The moment you know how to start a sewing machine, you’d like to take on bigger sewing projects. But hang on a bit — do you really have all the sewing tips in your wheelhouse to sew complex clothing or linens?

Don’t get too intimidated because we have a list of sewing tips and tricks that will make this process easier for you. Here are 15 sewing tips for beginners to produce outputs on par with the pros!

Useful Sewing Tips: Binder Clip Hack

To hold your fabric in place when sewing, use office clips.

These clips allow you to keep layers of material tightly together when sewing around the edge. When you get to the clip, simply remove it and continue sewing.

Easily Sharpen Pins and Needles

Steel wool is an easy way to keep your pins and needles sharp. To make a steel wool pin cushion, place a small ball of steel wool in some colorful cloth and sew it closed.

Then, when you are not using your pins and needles, stick them in the steel wool pin cushion to keep them handy while sharpening them at the same time.

How to Create Extra-Wide Panels

Adding fabric to another piece of fabric allows you to widen it and make it larger.

When adding fabric to another piece of fabric for this purpose, add some to each side to create a symmetrical look. Visit Sew4Home for more info on how to do this.

Simple Sewing Hack to Avoid Pins

In order to avoid hitting the pins you use to hold your fabric together when sewing, place them in horizontally. In this way you don’t risk hitting them with the needle and damaging your machine. For more on how to do this, check Sew4Home.

How to Keep Your Scissors Handy

To keep your scissors close by and ready for use when working on a project, attach a cord to the handle of the scissors.

Make sure the cord is long enough and you can place it around your neck so it is right there when you need it.

How to Easily Thread a Needle

Threading a needle is often a difficult process. The end of the thread tends to fray, making it almost impossible to thread through the eye of a needle.

For an easier way to thread a needle, go to the Art of Manliness.

Bias Tape Hack

Bias tape comes in handy when trimming quilts, placemats, and other items. Fortunately, continuous bias tape is easy to make. Check out No Big Dill for more on how to make your own continuous bias tape.

Bulky Fabric Sewing Tip

Bulky fabrics can cinch up and make it hard to sew. An easy hack to prevent this is to use a plastic bag.

Placing a plastic bag over your bulky material before attempting to sew it can make the material slide more smoothly through the machine. For more on this hack, visit Threads Magazine.

Elastic Thread Use

Using elastic thread in your projects allows you to create ruffles. Called shirring, adding elastic thread to a piece of fabric will cause it to shrink to about half its size, so plan accordingly. To learn more about shirring and using elastic, check out RufflesandStuff.

Zipper Installation Tips

While many who sew think installing a zipper is hard, it doesn’t have to be. There are certain hacks you can use to make the whole process simpler and faster.

Check out Make It & Love It for more on hacks to speed up the zipper installation process.

Trim Organization Hack

Organizing your trim can be difficult, especially if you have a lot. A good way to organize it is to cut off a piece of cardboard, such as from a cereal box, and wrap the trim around it. Check out The Cottage Mama for more on this helpful hack.

Thread Tangle Prevention Hack

Keep your thread from getting tangled by coating it with beeswax when using.

Not only does the wax make it much easier to handle the thread, it also doesn’t interfere with the use of the thread. For details about a variety of products used for this purpose, check out Sew4Home.

How to Easily Sew Buttons by Hand

Sewing buttons is a skill that is easy to learn but hard to master.

Luckily, the method is easy enough. You just have to make sure the thread is the right length and then not pull the thread through the fabric while sewing. Martha Stewart has more on this necessary sewing skill.

Crisp Corner Guide

This hack can help you make a crisp corner with perfectly straight corners. Simply turn the fabric inside out when sewing to get a nice crisp corner. You can find this hack at Closet Case.

How to Stitch the Perfect Quilt Line

This is one of the sewing machine tips you’d love, especially for those who like to make quilts. In order to make straight quilt lines, use masking tape to mark off the edges of the lines.

The tape keeps the squares from moving and creates a perfect guideline to sew along with a sewing machine. With these tips, you’ll have a lovely quilt for your bed in no time. Visit Makery for more info on this helpful hack.

Takeaway

Once you learn how to start sewing, it’s time to level up your game with these sewing hacks. You’ll see how useful these sewing tips are, especially in things you usually find complicated in your sewing projects.