Sewing for Beginners
Learn to Sew and Make your Own Clothes
If you have absolutely no knowledge of sewing
this movie will get you started
Sewing for Beginners
Making clothes is about joining pieces of cloth
understanding some simple rules of construction
and learning how to do it neatly
The type of fabric you choose will help you to be successful while you're learning
A lightweight tweed such as this is a great starting point
Avoid plain silks, satin is particularly tricky
plain sheers
plain dressy fabrics in general are best left until you have more experience
Every wiggle and pucker will show up
Fine suiting fabric needs some skill
and when you have stripes and checks
matching is an added complication
Start with lightweight denim and chambray
pure cottons always press up well
patterned silks are easy to work with
lace is fun and not at all difficult
bold patterned fabrics that don't need matching
Simple construction, using bold fabrics is easy to achieve
for even the first time seamstress
Checkout lightweight furnishing fabrics
there is a lot of scope here for bold prints for impact
I found these two lengths in the remnant bin this week
I'm hoping there is enough of this for a little cropped jacket to go with blue jeans
and this lovely stripe would also make a super jacket for the evening
Get to Know your Sewing Machine
Before you do any sewing, make sure you are familiar with your sewing machine
All sewing machines are provided with a manual
and if you haven't got one you should be able to get one on-line
All the information about threading and tension will be explained
Machines vary and I am not an expert on all the models on the market today
This manual has a section on the different sewing machine needles available
I mostly use Universal needles in various sizes from 70/10 for lightweights
80/12 for medium fabrics
and 90/14 for heavier fabrics
There are other needles you can try, depending on your fabric
ballpoint needles for jersey
denim needles that are extra strong
and topstitching needles that have a larger eye for the heavier thread
For perfect sewing renew your needle often
It's best to start each garment with a new needle
If you're lucky your manual will give you plenty of guidance on the range of sewing
feet available and how to use them
Do look up Sewing Machines on Wikipedia, the history is fascinating
Equipment
You don't need much equipment to get started
Fabric shears, I like to have two sizes and keep them just for fabric
Paper scissors for cutting out patterns
A tape measure, this one has inches and centimetres
A handy measuring guide is extremely useful
Google 14 in 1 Measuring Gauge for this one
I'm always being asked
For hand sewing, a thimble
I like to use a Tailor's Thimble which is open at the end
It goes on the third or middle finger
and is used to push the needle into the fabric as you make a stitch
Small sharp scissors for snipping threads
Tweezers are handy
A stitch ripper is not just for mistakes but useful for buttonholes
Chalk for marking
A pack of sewing needles
Sharps are best for most hand sewing jobs
Pins in a pin cushion
Ball point pins are best for jersey knits, keep them separate
Understanding a few basic techniques is next
Straight stitching
If this really is the first time that you have used a sewing machine
Spend a few minutes practicing sewing in a straight line
Cut up a few squares of spare fabric
For a basic seam, take two pieces and with right sides together
pin at right angles to the raw edge
We will stitch a seam with a seam allowance of ⅝"
Measure and chalk in the line if you like
We also need to learn how to stitch darts
Darts are used to shape our garment
Imagine this one is a bust dart
Fold the garment piece along the dart fold
carefully matching our notch marking at the edge
I like to pin at the point to mark the end of the dart
Then pin along the dart line
Add a few pins at right angles
First we stitch the straight seam
Start a little way in and sew in reverse first to secure the stitching
Many machines have guide lines on the sole plate to help you
Guide the fabric without pulling or pushing
Let the feed dog draw the fabric through
Sew slowly over the pins
As long as you have a sharp needle you won't have a problem
When you get to the end, sew a few stitches in reverse again
Now for the darts
Again secure the ends with a few stitches in reverse
Take out the pins along the stitching line as you go
sewing over the pins that are at right angles
As you approach the dart point, shorten the stitch a little
and continue sewing straight off the edge
Leave long threads to tie off