Have you always wanted to learn to sew? If you are looking for sewing tutorials and free sewing patterns, you are in luck.
Sewing can be very fulfilling. You can sew new projects and gifts, you can alter clothing that doesn’t fit right, make blankets and quilts... It doesn’t have to be hard, it just takes practice and patience, but soon you can be sewing like a pro.
Sewing for beginners may seem intimidating at first. But these basic sewing skills will make life easier! It pays to master beginner sewing patterns to progress to more intricate projects.
Check out sewing classes Brisbane here.
How Hard Is It to Learn to Sew?
Sewing is still a very popular hobby. Why? Simply because it can help us either to create or to fix something. It is the result that drives us forward.
But, how hard is it to learn to sew? Learning to sew is no harder than learning how to bake pastry or build a bookshelf. Like any new skill, it is best learned one step at a time, with lots of practice. Of course, getting good at anything does take work.
Another thing to take into consideration is that sewing is made easier thanks to patterns. Patterns are like a template that comes all equipped with the necessary elements required for constructing a garment; whether that’s with the addition of adequate ease, to the seam allowance and design details.
Sewing is not rocket science, it's all about taking it step by step.
Find the right Sewing Machine
In the case of sewing, the tools have a lot to do with the result, especially since modern sewing machines make the task that much easier.
Machines come with lots of different add-ons, accessories and capabilities that may not be relevant to you and just add unnecessary cost, while other features you cannot sew without.
Find the rest of your sewing equipment
- Scissors: You need good scissors which you will only use for fabric and threads. If you use it for cutting paper and other materials it will dull the blades over time and it will not do well with the fabric. Electric cutters are really great as well.
- Chalk: chalk is great for “painting” marks onto the fabric and you can easily remove it with another piece of fabric. You can also use other things like pencil crayons, just make sure they are washable.
- Pins: you will need them all the time for sewing in order to keep everything in place. They are also used for keeping the pattern on top of the fabric so we end up with a good result. There are different types of pins we use for sewing.
- Ball-point pins: The ball-point pins are for stretchy fabric like jersey. They are rounded at the point of the needle in order to make the tip slip in between the threads of the fabric without penetrating each thread. Just as we would use a ball-point needle on the machine when we are working with stretchy fabric. Otherwise, it will penetrate and break the fine little threads inside stretchy materials.
- Silk pins: These are extra thin needles that are used for fine fabrics, such as silk and satin. The fibres in silk are very fine and do not bounce back as easily as other types of fabric. So you need to be extra careful and use the pins especially made for this task.
- Quilting pins: For quilting, you might need longer needles that are more durable and strong. If you use the normal pins with quilting you might lose a pin inside the project which can cause problems later. Make sure to choose pins with strong colours on the head in order to keep track of them.
- Seam Ripper: you will need it every time you want to remove a seam or stitch. It’s not easy to remove a seam with a scissor, so you need something pointy and tiny to get into those little thread loops.
- Measuring Tape: make sure to get one that will have metric measurement markings (cm and millimetres) as well as imperial markings (inches).
- Iron + Ironing Board
- Spoon Huggers: the spool huggers are little rubbery plastic/silicone parts you can mount on a thread spool to keep track of the thread.
Based in Australia? Try sewing classes Melbourne.
Learn to use a pattern
A sewing pattern helps to guide sewing a garment shape to a desired size. It includes a set of flat pieces drawn on paper helping to cut fabric and thus sew a garment. In general, it includes sewing instructions to assemble these pieces together in the right order and following a certain methodology. You can buy paper patterns or Digital/PDF patterns.
Some sewing patterns can include seam allowances or not. They are essential to sewing a garment. They are edges added to the garment pieces, often 1cm or 1.5cm, allowing to sew the pieces together at this distance to achieve the correct size.
A sewing pattern indicates how to cut the fabric and what to cut in the fabric, thanks to fabric layouts. For the best results, just follow the layouts. Take into consideration that in most cases, and when the garment is symmetrical, you will have to fold the fabric lengthwise and right sides together, putting the selvedges (edges of the fabric) together, in order to cut the fabric into 2 layers.
Learning to Sew Quickly
Becoming a seamstress (or a fashion designer) who can have creative ideas and turn them into a reality takes a long time but knowing how to sew can be learned in a matter of weeks depending on your motivation and the time you can devote to it.
Take sewing classes
The best piece of advice we can give you for your sewing journey is to find a sewing teacher who can give you the basic tips about sewing. From setting up the sewing machine to understanding how hems work and the right way to create a stitch, there are some things that just need to be taught and learned.
If you want to find a great sewing teacher in Australia, you are in luck: Superprof is the perfect place to find them.
Our network of private tutors and teachers is the perfect place for students to find the perfect match for them. Some of the teachers are professional dressmakers, others have a background in fashion, others are more couture. Depending on the profile of your teacher is the cost of your lesson but, to give you an idea, the average price per hour of sewing class in Australia is $34 dollars.
You could ask for online classes or courses and take a trial class to see if their skills and approach to teaching resonates with you and the skills you want to develop.
Get ready to become a sewing pro with Superprof and follow their tips to learn new skills and create new and exciting projects!
Learn to Sew With a Sewing Machine
The most popular way to sew is still the sewing machine. It's not really the seamstress who sews, they are just there to guide the machine. The sewing machine must therefore become an extension of the seamstress's hands.
Basic functions
Some things you should look at when buying a sewing machine are:
- Number and styles of stitches offered: For beginner sewers, you will need just two stitches: Straight and zig zag. More experienced sewers should look for a wider variety. Also, make sure the machine has the capability to adjust stitch length, zig zag width and tension so you have more control over your sewing.
- Included accessories: Most machines include a bobbin and a presser foot, but some include much more. Check if the machine includes a zipper foot, buttonhole foot, embroidery foot, removable extended work table and an area for storage.
- Extra features: Some machines include specific capabilities that can make sewing a whole lot easier like a thread cutter, automatic needle threader, lights, free arm, blind stitching and buttonhole capabilities.
- Frame construction: For the longevity of the machine, you want to look for a metal frame option. Plastic frames are common but can deteriorate quickly and be more difficult to repair.
Sewing Ideas and Free Sewing Patterns
Do you want to start sewing and creating new garments for you, your home and your friends? There are many great sewing projects for beginners that you can take a stab at while you learn to sew:
- A chapstick holder
- A laptop case
- A baby blanket
- A pencil case
- A birthday banner
- A tote bag
- A baby bib
- A summer bag
You can also check out some of the free sewing patterns on this website.
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