Grandma's 5 Sewing Secrets

[@qormi1000]

Boom! Wish I had met your grandmother. Thank you.

[@GM-qq1wi]

Billy is going to slay in his denim waistband circle skirt with its strap/tie closure.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Poor Billy :)

[@TaDarling1]

Dude, I don't even know your grandmother but I think I love her. Those first 5 sewing secrets were truly innovative. Beginner sewers in particular, can benefit from knowing how to accomplish basic sewing tasks without the need to purchase a lot of expensive sewing tools and gadgets.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

You've done a wonderful job summing up in one paragraph what took me a full video to get to :) Yes, it takes very little to start sewing. These were a lot things I did when I first got started, so why not share them ...

[@kima.6611]

The curlers brought a tear to my eye. I took my grandmother's curlers out Sunday mornings and poisoned us with a half can of Aquanet. She passed when I was 12, I'm nearly 50 now.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself and your family.

[@danielpearl923]

It's true! You can save a lot of money by using what you already have and making it work. Also, get things for free by telling people you sew and welcome donations of used sewing equipment. Many people have to dispose of the lifetime collection of a sewer who probably took good care of every item. It means everything to someone who will use it and is merely a problem to those who don't sew.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

You bring up a great idea in asking for these things.

[@AlejandraSabina]

Your mom and your grandma were definitely special! Here are some of my money saving tips when sewing: 1. Water soluble markers for kids make great marking tools, they are very cheap and when you wash the item, it disappears. 2. Old x-rays make great drafting paper for those small patterns you use again and again, like during COVID-19 for face masks, underwear, brackets, etc. They will last a lifetime. 3. You can make a lamp to hang on top of your sewing area with an old iron cable, and a couple of things from the hardware store. You can also use an extension and make it as long as you need it. 4. When I dispose of clothes, the good one goes to charity, the not-so-lucky one, I take away the buttons, zippers, decorations, then cut the remaining fabric in squares, put it through the serger and you use it for cleaning. 5. Cheap Tupperware or old boxes, makes for great organizing. Just label them and stack them one on top of the other. 6. An old big plastic container, like 114oz ketchup or Mayo one, is great to throw your bits and small pieces of fabrics. Keeps the space clean and also when you have enough, make a nice cushion for the living room or stuffed toys. 7. Save plastic containers of the same brand and size, cut them up like cups, add some decorations and use them to keep things like small tools and items you need to have around your sewing area but you don't want the mess. 8. Fill up small cloth bags you can sew with rice, use them as weights. You can also buy cheap but heavy things at the hardware store and use them for weights. 9. Sew a utility belt to go around your sewing machine arm. Add your thread snip scissors with its case, a pin cushion and a retractable measuring tape. 10. Get a box, cut it into pieces of 10 x 6,5", wrap your fabrics on them, and organize your fabrics as books on a bookshelf. I have a few more. Necessity is the mother of all inventions.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Oh wow, this is an nice long list of fantastic tips! Thank you for sharing them. I'll be using a few myself :)

[@Which-Craft]

This is why I'm historically inspired, if not historically accurate - our grandmas knew stuff!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

They sure did!

[@gibraltabago]

I think we had the same grandmother! Learned these tricks at the feet of my mom. She did not have the money to buy gadgets so she improvised and taught me to improvise also. Thanks for bringing them back!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Oh nice. I appreciate how scrappy she was. Improvisation for the win indeed!

[@jimhooper4252]

I love grandma’s tips ...any more ? Thanks so much

[@CorneliusQuiring]

She's got a whole stash of them. I'll see if I can convince here to share a few more soon :)

[@ineedsunshine]

Please do!

[@Katylest]

Newpaper Drafting paper is a revelation

[@CorneliusQuiring]

My work here is done then :)

[@debSilbert]

But who has newspaper any more?

[@ineedsunshine]

​@debSilbert Amazon here has switched from bubble wrap to crumpled brown paper in packages. I save that brown paper for pattern drafting.

[@JoJo-lu8ut]

I love these sewing tips! The cardboard shim (under the presser foot) is a real game changer. I’m a mask maker this year (COVID 3-layer fabric face masks), and this makes the process go so much faster and easier. Also, my husband and kids are hearing much less swearing shouted from my werkstube (in Plautdietsch, of course, but still...). Thanks, Corn!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I am happy to hear that you enjoyed these tips and thank you for sharing your story. Plautdietsch swear words are the fun ones so good on you with restraining. 😁

[@spotsill]

Your grandmother was brilliant 👍👍.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Haha. Indeed she was. 😊

[@sewcute_sewvintage]

I totally grew up making patterns on news print

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Nice!

[@carols8090]

Excellent camera work! I wish you continued success with your channel! Thank you for posting.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thank you!

[@johnlaprairie7837]

Make it work. My Gram and my Mom were amazing sewers.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I hope you've been able to learn from the women in your life :)

[@solitaryman8563]

Good content Corn to get people thinking outside the box! Nowadays, I think when we're faced with a challenge or need with a sewing project, many of us quickly head to the notions store to see if there is a tool to offer assistance with the challenge, rather than problem solve it ourselves. As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention." My Nan was very creative and shared many tricks and tips with me, thankfully, as she is no longer with us. Thank you for the reminder that we truly do not need all those widgets out there to complete our projects, just a bit of problem solving skills 😁 Have a wonderful week my friend!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Well thank you. I am glad you think so and if I can have a bit of fun sharing the ideas, it's a thumbs up from me.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Also, I like the sound of your Nan. 🙂

[@saraaronzon4562]

Love your grandma

[@CorneliusQuiring]

A prize she is indeed.

[@patriciajrs46]

So true. You and grandma.

[@carolinalevady5733]

i love the way you explain everything! poor billy...!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Oh wonderful. Billy will be okay though, he's get a new little number :)

[@altaroberts5105]

My mother taught me to use newspaper for pattern darfting. Nice big pages.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Nice and frugal.

[@EmL-kg5gn]

Thank you to you and your Grandmother, this video is exactly what I needed!!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I'm glad to hear it.

[@ArtBringsPeace]

Absolutely amazing work. I have been watching your videos since yesterday and I can't stop from watching next in the row. Each time I tell myself, that's it for now but... Amazing filming and fantastic stitching. 😊

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Oh my! Well thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching :)

[@janfranklin2114]

Surprisingly I knew all of these. Of course, I'm probably almost as old as grandma heck I am a grandma. You're right we need to figure out how to problem-solve with what we have on hand. Being resourceful never gets old or goes out of style.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I imagine you could also easily double or triple this list of tips & tricks. I also hope your grandchildren aren't taking you for granted like some of us have and learn the myriad of things you know about sewing and life.

[@Demoloria]

You are a very great and hilarious man. Definitely subbing!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thank you for the kind words. I am happy hear it.

[@sashamandaione2860]

Fantastic tips!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

😊🙏🏻

[@ollad0122]

*Cornelius Quiring* Good content

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thank you.

[@SewAnother]

Cool tips!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thanks. 🙂

[@karen_b6023]

Dang! That Memaw was a smart chick. 😊

[@CorneliusQuiring]

indeed she was :)

[@helenakhudyna2360]

Do you have some more of this grandma wisdom?

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I do. Perhaps I do a follow up with another video :)

[@matmarluk]

Do this is Plautdietsch please!

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Ha! That's not a bad idea. 😊

[@matmarluk]

@@CorneliusQuiring I'll keep a lookout for it 😀

[@lindsaygoodwin3140]

You can get proper fabric at thrift stores, no need to use bedsheets. Your hair looks great.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Thanks for the tip.

[@liekie]

For the strap I just use sewing double sewing thread instead of a string.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Oh nice, that's a good approach. Thanks for sharing.

[@liekie]

@@CorneliusQuiring And don't forget to make a knot at the end of the thread before sewing. It prevents the thread from slipping out when turning the strap.

[@newdimension4731]

My mom use to do that with La Presse the big newspaper take our measurment on us... and cut out the pattern... she was an AMAZING fairy 🎇

[@paulascott7330]

Grandma had a treadle machine not a serger! But she probably would have loved it....

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Yes she would've. Even mom had a treadle :)

[@ayfr.]

But grandma didn't have an overlock machine.... she had a Straight-stitch Treadle machine.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Dammmmnnnnn, that's a truth nugget I wasn't ready for. There goes the whole concept of this video! Might as well delete. 🤷

[@sangredelic]

Raise your hand if your grandparents had the closet full of wrapping paper 🖐️

[@CorneliusQuiring]

No need to ever get more :)

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

They're good ones, but they aren't secrets...anymore. I like to use parchment paper in 18" wide rolls for patterns. It's cheap, and you can trace with it, then bake some cookies on it.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

That's the problem with secrets, huh? Once they're shared, well ... I like the way you're thinking with the parchment paper. Multiple uses! But now you've got me salivating thinking about home baked cookies ... mmmmm.

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

@@CorneliusQuiring I know right! would love some too

[@altaroberts5105]

I use masking tape when I can't or don't want to use pins.

[@G.L.McCarthy-vr1oe]

Oh CQ, did you spend time w/ my grandma? Only thing you forgot was how she'd get our attention, quick thimble to the top of the noggin ;-)

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Ha, that thimble sure has many uses :)

[@cholulahotsauce6166]

Grandma raised 8 on a farmers income.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Grandma sounds like a resourceful person. Good on her.

[@peepers4763]

Gizmos and gadgets, not needed but those nasty sales pitch make we want especially gizmos. Waste of money so grandma was right but I have a full junk drawer, a thin wallet though.

[@CorneliusQuiring]

Grandma is rarely wrong. Just don't tell her of your misdeeds for for of an "I told you so" moment :)

[@SevenofEleven]

Did she have tape

[@SevenofEleven]

Did she have an overlocker? I'm developing this mindset

[@CorneliusQuiring]

She had a go get'em attitude and that's mostly all she needed :)

[@guzuse7199]

Don't cross grandmacorn

[@CorneliusQuiring]

I wouldn't advise it!

[@brittanygreen]

Now, I know your hair secrets....😅

[@CorneliusQuiring]

:)