It's Not the SIZE of the Thread, It's How You Use it!

You can always tell the newbies to sewing.

The recreational sewer will walk in and browse through the fabric. She usually goes for the pretty fabrics, whether she knows how to use them or not. She has enough experience to be somewhat confident, though, and enough money to completely scrap a failed project and buy or make a replacement.

The veterans and the professionals know the layout of the store. They march right up to the section they're looking for. They don't browse on purpose because they know they will buy something they don't need, and already have a huge stash at home. While waiting in line they will hand out extra coupons and answer other customer's questions. (They'll also sometimes loudly voice their opinions about products or techniques, whether we want to hear them or not.)

But the Newbies shuffle down the hall with wide eyes. They stand in the checkout line with full bolts of fabric. They buy lots of ribbon. They scold us for not selling every button ever made, because they can't match the one on their great-aunt Mildred's moth-eaten sweater.

They usually only want to attempt one of two things: a small home project, like drapes or a baby blanket, or they mistakenly believe it would be cheaper to recover a couch than to buy a new one. (A brand new couch costs $600-$1000. For a reupholstered old couch, the cost of fabric alone is $400-$1000 [10 yards at $40/yd], plus labor, and a pro might charge $500-$800 to do it. And Oh my God I don't care about where you got it or how much of a deal it was!!!!!)

They ask pretty standard questions: Can I use this fabric to make this? Would a yard be enough to make this?

But the question that most shows off your green is: "What kind of thread should I use to sew this?"

Of course naturally the novice seamstress is going to think of thread before she thinks of a needle. The sewing machine she found in the attic already has a needle! Why would she need another one?

Thread is important, yes. It bonds the fabric together. But after its stitched it just kinda lays there. Think of thread as glue. When you buy glue, do you buy the bottle with the spiffy little applicator tip? Or do you buy a bucket of it and smear it on with your hands?

There are a myriad of different types of needles out there. But the new sewer should only worry about the basics, the size of the needle, and the point of the needle.

The most commonly used needle size is 90/14. (14 is American and 90 is European. We can never agree on numbers.) This size is used for light to medium weight fabrics, like plain cotton and t-shirt material. It's always good to have an extra pack of these laying around.

In sewing, the smaller the number, the smaller the needle. Lightweight fabrics, like chiffon, charmeuse, or any fabric you can clearly see through, needs a lightweight needle. Needle sizes start at 60/8, but anything smaller than a 90/14 should work fine. Use your best judgment. Using a needle that is too big can leave holes in the fabric, or even worse tear the actual strands and cause the fabric to slowly unravel.

However, fabrics with a very open weave, like netting or cheesecloth, can "choke" your sewing machine by getting tangled in the bobbin mechanism. I suggest sewing these guys by hand unless you really know what you're doing.

When it comes to thicker fabrics, like denim and canvas, it's better to use a thicker needle. A 100/16 is thick enough to work with a thin denim or twill, but I usually tell customers to just grab the pack of needles that say "DENIM JEANS" at the top. Thicker fabric is less susceptible to holes and damage, but using too small of a needle can cause the needle to break, and if you make that needle mad, it's gonna come after you. Some particularly cautious people even say to use protective eyewear when sewing. At the counter, I once heard a story about how one lady's needle snapped while she was trying to sew through four layers of denim (not advised, btw). One piece of it flew up and lodged itself in her tearduct and she spent the night in the emergency room with a needle sticking out of her eye.

Another way to avoid these problems is to get the right point on your needle. There are three main points you should know, sharp, ball point, and universal.

Sharps are, well, sharp, and are good for woven fabrics. I think they're best for quilting, but I don't quilt.

Ball-points are best for knits and stretch fabrics. Sharper needles can tear the yarns in the knit, causing it to "ladder."Knits don't generally fray, so when a yarn breaks and starts to wriggle out of place, it leaves a run that kinda looks like a ladder. A ball-point needle has a rounded point so it pushes the yarns aside and leaves them unharmed.

Universals are kinda like a hybrid of the two. It's pointy like a sharp but the point is slightly rounded. They are safe to use with both wovens and knits, but if your sewing machine is skipping stitches, your best bet is to get more specific.

All-purpose thread is called that for a reason; you can use it to make pretty much anything. In fact, the only time I would say to use a different thread is if you're doing upholstery or something that is going to go outside. (Normal thread will decay faster when exposed to the elements. Go with a heavy polyester or nylon.)

Sewing takes a lot of common sense. Before you panic, just try to reason. Crafters have to be smart in order to make what they make. There's a lot of subconscious ticking going on in your dome. Take a second to listen to it. It might be easier than you think.

Helpful websites are out there too! I looked up this one in particular to make sure I had all my facts straight: http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/ig/Sewing-Machine-Needles/

"Flammable means Inflammable? What a country!"

A lot of grannies approach me at work with a bolt of flannel, and ask, "This says I cant make pajamas out of this. What can I use to make my granddaughter a nightie?"

Some fabrics say "Not suitable for children's sleepwear" even though it's obviously a fabric that most pajamas are made of. The only reason it says this is because it, and most other fabric, is flammable. Apparently, some kid back in the day got himself caught on fire while wearing his jammies and mommy and daddy sued the company that made the flannel.

This makes me worried about the priorities of most families. If you need to be warned that an organic material manufactured to let air collect in between it's fibers is combustible, and that putting it on your child could increase their probability of being engulfed in flames, maybe you should leave your baby in the care of someone with a couple more brain cells.


I guarantee the shirt you're wearing will catch fire if exposed to an open flame, whether you made it or bought it. Just watch your spawn. They wont become a blazing inferno by walking too close to the Christmas lights or by staring at a microwave. If you take your kid to a BBQ, just make sure he doesn't dive into the campfire after a rouge marshmallow. Don't dangle him over a bonfire. And by all means, please don't let him smoke. Its a disgusting habit.

Possibly Helpful Hints for the Panicked Halloween Crowd

I work at a fabric store, and Halloween is definitely the busiest time of year. So many people without any prior knowledge of garment construction come in looking for a way to make a last minute costume. I get so sick of hearing "How do I make this elaborate costume without sewing?" Usually I tell them spit and a prayer, but then I get a dirty look in return that seems to suggest its my job to make them this complex ensemble.

So to save us all time and a little frustration, here are my suggestions.

1. DO NOT BE MEAN TO THE EMPLOYEES. They work hard. They're generally friendly and willing to share their knowledge of the craft. Being mean (or arrogant) will get you nowhere.


2. IT'S A COSTUME. It is meant to be worn for one night. If you're lucky it will last a little longer, but it will just hog room in your closet until you throw it away in January. Don't go crazy trying to make it perfect.

3. DON'T AUTOMATICALLY GRAB THE FIRST THING YOU SEE. Merchandisers purposefully make a bunch of overpriced and cheaply made "costume" fabric, and put it up front for those quick shoppers to grab and go. Take a breath and look around a little. You might find something in the back that is more suitable. Example: One guy wanted to make an Orgazmo costume (a "porno superhero" that wears a pink spandex bodysuit.) He approached me with hot pink P L E A T H E R. A fabric that absolutely does not breathe and cost about $9 a yard. It's not for sewing novices and definitely not good for a body suit to be worn in Florida. We looked around for a bit and found a cotton knit that was both more comfortable (and less of a health risk), and it was on sale for less than half the price of the pleather! His girlfriend came into the store a few days later and actually thanked me for helping him.

4. CHANCES ARE YOU WILL NOT FIND A PERFECT MATCH. Last year there were about twenty people looking for the exact fabric that the Joker's shirt was made of in The Dark Knight. If you're looking for a solid, just get as close to the color as you can. If you cant find the color you're looking for, go with another one you like. If you're looking for an exact print, close your eyes and think about the print, and then open them and pick the one that looks most like the one in your head.


5. GLUE IS NOT THE ENEMY. Can't sew? Most of the Halloween crowd can't. It's ok. It doesn't make you any less talented to glue your costume together. Most of the cheaper pre-made Halloween costumes are made with glue. If they are sewn, most of the time, its one half-assed straight stitch. No serging, no reinforcement stitching. If you think you want to sew it to make it a little stronger (I recommend this for pants!!!) do a preemptive layer of glue and then sew over it after it dries. I personally don't like hot glue for anything that is apparel related. Get a small bottle of tacky glue (Fabri-tac, Sobo or Aleene's Tacky Glue in the gold bottle) or any other glue that says its safe to use on fabric. Just make sure to bring extra safety pins to the party.


6. KNOW YOUR MEASUREMENTS. Sometimes costume patterns will tell you to buy way more fabric than you need. Unless you are making a Ren-Fair dress or a Victorian bloomers, you probably wont need more than 6 yards for an adult costume. (That's factoring in a long-sleeved top, billowing full-length skirt, a cape, a hat, and anything else I forgot.) Generally, for adults, I say:
1 yard to cover just the torso
1 yard for long sleeves (1/4 or 1/2 for shorter sleeves)
2 to 2 1/2 yards for legs (pants or a full length skirt.)
3/4 for a shorter skirt
1 1/2 to 2 yards for shorts (you'll see why)
AT LEAST 1 1/2 yards for a short dress (even if you are short/cute!!! No one is that bootylicious!!!)
3 yards for a toga
2 yards for a cape
1 1/2 for a Witch's hat

Any other accessory (purse, hat, MJ glove) Shouldn't take more than a yard.

All these measurements should work with either 45" or 60" fabric (If the fabric is 42"-53", consider it 45", 54" and up works for 60") . If you aren't sure, or it doesn't look like it will be enough, remember that it's better to have more than less. Especially if you are accident prone.

I don't have kids, so it's probably better to trust the pattern than me for children's costumes. For really little ones, don't get more than 3 yards. Infants only need about half a yard, cause chances are they're gonna rip it off soon after you get a good picture of them in it anyway.


The most important thing to remember is to have fun. Everyone is going to be worrying about their costume too much to notice whatever imperfections are in yours, so don't worry if it's not perfect. More than likely you're gonna have to tell everyone at the party who/what you are anyway. Last year I went to a co-worker's party, after telling her about how excited I was about my costume. My husband and I went as Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood (from the first movie). I spent so much time making the iconic red pants and the shirt with the Moroccan embroidery. When we got to the party, my co-worker announced to everyone, "This is Jen, and she's a pirate!"

In case you didn't know already, my name is not Jen.

What do you do with a B.A. in English?

I graduated in 2008. I've been half-heartedly trying to get a job as a teacher, but rather unsuccessfully. When I was in school, I really wanted to be a teacher. When I was in college, I wanted to be a professor. Now I'm done with school. And unemployed.

I mean that in the statistical sense. I work two part time jobs, but there's no way I would be able to support myself and my husband on that income.

I started sewing when I was nine. I don't remember how it came to me, but I had a book that taught me how to make sock monkeys. It came with two pairs of the red-heeled socks, but after those were gone I started monkey-fying every other loose sock I could find. Then it moved up to sock bunnies, kitties, puppies, I had dozens of sock animals littering my room. Then I attempted to cut up a shirt to make it a camisole...

I failed. And I stuck with sock creatures until I ran out of socks.

Then when I was eleven, I went to Theatre Camp. During one of our days there, the prop designer had to handle the group, and she decided to teach us how to make drawstring bags.

This was my first time using a sewing machine. My bag turned out really well, but I wasn't too fond of the unnecessarily popularized drawstring backpack that was fashionable in the 90's. So I cast aside the product, but ingrained the technique into my brain.

When I was 16, I finally got a hold of my first sewing machine. I would sit on the floor with it and press the pedal with my knee. I didn't know anything about sewing. I didn't even know that there were stores that specifically sold fabric! I got all mine from recycled t-shirts and scraps from goodwill.

Through college, I always figured it would just be a hobby. I would be like all those other grown women who would occasionally make clothes for their children or whip up some curtains out of some old sheets.

Now that I'm out of school, and the economy has tanked, all those writing jobs are pretty much gone. Teaching jobs are scarce, but I honestly just don't wanna do it anymore. My new dream is to own my own boutique, go to fashion school. Maybe I might try out for project runway.

But the well has run dry for college funding. After 4 years of tuition costs and one big ass wedding, there is no way I can get the dinero to go to school again.

So I'm trying to get all the books and vlogs and experience tips that I can use to teach myself for now. Maybe when my husband gets out of law school we can talk about a degree in design.

Help a sistah out?