Easy Sewing Hacks for Beginners

Sewing hacks everyone should know! Beyond the obvious reason of  saving money, sewing up a few patches and fixes to your favorite clothes has some other great benefits. It is a more sustainable way to live, you get some satisfaction from fixing and repairing something with your own hands and sometimes we just want to save that favorite shirt or pair of pants, buying a new one just isn't what we really want. 

These easy sewing hacks for beginners work on most projects and require few materials.  With these little tips and tricks all you need is some imagination and a basic knowledge of sewing to mend worn clothing and make some old items to make them seem like new. 

Hem Those Cuffs

If you’ve ever had a desire to learn to sew this is a great place to start. Not only is it a fairly simple process but you will save a ton especially if you have children. For a family with four growing humans the cuffing bill alone must get crazy throughout the year.  The easiest shortcut here is to use iron on hemming tape and then sew a bit over it to hold in place! Easy sewing done.

Beginners should not be fearful and can put their trust into a good Baby Lock sewing machine to take them through this introductory task and beyond. Plus, you can learn to leave extra so you can take hems down when those kids have a growth spurt. 

 

Fix Those Sleeves

We have all had that favorite sweatshirt that we wore so often the sleeve cuffs became frayed or dirty enough to stop wearing it out of the house. If you didn’t dispose of that favorite outerwear piece then you made the right move. With that sewing machine and a matching fabric you can replace those easily.

You don’t have to stick with the same color fabric and can even save more money by using something you already have. Like socks with a hole in them. If you have a pair you were about to throw away, cut off the tubes, and sew them onto your shirt as cuffs. This way you’ve saved yourself from having to replace two items. 

Replace Drawstrings

It might be the string on your jogging pants or it may be your pajamas. Or it might be the string that closes your hoodie hood but those things, if we aren’t careful, can find themselves pulled out of their tunnel and unable to do their job. But that’s alright, there are ways to fix that without having to throw those pants away. 

You can use a safety pin and guide it back through its original casing. Or, you can rip the seam of the casing open and sew it back into place. For this hack you do need patience, but the reward will be saving money, which always feels good. 

Fix Jeans Buttons

This may seem like obvious advice but some people would rather buy a new pair of jeans than replace the button on the front. That is a simple needle and thread job that can be completed in minutes. You don’t need a sewing machine. 

But, this is where your creative mind can start to play a little bit. If that old button fell off and you feel like a new pair of jeans why not take a look through your button box. Everyone has a button box and if they don’t they know someone who does. New buttons are a fun way to jazz up some old clothes to make them feel like new to you. 

Add Elastic During Pregnancy

It’s amazing how simple it is to add a bit of elastic to your old jeans when your baby bump starts to get a little too big for that regular fit. All you need to do is cut out the front pockets, replace them with elastic, and sew around the edge to fit them into place. Maternity clothes can be pricey so little tricks like this can save you a ton.

Liven Things Up

Since we’re talking about adornments and making old clothes seem new there are all kinds of ways you can take an otherwise humdrum piece of clothing and jazz it up a bit with some interesting stitching and other ornamentation. 

Some quick ideas include embroidering dainty daisies along the collar of that sweater or you can try adding some flames to that denim jacket. This is also a great opportunity to use up that colorful thread that’s been taking up room on your shelf. You can also learn some new sewing techniques in the process. 

When All Is Done – Make a Quilt

If you have a drawer full of old t-shirts that no longer fit or have just run their course then this is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to quilt. T-shirt quilts are not only a fun way to save your memories but to have them done professionally is expensive. And throwing them away, for some of us old t-shirt lovers, is out of the question.

Conclusion

Who wants to spend more money than they have to? No one, that’s who. Plus, little DIY projects like the ones we’ve discussed here are fun and give us a sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency. Then you can spend that money on something fun that you don’t already have.