What kind of seamstress are you? Are you someone who pays close attention to detail and leaves everything beautifully finished? Are your projects so carefully made that they look like they were created by professional hands? If that's you—or you'd like it to be—keep reading, because we're going to share 3 of our best tricks for sewing like a professional.
Let's see what you think…
They say excellence is in the details. In other words, what distinguishes good work from extraordinary work is the little things. That doesn't mean you have to do everything perfectly, because that's impossible. Nor does it mean spending hours on a simple task, because time is precious. All you have to do is put care into every part of the process.
Especially the finishing touches. That's why we've dedicated tip number 1 and tip number 2 to them. Let's get to it!
1. Create a personal signature
I'm sure you have bags, sneakers, and clothing where the brand is in a clearly visible place. What sets a recognized brand with a following apart is that it doesn't hide.
When you sew a garment, you're doing a piece of craftsmanship, an act of personal creativity that should be reflected in the finished product. If other artists and craftspeople sign their work, why shouldn't you do the same?
Having a personal signature in the form of a label and adding it to your creations is one of those details that makes a difference. You can do it in several ways:
- Adding a small piece of engraved or painted Kraft-Tex, as in the cardholder-wallet tutorial.
- Ordering some professional labels, as we do with our supplier, Encarni.
- Embroidering it by hand (if you don't know how to embroider, we have a beginner embroidery class from scratch).
2. Finish with an invisible stitch
An invisible stitch is a technique that lets you create a perfect finish. It's sewn by hand and is very simple.
Many times, when we're sewing something inside out and need to turn it right side out, we end up with a small opening at the end. If you closed this last section with the sewing machine, the seam would be visible and detract from the result, so it's worth investing a few extra minutes to do it properly.
Another one of those excellent details. Here's the link to the Lulu Ferris class:
3. Have a system for filing and learning from each project
The professional touch isn't just in the finishing touches: it's in the organization too! Simple things like filing your patterns, making notes about the steps and measurements, and leaving yourself little messages about mistakes you made… make it so much easier for a garment to turn out better each time you make it again.
That's the idea behind the Lulú Ferris sewing notebook: to archive all the experience and wisdom that practice provides. Just like the true professionals!
What about you? Do you have your own little tricks for sewing like a professional?
Leave them in the comments!