10 Tips to Help You Sew Faster

You love sewing, but time isn’t always your best friend, is it? We all know the problem that is called time. And it can become quite frustrating when you want to sew, but you know you don’t have enough time to finish everything you plan. So what can you do in this case? Well, just read below, and we’ll show you ten tips that help you sew faster.

1. Organize fabrics and patterns

Sometimes it takes a little longer to sew multiple items than it does to sew a single item. So if it is possible, you should sew multiple items of the same thing or the same type of things. For example, you could create piles of fabrics that you will cut with the same pattern and stack them.

2. Cut multiple pieces at the same time

Supposing you stack your projects as we told you in the previous step, it will be easier for you to cut multiple pieces at the same time. So whenever it is possible, layer fabrics together and cut the same pieces out of multiple fabrics at the same time.

3. Use pins frugally

When you cut your pattern, you can use weights. Put two pins to hold pieces together, one center front and the other center back, and then continue with the remaining stretching or alignment as you sew.

4. Reduce movement between sewing tasks

Start by pinning everything you can pin, and then sit down and sew as long as you can, without needing to go back to pinning or pressing, or any other activity. For example, you could organize yourself a stack and sew all the neckbands and cuffs into loops, sew all shoulder seams, set in sleeves, side seams, and sew the rises, side and inseams of the leggings.

5. Use gray thread for inside seams

Usually, people don’t see or they don’t care about what color thread you used on the inside of your garments. So you are recommended to use gray thread, as it blends into most of the things.

6. Don’t trim threads between each piece

As far as it is possible, you are recommended to sew chains, and only cut threads later. This helps you minimize moving from a task to another.

7. Use flat construction methods

Flat construction refers to manipulating your pattern so you sew seams while you can still lay the garment fabric flat. For example, when you sew sleeves, you can sew the sleeve seam before the side seams or underarm seam. This way, you can lay the garment completely flat while you’re sewing and only change to round construction for cuffs and collars. Flat construction is a faster way to sew.

8. Get a rolling swivel chair

If you’re using more than one sewing machine, you should set them close together, as this allows you to turn from one machine to another easily. To save more time, put your pressing station near your machine when you’ll be pressing.

9. Use a Kneebar

There are sewing machines that come with a kneebar that controls the presser. If your machine has one, use it. It saves time to avoid moving your hand to make the presser foot go up or down.

10. Reduce changing topstitching thread

Consider using a gray bobbin for all your finishing. Put gray thread in the bobbin and group items together, depending on the color of thread that you need for the top side of each garment.