: Crafts

According to recent statistics, 60 percent of people have never learned to sew. While sewing was once seen as a basic household skill, the rise of cheap, convenient clothing stores has made sewing less and less common. 

So if you are new to sewing, don’t worry—you aren’t alone! Figuring out a sewing machine and all the sewing tips can be overwhelming, but there are a few tools and tricks you can use to get the hang of things.

Here are eleven sewing tips and tricks that will help set you on the right path. 

Top Sewing Tips: Get the Right Machine

If sewing is a new pursuit for you, you don’t necessarily want to get the flashiest, most expensive sewing machine with all the bells and whistles. That will be more difficult to master, and isn’t necessary for the basic projects you’ll be tackling first.

Instead, get a modest machine from a trusted brand. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be brand-new—there are likely stores in your town that sell quality refurbished sewing machines in good condition.

And if you can’t find the right machine at a shop, remember that the internet is full of inexpensive gems. 

Time to Study!

Now that you’ve got your sewing machine, it’s time to read the instruction manual. We know, that’s not the most exciting prospect—but it will ensure you’re well-prepared to get the most out of your machine.

And if you’re more of a visual learner, there are plenty of online tutorial videos out there! Just make sure you’re watching the right one for your make and model.

Start Small

You probably got into sewing because you loved the idea of making your own tops, dresses, purses, pants—the list goes on!

But before you take on any complicated projects that include elastic, zippers, or tricky lines, you need to have a few simpler projects under your belt. Try making a lined handkerchief, or a pillowcase with clean lines.

Once you learn the basics, you’ll be able to master more impressive pieces.

Stock Up on Sewing Pins and Cushions

Here’s a little not-so-secret sewing tip that any seasoned sewer knows: Your best friends as a sewer will be sewing pins and cushion!

These might seem like extraneous accessories but trust us: These nifty little contraptions make life so much easier. 

Imagine you’re in the middle of an intense, multi-step sewing project—do you really want to be hunting around for the right needle? And what about when your needles fall on the floor; how will you be able to find it without a pin?

Fortunately, these devices are cheap and easy to find—you can even make the cushions yourself with your new sewing skills!

Other Important Tools

Besides pins and cushions, there are a few other helping sewing tools you’ll want to have in your arsenal.

These include scissors, a tape measurer, a ruler, bobbins, elastic, zippers, buttons, bias tape, velcro, and chalk pencils.

Know Your Thread Weight

If you were building a house, you’d want to make sure that the nails and screws you were using were meant to hold up a lot of weight. The same is true for sewing projects and thread: Different projects require differently weighted threads. 

So rather than just buying whatever random thread catches your eye, pay attention to the weight, and know what your patterns call for.

What’s That Mean?

Like any hobby with a dedicated following, sewing comes with its own glossary of terms. If you don’t know what they all mean, then sewing becomes a lot harder.

For example, applique describes using a satin stitch to sew one piece of fabric over another. Bias tape is a special sewing tape that helps with edge cuts, and a fat quarter is a particular cut of some sort of fabric.

There are simply too many unique sewing terms to list here—so look for a good book, article, or expert sewing friend to help explain them all!

Take a Class

Want to hone your sewing skills and learn new sewing tips from an expert, and meet other people who have an interest in sewing? 

If so, you should definitely consider taking a sewing class. They’re often taught at community centers, sewing and craft shops, and even community colleges. 

Consider a Kit

Buying all the right patterns, fabric, thread, needles, and other supplies for a particular sewing project can be time-consuming, confusing, and expensive. Fortunately, there’s a solution to this problem: Buy a sewing kit!

A sewing kit comes with all the fabric and other tools you’ll need to complete a pre-patterned sewing project, as well as clear, simple directions on how to do the job. 

If you are looking for an easy sew win that won’t waste fabric, a sewing kit is the way to go! 

Flatten Your Fabrics

Before you tackle any new sewing project, you’re going to need to break out your iron and ironing board.

By ironing your fabrics before using them, you’ll ensure you will get clean, uniform cuts and lines. Plus, you don’t have to worry about fabric wrinkling and getting caught in the machine.

No Pressure

Here’s the thing: No matter how many sewing tips and tricks you learn before starting your first project, you are going to make mistakes. Directions are going to be confusing, and your first few projects probably won’t look like the picture that comes with the pattern.

But that’s okay! Sewing is a difficult skill to learn—and a rewarding one. If you stick with it and practice, you’ll be able to sew the stuff of your dreams someday. 

Time to Stitch!

Now that you’ve got some sewing tips in your arsenal, it’s time to try your very first sewing project! We hope you learn—and that you have fun!

If you found this easy sewing guide helpful, we hope you’ll take the time to check out some other DIY articles on our website. 

Silver is a coveted prize of pirates, kings, and treasure hunters throughout history. Even Paul Revere, a hero of the American Revolution, was a silversmith by trade. There is a reason this precious metal is held is such high regard. Sterling silver has a beauty and luster rarely matched in nature. 

You may have questions: Is sterling silver good? Isn’t all silver the same?

Read on to discover what sterling silver is and why to buy it.  

Is Sterling Silver Good?

Let us get to the bottom of this question before you go perusing a jewelry store.

Not all silver has the same level of purity. Silver labeled as sterling has a 92.5% purity. This is one of the highest possible grades of silver available. 

Sterling silver is a quality and pure metal.

It Comes in a Variety of Forms

It is okay if you do not have pierced ears. Because of its versatile properties, silver comes in countless configurations. 

Rings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants all make magnificent sterling silver valuables. Check out https://www.dreamlandjewelry.com to see examples of pieces. 

It is Hypoallergenic

Jewelry can often cause the wearer to have an allergic reaction. Cheaper jewelry metals such as nickel and zinc will irritate some peoples skin.

Sterling silver has a chemical quality that does not cause allergies. This is among the reason it is such popular jewelry.

It Will Last Forever

Sterling silver is very durable. It does not scratch and ding as much as other metals. If you take care of it, your sterling silver will last forever. A silver polish will not only return that magnificent gleam, but also help protect it. 

A little bit of love and care will keep your silver looking like new. A well maintained piece of sterling silver jewelry will dazzle for generations.

It is Timeless 

It is fortunate that sterling silver is so long-lasting because it is also timeless. The art of crafting silver has been around for hundreds of years.

This metal is not a fad. Sterling silver has been a staple of jewelry boxes since its discovery. The simple, understated sheen of silver will always catch the eye.

No matter the shape or size of the jewelry, sterling silver acts a statement piece that complements its owner. 

Start Buying Silver

So, is sterling silver good? Absolutely. 

If you are trying to decide which metals to add to your jewelry box, look no further than sterling silver.

 

If you already have a silver ring, you have nine more fingers to outfit. If you don’t have any sterling silver yet, it is not too late. It is timeless after all.

So, whether you need a wedding gift, a retirement gift, or just want a gift for yourself, the smart buy is sterling silver jewelry.

Did you find this article useful? If so, hit the jump for more thrifty ideas.

 

 

Are you thinking about learning to sew?

Wondering if it’s worth your time and energy?

Sewing is a great skill to have and nearly everyone could benefit from knowing how to do it well. However, sewing is a lot more than just a skill but is also a fun hobby that offers plenty of benefits for your life.

If you want to learn more, keep reading. Below are the 5 key reasons that everyone should learn how to sew.

1. Unleash Your Creativity

One of the biggest reasons you should learn how to sew is because sewing is an art and it can serve as a great creative outlet for you to express yourself. Just like playing an instrument or painting, sewing is an art form.

Using your sewing skills you can create new pieces of attire and can make them exactly as you want them to be. While you can follow a design, you can let your creativity loose as well to create new ones and to tweak the designs to your own preferences.

2. It’s Calming

In addition to expressing your creativity, sewing is also a very relaxing activity. Sewing can have a calming effect on your body and mind, and as a result, can do a great job of reducing stress.

Sewing is a great way to pass the time and if you’re ever feeling stressed out or emotional it can serve as a wonderful way to release tension.

3. You’ll Save Money

Another added benefit of learning how to sew is that it can help you to save money. By learning how to sew, you’ll be able to make your own clothes, handbags, accessories, and other items that you can wear and use on a daily basis.

Buying the materials and sewing will take time, but it won’t cost you very much. Sewing your own clothes can be much cheaper than buying items from a store, and once you learn how to sew really well, your clothing will probably be of much higher quality too.

4. Use What You Make

Sewing clothing and other items that you can actually use and wear is a great feeling. By sewing items that you use yourself, you’ll likely feel a sense of gratification that you can’t get in many other ways.

When people compliment you on a dress you sewed yourself or on other items you’ve made, you’ll get a great feeling knowing that you made it with your own time, effort, and skill.

By learning to sew, you’ll be able to create all kinds of clothing to use from shirts and pants to dresses to all kinds of accessories. You can even sew small clothing for dolls as well with the help of doll sewing tools.

5. Make Repairs

One of the best reasons to learn to sew is that you’ll learn how to mend any clothes or accessories that you have when they get ripped or torn.

By learning to sew, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to make patches to your favorite pieces of clothing if they get damaged. You’ll also be able to make modifications to your favorite items and make changes when needed.

Understanding the Benefits of Learning to Sew

If you’re thinking about learning to sew, you may be starting to understand why it can be such a useful skill to have. If you take the plunge and start learning to sew you may just start experiencing the benefits for yourself.

Looking for more lifestyle tips and advice? Start exploring our blog now to find more helpful guides and articles. 

Quilting was once the pride of thrifty pioneer women. These days, they’re becoming handy projects for the modern-day woman.

And we modern ladies love to be thrifty as well. But if you’re new to the scene, gathering up all of the supplies and fabric takes some extra money we might not have lying around.

The nice thing is that making a quilt doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There are certain ways to cut back the costs and keep this craft both thrifty and beautiful.

Keep reading to learn more!

1. Repurpose Fabric

We all have clothes and bedding that we should have thrown away long ago but don’t have the heart to do it yet. Well, when it comes time to find cheap quilting fabric, those are the best places to start looking.

Quilting is perfect for the recycle and reuse mentality.

The best part is that finding fabric within your closet ensures that the fabric is unique instead of generic.

2. Never Throw Away Fabric Scraps

Throughout a quilting project, you’re bound to have many different fabric scraps leftover. Make sure to hang on to them for future projects!

You can come up with many interesting designs using up all of those fabric scraps. It’ll push you to think outside the box and the result will be something you’d never have come up with on your own.

If the scraps are too small to work with, then save them for stuffing instead. That’ll cut back on costs even more.

3. Stick to the Basics

There are a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles on the market these days. But it doesn’t matter if you prefer to sew by hand or by a Fabric Bash Quilting machine. It’s always best to keep to the basics.

This not only cuts back on costs for fancy equipment, but it also makes the entire process easier. If you’re an experienced quilter, then branching out might be the right decision for you.

But if you’re a quilter with a budget, then stick to only what you need.

4. Buy in Smaller Batches

When you’re first starting out, it’s far too easy to buy up every cute fabric you see. But this is not good practice for those of us on a budget.

You should still buy that inspirational fabric, but buy it in a smaller yard size. Instead of going with a full yard, get a quarter of a yard instead. You don’t end up using as much fabric as you might first think.

Plus, if you ever end up needing more of one particular fabric, it’s better to go back out and buy more instead of hoarding. You’ll save space in your crafting room and you’ll save money at the same time!

Making a Quilt Is the Perfect Way to Use Up Old Materials

Next time you go through some old clothes, save them! Some of those blouses might be the perfect material for making a quilt that is unique and catered to your style. After all, you’ve kept that blouse for this long, you must love the design.

Instead of throwing it away, use it as the star for your next quilting project. You’ll never have to say goodbye to your favorite outfits again!

For more thrifty content, check out the rest of our blog!

Cosplay has been around since the early 80s. In recent years, though, it’s become extremely popular.

And it’s not just for Halloween anymore. There are several huge cosplay conventions that take place all around the world. Costumes vary from fun homemade costumes to serious outfits that are almost an exact replica of the original costume.

All this fun can mean mega bucks. Is it possible to do cheap cosplay without losing the quality?

Keep reading for our great hacks on how to find cheap cosplay outfits.

Plan Ahead

If you leave things to the last minute, you’ll probably spend more.

Planning in advance gives you time to do your research and find the best deals. While you’re planning, try to make a realistic budget and stick to it.

Create a list or schedule including the main conventions and events that will happen during the year. By arranging things now, you can benefit more from sales and cheaper times for buying.

Try to figure out which costumes you plan to create. This will enable you to keep on the lookout throughout the year for the things need. You’ll also be able to buy a few things in bulk instead of buying things as you need them.

Sales and Coupons

Kapow! Hit those sales! Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, end of season sales…

If you plan to buy most of your materials during these times, you’ll save mega bucks. Sign up for online newsletters, Facebook groups, and cosplayer blogs. They can keep you up to date with any major sales or even send out coupons at certain times of the year.

If you’re planning to buy anything, first Google “coupons for Shop Name.” You’d be surprised by what hot deals might be lurking.

And don’t forget the week AFTER Halloween is the absolute best time to buy costumes. You could find some seriously cheap cosplay outfits during this time.

For a great corset deal, check out these high-quality yet low-priced products.

Recycle

Don’t feel that you have to buy something new for every event. Some cosplayers feel like they must have a completely new outfit for each convention, but there’s no shame in recycling.

Recycle some of your items for different costumes. Certain accessories can be multi-purpose and you can use them for several different costumes. For example, a set of “Spock” ears can also be used for an Elven look.

Basic essentials such as black leggings, white gloves, leather boots, a corset, a school skirt, masks, or a black cape can be used again and again for different characters.

Beg, Borrow, and Steal

Okay, maybe not steal…but trading pieces with your friends is a great way to save some cash.

Some of your fellow cosplayers might already have just the prop you need. You might have something they need. Swapsies, anyone?

What if you have a particular skill in making accessories but are not so good in the sewing department? You could trade skills, offering to make an accessory in exchange for sewing your costume.

Borrowing things from friends and family is also surprisingly helpful when it comes to those final random items. You’d be surprised at the things you can find in your grandparents’ closet or your parents’ attic.

Thrift It

You know how they say, “One mans trash is another mans treasure?” That’s definitely true when it comes to finding cheap cosplay costumes and accessories.

Thrift stores are the way to go. You’ll be amazed at the treasure you’ll find when rummaging through thrift stores, garage sales, and dollar stores.

For example, shoes can be a big expense. Buying gently used shoes from thrift stores can really save you some cash, especially if you’re going to customize them.

Old prom dresses, leather suitcases, tablecloths, baskets, and costume jewelry can all be transformed into an awesome costume.

Other cosplayers sometimes sell their used costumes on sites such as eBay, Etsy, or cosplay pages. After Halloween, many will be selling off their used costumes.

Create a Business

Maybe you’ve realized that this is something you’re pretty good at. Why not try to make some money from your hobby?

If you’ve found out you’re a good seamstress, you could make your own online shop selling costumes. Or sell your used costumes, props, and accessories.

If you’re not going to use them again, let someone else enjoy it. You’ll also make back some of the money you spent on it. It’s a win-win for all!

You could also blog about cosplaying. If you’re successful, you could even get sponsorship deals and a commission through affiliate marketing.

Another business idea is selling photos of super cool cosplayers–as long as you’ve got their permission first.

Know When to Spend

Being thrifty when making your costume can be done. But now and again, you may need to splurge on a few items.

You need to think about the long-term benefits. If you splurge on this item, can you use it again for several other costumes?

Sometimes spending a bit extra in the first place can save you money in the long run. You won’t have to constantly be replacing shoddy clothing or items.

And don’t forget that your costume needs to last the day. If it’s not up to standard, it may fall apart before the day is over. You’ll be left embarrassed, uncomfortable, or even exposed!

Cheap Cosplay Outfits

As you can see, finding or creating a cosplay outfit on a budget can be done. And it doesn’t mean you have to compromise and look somewhat ridiculous.

All you need is good planning, a sprinkle of imagination and BAM! You’ll totally look the part.

Check out our blog for more awesome life hacks that can save you tons of cash.