2.15.2011

Q & A: Building Sewing Skills

A few weeks ago, Claire from Heart Handmade asked in the comments:
how long did it take you to build up your sewing skills? I just wana make my own clothes :p i made a dress when i was 16 with my granny and i can do the basics! i just need practice i think!
Despite what you may think, I haven't been sewing for very long. I started in the summer of 2008, when my Mom gifted me with "Silas," my main sewing machine. I had finished college in 2007, and was shocked at how much free time I had in the real world.


So I took up sewing, and started learning by finding tutorials online, mostly through One Pretty Thing. Sewing had always been super scary for me because I am a visual learner and reading directions and trying to visualize what I was supposed to do was really difficult. But online tutorials are so FABULOUS because there are usually photos to go with each and every step, so you can see exactly how things will come together. I started with sewing simple projects, and bookmarked any tutorials that were more advanced than I was ready for. With practice and time, those advanced projects didn't seem so hard anymore.

Making clothing was a particularly scary thing to me - I started by revamping some thrift store finds and things from my own closet, and eventually worked up to making some dresses from scratch. I challenged myself to give it a try - and I followed through. I'm always up for a challenge!

My advice when it comes to learning - 1) Practice and 2) Go for it!

If you want to make your own clothes, find some tutorials and go for it! Bookmark projects that you want to tackle, and start with the simple ones. Eventually, you'll feel up to the challenge of some more complicated garments. I found that Kathleen from Grosgrain is a particularly great resource!

So happy crafting, and good luck! Don't forget to show off what you've created, because I want to see!

And if YOU have any questions for me, throw them my way in the comments below!

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3 comments:

  1. thank you for posting this!! I will just keep going. im only recently properly taking it back up again so i think i just need to plough on!

    Im so happy you did this!

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  2. I have a completely random question for you! I have been saving milk cartons for a while now (as predicted by you quite a while ago, I have become a crazy, milk-carton hoarding lady!) At first, I just put the milk cartons on top of my refrigerator, then on a shelf in my pantry. I kept meaning to find an efficient way to store them (oh, and to actually make the coin purses!), but for now, do you have a recommendation for efficient storage? I'd rather sit and make a bunch at once than making one at a time, so I'd like to store them until I get a dozen then make them all on a rainy day.

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  3. im so glad i bookmarked this post :p you are awesome. How do you feel writing me up a guest post for my Sew with Heart section? For beginners sewers etc. Tips and advice. ?

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