Anybody know how to sew?

[kermit]

So I want to learn how to sew. I was looking at sewing machines at the store and was wondering what I need. I would love to be able to get a pattern and make a shirt or something. I looked around for sewing classes but the local ones just ended. I was thinking about just trying it myself. What do I need...other than patience?

[shootingstar]

Ask sewing machine store how to thread the sewing machine model that you are buying. Try it several times in the store there. Each machine model is different.

Instruction booklet will be provided how to fill bobbin thread, ask that too. It's just faster for learning to have someone show you first.

Then you can repeat/memorize by using instruction booklet at home.

You're ambitious --a shirt. :)
Try first pillowcases, bed comforter cases, cushion covers, placemats, simple camisole, sleep kimono....simple straight line sewn items. You could even do a machine-sewn quilt. Just be prepared to do alot of ironing for each seam sewn to iron out the seams flat, so whole sewn fabric patchwork lies flat. Whatever you do, better to choose a little project that is successful first.

Sometimes specialized sewing machine stores, offer classes. Do you know a neighbour, etc. who you could occasionally contact for questions/demos?

One good beginner's course would accelerate you alot.
(I used to sew alot for about 10 years: I sewed nearly 80% of my wardrobe. I can do tailoring --jackets with lining, bound buttonholes, etc. Then cycling passion bit me. I still have my sewing machine which I use for alterations since I'm petite. This alone is worth keeping my machine since I hate spending money on things/services I can do myself. As for sewing clothing, never say never. But yes, I would find a cycling jersey, not difficult to sew. I'm just lazy.)

[kermit]

Thanks, I'l look around. I have a feeling a straight line is going to be hard.

[solobiker]

I have been teaching myself how to sew for about 9 years. Mostly I have been quilting and doing other home projects. I have done a few shirts which for me were pretty challenging. I would suggest trying the machines out at the store and see what will fit your needs....is it easy to thread, adjust the tension, etc.

I would suggest that you ask at the store if they have classes. When I was shopping for my sewing machine all of the stores offered classes monthly. I have also seen classes a fabric stores and quilting stores on how to do all sorts of projects.

Good luck and have fun!!:)

[MommyBird]

Keep your first piece a manageable size. Wrestling with large volumes of fabric is better left to the more experienced. Curtains may be straight lines but they are not easy to measure, cut or sew.
A toss pillow without piping or a zipper would be a good start.
Some fabrics are better for beginners as well. Very heavy, very light or stretch fabrics are more difficult to use.
Make friends with the personnel at your sewing shop. Do not buy at a big box store. You wouldn't buy a bike there would you?
A quality, maintained used machine would be better than a cheap new one.
Choose one with more basic features. You will have fewer problems and if you want to get fancy, a stand alone embroidery machine and a simple sewing machine are a better combo than one machine that does both.
Classes are a blast. They are like the sewing shop version of the group ride and are a fun social outlet.
Just like projects, start with a simpler one and move up. Single night projects are great at first because you go home with something you can be proud of and show off.

[badger]

probably the best elective I took in highschool was sewing. Even sewed my own Prom dress. It's been a great skill to know for things around the house. I alter my clothes (hems, waists) quite often.

I do highly recommend taking a class, though. If you're anything like me, I don't read instruction booklets so it's easier to see and do in person.

[Bike Chick]

I have a home sewing/embroidery business and 3 machines and a serger. I also have a little experience and a love for sewing. I think of sewing when I'm on the bike and think of being on my bike when I'm sewing. I enjoy them both equally.

I would recommend going to a store that sells and services the machines, sells fabric, offers classes, and has experienced people working there. They will take you under their wing and enjoy sharing their expertise with you. Any machine you buy should come with a free lesson teaching you the basics of threading, winding a bobbin, changing the needle, use of different stitches and feet, etc. and they will be happy to help you after you get it home and get stumped. Their enthusiasm is contagious. Stay away from department stores that are only interested in selling you a machine.

There are many different brands of sewing machines and each brand offers many different types of machines. To begin sewing I would recommend a basic machine that offers several different stitches and comes with several feet. I would also recommend a free-arm machine (one where the sewing bed slips off so you can slide sleeves and pant legs over the arm for easy sewing). Something like this one is a good machine http://www.babylock.com/sewing/grace/ or if you want a little more this one would give you everything you need unless or until you move on to embroidery or quilting http://www.babylock.com/sewing/crafter-choice/. Remember that the more bells and whistles you have, the more the price goes up.

I would also recommend getting a couple of good beginning sewing books explaining the basics. You can pick these up at the sewing shop too.

Good luck on your sewing. It's a very enjoyable and relaxing hobby. If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

[kermit]

I have been on-line since I posted looking at books. I have two on the way, this will help me see what I am getting myself in to. My husband and I are moving in a year to our retirement house in Georgia. I would love to have another skill that would come in handy. Thank you all for the input, I will start looking for a good store to get help. Pillowcase anyone?

[tulip]

It's a shame that Home Ec/Sewing is not taught in schools anymore. It learned to cook and do woodworking in 6th grade and to sew and weld metal in 7th grade. All have come in handy in the intervening 30 years.

My 13-year old niece sews her own clothes and makes quilts. She just visited the VCU Fashion Design program because she's thinking about that for college.

There's alot of good advice here. I have a 1954 Singer that my Grandmother bought for me and had reconditioned. It does not do any fancy stitches, but so far I have not needed them. I really enjoy sewing, and in the past have made dresses and skirts, along with pillowcases and simpler items.

I second finding a class. Many sewing stores offer them. You will pick up so many tips from experienced sewers (that doesn't look right) that you cannot find in a book.

Best of luck and show us some pieces when you finish!

Oh, and patience is key. Never rush. It's very Zen.

[kermit]

Thanks everybody. I found a great fabric/sewing store nearby that I will visit. When I was little, 6 or 7 my next door neighbor made me a little sailor dress. I thought it was so cool I would watch her sew for hours. I would love to one day make my grandson a shirt or something. Even pillowcases will do. My patience will be challenged, is it bad to listen to the Grateful Dead while sewing? I'm thinking some 10,000 maniacs. That's good sewing music!

[Bike Chick]

The Grateful Dead is perfect sewing music. I dock my IPOD in my little stereo in my sewing room, set it to shuffle and just lose myself for hours. The ladies at the local sewing store listen to their IPOD's while they use the longarm quilting machine and say whatever music you are listening to is reflected in the stitches so you can't listen to The Grateful Dead and James Taylor on the same quilt:eek:

I've made quilts for every one of our children and grandchildren and learned a lot as I progressed through each one. There are a lot of mistakes in them but they don't care.

[tangentgirl]

You might check out your local city / park & rec classes. I know I've seen some very affordable intro to sewing classes in those catalogs.



It learned to cook and do woodworking in 6th grade and to sew and weld metal in 7th grade. All have come in handy in the intervening 30 years.


Badass, Tulip!

[shootingstar]

Mommybird, Classes are a blast. They are like the sewing shop version of the group ride and are a fun social outlet

I never really thought to compare a sewing class to a bike group ride. :rolleyes:

During this forum thread development, I suddenly had an eureka moment...that my mother the expert sewer whom I did turn to for help and advanced techniques after finishing 2 Home Ec. sewing courses..she who sewed for family members' coats, pants, shirts with French stand-up collars, cuffs, etc.: I suddenly realized she self-taught alot on her own when she raised us.

She couldn't read any of the pattern instructions since they were all in English. She was the sort of natural sewer who could correct sewing errors :o and assess a complicated construction of a garment, then change it into a completely different garment.

Duh, didn't realize until ..now. 50+ yrs. later! :eek: :o

I loved raiding my mother's suitcase where she kept brand-new early 1960's dresses and blouses that she couldn't wear after gaining weight. So myself and others took some of that clothing to alter and wear ourselves. Immediate chic stuff!

Tthe manufacture of clothing has cheapened because of cheap labour and hence, has led to people wearing more poorly fitted clothing. But also perhaps loss of sewing skills and understanding tailored fit, means alot more people really don't know what properly fitted clothing should even look like.

As you can tell, I do look for reasonable workmanship and fabric durability when I buy clothing now. Having sewing knowledge can also make one a more quality-conscious consumer. This even extends to buying a sofa....looking for durable fabric for an expensive furniture item, if one doesn't buy leather.

[PamNY]

I know of two online sewing groups. Delphi Forums (http://www.delphiforums.com/) has one called Friendly Sewing, and About (http://sewing.about.com/) has general sewing information as well as a forum. The experienced sewists are helpful in the same way that experienced cyclists are.

In general, there is a lot of sewing information online, but it will be more useful after you have learned the basics in a hands-on setting.

Good luck with your new hobby. I am totally cracking up over the comments about music. Sewing music is a very important issue.

[Juliegoddess]

Hey Kermit! Great you are going to sew! You've gotten some great advice here, and I just wanted to add a couple things. BTW, I'm a professional seamstress and clothing designer, and I also taught sewing and tailoring for many years.

If you can, please do as others have suggested and purchase your sewing machine from a dealer that specializes in them. They will offer classes and one-on-one training for you to learn the special features of your machine. And classes are great too, of course.

The one thing you do NOT want to do is "try out" sewing with your "great aunt Matilda's sewing machine"....lots of people do this because they aren't sure if they will like sewing, so they don't want to spend the money on a machine. Let me tell you something! You will HATE sewing on a crappy, old sewing machine that hasn't had a tune-up since god-knows-when! If there's one sure thing that will KILL your enthusiasm for sewing, it is working on bad equipment. Get yourself a nice mechanical machine (no need for all the computer bells and whistles, really), and make sure it has a buttonholer that you like (test it out when you are testing machines to buy). I prefer the four-step buttonholer on beginner machines...they always make GREAT buttonholes! Also look for a multi-stitch zig-zag. You might want to use this stitch for finishing seam allowances.

There's lots more I could go into, but I won't bore you!! Have fun! Sew some biking stuff!!

[artifactos]

I don't know why some of you think that sewing and other "trade" classes are not taught in schools anymore.

I'm 24. When I was in 8th grade, we had one semester of home ec (basic sewing - we made an apron, basic cooking, budgeting, etc.) and another semester of wood shop.

In high school, I was in ag classes (where I learned more woodworking, welding, and so on.. not as specialized as the "shop" classes) and took a fabrics & fashion class as well. We sewed quite a bit in that class, including making dog and cat toys for the local humane society.

Maybe it's just a rural school district thing? I'm absolutely sure that those classes have not yet been discontinued in this school district (nor has art, thankfully!), even though students have the option of taking more specialized classes in similar subjects at the local technical school.

I learned how to sew very young (from my mother and grandmother), then took a specialized 4-H class on sewing when I was maybe 8 years old. We made pincushions (I still have mine!), shirts, and tote bags in that class. On my own, I've made many pillowcases, some cloaks, and done plenty of small alterations. I'm a little out of practice, so I might need to pull my mom's sewing machine out to make some curtains now. :) Sewing is indeed a valuable skill.

[Tuckervill]

I had home ec and the first sewing project we did was a shirt with interfacing! yikes. Then I made some gauchos. lol.

Our local high school has home ec classes, but they also have an agriculture program.

I can't remember when I couldn't sew, though. To me, it's just like following a recipe. I have quite often just free-styled what I needed (not clothes!). I'm getting ready to make some insulated bags for my new business, if I can find a good fabric for them. I've already constructed them in my mind.

Karen

[PscyclePath]

I taught myself to sew about 10 or 12 years ago... making Civil War uniforms, believe it or not... using museum patterns and picking up the little details from looking at original items. I use a machine on the inner seeams that don't show in the finished product, but everything outside (topstitching, buttonholes, etc.) and that shows on the inside is handsewn. I started out with some simple stuff like little bags or "poke sacks,", then started working on shell jackets and shirts. Trousers are probably the most fun, once you've figured out how to put in the fly ;-) (no zippers allowed. I haven't tried those, so I'm a little clueless with those...) Frock coats are probably the most frustrating garment to try. Single-breasted is tough enough, but double-breasted is a booger.

It's a lot of fun, and very calming in stressful times to simply be able to sit there and stitch. And they look better, more real, and last much, much longer than the stuff you can buy commercially.

Tom

[shootingstar]

There are probably more men interested in or doing sewing than just the guys in the design/fashion world.

But it's hidden or under the guise of repairing tents, sails, pack sacks or furniture ulpholstery or making furniture coverings/working in interior design areas or leathermaking products.

In connecting all the dots of my mother's natural strengths in this areas in the past day :o, she also had a natural mathematical ability to calculate in her head by looking, how much fabric was required to design and make fitted slipcovers for a sofa and armchair set. This is one area I would take more time than she to do the calculations.

Yet despite her tailoring, advanced sewing techniques, she did not have artistic sense of choosing inspiring colour combinations and textures for outfits. These are areas I know came more naturally to me.

[MommyBird]

My favorite shop used to have a man working there who was an avid sewer. He made dresses for his daughters. His wife hated sewing. He also quilted but his forte was French Sewing and smocking. A very popular southern style for little girls and toddler boys.
A style never to be worn by my boys though!

[Deborajen]

Get yourself a nice mechanical machine (no need for all the computer bells and whistles, really), and make sure it has a buttonholer that you like (test it out when you are testing machines to buy). I prefer the four-step buttonholer on beginner machines...they always make GREAT buttonholes! Also look for a multi-stitch zig-zag. You might want to use this stitch for finishing seam allowances.

I second this - Good advice. I have an old Kenmore that Mom & Dad gave me for high school graduation 20+ years ago. It's sturdy, simple and does all the basics, plus I can do the maintenance on it myself. Can't beat it.

I believe Kwik Sew has some good beginner patterns (?) Buttonholes and zippers can be frustrating so I'd save those for later. Slippery fabrics and knits are also challenging, and stripes and plaids usually need to be matched at the seams.--

Have fun!

[kermit]

Thanks again everyone. I have been surfing but haven't been to the store yet. My only concern is being able to sew heavier fabrics like denim or canvas. What is the cutoff regarding machines and different fabrics? Being able to sew and alter my uniforms, heavy duty cotton (bdu type clothing) and sew patches on. Just to start.

PscyclePath-the civil war uniforms sound cool, how about a photo? My husband would love to see one!

[shootingstar]

My only concern is being able to sew heavier fabrics like denim or canvas. What is the cutoff regarding machines and different fabrics? Being able to sew and alter my uniforms, heavy duty cotton (bdu type clothing) and sew patches on. Just to start.

Make sure the sewing machine that you want, will allow you to change a common brand line of sewing needles of different thicknesses to allow you to sew through very heavy duty cotton material seams.

ie. I use at least a size 16 or even 18 if my sewing machine needle has to chomp down through multiple layers of heavy fabrics for a rolled seam. Yes, I've broken some needles because I've miscalculated the size of needle for the sewing "drill" job. :)

For instance for regular weight fabrics for shirts, you would be using a size 12 or 14 sewing machine needle. Finer fabrics, like silk it's size 9.

These needle sizes are based on Kenmore line. But are usable for alot of ordinary mechanical sewing machines.

I have had my Kenmore sewing machine for last 25 yrs., hence it's not computerized. No need, but it has a buttonhole maker, serger stitch, adjustable zigzag stitch, and about 8 other different types of stitches. (Even a smocking stitch which I tried for fun but wondered when would I use this??? )

It's like a bike, cost-savings can be huge while enjoyable results. It costed me $140.00 at that time....but has saved me tons of money for what I have created from it. There is....no way I will give up my sewing machine now. I would be a fool.

[PamNY]

Denim, canvas and heavy cotton won't be a problem. You'll need to select the proper needle and maybe adjust the thread tension, but that will be covered if you take a class.

I can't remember if you own a sewing machine, but if you are buying a new one, you might look at ratings on Consumer Reports.

My Viking would happily sew multiple layers of Cordura without a problem, and I made lots of things from the heaviest canvas I could find.

[kermit]

Thanks again. Looking for a machine, and have checked consumer reports, lots to learn. I have seen the vikings they are sweet!

[malkin]

My prom dress was designed and sewn by my date who also made his tux.

[shootingstar]

My prom dress was designed and sewn by my date who also made his tux.

Wow.

[evangundy]

Mom taught me to sew when I was about 10 or 11, then home-ec classes in grades 7 & 8. When I learned to Square Dance, I couldn't afford to buy dresses new, so I made my own for the next 30 years (along with matching shirts for DH).

Now my personal sewing is mostly repairs and mending, but I do make the Lycra bodysocs used on our recumbent bikes (like the one in my avatar).

And after 40 years of sewing, I still hate zippers!

Here in Portland, I love http://montavillasewing.com/ , they sell everything but fabric, because we have http://fabricdepot.com/ :-) I can spend hours in there :-)

Edna