How hard is it to learn to sew?

[femalephish]

I am thinking about getting a sewing machine, but no one in my family knows how to sew so I would be teaching myself. If I just get a simple machine and some patterns will I just be able to figure it out? I'm having a baby in July and would love to be able to make her/him somethings. Plus, when I mend things now by hand it takes forever! Thanks for you help.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Using a sewing machine is easy but it does help a lot to have someone to show you what to do. If you can, I'd look into taking a class. Fabric stores sometimes host them. Otherwise, read the instructions for your machine and pattern carefully before you start and you should be fine. There are also videos on youtube such as this one that can help talk you through the process.

[orangefoot]

Learning to sew isn't as hard as learning to knit IMO!

If you can cut fabric and sew it together the right way round you will be ok. Take a class as the pp said, or just get a machine and try it on your own with the internet by your side.

Either way - happy sewing!

[caro113]

I had no idea this little forum existed!! I am so excited.

Anyhow, I love to sew and quilt. It is so amazingingly fun! Where in the NE are you? If you are close enough, I could teach you how to sew. It's super easy, but it does help to have someone there. If you are too far away, maybe I could video record myself doing it and send it to you.

Good Luck!!

[Think of Winter]

Originally Posted by Rhiannon Feimorgan

Using a sewing machine is easy but it does help a lot to have someone to show you what to do. If you can, I'd look into taking a class. Fabric stores sometimes host them. Otherwise, read the instructions for your machine and pattern carefully before you start and you should be fine. There are also videos on youtube such as this one that can help talk you through the process.

:
I've been sewing a long time, and patterns are still confusing to me. There's a big range of difficulty in patterns. I think a class would be well worth while.

[lj2blessed]

I took a class in middle school, so that's how I learned. Hopefully the fabric store has books on learning to sew, where you can make copies of figures so that you can practice your footing with the pedal and holding the fabric straight. We had pages of straight and curvy lines, figure 8's, coils and such that we had to "sew" on (just a needle with no thread - it would make dots in the paper) to be approved by the teacher. It really did "teach us" the speed/pace we needed in order to not mess up some fabric, and came in handy when we made our final projects for card marking!

When I purchase a machine (yeah, I haven't used a machine since then, about 15 years ago ) - I'll probably be looking for some practice sheets as well to refamiliarize myself.

Wish you the best

[Ceinwen]

Originally Posted by orangefoot

Learning to sew isn't as hard as learning to knit IMO!

If you can cut fabric and sew it together the right way round you will be ok. Take a class as the pp said, or just get a machine and try it on your own with the internet by your side.

Either way - happy sewing!

I guess YMMV cause I taught myself to knit in two days, and after weeks of fighting with my sewing machine, I caved and signed up for a class. I think it depends on your learning curve and what you're trying to make.

[earthgirl]

I have found sewing to be pretty tricky. It requires a lot of concentration and patience, both of which I'm frequently short of. A good starter book is Sew Fast, Sew Easy. It really helped me get my feet wet. I will say that it's a pretty good feeling to complete a project, regardless of how small it is. If you can take a class, that would probably be most helpful. They just tend to be expensive, IMO.

[Golden]

I'd say that it's fairly easy to learn to sew. I mean, learning to sew a fancy dress out of a silky fabric with ruffles and rolled trim is way up there in terms of skill. Making a pair of pajama pants or something easy like a pillowcase or a valance out of cotton or flannel is easy. For the most part, it's all straight stitching with made a big curve for the seat of pjs. Measure twice, cut once. Pin very carefully. You can get a really nice machine for only 100 shipped. I got a reconditioned brother on Overstock.com with all kinds of fancy stuff that I will never use. It's a great machine that replaced my clunker I used for years.

I do recommend books with step by step beginner projects. I taught myself how to make a queen sized quilt that way. The ladies at the fabric stores too are helpful if you have a question interpreting something you have in front of you.

[Bethla]

My mom gave me a sewing machine for Christmas five years ago. It's still in the box in my closet! I think I will take a class. I tried knitting and realized I'm not a quick learner or a learn from a book type of person!

[Tiffany_PartyOf7]

I'm ready to throw my machine out the window! LOL. I brought it home a few weeks ago. It was my grandmothers machine and has no instruction manual. I can't figure it out for the life of me. I think I'll take a class but I'm afraid that the machine is so outdated that the classes won't help LOL. I can't get the dang thing to hold a stitch - maybe I'm better off sewing everything by hand HAHA

I desperately want to learn to make my own clothes, the kids clothes, diapers, blankets, slings, towels, everything!!!!

[Sk8ermaiden]

I found it really easy to learn to sew. I bought a pattern (I found Butterick way easier than the other brands to understand.) And I just stared at the instructions until they made sense. I also had two "for dummies" kind of books and the internet. (I can't teach myself from a book - too boring, but It was nice to have as a reference.) My first project (a dress) looked like a first project. : But my second project (a renaissance-style men's doublet) which was was more complicated, came out looking great. Right now I'm working on a maternity bridesmaid's dress for my friend's wedding and it's going swimmingly.

I mean, I can't do anything overly complicated yet, but I can put most basic patterns together fairly well, and I add more techniques and skills with every pattern I do.

Don't get me wrong though, there have been a LOT of ripped out stitches, and several times DH had to force me to put up the machine for the day, I was getting so worked up, but mostly it's been fun.

[grniys]

It's easy. I'm completely self taught. I bought a couple books... Idiots Guide To Sewing and Sewing For Dummies and then joined a few sewing groups online. It's not hard at all! The hardest part is learning your machine, imo. Don't get me wrong... it can be frustrating, but it's not hard.

[wbd221]

Local techincal high schools and technical/community colleges also sometimes offer Beginer sewing classes as art of continuing education offerings...