How difficult is it to learn to sew?

[frazzled101]

I can knit, and I taught myself how to crochet in lockdown and have made many items.

Now Im considering learning to sew. There's a place an hour away from me that does a 2.5 hr taster session that I'm thinking of going to.

In September there's a college near me offering a 12 week course (but that's ages away!)

Once you learn the basics can you teach yourself more? Is it very difficult to learn?

Thanks for all the tips. I'm doing the taster class in 2 weeks, can't wait!

@frazzled101

I have reached a point where I make 75% of my clothes. A few things I can recommend are:

Whilst you are counting down the days until your classes begin use YouTube. So much information you can pick up just by watching videos. Sewisfaction, Abi's Den, Voice of a creative and Lauren Guthrie are a few of my favourites. You'll familiarise yourself with terms and fabric types and uses and fabric shop recommendations. Everything you need to know is on YouTube...... that's how I taught myself as I didn't fancy classes.

I wouldn't buy a cheap new machine but a serviced ( or refurbished) 2nd hand better quality one from a Sewing machine shop. They tend to be better quality, better craftsmanship and are made to last longer.

My favourite machine is 36 years old and is a dream to use. My modern machines (not cheap) are fab just not the same sewing experience.

Don't buy an overlocker until you have mastered sewing skills. It won't make you better at sewing.

Tilly and the Buttons books and patterns are fantastic and will develop your skills with every item you make using them and the clothes are current and not old fashioned. Her Erin dungarees are better than the Lucy and Yak ones and you have the choice of fabrics so everything you make is unique.

Sewing is no longer a cheap hobby (unless you want to wear things made from old duvet covers). Good quality fabrics can be very expensive but you want to make things that will last after all the time and love you have put into making them.

Buying fabric and actually sewing are two different hobbies .

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy 😊

Where's the blasted paragraphs gone!

All the advice above is great, especially you tube, I mastered beautifully set in pockets last weekend.

I buy lekala patterns as I'm hard to fit, and they use cad to make a pattern to your measurements. You have to print it, cut it out and stick it together but with the amount of adjustments I have to make an on a normal pattern, it's worth it for me.

Also look at what fabrics shop clothes are made from, think about thickness and drape, when you're picking fabric to buy.

Also, don't worry about making mistakes, most things you can recut or unpick, so its never the end of the world when it goes wrong.

It's a great hobby and I can only reiterate the tilly and the buttons recommendations.

The local dressmaking course near me uses the Tilly Jaime Pyjama bottoms as their 'beginner' garment.

It's so satisfying being ablento make exactly what you want.

It's really addictive though.

It is a great hobby. For me time spent sewing whilst listening to an audio book is heavenly.

When someone says oh I love what you are wearing and where did you buy it from I get a little fuzzy flutter inside when I say I made it.

You can learn anything these days via the internet. There is something for everything online from "for dummies" to advanced. So not difficult at all as long as you have eyes and can read.

I learnt how to sew about 10 years ago. I started with a course similar to yours and it was so enjoyable. My advice would be to do any prep you can at home so you get the best out of the session with the tutor. So cut any fabric before the class (if you are confident to) and I used to sew as much at home as I could and then take the item into class when I got stuck. I felt I progressed much quicker that way.

I also highly recommend thethriftystitcher.co.uk/elevate-your-sewing-an-exclusive-monthly-membership-club/?cn-reloaded=1

Its a monthly subscription, full of helps tricks, lessons, socials. I get more out of this group than I did with any of my paid classes.

Sewing is so rewarding- I hope you enjoy your class x

Great tips, thanks everyone. I had considered just using YouTube but given I don't even own a sewing machine I didn't want to spend a lot of money upfront in case I don't actually enjoy it!

If the classes goes well I'd say I'll be on the hunt for a machine!

It's very difficult for me since I have shaky hands.

I started in January with my new machine. I had never used a machine, or made anything through sewing in my life. I lost 5 weeks through being away, so it’s just been a few months for me. I made a bag following a YouTube video. I then moved on to following patterns. Since then I made a wrap skirt, awful, but I unpicked many times and finished the bugger (I wouldn’t wear it). Since then, I have successfully made another skirt, a pair of cropped pants and a dress (I wear them all. My most recent make is a cotton top, with a ribbing collar for my DH. He’ll be wearing it for the first time tomorrow 🙂 If I can do it, really pretty much anyone can. Just take your time, watch YouTube videos on different techniques and let the unpicker be your friend (don’t be afraid to unpick an area that has gone wrong. Everyone has too). Here is my most recent garment for myself.

@AnnieSnap I love your dress, it's gorgeous!! Can I ask where you got your fabric?

I have now made a bag and pyjama bottoms in class, and my first pattern for a top arrived in the post today. I'm going to try to do it over July with a lend of a sewing machine. My mum brought me up a flat sheet to practice the pattern with, before I try it with actual bought fabric.

Thank you @frazzled101 The fabric is from BST Fabrics. They are local to me, but also sell online. I think it’s still in stock. If you can’t find it, feel free to show them the picture of my dress. It wasn’t expensive as in these early days, with little errors, I couldn’t justify that.

These days though, I buy a lot from Pound Fabrics (though not their pound stuff unless for a tiole, which I often make). They have fabulous fabrics much cheaper than elsewhere and I’ve been happy with the quality of everything I’ve had from there. I also shop at Amo Threads. They sell Dead Stock (leftover stuff from fashion manufacturers that would otherwise go into land fill). There prices, designs and quality are excellent. As an aside, The Foldline and The Fabric Godmother are excellent for patterns.
www.bstfabrics.co.uk

poundfabrics.co.uk

amothreads.com

They probably also give you a A0 version of the pattern that you can send to a copy shop on a sewing site. I use Fabric Godmother. It’s so easy. Here’s the link. Other companies do it too.
www.fabricgodmother.co.uk/print-your-pdf-sewing-pattern-a0-copyshop-large-format/

@AnnieSnap thanks for all the tips!

My pleasure @frazzled101 🙂

I just got the sewing machine that I'm borrowing for July and it's a really old model, so it only has a straight stitch and I think the only adjustment I can make it to the length of the stitch.

What are my options for finishing the seams without a zigzag stitch? French seams?

You will only really need a zig zag stitch with stretch fabrics. Best to start with woven fabrics as they are more stable to sew. A straight stitch is fine/right for woven.

My first make on my own (made from an old bed sheet!)

Lots and lots of room for improvement but I learned so much doing it!

@frazzled101 That’s very Impressive, even if it wasn’t your first make. How did you find doing the sleeves?

@AnnieSnap the first sleeve took a while because I made silly mistakes. I think that having so much material to gather actually made it easier though as you're less likely to notice inaccuracies.

I followed a video tutorial on French seams on armholes which really helped.

I watched video tutorials for most steps!

Brilliant 👍

Easy if you are creative & have patience, which you clearly are. Not so easy if you aren't creative with the patience to learn. I've taught a few in my time who just didn't get it. Mind you when I'm having to explain that arms come in pairs, so sleeves need to be a pair too, not 2 the same & they argue with me, there's no hope

It looks like you have the basics covered.

One thing I like about sewing over knitting / crotchet is that you can make a garment in an afternoon.

Do you have any Indian / Asian shops near you? They have fabulous fabrics and you can buy by the metre or by 'suit length' which gives you three matching materials, they are meant to be for the top, trousers and scarf of a Punjabi suit.

There are online shops to get materials and equipment, Minerva send emails with discounts by email and when the Sewing Bee is on they link to what has been on that week. So for 'children's week' they sold a kit of the pattern and everything you needed (apart from a sewing machine) to make it.

@sashh unfortunately there's only 1 very small fabric shop near me. However I did buy enough fabric this morning to make the top 2 more times to try and improve on it.