Great Sewing and Craft Tips

As you may know, sewing and making crafts can get to be expensive, so to cut down on spending money and your time, I'm going to list a total of 29 great sewing and craft tips that will help you save, and just maybe, you will come across something you haven't already thought about.

Here are your sewing tips first...

Use Soap As A Pin Cushion

If you don't have, or can't find your pin cushion, don't worry. You can use a bar of soap as your pin cushion. The soap will also put a smooth layer of lubrication on your pins that will help them go through your fabric much easier.

Use Fingernail Polish To Thread Your Needle

If you're having trouble getting your thread to go through the needle, just dip the thread into some fingernail polish. Smooth it out, let it dry, and the thread should go through the needle with no problems.

Use A Funnel To Keep String Straight

Secure a funnel to the wall in your work room, then place the ball of string in it and pull the string throw the bottom of the funnel.

Use Tape To Baste

I hate basting, but using tape instead saves a lot of time! Sew right through the tape, and when you are finished basting, just pull the tape up.

Use A Steel Wool Pin Cushion

Make a pin cushion and stuff it with steel wool. Whenever you push or pull a pin out, the steel wool will sharpen your pins for you.

Use An Emery Board

This is another way you can sharpen dull pins and needles. Just rub them against an emery board.

Use Wax Paper To Sew

Any time you are sewing on fabric that happens to be rather slippery, try putting a piece of wax paper along the seam, and sew right through it. When you are finished, just pull the paper up.

Use A Magnet

Picking up spilled needles and pins can be a chore, and very dangerous if you don't get them all. Try picking them up with a magnet instead. So be sure to keep one in your sewing basket.

Use Dental Floss

Anytime you need heavy duty thread and you have run out, just use dental floss instead. It makes an excellent heavy duty thread.

Make A Tape Measure Holder

If you find yourself needing a tape measure holder, why not use an old adhesive tape spool to wrap your tape measure around.

Use A Cork For Protection

Before placing your sharp scissors or seam rippers in your sewing basket, why not stick the tip into a piece of cork. This will protect your fingers as well as your sewing basket.

Use Empty Pill Bottles

Save your empty pill bottles for storing excess needles and pins. Be sure to clean the bottles of any pill dust before using.

Prevent Rust On Needles

Sticking your needles and pins into a bar of soap also stops them from rusting.

Make Your Own Sock Darner

If you ever need to darn socks, you can always use a light bulb. Just place the sock over the light bulb and you're set to darn.

That completes the great tips for saving on sewing, now here are your great craft tips...

A Yarn Preserver

To preserve and protect your yarn, you can try wrapping it around a cedar ball before storing.

How To Cut Fur Fabric

If you ever have to use fur for your crafts, try cutting it on the wrong side with a razor blade. You will be able to see what you're doing, and you will avoid cutting the hair.

Where To Keep A Ball Of Yarn

Try keeping your ball of yarn inside a pair of stockings. This will allow your yarn to come out without any tangles.

Make Your Own Multi-Colored Vases

Instead of purchasing all the beautiful multi-colored vases, why not make your own. Just purchase the floating art colors, put several drops of the paint into a pail of water, then insert the vase, glass bottle or even a t-shirt into the pail, and swish it back and forth a little before removing.

A Quick Craft Business

If you want to start a craft business in a hurry, then why start making seat cushions. All you need is a template and lot of pretty, but inexpensive, wholesale fabric and you're in business. Just make sure you get enough fabric to make your seat cushions in sets of four, or four seat cushions and a matching cushion for a lounge chair. You would probably be able to sell them at 40 or 50% less than retail and still make a beautiful profit.

How To Iron Embroidery

If you have embroidered something, and it needs ironing, just lay the item with the embroidered side down on a terry cloth towel before ironing.

Save Your Squeeze Bottles

Your old squeeze bottles make a wonderful and easy way to fill your iron with water.

Using Aluminum Foil

When ironing, put some aluminum foil under the ironing board cover. This heats up, and makes your ironing go a lot faster.

Get Rid Of You Old Hem Line

If you ever need to let down a hem line and you're stuck with this line going around your garment, you can get rid of this old hem line by dampening it with vinegar before you iron it.

Clean Up Your Suede Items

Cleaning suede is simple, just gently file the stain with your emery board, then either very lightly and very gently apply steam to it from your iron, or you can just hand it up in your bathroom for a few days.

Soften Leather

You soften any leather item by wiping it with black coffee.

Stop Your Nylon From Yellowing

If you have any experience with nylon fabric, you know it has a tendency to yellow. You can stop this by adding baking soda to your washing cycle.

Stop The Shine On Your Fabric

You can get rid of the shin of any fabric your going to use, or clothes items that are already being worn. All you need to do is mix 4 parts of water with 1 part of white vinegar, then dampen a cloth in the solution and press it lightly on the shine.

How To Store Plastic Fabric

When you store plastic fabric, just put a little powder between each layer and this will prevent the fabric from sticking together.

Longer Lasting Clothes Pins

If you want to make your clothes pins last longer, just boil them is salt water for a few minutes.

I hope you enjoyed great sewing and craft tips. This completes the article and I hope there was something there you could use.