If you’ve ever wondered how to start sewing, this article will tell you the basics.
You won’t be afraid to sew anymore after reading this blog. It will give you the confidence you need to start your first sewing project and make you want to sew more.
YOU CAN DO THIS!
One of the very first things you should do is buy a sewing book. I have found a best seller on Amazon for beginner sewing but there are plenty of others to choose from. The one pictured below just happens to be purchased more often than any other sewing book right now. It comes in ebook form or paperback.
By the way, this is an affiliate link. What that means is if you click on the picture and purchase the book, I get a few bucks to spend on my latest sewing project. How cool is that!
You might be wondering why you would bother to buy a sewing book when you can go to Youtube and get it all for free. Well, you can actually check my sewing tutorials out on my Youtube channel called KatFit Stitch. I make everything available for free. That’s a great way to get started, but I still like to have a book to follow.
When I first started sewing, and even now, I like to have something physical in my hand for a reference guide. It’s kind of like sewing patterns. Sure, I can make a garment from scratch, without a pattern, but sewing with physical pattern pieces makes it so much easier. I don’t know what it is, but holding something in your hand like a textbook provides comfort.
When you get stuck on something, you can flip through your book and find the answer in minutes. Even ebooks provide that comfort. Imagine downloading an ebook to your iPad and having it open when sewing your first project. Just like people use iPads for cooking and prop them open in the kitchen with the recipe right there in front of them, you also can do that with a sewing book. That’s so handy!
STEP 1 – DECIDE TO SEW
A lot of people dream about sewing, search Pinterest for cool projects and watch Youtube videos, but that’s where it ends. We consume our time with the ‘idea’ of sewing.
That’s a shame.
The majority of the time, we do this because we’re afraid to try. Like anything new, it’s intimidating to start. What if we buy all the material and it flops? What if we sew it and it doesn’t fit?
Negative self-talk is the hardest sewing hurdle to get over. I know, I’ve done it. When I first started sewing, I remember doing this. In fact, even though I’ve been sewing for over 30 years, I still catch myself doing this from time to time.
As creators (and that’s what we are) we love to create projects and make beautiful things. But if self-doubt gets in the way, it sets us back. That’s a shame because nothing gets done then. We fail to complete projects or even start them because we are afraid.
Don’t do that. Push forward!
YOU CAN DO THIS!
STEP 2 – DECIDE TO LEARN
Once you get past the fear and decide to learn about sewing, you will start the ball rolling. Choose how you want to learn whether that be through online courses, Youtube, or purchasing a book. Any of these methods will work.
Or, if you have a friend or relative that knows how to sew, just ask them to teach you. I remember my adult daughter coming to me asking if I could teach her to sew. She and a friend wanted to learn how to sew for their babies.
It was such a pleasure to teach them. They did so well learning the basics. Now my daughter sews professionally, doing alterations for people and sewing for herself and her children.
It’s amazing how little you need to know to start your sewing adventure.
STEP 3 – PRACTICE!
The old saying, practice makes perfect, is true when it comes to sewing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sew a project right away. Some people think they have to practice over and over on scraps before they will be anywhere near ready to sew a big project. I am here to say that is absolutely NOT true.
Yes, I taught my daughter and her friend to sew by teaching them on scraps. I taught basic stitches and how to use the sewing machine, but once they learned that, they were actually ready to go.
It doesn’t take a lot of learning to start.
JUST START!
STEP 4 – LET YOURSELF FAIL
What on earth do I mean by that? Well, sewing isn’t an exact science. You need to know that right from the start. Don’t expect just because you know how to use your machine and sew basic stitches that you’re suddenly a perfect seamstress.
NOBODY IS!
Yes, I mean myself too. Anyone that claims they are, needs a kick in the pants. I don’t care who you are, or how long you’ve been sewing. The truth of the matter is, every sewing project is different and sometimes turns out and sometimes doesn’t, especially if you create the pattern yourself.
Skill level is actually all in your head. WOW! Did I just say that? Yes, I said it and I meant it. You believe whatever you tell your brain. If you think you can’t, you won’t. If you think you’re a beginner, you are. If you think you’re a professional you will be.
It took me a long time to get that through my brain.
So, don’t be intimidated by other people who sew. They are the same as you. They also mess up. Let yourself mess up. So what! You will learn from your mistakes like the rest of us did and STILL do! Trust me on that one.
When you sew your first project and threads are uneven and fabric puckers, LET YOURSELF FAIL! Don’t throw your project in a corner and give up, pick it apart, start over, and DO BETTER!
BECAUSE YOU CAN!
STEP 5 – RINSE AND REPEAT
Once you learn the process of sewing, get to work!
It’s simple but true. A lot of people stop at this stage. They learn how to use their machines. They practice stitches. They become comfortable sewing something basic like a rip, but that’s where it ends.
BE CREATIVE!
You know you want to! Pick a pattern you want to sew and BEGIN! Make that dress or baby blanket. You have all the skills you need to start. And once you do, KEEP ON GOING!
Make more things!
Make quilts! Make tops! Make leggings! Make dresses! Sew anything your heart desires. Be confident in yourself and know that it’s fine if you mess up. We all do. Don’t let that stop you. Just keep going, keep sewing, keep making, and don’t give up.
YOU CAN DO IT!
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I just wanted to say that we all started somewhere. I started sewing when I was a teenager in HomeEc class. I made a beautiful frilly blouse. My teacher thought it was so good she wanted me to put it in a craft show.
Well, I did.
I was so proud of myself and went to the craft show with my family. From a distance, I could see judges looking over my blouse, as well as other people admiring it. I was beaming.
I went over to see my lovely white frilly blouse displayed on the table. I picked it up and looked it over. Well, to my horror, I found an entire inside seam I forgot to sew. I freaked right out. My blouse was awful! It did NOT belong in a show, it belonged in the garbage. I felt like a complete fraud.
I cried and wanted to take my blouse home and finish it, but I couldn’t. It had already been judged and graded. Needless to say, I did not win a prize for my blouse. BUT, I learned a valuable lesson that day. Always check your work! The inside should look as beautiful as the outside, that way you won’t miss an entire seam.
I also improved my craft. I could have given up and tossed the silly thing in the corner, but I didn’t. I fixed it and wore it with pride. I went on to sew other projects, eventually sewing my own wedding dress, doing alterations for people, and completing a gazillion other projects throughout my lifetime. Were they always perfect? Nope!
I gave myself permission to screw up. I let myself learn, and I decided to tell myself I was a professional because I am. Yes, we all feel like frauds sometimes, but when you feel like that, recognize it as negative self-talk and stop it. Tell yourself you CAN!
BECAUSE YOU CAN!
Now get SEWING!