Teagan Jacobs

Has your sewing machine had a drink lately? Your sewing machine needs regular oiling to keep things running smoothly. Lubricating your machine reduces friction between its moving parts, helping to prevent wear and tear that can lead to issues later on. It’s one of the simplest ways to extend your machine’s life and maintain its performance. Don’t just use any oil though. Always check your sewing machine manual and see what is recommended for your specific machine. #teaganjacobs #sewingmachine #sewingtips #sewingforbeginners #sewtok #howtosew

It’s in the details that no one notices, and for a good reason: it’s meant to be invisible, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or quick. I always finish my tiny drawstrings and straps with a ladder stitch by hand. I just find that using a sewing machine to close tubes never looks as nice, I’m not a fan of top stitching. And since it’s such a small tube- 5mm, the machine will typically eat it up anyway. It’s just a recipe for a tangled mess. #teaganjacobs #handsewing #sewtok #sewingtiktok #ladderstitch #slipstitch #invisiblestitch #howtosew #fashiondiy

Sewing pop quiz: lock in your answer below 🔒 If you’re new to using bias tape, you might have noticed it bubbling or rippling around armholes. Even after you iron it. Gently stretching the tape as you sew helps it contour smoothly to the curve, preventing these issues. Bias tape also acts as a stabiliser, helping the armhole maintain its shape and preventing it from stretching out over time. #teaganjacobs #biastape #sewtok #sewingtips #sewingtricks #sewistsoftiktok #sewingtutorial #beginnersewing

It’s just me and my pleats against the world 🪡 This is one of my favourite fabric manipulation techniques as it’s rather simple, yet when multiplied and manipulated on the dress form, it creates a satisfying texture that looks harder than it is. My favourite fabric to pleat is tulle, it’s the perfect lightweight fabric with a little stretch so it’s easier to work with the body. Here are some of the bodices and dresses I’ve sewn using this technique 🤍 #teaganjacobs #knifepleat #pleats #fabricmanipulation #fashiondesigner #sewtok #handsewing

Some of my recent sewing mistakes and outtakes caught on camera 😭. From jammed sewing machines, pulled lace, knotted threads and holes in fabric 🥲. Sometimes it feels like there’s more mistakes than wins. #teaganjacobs #outtakes #howtosew #sewing #sewtok

How to finish your bias tape ends. Last year I showed you how I finish the ends of my bias tape. But since then I’ve changed up my technique and now it’s time I share it with you! This technique is less fiddly, and easier to finish perfectly, with less chance of error. Firstly, sew your bias tape inside out. You want this seam to be fairly small, I did 0.7cm and trimmed to about 0.4cm. Next, trim off the corners, and clip into where the fabric folds. Turn the bias tape the right way round, you can always use something sharp like tweezers to push out the corner so it’s nice and crisp. Now, all we do is tuck the folds, and sew it shut! Make sure you give your bias tape a press for the crispiest and cleanest result. #teaganjacobs #biastape #fashiondiy #sewingforbeginners #sewinghacks #sewingtutorial #sewtok

Thread zapper! I’m giving this gadget a second go, after using it to cut out organza flowers. I thought I’d use it for its intended purpose- to zap threads. I was really excited to use this sewing tool to zap all the threads off of my embroidery piece, but then it stopped working 😭 #teaganjacobs #threadzapper #sewinghacks #sewingtips #embroidery #sewtok #DIY #sewistsoftiktok #fashiondiy #sewwithme

My second most asked question whenever I drape anything on the dressform is “how do you not sew the dress form?”. And the answer is simple! Draping tape. Draping tape is a thin adhesive tape used to map out style lines and seams on the dress form. It also has a slight stretch so you can tape out curves. The tape acts as a barrier between the fabric and the form, allowing me to glide my needle across it when hand sewing knife pleats. I find that using a dark coloured tape works best, as it’s easier to see through light coloured fabrics. #teaganjacobs #handsewing #fabricmanipulation #draping #sewtok #sewingtips

If it’s your first time trying a rolled hem foot I recommend using a very lightweight cotton, and testing the foot on a straight rectangle or square. Chiffon, curves and circles come after! Start by measuring the opening of your foot, and trimming the corner of your fabric about the same width. The trickiest part of using the rolled hem foot is starting. You want to feed the fabric through the cone of the foot (the little tube that rolls the fabric over). You can also do this with the help of tweezers or a pin. I like to go slow, and start to gently lower the foot so I can keep the fabric in place while it’s moving through the cone. You want to make sure the raw edge of the fabric is touching the left inside of the foot, and the fabric is folded at the right inside of the foot. Any more or less, you’ll run into trouble. While sewing, I like to hold the fabric between my two index fingers, holding the fabric at this angle seems to help me guide the fabric in easier, and have more control over the width of the curve. Go slow, take a deep breath and keep at it. #teaganjacobs #sewingtutorial #sewingtricks #sewtok #sewinghacks

A general guide to help you pick your sewing machine tension, stitch length, and needle based off of popular organic and synthetic fabrics. Every machine operates differently, always test new settings on a scrap piece of fabric and adjust accordingly 🤎 #teaganjacobs #sewtok #sewingtips #sewingtricks #beginnersewing