Sewing Mistakes // Beginner Sewing Mistakes // Common Mistakes

Dear users, dear authors,
What are some common sewing mistakes, and how can you avoid them?

Pulling on the fabric while sewing with the machine!
This can cause the needle to break or create a tangled mess of thread.
The fabric should only be guided very gently in the correct direction.

Using the wrong thread tension or the wrong needle—such as a needle for cotton fabrics when sewing jersey—is an absolute no-go. First, it makes holes in the jersey, and second, the sewing machine may *eat* the fabric. 
If the tension is too high, the thread can break; if it’s too loose, loops will form. You should also avoid bringing your finger too close to the needle bar—you could end up *sewing* your finger, and that really hurts!
Regular cleaning of the sewing machine is also a good idea, because when everything is set correctly, it sews very well. Even if it says that oiling is not necessary, you should treat your machine to a drop of oil now and then—it will thank you for it. You should also take new, modern, computer-controlled machines in for inspection from time to time; they’ll thank you with a long life.

- Cutting fabric not on the correct grainline —> this causes the sewn item to warp at the latest when it’s washed.
- Cutting patterned fabric “upside down”
- Sewing on cuffs without stretching them
...

**- Cutting the fabric with the wrong grainline **
The correct grainline is when the fabric’s selvedges are aligned. The selvedge is the sturdy strip along the sides of the fabric. It’s best to have the right side—the side that will be visible later—on the inside when cutting, so you can use a pen or chalk to mark it without the marks showing afterward or being very difficult to remove.