1. Use weights to hold down your pattern when cutting ...I often use heavy small saucers, or used D-cell batteries, or even old heavy butter knives.
2. Mark darts simply by snipping " at the edge of the fabric where each dart goes. Mark the dart tip with a pin that you gently pull through the paper[paper?:paper sample maker cutting machine] pattern and mark the opposite or reverse pattern piece at the same time. Once you have done this fold the dart and iron the line of the dart from both points as a guide until you sew.
3. Once you have cut your pattern leave paper pattern pieces on cut fabric.
4. Tape or pin your sewing instructions above your sewing machine for quick reference. Seems like a no brainer, but I can't stress how much time this one act will save you when assembling your pattern.
5. Always iron your facings after assembling and clip all facings at an angle not straight.
6. Clip all sewn corners at 90-degree angles this is usually two cuts rather then one.
7. Pin each end of the fabric to the adjoining piece, i.e. a ruffle to a skirt is therefore pinned at each end. Find the center of the fabric of the ruffle and pin to the center of the skirt. I then take an old sewing machine needle and gently push the fabric towards the "feed dogs" while sewing slowly. You create the pleats/ruffles as you go and as you get better at this you can go pretty fast. This technique will eliminate the double gather stitches and gathering and broken threads, etc.
8. Zippers are not hard even with the simplest sewing machine. Iron the seam down to reflect the way the finished seam with the zipper will look. Place the top right open zipper under the fabric in the correct orientation and then sew it under the fabric ". When you get to the bottom leave the needle in the fabric raise the zipper foot and turn 90-degrees and sew across to the opposite side and repeat the process going back up with the zipper open. Wherever you meet zipper head lift your sewing foot and move zipper position and go around. This is so much easier than basting, then sewing, and cutting apart basting stitches. With practice it will take minutes. The key here is to iron the fabric first.
9. Cuffs and other edgings sew right side to wrong side on the inside then turn iron and top stitch. This leaves a beautiful finished edge with no inside seams. Don't forget at this point (top stitching) you can add piping or lace and have it look perfect.
10. Collars are a snap when you remember to leave a substantial seam before clipping and turning. This will give you the opportunity to fit the collar in place and make sure it fits. Those tricky fabric naps tend to move so once you are sure you have a perfect fit, then clip, turn, iron and sew. If for some reason the collar is still slightly off and on the small size you can use my time honored cheat. I do a gather stitch, which pulls the fabric evenly, and this usually will bring a slinky or stretchy fabric in line without leaving any noticeable tucks or puckers on the finished product. Be sure to ease the excess in evenly.
