It is bold of you to assume that I set aside a day to sew and then have to do all that stuff, and not just begin cutting out pattern pieces at ten in the evening only to neatly put everything away afterwards to forget about the project until I remember I really wanted something and might have already started on it :D
I like doing laundry - I have a lot of thoughts on doing laundry! I do a lot of laundry! and yet I hate having to pre wash fabric. I cannot explain it.
Such a great roundup of advice! As a full time maker I 100% second all of these steps and think this is a really good practical way for new (and experienced) sewists to make their sewing time more enjoyable.
Pre-washing suggestion - before you hit the spin cycle use a basting stitch to quickly sew the bolt of fabric into an infinity / mobius loop. It will keep everything from becoming one big squishy ball of fabric. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
@@stevezytveld6585 Cathy it is very enjoyable. I just want to sit in the sun and enjoy it. Unfortunately I can’t just wallow in the sunshine all day! Family will want dinner and all that adulting stuff!
This was so helpful for just thinking through all the things I say I'm gonna remember next time and... forget. Appreciate having this as a good resource!
This is a superb video and I will share it with a few beginner sewists I know. I'm making a formal/evening gown for my daughter and what with pattern prep (Burda PDF, send help now), planning alterations, supplies collection etc, I calculate I've put in a solid weeks' work just covering the things you talk about in this video. I put all fabric purchases straight into the laundry basket when I get home, and wash them at the earliest opportunity, even if I don't expect to use them any time soon. It's become second nature at this point.
Being prepared is a must for me as I have a tiny spare room to use as my sewing space. Then on top of all that videoing the projects means that I have to be double ready, flat battery is a real pain as I'm sure every You-tuber has experienced. Oh and Pre-Wash, yes I have found that this saves time later on as you don't end up with any nasty surprises.
Great list! I feel validated I do most of these things already. Sometimes starting to sew can be a pain and because my work space is smaller I have no choice but to always clean after a project lest the mess consumes me. I do like starting in a freshly cleaned space!
These are such good tips! I always end up having to tidy before I can sew and it sucks. ^_^;; I will say, though, I like to get the pre-wash out of the way as soon as I come home with new fabric. I get home from the fabric store and throw the fabric in the wash with whatever laundry I have that is similar, so then I get two birds with one stone, and the fabric is ready for me to cut whenever I'm ready.
I definitely haven't had to panic order/go buy closures because my project is 99% finished but I just realized the zippers I had weren't long enough. Or planned a project only to find out that one of the fabrics had been bleached by the sun where it had been folded and it wasn't apparent until you completely unfolded the fabric. I definitely haven't done any of that. Great video and thanks for the reminders! I've started pre-washing all fabrics asap once inside my home.
Preplaning it’s so important!! Love the list and it works for other things as well! I call this my and then days go to do one thing discover you need to do three other things first and then find you don’t have the whatever so off to the store! That explains almost every project though usually not the sewing ones!
I'd love to have a sewing/craft room, or even dedicated space. Right now the project and all of the related stuff is on my dining table, but so is regular life stuff. And my ADHD brain dislikes cleaning it before the project is finished. So until that day, my appartment is a mess. For pre-washing I usually wash and dry the "worst" way I might do it later. Because I usually line dry my clothes and wash them fairly cold. But for undergarments especially I want to be able to chuck them in the dryer occasionally, or wash them hotter if they get stained. I also pre-soak fine linen before washing and it stays so very smooth and shiny.
How did I let this go with a like but no comment? I wash all of my fabric as soon as I buy it. Straight from the bag into the machine so when I put it away (yes, the pile in the closet counts as it being put away,) it's ready to go when I am ready to use it.
Long time IT and Arts/Crafts trainer here...Yup!! Everything you do to prep prior to training group of unruly teens or grumpy adults translates into great prep for personal soul refreshing craft/sewing projects!!!!
I've found with my current work schedule, that doing all these tasks, the thinking planning tasks, works better on a day off than a work day. So I try to make myself kits that I can mindlessly sew when I get home after work. With my old work schedule I had a lot more time to work in projects and I was finishing them at a good clip, but my scheduled changed suddenly and unexpectedly and all the in progress projects got shoved into piles. I finally got them sorted into bags with all the pieces in one place and hopefully I can with through them. Keep everything for one project together and contained if you are pausing that project. I've purchased piping for the same project 3x now because piles.
Thanks for explaining why I wasn’t getting anything done on my Sewing day. 😅 It was a mystery to me how I didn’t get any sewing done. Sometimes I have done some prep work, but not enough.
I never know what trims I want to put on something until it is otherwise finished. Every time I think I have it figured out, but once it is sewn I place the trims on and realize I hate it. For this reason I hoard trims. If I find them at a thrift store or on clearance I will buy it. Sure, sometimes I buy stuff just for a project but that stuff usually ends up in my stash because I don't like it after all.
Re zips - last weekend me is feeling attacked 😂 (I happened to have the right size zip in a box but it's a brighter blue than I'd have chosen if I'd bothered to leave the house. Luckily it went in tidily enough that the hidden zip is actually hidden...)
My list is different. 1. Measure collected supplies 2. Prewash fabrics 3. Wind several bobbins in the thread you need 4. Clean your machine and iron. 5. Iron all of your fabrics 6. Prep pattern ahead of time. (Full bust, size up, and sway back adjustments) 7. Mock up to make sure it fits. 8. Put everything in one bin for each project you’re working on when you’re done for the day if you’re not completely done.
Prewashing fabric isn’t difficult, true, and I do it. But it can be hard to cut out a pattern piece on the fold when the fold has vanished. Sometimes getting back that true grain-straight lengthwise fold is the most tedious part of the project for me!
I am feeling so very called out by this video but IN MY DEFENSE my next project is letting out a commercial dress so 90% of it is already done. And then there's Project Zip and we don't talk about that.
(Making my offering to the internet Gods) Once I have bought my fabric it goes straight in the washing machine. I don't add to my stash unwashed stuff because the fabric often have a smell, either the ink or the shop, dirty hands of the clerk, dust etc. Wash. The. Fabric.
Sewing related admin…such a good description of that experience!
It is bold of you to assume that I set aside a day to sew and then have to do all that stuff, and not just begin cutting out pattern pieces at ten in the evening only to neatly put everything away afterwards to forget about the project until I remember I really wanted something and might have already started on it :D
Ah, a list of everything I should do before sewing, and a list of everything I don't do before sewing, all rolled up into one 😅
I feel very called out by all of this. Well done
I like doing laundry - I have a lot of thoughts on doing laundry! I do a lot of laundry! and yet I hate having to pre wash fabric. I cannot explain it.
All good advise. Now I just have to finish all my other projects before I can start sewing again.
Oh so relatable!
Such a great roundup of advice! As a full time maker I 100% second all of these steps and think this is a really good practical way for new (and experienced) sewists to make their sewing time more enjoyable.
I like how you put this
So I second it
Thank you Ash, for delineating it all for us
Pre-washing suggestion - before you hit the spin cycle use a basting stitch to quickly sew the bolt of fabric into an infinity / mobius loop. It will keep everything from becoming one big squishy ball of fabric.
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
Hi Cathy. It’s such an easy thing and it really works!
@@robintheparttimesewer6798 Hey, Human! Hope the sunny with clouds day is treating you well.
@@stevezytveld6585 Cathy it is very enjoyable. I just want to sit in the sun and enjoy it. Unfortunately I can’t just wallow in the sunshine all day! Family will want dinner and all that adulting stuff!
Good points. I do so many of these things when I'm cooking but I hadn't thought about it for sewing.
This is great, Ash, thanks!
Great advice, thanks
This was so helpful for just thinking through all the things I say I'm gonna remember next time and... forget. Appreciate having this as a good resource!
This was a great video! I love the checklist idea!
This is a superb video and I will share it with a few beginner sewists I know.
I'm making a formal/evening gown for my daughter and what with pattern prep (Burda PDF, send help now), planning alterations, supplies collection etc, I calculate I've put in a solid weeks' work just covering the things you talk about in this video.
I put all fabric purchases straight into the laundry basket when I get home, and wash them at the earliest opportunity, even if I don't expect to use them any time soon. It's become second nature at this point.
Great tips!! Getting supplies together takes so much more time these days as they often aren't even readily available to purchase.
Being prepared is a must for me as I have a tiny spare room to use as my sewing space. Then on top of all that videoing the projects means that I have to be double ready, flat battery is a real pain as I'm sure every You-tuber has experienced. Oh and Pre-Wash, yes I have found that this saves time later on as you don't end up with any nasty surprises.
I plan on starting to sew this year or the beggining of the next one, so these tips are very helpful! Thank you
Great list! I feel validated I do most of these things already. Sometimes starting to sew can be a pain and because my work space is smaller I have no choice but to always clean after a project lest the mess consumes me. I do like starting in a freshly cleaned space!
These are such good tips! I always end up having to tidy before I can sew and it sucks. ^_^;; I will say, though, I like to get the pre-wash out of the way as soon as I come home with new fabric. I get home from the fabric store and throw the fabric in the wash with whatever laundry I have that is similar, so then I get two birds with one stone, and the fabric is ready for me to cut whenever I'm ready.
I definitely haven't had to panic order/go buy closures because my project is 99% finished but I just realized the zippers I had weren't long enough. Or planned a project only to find out that one of the fabrics had been bleached by the sun where it had been folded and it wasn't apparent until you completely unfolded the fabric. I definitely haven't done any of that.
Great video and thanks for the reminders! I've started pre-washing all fabrics asap once inside my home.
Alternative title: Ash calling me out for all the things I haven't done before starting a sewing project for 9 minutes seven seconds....
Preplaning it’s so important!! Love the list and it works for other things as well! I call this my and then days go to do one thing discover you need to do three other things first and then find you don’t have the whatever so off to the store! That explains almost every project though usually not the sewing ones!
I'd love to have a sewing/craft room, or even dedicated space. Right now the project and all of the related stuff is on my dining table, but so is regular life stuff. And my ADHD brain dislikes cleaning it before the project is finished. So until that day, my appartment is a mess.
For pre-washing I usually wash and dry the "worst" way I might do it later. Because I usually line dry my clothes and wash them fairly cold. But for undergarments especially I want to be able to chuck them in the dryer occasionally, or wash them hotter if they get stained. I also pre-soak fine linen before washing and it stays so very smooth and shiny.
How did I let this go with a like but no comment? I wash all of my fabric as soon as I buy it. Straight from the bag into the machine so when I put it away (yes, the pile in the closet counts as it being put away,) it's ready to go when I am ready to use it.
Long time IT and Arts/Crafts trainer here...Yup!! Everything you do to prep prior to training group of unruly teens or grumpy adults translates into great prep for personal soul refreshing craft/sewing projects!!!!
As requested,
A comment to feed
The UA-cam puppeteers
(Actual informational reaction was a seconding of a previous comment)
I've found with my current work schedule, that doing all these tasks, the thinking planning tasks, works better on a day off than a work day. So I try to make myself kits that I can mindlessly sew when I get home after work.
With my old work schedule I had a lot more time to work in projects and I was finishing them at a good clip, but my scheduled changed suddenly and unexpectedly and all the in progress projects got shoved into piles. I finally got them sorted into bags with all the pieces in one place and hopefully I can with through them. Keep everything for one project together and contained if you are pausing that project. I've purchased piping for the same project 3x now because piles.
Thanks for explaining why I wasn’t getting anything done on my Sewing day. 😅 It was a mystery to me how I didn’t get any sewing done. Sometimes I have done some prep work, but not enough.
solid practical advice. I do some of those things, but yeah...organization is not something i'm good at.
I never know what trims I want to put on something until it is otherwise finished. Every time I think I have it figured out, but once it is sewn I place the trims on and realize I hate it. For this reason I hoard trims. If I find them at a thrift store or on clearance I will buy it. Sure, sometimes I buy stuff just for a project but that stuff usually ends up in my stash because I don't like it after all.
I like to put my fabric in the laundry as soon as it comes in the door of my house. Then when it’s time to cut it out, it’s already done.
Re zips - last weekend me is feeling attacked 😂 (I happened to have the right size zip in a box but it's a brighter blue than I'd have chosen if I'd bothered to leave the house. Luckily it went in tidily enough that the hidden zip is actually hidden...)
My list is different.
1. Measure collected supplies
2. Prewash fabrics
3. Wind several bobbins in the thread you need
4. Clean your machine and iron.
5. Iron all of your fabrics
6. Prep pattern ahead of time. (Full bust, size up, and sway back adjustments)
7. Mock up to make sure it fits.
8. Put everything in one bin for each project you’re working on when you’re done for the day if you’re not completely done.
Prewashing fabric isn’t difficult, true, and I do it. But it can be hard to cut out a pattern piece on the fold when the fold has vanished. Sometimes getting back that true grain-straight lengthwise fold is the most tedious part of the project for me!
I am feeling so very called out by this video but IN MY DEFENSE my next project is letting out a commercial dress so 90% of it is already done. And then there's Project Zip and we don't talk about that.
(Making my offering to the internet Gods)
Once I have bought my fabric it goes straight in the washing machine. I don't add to my stash unwashed stuff because the fabric often have a smell, either the ink or the shop, dirty hands of the clerk, dust etc.
Wash. The. Fabric.