sewing for beginners

[bound2him]

is it hard to learn? i'd like to cause my mom has two machines, but everything i have tried to make hasnt turned out!

are there patterns out there that are modern and EASY to do?

 

[pmcleanj]

I love sewing, and I've had great success. I don't see any reason you shouldn't succeed too and enjoy it. But on the flip side, I've had a needle in my hand since I was three years old (which was several decades ago). So I may not be much of a judge. I do remember it being hard to learn to blanket-stitch my dolly's hankies!

Certainly there are simple, attractive, modern patterns. A lot depends on what kinds of things you want to sew. Are you sewing for yourself, or for children, or your household?
Skirts are far easier than pants; draped blouses are simpler than shirts with set-in sleeves, and so on. I like to do a lot of work with needle-and-thread rather than by machine, but that's just because I like to have busy hands while I sit and chat or sit and think. You could try some simple non-wearable project first to get started: a draw-string bag for a shoe-bag or a kid's lunch bag; a cushion-cover. Then when you have some successes with simple things, move on to garments and more finicky construction.

 

[bound2him]

yeah i was thinking i'd try a skirt first, simple, two pieces to sew together, and an elastic... i'm pretty sure i can handle that.... and i love skirts... i was just gonna take one that i like already and use it as a pattern

 

[pmcleanj]

yeah i was thinking i'd try a skirt first, simple, two pieces to sew together, and an elastic... i'm pretty sure i can handle that.... and i love skirts... i was just gonna take one that i like already and use it as a pattern

Yes, that kind of a skirt is perfect: very easy and nearly guaranteed success. And very pretty if that is your style and if you choose a nice fabric. I have several such skirts. "Kwik-Sew" have a line of learn-to-sew patterns, and 2653n on this pagehttp://www.kwiksew.com/Cold_Fusion/catalog/Kwik_Start/Frame.htm?H=North is for the kind of skirt that you describe. It's probably better to use a commercially-available printed pattern at first, just to make sure that the fullness and proportions on the first few garments you create are right, while you are building up an understanding of how the garment assembly comes together. Have fun!

 

[Isserty_Dawn]

http://www.simplicity.com/
here's where i got a lot of my info on sewing and I love their patterns. very easy and fun

 

[bound2him]

thanks! i just got some patterns from there! except well, i'm discouraged today, i put the skirt together and it was just garbage.... to small and all uneven... i'm ready to give up! if i cant even make a skirt there's no way i can make the dress from the pattern i got! http://www.simplicity.com/assets/5559/5559.jpg

 

[Isserty_Dawn]

Don't let it get you down

 

[LadyDJ]

I had pretty good luck with Simplicity patterns and found that some of the people with sewing knowledge in the fabric shops or even the shop I bought my machine at were very helpful with helping me figure out areas I was having trouble with when I started sewing.

 

[Chilufya]

If someone from the other side of the gender fence can step in...

I've been sewing since 1988 - I bought a sewing machine because I was stationed at a remote site on top of a mountain in Germany on what used to be the East-West German border. There weren't many of us, and there wasn't much to do. I figured I could either learn some useful skills, or get drunk every night. Since I'm kind of attached to my liver, I decided to learn how to do some different craft things.

I started out with a Singer with 15 stitches, 5 yards of striped cotton fabric, and a McCalls skirt and top pattern for my at-the-time girlfriend. I vaguely remembered a couple things my mother (a Betty Crocker Homemaker of the Year finalist) said, namely: "Right sides together" and "Press as you sew". And away I sewed.

Since then I've made theatrical costumes, bridesmaids dresses, lots of ugly (on purpose) Hawaiian shirts, and other stuff too numerous to mention. So if a dumb ol' Army guy can learn, so can you.

Feel free to PM if you have more questions.

Regards,
Jeff

 

[faerieevaH]

*L* I need courage as well. Am also going to sew my very first dress, also from a simplicity pattern. I will have help while I do though. MY biggest irritation if I read the back of a pattern package is when they state all kind of things you need that you can't even see on the dress. I mean... buttons or a zipper are a given... but then there is 'sew in lining' or 'bias tape', or 4 other things while the dress looks simply a one fabric dress with a zipper!

 

[pmcleanj]

*L* I need courage as well. Am also going to sew my very first dress, also from a simplicity pattern. I will have help while I do though. MY biggest irritation if I read the back of a pattern package is when they state all kind of things you need that you can't even see on the dress. I mean... buttons or a zipper are a given... but then there is 'sew in lining' or 'bias tape', or 4 other things while the dress looks simply a one fabric dress with a zipper!

This is part of why I was recommending the KwikSew "learn to sew" patterns. While it's true that Simplicity has some easy patterns (especially if you stick to the ones that are labelled "it's so easy": http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?cat=5 ) but the step-by-step instructions are written on the assumption that you recognize common sewing terms and techniques. A beginner would be wise to keep a learn-to-sew book open for reference while assembling one of these patterns.

The KwikSew "learn to sew" patterns have special expanded instruction sheets, that explain not only what to do in each step, but also what the terms mean and how to do what's directed.

That being said, your sewing pattern does have instruction sheets that will tell you how to use the bias binding and -- are you sure it said "sew-in lining?" Just buy all the notions it says you need, and then as you follow the step-by-step instructions you'll eventually come across instructions on what to do with them, at least at a high level.

 

[LadyDJ]

I also picked up a lot of the terms by watching various sewing programs on PBS (Sewing with Nancy and the like)....