Tutorial: Basting by machine and by hand

The Elizabeths (yes, there are two of them) at Simple Simon & Co. have a post up over at Sew, Mama, Sew! where they talk about basting, both by machine and by hand. I will admit, that this is one sewing technique that doesn’t see much practice in my studio – especially hand basting. I think it’s because I don’t like to rip out the stitches later. Lazy, I know! But basting does have a purpose, and I should do it more often. The temporary and quickly sewn stitches will hold your fabrics together so they won’t shift while you put in permanent stitches, and they’ll do it without the puckering that you often get with pins. Go to Sew, Mama, Sew! to read about how to baste by hand or by machine.

[photo from Simple Simon& Co. on Sew, Mama, Sew!)

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It doesn’t matter whether you sew by hand or by machine, you need a pincushion. You need a spot to parks pins and needles and keep them within easy reach for when you need them again. There are a lot of styles of pincushion to choose from. Some magnetic, some fabric. Some cute, some purely functional. This “little bit extra” pincushion has a spot to store all the different types of pins and needles you might need while sewing. Polka Dot Chair has a free sewing pattern you can use to make one for yourself.

This handy little pincushion has a circular shape and is divided into sections to store different types of pins. The bottom section is for your regular straight pins. Just poke them in and they’re ready for when you need them. The top has one section with a felt flap perfect for holding your sewing needles. I don’t know about you but I don’t like mixing my hand sewing needles in with my pins on a pincushion. It makes it hard to find the needle when I want it. So having a separate section for the needles is a great idea.

This “little bit extra” pincushion also has a spot to hold a few fabric clips. Fabric clips have become popular alternatives to a traditional straight pin. They hold fabric pieces together without piercing the fabric, which is important when sewing leather, vinyl, or other materials that will show permanent holes from pins.

You can sew the “little bit extra” pincushion from large fabric scraps or small fabric cuts (fat eighth). You probably already have all the supplies you need to sew one in your sewing supplies already.

Get the free pattern for this “little bit extra” pincushion over at Polka Dot Chair.

[photo credit: Polka Dot Chair]

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