December 26, 2019

Hi everyone, Welcome to Day 2 of our 12 Days Of Christmas celebration! Today we are giving away another $25 Pixie Faire gift card one lucky winner!

Giveaway Update: Congrats to RuthAnn D. she is the winner of the $25 gift card and has been contacted by email!

The gift card can be used towards any item available on Pixie Faire! Woot, Woot!

Bonus Fun For Sewing With Cinnamon! Just 11 days left to take advantage of our promotional pricing for just $96.00 for an annual Sewing With Cinnamon membership. That's almost half-off the current rate of $14.99/month! This offer will be good for twelve days only - December 25th - January 5th, so don't miss out!

If you're not interested in the annual subscription, you can also join at the monthly rate of $14.99 and cancel at any time. You will receive all of the bonuses and content for the current month, and subsequent months while you are a member.

Learn more about all the amazing benefits of the Sewing With Cinnamon membership community here: Sewing With Cinnamon and stay tuned as we announce all the surprises that will be offered to new and existing subscribers during the 12 days of Christmas celebration!

But wait! There's more!

To sweeten the deal even more, we've added a new bonus for all Sewing With Cinnamon members - the Liberty Jane Ginza Girl pattern and the full sew-along video is now a permenently free SWC bonus! Make this darling coat dress and capelet for your 18-inch American Girl doll with complete confidence!

How To Enter The PF Gift Card Giveaway:

Simply comment on this blog post finishing the following sentence…

“My favorite sewing tip or trick is..."

Comments must be left (on this blog post) by midnight (pacific) on Thursday 12/26/2019.

One entry per person.

No purchase necessary, void where prohibited. Must be 18 or older to enter. While we wish we could run this contest everywhere, for legal reasons it is only open to eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada, not including Rhode Island. This contest is exclusively endorsed by Liberty Jane Clothing and Pixie Faire.

The winner will be chosen randomly from the comments received and contacted through the email provided in the comment. We will update the post with the chosen winner as well on the following day.

Additionally, by commenting, you agree to allow us to use your comments for future promotional activities. In other words – we might quote you when we are putting together new testimonial pages. If you’re not okay with that – don’t leave a comment

We will choose a winner and modify this post tomorrow to let everyone know who won.

Okay, good luck, and if we’ve forgotten anything we will modify and/or update this post as needed.

We hope you enjoy our 12 Days Of Christmas!

Cinnamon & Jason and the Pixie Faire Team

100 Comments

Angela

December 26, 2019

One of my favorite sewing tools is frixion pens. I can use them to mark my fabric when I’m modifying or creating pattern and they erase with the heat of the iron.
Another favorite tool is my container of scissors. When I misplace a pair, or use a pair to hold my book open, I can grab another set.

Holly

December 26, 2019

There have been so many tips and tricks I have learned this past year that it’s hard to really pick a favorite. They have all been A HA moments!

Kim

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is using wonder tape to hold everything in place while you sew those tiny garments.

Sandra Rowe

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is when turning a corner, sew to the end of the first seam, Fold the fabric to the sewing line before sewing down the other side of the corner.

Judith Flynn

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to use several layers of painters tape to build a ledge and place it along the 1/4” mark on your sewing machine for perfect 1/4” seams. Learned this from a utube blog post.

Cherie

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to transfer patterns to card stock then use air dissolving pen to trace pattern to fabric. I keep directions on ipad.

Carol

December 26, 2019

My favourite tip is! To use a hammer t smash the thick seams, especially when using thick fabrics like denim. It allows the needle to penetrate easier!

Kathy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to use small pieces of printer paper to start a seam when making doll clothes. Once you print out the patterns you have a lot of wasted paper, so I cut that into small pieces and use it. It works great for me and is easy to pull off.

Doris

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is – all the tips that have been posted

Atara

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to lift up the foot to turn corners.

Melinda Crowe

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is using 1/4 or 1/8 in quilter’s tape to hold trims/lace in place when attaching to your outfit.

Connie

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip was from a teacher way back. We are always happy rippers, always doing it with a smile. I always think of her when I am ripping and it makes me smile.

Kelly P.

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick for sewing doll clothes is to use a 1/4" quilting/piecing foot to sew scant quarter-inch seams consistently and quickly. My second favorite tip is that when I sew corners on collars and such, to get a really nice point, without any bulk or bunching, is to sew to the corner, then take one stitch diagonally, then make the right turn to go to the next side of the corner. I trim the sewn sides of the collar, with the under-cover seam width slightly cut at a slightly narrower width. Lastly, I also cut the dog ear triangle from the corner, near to the diagonal stitch, but not through it, before turning the collar right-side-out.

Rochelle

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip – is when there’s an oops!!! REMEMBER – this is a creative opportunity – don’t look at it as a mistake. Maybe you cut it down for a smaller doll, maybe the sleeve set in wrong looks great and it’s time to make the other one match. Let your imagination flow!

Heidi

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to read the instructions as you go along, especially if it’s a pattern you are using for the first time. Don’t assume because you have done something similar before that it’s going to be done the same way this time and that you don’t have to read the instructions. I have been guilty of this and had to remove stitches and redo.

Lori Morton

December 26, 2019

ALWAYS read direction all the way through before starting any project :)

Christine

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to keep a small ceramic bowl next to my sewing area to throw loose threads and small scraps of fabric into while I’m sewing, This keeps my sewing area clean and is easily emptied after each project.

Patricia

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is keep your sewing room well organized. I know it is a hard task so to help make it easier for me I use photo boxes with a name plate and I mark each box of what is inside (zippers, ribbons, trim, velcro, snaps, etc). I also use mason jars for my buttons and hung them on the wall so it is easier to see the colors. Another trick is to put your scraps in a see-through plastic container (this is especially handy while doing applique or in the hoop projects). Keeping your materials and notions organized cuts down on time. I don’t know how many times I wasted time looking for everything and by time I got all the materials and notions together I was exhausted and ended up not sewing as much as I planned on.

Marge R (mer)

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is: printing all doll patterns on Freezer Paper to iron directly onto fabric w/no pins needed, store in clear sheet protectors in 3-ring notebooks to use over & over w/out re-printing. Also, using Wonder Tape (often trimmed in half to 1/8 inch) for perfect stitching each time w/out needing to rip out – WONDER-ful tape for sewing knits! ;’)

Amy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip/trick is for gathering – instead of a large running stitch I pull out a long length of bobbin and top thread and then zig-zag along it – forming a tread casing and drawstring. It is much easier to draw up into gathers and doesn’t break – ever.

Sue

December 26, 2019

My favourite sewing tip is to fill a pencil case with scissors, seam ripper, pins, needle kit, measuring tape, basic thread colours, safety pins, pencil/paper and anything else needed specifically for “today’s project”. This becomes my travelling sewing kit for trips, busy work in front of the tv or anywhere else I might ‘need’ to sew!

Karen

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to have your ripper handy. Don’t view mistakes as failure rather as learning opportunities.

Vicky Wells

December 26, 2019

My tip is let your child or grandchild pick out fabrics, trims, and assist with the sewing as age allows. My granddaughter is convinced she will be a fashion designer when she grows up!

Cindy

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip or trick for sewing is to always wash and iron my fabrics. This keeps them from shrinking later and ironing makes them look more professional.

Cindi T

December 26, 2019

My favorite is my seam ripper. I can use it to unpick seams and as a pointer to hold and guide fabric as I sew.

NANCY

December 26, 2019

I ESPECIALLU ENJOY THE VINTAGE PATTERNS.

Norma

December 26, 2019

My favourite sewing tip is turning on my iron when I turn on my sewing machine.

Kami Jan

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to have everything you need handy before you begin…weights, elastic, ribbon, lace, materials. Everything. It’s so much faster than having to look for something in the middle of your project.

DJ

December 26, 2019

Make it your own…only you know if your pattern has 2 or 3 pleats, buttons or a zipper, round or square collar. Turn a mistake into a design element.
…then take credit for your creativity.

Cathy

December 26, 2019

Love this site. Allows me to feel young again and provides wonderful patterns for my granddaughters’ American girl dolls. Thank you!

Mary G.

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is using an invisible ink pen to mark fabric. Works great and just spray with water to remove the markings.

Mary

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to use coffee filters under most 1/4" clothes seams and 1/8" top stitching on shoes and change needles often – every 10 hours or so of sewing.

Bonita Schultz

December 26, 2019

My favorite trick is to cut a whole package of elastic to pants size when I’m sewing in bulk. I string them on a large safety pin and pull off as needed. Saves time not measuring out each time.

Kim

December 26, 2019

My favoritesewing trick is using coffee filters for sewing knits or tiny pieces so my machine doesn’t “eat” them.

Marlene

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to tape the zipper on before I sew it.

Kim

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use bobbins leftover from previous projects to do gathering stitches. With the gathering stitches being different colors than your project, they are easy to see and remove. PLUS, you empty the bobbin of extra thread and don’t waste. it.

Pamela

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip, and one that was included in one of the designer’s patterns, is to hand-baste tiny curves such as bodice curves rather than trying to pin them before sewing them with the machine. It takes less time that pinning and re-pinning, and gives a beautiful curve!

Olive

December 26, 2019

My most used sewing tip is to remember that I do this for fun.

Wilma Hester

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use floral corage pins instead of straight pins. They are easier to handle, easier to remove as you sew, also easier to sew across.

Janet KH

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing trick is to press, press, press.

J.J. Goody

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is using the water soluble pencils to not only draw where to cut but where to sew.

Judy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is using 1/4” wonder tape for matching ends when serging.

Cynthia

December 26, 2019

I cut out a few patterns for various dolls at a time and put the cut pieces in small baskets i purchsed at the dollar store, a separate basket for each outfit. When I start sewing, I keep the baskets on my sewing table so that I can switch from outfit to outfit to do all the sleeves at once, or the outfits needing the same colour threads, etcetera.

Liana

December 26, 2019

Your iron is your sewing machine’s best friend! Press and press again.

Juanita Owenby

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip or sewing trick is: Press everything as I sew, to give the item a professional look. And, it works! (Oh, but I love that darling coat/dress pattern. Pixie Faire, you and the designers keep getting better and better.) Thanks!

Kathy

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to ALWAYS put a small piece of tissue paper under your fabric when you start a seam. Keeps the fabric from being pulled down into the feed dogs. Especially good when using knits or making doll clothes.

Jean

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to read the instructions through, look at all pattern pieces and make sure I understand exactly how to sew the garment before beginning.

Sharon B.

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is reading all of the other tips that this group submits – it is so wonderful that people are so willing to share the little things that will make it easier for all of us!

Kathy W.

December 26, 2019

fMy favorite sewing tip is that fabric turns more easily along a stitched line, especially helpful for narrow hems.

Monique

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewinf tip is to print patterms on card stock.

Susan Russell

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is there’s always a way to recycle parts of any clothing to use for doll clothes.

Marcie

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is always have tweezers near. I use them so much when I am sewing.

Linda

December 26, 2019

My favorite tips are keep a seam reaper close, use the 1/4 stitch foot and make sure you have plenty of light to see the little details.

Marlene

December 26, 2019

My favorite trick is to change my sewing machine needle often and press as I sew.

Carola

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip…hemming knits with the help of iron-on knit interfacing. I’ve used it with girls circular skirts as well as doll clothes.

Jane Parks

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use pinking shears to trim curved seams. It is easier than clipping the seams.

Tamara G

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is a simple but sometimes overlooked one and that is to iron/press at every stage of sewing a garment. It makes the garment go together better and results in a more professional finished product. Love reading all these tips!

Juanita Owenby

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip from Pixie Faire is: Press everything as you sew an item! … to get that professional look, and it works!

Joanne G

December 26, 2019

I work as a bridal seamstress. My favorite sewing trick is using a knit picker to tie off threads when altering a beaded dress.

Cynthia

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to zigzag over dental floss to make easy gathers.

Junice

December 26, 2019

I press a number of pieces and place the pressed fabric together in plastic boxes by color, so when I ready to cut, the fabric is pressed and ready to go.

Jacquie Corrigan

December 26, 2019

My favourite sewing tip is to use a gardeners cloth for my pattern pieces. It lies nicely on the fashion fabric and there is less distortion when I am pinning. It is like what used to be called do-sew in my “younger years!”

Marjorie

December 26, 2019

My tip is that I download my Pixie Faire patterns to a file on my computer so that I can print them out when I’m ready to sew and then my favorite patterns I send to a “thumb drive” so that I always have them in case I loose my files on the computer.

Elizabeth

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick when using digital patterns, is to print the pattern pieces out on tracing paper. It’s lightweight; takes up less room than regular printing paper when you have a lot of patterns and small storage, and feels like real pattern paper.

Cristy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to insert the elastic before sewing up the side seams and to use a walking foot when working with knits!

Dorothy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to sew the sleeves to the body before doing the side seams for doll clothes. SO much easier when dealing with small pieces.

Lori

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip or trick is something I just learned from the gathering class taught by Shari Fuller. I would never have thought to backstitch in the middle when gathering to help keep the gathers even and not pulled out.

Lori

December 26, 2019

Carol Adams

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to read the entire pattern before doing anything to ensure you have all the necessary tools and products.

Della S

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to have the computer on and right where I can follow the directions as I sew.

Suzi

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing trick and advice is to press, press, press. It makes the difference between a professional look and not.

Alice Denny

December 26, 2019

I use a tiny piece of Wonder tape to hold the ends of my elastic together when stitching them. It ends the frustration of either pinning 1/4" or 1/8" elastic or trying to hold them together as I sew.

Jan Taylor

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to tilt you sewing machine toward you. I use door stops. It saves on your back!

Holly

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip or trick is to use weights from the weigh room as pattern weights to hold down patterns while cutting – this doesn’t work for doll sized patterns, but it does for human sized!

Cath

December 26, 2019

Hi all; My favorite doll sewing thing to do is print out all my patterns as soon as I download them from Pixie Faire. I print them, cut them all out and put them in clear sleeves in a 3-ring binder. That way, when I am in a sewing mood, I can just grab the binder and pull the pattern pieces and pattern out of the clear binder. That way, when I am all excited because I just found some super cool fabric, I don’t have to wait while I am cutting out the pattern. It’s as ready to go as I am.
Thank you, Pixie Faire team for all the fun you have given me over the years.
You all have a wonderful new year. Happy stitching! —cath

Kimberly C

December 26, 2019

My favorite tips are ironing and using the 1/4 foot.

Mim

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is if I am making multiples of a project, to cut all of them out. Then begin to sew, doing each step of the pattern on each item before moving to the next step. For example when sewing the neckline, sew the neckline on all of the products before moving to the next step. It cuts down on the time!

Michele Anderson

December 26, 2019

Sewing with Cinnamon is full of helpful tips and tricks for sewing with so many different fabrics other than just cotton. I have probably utilized the tips regarding sewing with knits the most. Using strips of fusible interfacing along tricky seams of lightweight knits has been a game changer!.

Yvonne Gandara-Belsky

December 26, 2019

Folding the corner before turning for a crisp edge without poking and potentially distorting the corner

Linda Burris

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to print off my Pixie Faire patterns with two sets of patterns. I bind the directions and one set of patterns with a clear plastic cover and plastic strip to bind them together. I include a clear plastic page cover in the back of the book and have the second set of patterns for cutting in the clear pocket.

Laurie

December 26, 2019

I keep the dog and cat out of my sewing room, no hair on my projects and no to distractions.

Bonnie Reemsnyder

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to hem doll clothes pant legs before sewing up the side seams.

Mary

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to read all instructions before starting and press as you go.

Julie

December 26, 2019

I keep a favorite mug of mine on my sewing table and use that as a thread catcher for all the bits of thread and trimmed seams.

Beaj

December 26, 2019

My favorite way of doing things is read instructions, gather materials & supplies and have my iron on and them I’m ready to sew. :)

Elin M.

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is B-Gone pens that disappear with water. I use them a lot, but most in sewing darts. Make the dots from pattern to fabric then connect dots for a great sewing guide.If needed continue line to point, use pin to be sure lines match up.

Julie F

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to check out the hardware/tool store for inexpensive gadgets and tools to use in the sewing room. I have an extendable magnet I can collapse and store in my pencil cup. It pulls out; I can sweep the floor for dropped pins. The guys use these to pick up dropped nails, screws, etc. I have a magnetic parts holder that is bowl shaped. I toss my pins at it & they don’t spill out. Caution: keep away from electronic machines.

Joy

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use lots of rick rack. It always looks great. :)

Janice

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to read that pattern all the way through before starting. I like to understand what is involved in the many steps ahead of time so that I don’t miss something that is important.

Linda White

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip is to use Stitch Witchery to turn under narrow hems on knits. It’s almost impossible to pin those with tissue paper under them, but Stitch Witchery holds it together and stabilizes it so that you can sew over top without paper underneath.

Tara

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip would be the use of 1/4 tape for trims. I use to get so frustrated sewing them on and now it is a breeze.

MARNIE

December 26, 2019

My tip is to clean my work space at the end of each day. The next day I start already clean and organized.

Sally

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use dissolvable 1/4" tape when sewing on trims, narrow hems, and even zippers.

Marsha

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is keeping a clean organized work space, with the most used items right at hand.

Ann

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to use tissue paper when sewing knits.

Carol L

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to start sewing on a scrap of fabric before starting a seam. It keeps the starting edge of the seam from being pulled down into the needle hole on the throat plate of the machine.

Randy Keller

December 26, 2019

Use iron on interfacing to make perfect pockets

Julie Vasbinder

December 26, 2019

One of my favorite sewing tips is: I put buttons in a Ziploc bag when looking for the right size, color, etc. Doing this keeps the buttons from falling on the floor while looking for the right one.

Sandee

December 26, 2019

My favorite tip or trick is, I zig zag over fine crochet thread to gather skirts. Less likely to break as you are pulling up the gathers. I then remove it after the final sewing. I find I spend less time being frustrated by broken thread.

VICKI

December 26, 2019

My favorite sewing tip is to press as you go!

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December 26, 2019

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12 Days of Christmas - Day 2 - December 26th 2019

How To Enter The PF Gift Card Giveaway:

100 Comments

Angela

Holly

Kim

Sandra Rowe

Judith Flynn

Cherie

Carol

Kathy

Doris

Atara

Melinda Crowe

Connie

Kelly P.

Rochelle

Heidi

Lori Morton

Christine

Patricia

Marge R (mer)

Amy

Sue

Karen

Vicky Wells

Cindy

Cindi T

NANCY

Norma

Kami Jan

DJ

Cathy

Mary G.

Mary

Bonita Schultz

Kim

Marlene

Kim

Pamela

Olive

Wilma Hester

Janet KH

J.J. Goody

Judy

Cynthia

Liana

Juanita Owenby

Kathy

Jean

Sharon B.

Kathy W.

Monique

Susan Russell

Marcie

Linda

Marlene

Carola

Jane Parks

Tamara G

Juanita Owenby

Joanne G

Cynthia

Junice

Jacquie Corrigan

Marjorie

Elizabeth

Cristy

Dorothy

Lori

Lori

Carol Adams

Della S

Suzi

Alice Denny

Jan Taylor

Holly

Cath