I know sometimes sewing can be daunting, many people have a bugbear with sheers or satin fabrics, for me it is knits. They terrify me, no idea why, I've put off making leotards because of it.
So hopefully some of these might help you out.
1. For Quilters - when it gets hot and your hands get slippery keep some talc powder nearby and use that on your hands. I do this often in summer as other wise I can't hold a needle from the sweat on my fingers.
2. Make a little hole in your pin cushion and add some steel wool inside it. This will keep your pins nice and sharp.
3. When putting elastic in your kids waistbands, don't stitch it in. Pin it. This way you can easily alter as they grow. I let the pin sit under the fabric waistband, the kids never know and it makes alterations and repairs less hassle.
4. Keep a small magnet with your sewing supplies, this way if you drop pins or needles (as inevitably happens when you are in a hurry) they are easy to locate without ending up with sore eyes or pins in your knees.
5. When choosing thread to go with your fabric choose a shade darker, it always looks darker on the spool than it really is.
6. If you are having trouble threading a needle (I find the ones on my overlocker particularly painful) dip the end of the thread in a contrasting nail polish it becomes much easier to manipulate and gets rid of those pesky wisps of thread that stop it going through.
7. Buy your Rotary Cutter and blades from the Carpet laying section of your hardware store, they are exactly the same and much cheaper. I a new one just last week with 10 blades for $10. It works just as well.
8. To sharpen your rotary cutter fold some foil and run over it a handful of times, viola! sharp rotary cutter (Oh and don't test it with your finger!)
9. When pinning try and keep the pins in the seam allowance so that on the off chance the pins leave a mark they won't be visible in the end product marring it.
10. Save those bots of soap from the bathroom and use them for marking fabric. It can easily be shaped to a point or a sharp side like the chalk blocks, it is definitely washable and smells nice too.
So there is my list for Sewing, I have one for beading and Jewellery Making too, I'll add that in the next few days. If you have any to add I'd love to read about them in the comments section.