I think if you are starting to sew the best thing to remember is it is ok to mess up. I mess up all the time. I started the fleece socks and after several pieces were sewn together I realized a piece was wrong side out. Thank goodness for seam rippers - (They are the little pointy things used to undo stitches.) Sometimes it is easy to tell the wrong side of a fabric and in some cases it can be difficult. Wool is very hard to tell. I usually place a safety pin on the right side of the fabric or make a mark where you cannot see it so I do not put my pieces together wrong. I have no excuse with the fleece though; it was pretty easy to see the right and wrong side. I usually start making silly mistakes when it is late or I am trying to hurry. It helps to just sew for a specified amount of time so that I don't start making mistakes.
So my sewing room is all clean and ready to go!! I love it.
As for the question that I received about starting with no experience, there are great resources right on the internet for someone who just wants to learn how to sew on a button or hem a pair of pants.
The website About.com has a huge amount of topics listed under "Sewing Basics" , from "How to Thread a Needle" to "How to Sew on a Shank Button" or "How to Sew on a Flat Button.". The great thing about the website and links is that terms that someone may need explained are highlighted so that you can click on them and get a definition.
Great resources - thanks! I don't own a sewing machine, so I always feel like it is worth the $10-12 to have pants hemmed by the dry cleaner than to either buy a sewing machine or do it by hand (messy). However, my thought process has changed on that, and I think the more value would come from learning to do it myself and teaching my daughters how to sew, which no one ever taught me.
ReplyDeleteAs we know, professional tailors can be very costly. Have your friends or family ever asked if you can repair or tailor their clothes?
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