33 Easy Sewing Hacks Every Crafty Person Should Be Using

I’m a super crafty person, but I’m definitely not a pro at everything DIY.

And when it comes to sewing hacks, I’ll take as many as I can get! I’m a perfectionist, so if I feel like I won’t be able to keep a straight line when sewing, or my stitches will come undone, I get a bit nervous.

But thankfully there are plenty of sewing machine hacks and fabric hacks that’ll help get rid of the fear of messing up. Or just making sewing a lot more fun and easy!

So if you have your own sewing hobby and want some time-saving sewing tips and tricks, then check these out before your next project!

1. How to Install a Basic Zipper

So it seems like a given that anyone who sews should know how to install a zipper.

But there are plenty of people (like me) who are lost on the art. So the author over at Make It and Love It created an awesome tutorial for doing just that.

It’s a helpful guide that’ll make the process a lot faster the next time you do it!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

2. Use Rubber Bands for Keeping a Straight Line

Place a rubber band around the arm of your sewing machine and have your fabric lined up with it so you’re sewing a straight line.

Crooked seams can be a huge pain but when you apply this hack, the straight lines will be a lot easier to make. It’s an simple trick and can be easily moved for new projects.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

3. Organizing Embroidery Floss

If you have quite a bit of embroidery floss and you want to keep it nice and organized, then this hack is a cute way to keep things tidy in your sewing room! It really is one of the best hand sewing hacks.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

4. How to Do Ruffles

Alright so the original tutorial for this shows you how to make a ruffle shower curtain. But to be honest, I think this is going to show you a lot when it comes to making nice ruffles.

So even if you don’t want to make a shower curtain (although it does look great), you can test out your ruffle skills on some fabric.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

5. Dab Buttons With Clear Nail Polish

Buttons can come loose quite easily, so a bit of clear nail polish goes a long way.

And to do this hack, you just need to dab the top of the button (once sewn on) with a bit of clear nail polish. This will give it a seamless finish and extra security.

6. Hairspray Your Thread

Threading a needle can be a pain! However, this simple trick using hairspray is borderline genius. If this product can make your locks harder, it can do the same for a thread!

7. Replace Straight Pins With Clothespins or Binder Clips

Sometimes you’re working with a fabric you don’t want to ruin or the fabric is so thick that it can’t be held with straight pins.

So I recommend using clothespins or binder clips instead of buying those clips that sewing shops sell.

8. Get a Seam Measuring Gauge

Having trouble knowing how to measure your seams on the sewing machine? Well a blogger on Ebay gives seven awesome sewing tools to help crafty people like you out.

And a sewing gauge is one of them! It looks pretty useful for any sewing project you want to try!

9. Use Magnets for Needles

When sewing, it’s pretty easy to hurt yourself with pins. So it’s a good idea to walk in shoes and keep a magnet around. The magnet can help pick up any needles and create a safe workspace.

10. Kate Spade Inspired Key Fobs

Alright so this isn’t really a hack, but it’s definitely helpful when trying to find your keys. Also.. it’s just too pretty not too share. 😉

GET TUTORIAL HERE

11. How to Keep Your Scissors Working

If you’re tired of your scissors going dull, then this sewing hack is a good one to remember.

Just wipe your scissors with a dry cloth after every use. Oh, an don’t ever cut pins with it! These simple tips will keep your scissors sharp for a lot longer!

12. Steel Wool Pincushion

Having steel wool inside of a super cute pin cushion serves two purposes.

So while it’s keeping your needles in place, it’s also sharpening them. Pretty helpful right?

GET TUTORIAL HERE

13. Organize Your Sewing Room With a Pegboard

Now, this is something that every crafty person will definitely love.

It’s super chic and helps with organizing all your supplies so nothing gets lost. This can also add a bit of personality to your sewing room.

14. Hem Your Jeans and Keep the Original Hem

Now if you’re not 5’8 like me and you have a pair of jeans you really like, but they’re too long, don’t worry!

This blogger found an awesome tutorial on how to hem your jeans, but still keep the original hem.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

15. Gather the Easy Way

Traditional gathering techniques can be pretty annoying – threads snapping, uneven gathers, etc. But this little trick will save you so much time and frustration.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

16. Pinked Finished Seams

Turns out that pinked shears are a big help when it comes to trimming seams.

It leaves an attractive edge and can be done quickly without having things unravel! 

GET TUTORIAL HERE

17. How to Make the Waist Bigger on Jeans

Whether you’ve gained a little bit of weight or you just bought a pair of super cute jeans that doesn’t fit quite right, this sewing hack will help you out big time!

It’s a great way to easily adjust your jean size so you can still wear your favorite pair of pants.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

18. Use Pencils for Your Seam Allowance

This trick will make your sewing a lot more simple! Just tape two pencils together and voila, you have a 1/4“ seam allowance in just an instant!

Side Note: If you want a 5/8″, just use 3 pencils instead.

19. Save Money on Thread

Being practical is how we roll. And using a thread stand or a mug will allow you to use larger cones rather than the small spools.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

20. Dental Floss Gather

If you’re working on a pattern that requires gathering long fabric into a shorter piece of fabric, then zigzag over dental floss so you can gather. Believe me, the end result is going to be pretty and you can gather in way less time!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

21. Hem the Easy Way

If you’re not a big fan of creating hems, then Martha Stewart has got you covered. She has some great tips for making the process a lot easier!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

22. How to Use Elastic Thread

Shirring is sewing with elastic thread in the bobbin of your sewing machine to create a “smocked” appearance on your fabric.

It adds a huge wow factor and you can use it for so many projects! All you need is fabric, thread to match your fabric, and elastic thread!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

23. Use a Desk Grommet

Working with threads and wires can be messy and thus we recommend you use desk grommets to keep those pesky wires away so that you can work more quickly.

24. Keep Your Scissors Sharp

Dull scissors are be pretty frustrating, and bad tools can keep you from enjoying sewing. So learn how to sharpen scissors and other sewing tools by following the simple instructions in the tutorial down below!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

25. How to Make a Sewing Pattern Bigger or Smaller

If you found a sewing pattern that you love but it doesn’t really fit your size, no problem! These pattern grading instructions will help you understand what you need to do in order to make it a size that works for you!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

26. Organize Your Fabric With 5 Rung Pant Hangers

It’s always nice to see your fabric organized and in order. That way it can save you space and time looking for the right color or pattern of fabric.

So try using a 5 rung pant hanger to organize it all!

27. Put Slippery Fabric In Between Paper

If you’ve ever cut slippery fabrics, then you know it can be a little tricky since there’s little to no traction between your scissors and the cloth.

So to solve this issue, just place the fabric in between two layers of paper to make the process a lot easier.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

28. Use a Soap Bar for Pins

I seriously like this idea because the pins and needles are coated in soap, which will make them easier to insert through the fabric. Also, it just looks pretty cute and it’s a great way to keep them organized!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

29. Press Buttons Using a Hair Straightener

If an iron is too big for small hems, shirt straps, or in between buttons, then just use a hair straightener!

30. DIY Bobbin Storage

Now if you have a toe separator (the kind used for a pedicure) at home, you can keep your bobbins organized and together by storing them in a foam toe separator. Now that’s a super simple hack!

31. Use Binder Clips When Applying Your Binding

If you need an extra hand when binding your quilt, then these school supplies come in handy!

GET TUTORIAL HERE

32. Keep Your Used Patterns Smooth

If you’re someone who often uses a pattern, then you’ve probably noticed that your paper gets pretty wrinkled and creased overtime.

So to straighten it back out, just use an iron to make it useable again.

33. Keep Your Needles and Pins On a Magnetic Plate

Isn’t it annoying (and unsafe!) when you misplace your needles and pins? So to keep them in order, make a magnetic pin dish out of a pretty old plate from a thrift store.

GET TUTORIAL HERE

---