I'm 70 and a relatively new sewer. Thank you for all these great pointers. I like your matter-of-fact teaching style.

I find it's nice to have more than one sewing machine. You never know when something will go wrong and if you have to get it repaired, you'll have withdrawals before it's done! I've found some really nice machines at thrift stores for practically nothing ($10-$15 for old Kenmore mechanical which are workhorses and $25 for new Singer computerized machine with tons of beautiful features and stitch patterns). Also, if you are in the middle of a FMQ project, you can't do anything else. The newer machines beep at you when the bobbin is out--I love that feature. You can also use the 2nd machine to fill a bobbin!

Thank you Tim for your very wise advice. I agree with you about wishing we had known so many thing when w first started out journeys in sewing, but then where would the adventure be? I love your attitude and how you approach the lessons we learn in life. I started sewing when I retired from a 41 year career as a nurse. I had never sewn before other than to sew the rank and command patches on my husband's uniforms and uniform jackets. So off I went to my local quilter's workshop, told the owner I did not know a thing about a sewing machine, took out my checkbook and paid for lessons. Here I am 8 years later and I'm quilting, sewing clothing, purses, backpacks, satchels, totes, repairing sails for a sailboat, making pleated curtains, etc. It has been the best adventure ever! And for people like you and others on YT to put up their sewing tutorials I have learned so much and am ever so grateful. God bless you and all the sewists in the world. You all rock! 💗🤗😊🙏👍

Although I can't sew a lick, I have worked where I had to wind bobbins by machine for others that were sewing and they really appreciated not having to stop their sewing when they needed a new bobbin. They just pulled a full one out and kept on going. Good advice.

Love to watch you make a project, sew and give tips!

Tim! Thank you for this video! I am, let's just say, a "little" older (64) than you and really just started sewing a lot over the last 3 years or so. I also don't know what to call myself (ie sewist, seamstress, etc), but it's ok. My daughter told me she saw some of your tutorials and recommended I check them out - which I have. Great stuff! I'm pretty much self taught and appreciate all the crafters out there are on KZfaq posting tutorials. I entered my first craft fair last Nov and did pretty well because of all I've learned. I'm still learning and sewing has become therapy for me. So, thank you again! BTW...you have a calming voice and beautiful smile😃

I love that quilt you made for your grandmother! You put so much time into it. I know she loved it too. I wish I still lived in Central Florida so we could hit the thrift shops and fabric stores together. 👋🌞

Hi. I started sewing on a singer treddle in the late 1950s. Yep, I’m a grandma. I’ve owned and own a number of machines. My favorite is my 1970’s Elna Super. I’ve maintained it over the years, sewn, tailored and quilted on it. Now mchines are mostly made in Asia. My advice to newbees: use your head and ingage in good thinking. Experince is a good teacher. You’re using a machine and, most likely, it came with a manual. (I have the manual for all my machines). The internet has made your life easier too: manuals and demos are out there. Also new features are being added to machines, so you’ll alway need to learn new stuff. I’ve gifted machines to sewing students. For a beginner, big bang for buck are the Brother Sew-Embroidery combo, aroundb300$. I like the high end Janome and Brother machines. The juki TL series are fantastic. I personally avoid Bernina. Get yourself an air-threading surger. My 1990’s Baby Lock held up great. I think they (B-L) lost sole propriety of air threading. I made my ironing boards. Use a dry iron and nice spray-steam iron. I’m gonna learn free motion quilting and how to combine my ipad with a sewing machine. New stuff for granny. BTW, men were always in tailor guilds, and knitted too. Thanks for reading!

Thank you Tim, you're very kind for sharing your wisdom. I learned some things from your long term experience. Live long and prosper my friend. I just purchased a used sewing machine, because I wanted to hem a bunch of shorts, and convert some old jeans into shorts, and before I knew it, I was fixing hoodies that had failed zippers, and turning cargo shorts into chino style shorts. This youtube thing is great! I learned in 3 weeks enough material to be halfway competent with a mechanical sewing machine. It's folks like you that make learning easy! You are a fantastic instructor. Thanks!

I’ve really come to appreciate #5, everyone makes mistakes. It’s just part of the process & to enjoy the process.

Thank you for sharing this fabulous information. I learned a lot. ❤

Thank you! I wish I had learned that I have to square up blocks before sewing them together.

Tim- I ❤ this. Wish I knew that actually sleeves have a front and back

Tim, you are the first person I thought of to tell. I just found out that cheap oven cleaner cleans an iron plate. Of course, use in well-ventilated area, and after treating, use the iron on steam and high heat on cotton scrap fabric.

Loved this down to earth..video.. Smiles from NY

Thank you about saying that mistakes can be made...I spent all day yesterday making pinwheels, and ripping them apart, and putting together, and ripping apart til I got it right. Very humbling:)

Hello Tim, I did a comment on one of your videos this morning - because it was my 1st time in your channel. So now, I’ve already watched 3 or 4 of your videos!! This was an awesome video, as well! Just like my -st impression of you, I TOTALLY LOVE YOUR RELAXED TEACHING STYLE & EXPLANATIONS!! Your honesty really comes through!! I’m thrilled to have subscribed 👍👍🤗🤗😬👏👏!! Thank you!!!

Press your pattern before cutting out (no steam!). Buy the best tools you can find. Keep a ziplock bag of scraps of every kind of interfacing, fusible, stay tape, tear-away, etc close at hand, so you have No Excuse not to use that bit of support that will make your project faultless.

Thanks Tim for taking the time to share the goodies! I appreciate all of your videos! Cheers

You will never know everthing.... I have been sewing for 60 years. And I still get tips from a youngster like you. Here are some reactions. Listen to your machine. If it is clattering, etc. Stop, clea, lubricate, inspect. In terms of quilting, be sure to plan your quilting before you start. I was a beginner and planned to quilt it by hand. If you want to use a stencil for the border pattern, make sur you border is wide enough to fit that border. And when you plan your quilting pa attention so you don't end up quilting on the seam allowances in every block. That bulk is hard to shove a needle through. Keep up the good work.

I know #10. At 70, having had a professional seamstress as my mother, I am continually learning from this wonderful community of sewist that are on KZfaq. I don't make quilts so there are some things I have learned but not used. However most mistakes, problems, techniques and tips are lessons for general sewing, and sometime just life.

I AM HOLLERING AT MY COMPUTER ABOUT THE BOBBIN! LOL!! OHMYGAWWD YESS!! OH THAT IS SO FREAKIN AGGRAVATING!!! I MEAN, YOU ARE SEWING ALONG, IN YOUR NICE ZEN MOMENT, LISTENING YOUR FAVORITE JAMS ON YOU TUBE THINKING YOU ARE DOING GREAT WITH YOUR SEWING THEN, YOU REALIZE, YOU ARE OUT OF FREAKIN BOBBIN THREAD!! LOL!!

Those little dental picks with brushes are great for around the bobbin case. I think we have all been bad about the needle changing. But, the industry standard used to be ever 8 hours of continuous sewing. I don't do it that often unless I'm working on something really important. What I would really like is a way to organize used needles. Like, if I swap a needle out because I'll be sewing with denim. How do I keep track of the all-purpose needle I take off, and the approximate time it had been used? My favorite tool for pushing out a corner is a chopstick. I have some plastic ones from Aldi that are perfect for it, but I've used disposable wooden ones as well. This was a great video. Thank you so much.

Very nice. You are refreshing and emboldening. Thanks for sharing. 👏

Love this. Love the hey, you'll screw up and it's ok and you'll never know everything. So many people think that oh they will be awesome and all knowing in a few short months or years and then reality hits. It's great to hear people that have been doing it for ages that you'll still screw up and you still don't know it all 😅

I have found the best (and cheapest!) product to clean my iron is Crest Anti Cavity Toothpaste. It’s the most basic toothpaste Crest makes and I usually get it at Dollar Tree. I just apply it with a damp cloth onto a warm iron, then wipe off all the built up gunk, like glue from interfacings, etc. with a damp cloth. My iron gets clean AND the room smells minty fresh for a while .😂 Works for me.

Thank you for the great tips (and pep talk, letting us know we're not alone making mistakes, and it's ok) I sure enjoy your videos, thank you for using your time to make them for us. 💕

You are so thoughtful for sharing ! You are so wonderful! 🎉

OMG Tim!!! I just got a "sidewinder"! It's a bobbin threader. Who knew I needed this in my life. Walmart had one on clearance and my BFF/roommate said "You have to get one because I'm tired of hearing about you running out of thread", I just bought 100 different colors of thread from Temu, and then realized that I had to get bobbins for each color. Now I'm thinking I just might need to order another 100 bobbins! AND the best part??!! It doesn't even feel like a chore to wind a bobbin now. Once I figured it out cause, ya know, Chinese instructions that aren't really??? Anyway, it's fun to use. Oh, and the "change your needle". YYEESSSS!!! I spent a few days trying to figure out what was wrong with my machine. Then one night on my way to work (I work overnight), it hit me that the needle was probably dull and needed changing. Great tips that I'm sure I'll forget about until it's too late, LOL. Thanks Tim.

💕Thank you so much for sharing. I've learned some of those the hard way. I'm still trying to convince myself that ironing/pressing makes a better outcome😂. I just don't want to get up from the sewing machine once I get started on a project. One of the best presents I ever got was a separate bobbin winder. I just have to make sure I have 2 spools of the same color thread😁

Tim - I love your tutorials. I always get a huge smile when you modify/correct your process on your videos. I think you leve them in because you hear me, "No no Tim, you may want to..." 😂 I was taught to sew by my Gram. She gave me so many tips and reasons why. I was originally a garment sewist (wedding gowns, formals, and all my good work clothing). Then COVID happened and I started quilting. If someone is using a pattern, review the steps. Think about their process. If it does not make sense, "you do you." As pattern makers can make errors. My favorite machines are 70s Swiss made. I do my own maintenance & repairs.😊

Makes note to change my needle next time I'm sewing.. Thanks

Great Stuff 😂 Doing the math was where I had no patience years ago...I t cost me greatly also due to not ironing .

Pipe cleaners are helpful for cleaning out the dust in tight spots too

Hi Tim. I know we will never meet in person, what a shame. Because I love sewing and crafts so , ipso facto, I love watching you offer up all your fun and informative videos. I am so grateful I found your channel. Thank you for being a generous and sharing educator and all around nice human being 😅Now let's get sewing🎉

IRON AND TOPSTICH!

Great ideas, Tim. Thanks.

Excellent advice!!

Great advice. Thanks.

#5 & #10, thanks for the encouragement, Tim. I don't consider myself a seamstress because I don't garment sew. However, Maker/Sewist is a better description. I love your videos, keep them coming ❤️

🎉 Great tips- love the simplicity of your creativity! ❤ We're not so intimidated when we see others do things in easy-to-use ways. Thanks for taking the time with us, to help us along our way of this never ending craft/skill.

Great Tips. I've experienced these too.

I use small children’s paint brushes to turn corners.

Love #5 Mistakes are normal proof of humanity 😊😊❤

Hello thank you for sharing your love for sewing and making useful tips with our mistakes hope I worded that correctly thank you !!!God Bless!!!❤

As usual, very good advice! Thanks Timothy!

thanks, Tim for the great tips! My method for picking quilt fabrics is easy. I select a multi colored fabric. I use the color dots on the salvage to match coordinating fabrics.

Oh my gosh! I learned so many things in this video! Thank you for posting this! ❤️💕

Such great advice!! I'm sure your grandmother loved that quilt anyway! Happy sewing!

Thanks for sharing. ❤

Me yesterday: "Oh, Tim Totten has a premiere video in the morning. 6am, I'm up by then. I don't need to click the "notify me" button." Yeah, that was the devil talking, LOL! I really enjoyed this video. These are all really good tips, and a good reminder that I need to do some of them more often. Except the making mistakes part, I could benefit from doing that a little less (seriously - I stitched a pocket with the opening towards the bottom not just on my current project, but on the one I did before it, too!). Thank you for sharing & next time I'll click that remind me button 🙂

In addition - you have given me some great ideas!

Very helpful. thanks. love the shirt

Thanks for sharing, Tim!

I prefer the term Seamster as it converts

I need some of those stiches that are not always available Blanket stich😢

You really mean I have to change my needle? The one in my machine has been there since…maybe 1985…I guess it’s time to splurge on some needles and bobbins (I thought two were enough!). Truthfully, I don’t sew (with a machine) at all anymore, since a neighbor managed to sew a stitch right through her finger 😫. Scared me to death! But maybe one day I’ll conquer my fear…..

I learned these lessons the hard way too. Thank you for the gentle reminders. Could you offer any help on how to calculate pricing on hand made items? Much appreciated.

What is your opinion on this?? There are several quilt videos, using can sprays and now glue. What do you think of using spray or glue??

Ty Tim great info

2nd attempt 😂: I prefer the term seamster as it covers all genders 😊

And another pet hate is not checking my messages before I send them. "Sewer " since childhood with a mother who worked in the House of Norman Hartnell, London, in the late 40s and 50s when the then Princess Elizabeth was marrying Prince Phillip. Hartnell designed the wedding dress and it was made in his workrooms by the 'sewers'.

Any sewing machine recommendations for the low-intermediately-skilled ?

enjoyed your lessons learned and unfortunately several examples sounded all too familiar. Thanks for putting this together.

Great info! Love your tshirt ! Do you have a link for the vac attachment?

Timothy I have a question, I have a computerized brother machine it’s a older one, I would like to know do I ever have to get it serviced? Thank you for all your help ❤

What is wrong with the word sewer" completely unisex says what you do, and ot as clumsy as 'sewist' and 'seamster' my pet hate words. Ugh of amIjust getting too old

I stared sewing in 1972. Thread tension and stitch length. I set up the machine and it was working. So, never touched either of them. They are so important. Always have your pressure foot up when you thread the machine. You need to get that thread between the tension disks. Great suggestions. Strive for 90% to 95% perfection. You will never achieve 100%. Don't beat yourself up. You will enjoy sewing more. Sewing for me is a hobby. I give or donate most of the things, that I make. Same with my crocheting. That way, I can use the colors and patterns, that I like and not forced to make certain items with certain colors and certain patterns. Much more enjoyable. I do make requested things. But, enjoy doing my own thing more.