How hard is it to take up sewing?

[bliss]

I don't find it simple but I'm handicapped when it comes to doing anything domestic. I almost failed Home Ec (is that right) because I couldn't do the sewing or cooking portions.

[Deleted]

What do you want to make? Pillows? No. Elizabethan costumes? Extraordinarily.

In general I don't see a lot of reason to learn beyond repairing things. Supplies are so expensive that's pretty much cheaper to buy anything you could want.

[iheartbanjos]

I just picked up sewing less than a year ago. My first project was DD's halloween costume and I went from there. I've made her countless dresses, I make tons of baby blankets and clothes for gifts, and I just made her a comforter for her new toddler bed.

I disagree about the cost of things. I've made myself a few $8 maxi skirts, and the blankets that I give as gifts go for $65 on Etsy (I spend $12-$15 per blanket).

I rely a lot on google for help if I can't understand something in a pattern. I was otherwise self taught, although my mom helped me reverse engineer the baby blanket that I got as a gift and I now give to others. I highly recommend!

[Deleted]

There are a lot of great instructional videos on you tube.

ETA: this is the absolute best sewing book I have found. It has easy to follow step by step instructions, and projects for a variety of skill levels. I recommend it to students all the time (and is the grad gift I give to graduating student employees). www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sewing-Readers-Digest/dp/0762104201

[fuddyduddy]

I have recently taken up sewing and I haven't had too much trouble doing basic projects on my own.

I like this blog for easy tutorials: sweet-verbena.blogspot.com/

[bliss]

Ucreate is a great blog too for easy (at least they appear easy) tutorials.

[copperpenny]

I tried and wasn't so good at it. I took a class, but dropped out. I can sew basic things by hand now (buttons, ripped seams) but I suck at using a machine. I would recommend trying a class though. Mine was cheap and at a local HS.

[Deleted]

My mom sews. She made all of our dresses growing up. Her dream was for one of her daughters to learn how to sew but it was too hard for us. I got so frustrated that I wanted to break the sewing machine, lol.

[mskitkat]

I tried and failed. My sister has an idiot-proof sewing machine, and I managed to snag it up so badly she couldn't stop laughing. The crafty gene skipped me.

[aurora]

Aug 6, 2012 17:00:56 GMT -5 @kcpokergal said:

What do you want to make? Pillows? No. Elizabethan costumes? Extraordinarily.

In general I don't see a lot of reason to learn beyond repairing things. Supplies are so expensive that's pretty much cheaper to buy anything you could want.

Refashioning is pretty big these days and is definitely cheaper than buying new or sewing from new fabric.

I like to sew just because it's fun to be creative, but my mom taught me when I was a child so I'm not going to be much help on recommendations for how to learn.

[sillygoosegirl]

Some stores that sell sewing machines will give you free one-on-one lessons for the first year you own the machine you purchased there. Some will do it longer. Then when you can't figure out a step on a project you can get help. I don't know if chains like Joann's do it or not, but Vogue Fabric in Chicago did it, and my mom said at least one store near her did it.

[agnes]

I worked at Joann's and watched people sew. It didnt seem all that hard to do basic stuff. So I bought myself a machine. I made baby quilts, curtains, and pillows mostly. I enjoyed that actual sewing part but not the cutting. I only use my machine when i want to hem something now. And i forgot how to change to different stitches on my machine and cant find the manual. Oh well.

[vccake]

I am a noobie. My friend gave me her sewing machine. Instead of jo fabrics, I went to my local fabric shop and paid her to show me how. I took a few classes there as well. We now have a friendship.

I stink at it but I am getting better. I make pillowcases and beach bags and little poufs. I am currently making roman shades.

[rex]

Sewing itself isn't hard. It does require patience and attention to detail, which I find to be the hardest part. The cutting drives me crazy.

You will likely mess up (a lot) in the beginning, but that's normal. If you do start, keep going even if you suck at the beginning.

[katb]

I have learned in the past 2 years. I remember some from junior high home ec and then I relied on you tube and tutorials on the net. Made by Dana is awesome. I make my girls dresses, pajama pants for all 4 kids, and I even learned how to take my old tshirts and my Dh old flannal shirts to make shorts and sleep shorts for the kids.
Definately awesome and can be cheaper if you wait to find the fabric you want on sale or learn how to use other items - eg, clearance sheets, table cloths, and curtains are awesome to use for cheap fabrics.

[katb]

Oh, I also repurpose old baby blankets for sleep pants/shorts for the kids. At our consigment sale, most will sell a bunch of 3/5 for a dollar or two. I end up with 8 - 10 yards of fabric for pennies.

[sillygoosegirl]

Aug 6, 2012 20:13:51 GMT -5 agnes said:

I worked at Joann's and watched people sew. It didnt seem all that hard to do basic stuff. So I bought myself a machine. I made baby quilts, curtains, and pillows mostly. I enjoyed that actual sewing part but not the cutting. I only use my machine when i want to hem something now. And i forgot how to change to different stitches on my machine and cant find the manual. Oh well.

A PDF of your manual may be available on the internet. I'd try Googling the brand and model number and see what you find.

[jinkies]

I find the actual sewing part pretty easy. The majority of your time with a sewing project is spent preparing- measuring, cutting, ironing, pinning. If you have the patience and attention to detail for that, you'll be fine.

I hadnt sewn since jr high, but pregnancy hormones did weird things to me, and compelled me to sew tote bags as Christmas presents the year my son was born. It wasn't that hard. I also sewed curtains, a crib skirt and recovered a glider while pregnant with my daughter. Oh! And made hobby horses as favors for my sons birthday.

If you are even remotely crafty, patient, good at math and following directions you should be fine.

[Wines Not Whines]

I took a weekend class a couple of years ago. It wasn't difficult to learn. We made a cute tote bag the first day, and a pair of pajama pants the second day. Since then, I've done some basic things like pillow covers and more pj pants.

[glitzy07]

I also really want to learn, after seeing a lot of the cute things you can make on Pinterest.

My mom used to sew her own clothes a lot back in the day, and she offered to teach me some simple stuff. I went to JoAnn Fabric the other day and found something I liked and plan to start out by making a window valance for our back door. I'm hoping that starting with something relatively simple (three hems and a top pocket to slide the rod through), will be the beginning of making me crafty!

[quickstepstar]

I started quilting about 1.5 years ago, and it was not all that difficult. I read a whole bunch of tutorials online and took a class at a local quilting store. I also tried doing clothes, but I much much prefer quilting.

[Ashley&Scott]

Have you ever sewn...like in home ec in school? It depends on what you want to make though. Straight line sewing project are the easiest. (pillows, blankets, burp cloths, etc.) Youtube will have tutorials for most projects.