Today I want to talk about one of my absolute favorite things on this planet: sewing! We all have to start somewhere, right? I just want to give those of you who are afraid to venture into the realm of sewing a quick as to where to start, what to get, where to get it, etc.
One of the many questions people ask me about sewing is how I started. Well, my great-grandmother {God bless her soul} and my grandmother both sewed/sew. When I was really young maybe seven or eight I got very interested in sewing and was always watching them, asking them questions, and just observing what they did. Finally when I was nine they allowed me to get in front of a machine and sew my heart away. Ever since then I have learned a lot from them, but I have also had to teach myself a lot of things. Because my grandmother doesn't focus on clothing, she sells mostly custom home crafts such as baby blankets and throw pillows, I had to learn about sewing clothing mostly on my own.
Don't get me wrong, I am still learning and progressing my sewing, but I have come a very, very long way. Some of my inspirations are {of course} Coco Chanel, but also smaller designers like 13-year-old Isabella Rose Taylor.
But not all of us have a creative bone {which isn't necessary for sewing} or someone to help get them started. Which is why I wanted to make this post. Please feel free to leave comments below asking me about sewing or anything that I mention in this post.
~ How do you start? ~
I think the best place to start is hand sewing. Even I still struggle with hand sewn hems and certain stitches, but it is the best place to start. Hand sewing is basically using a needle and thread to make a project. A lot of have the misconception that sewing is all done on a machine. NOPE! A lot of the most important aspects have many projects are done by hand. Then you can buy yourself a generic sewing machine, even one from Walmart will suffice. My first sewing machine came as a packaged deal, similar to a buy one get one free. Nothing special. This machine should come with all the basics, a universal foot, a zipper foot, a universal needle, an instructions manual, etc.
Learning how to sew is probably the tricky part. You can take a class and have someone teach you how to use your machine or you can teach yourself. Read your manual and slowly begin to experiment with different fabrics and projects. It will take a lot of time, but it is soooo worth it! {I pinky promise} You will need a very good sewing ripper if you decide to take this route.
~ Where do I go? ~
The best well-known fabric and crafting store that is located across the United States is Jo-Ann Fabric. They offer basic sewing classes, an awesome selection of fabrics, and almost everything you need to make awesome projects. If you don't have a Jo-Ann Fabrics near you, look online for a fabric store near you. As a last resort, they do sell fabric online. The only thing I will warn you about buying fabric online is that you won't be able to feel the fabric before you get it. You may be thinking that is unimportant, but the type of fabric you use, the material it is made of, and it's texture is essential to a lot of pieces
~ What do I get? ~
To start off, get yourself a sewing basket to put all of your small parts, bobbins, threads, needles, scissors, etc. in. You can find these in Walmart for really inexpensive or you can find very elaborate ones. Next, basic sewing supplies. This consists of fabric scissors {no you cannot use Target brand safety scissors from your kids kindergarten class}, threads {black, navy, white, just simple everyday colors}, needles for your hand sewing and machine sewing, pins, and a pin cushion{you could also make one for yourself}.One of the most important things you will need, especially if you are learning alone is a book about sewing. I don't have one specific book, but try and find something that includes all the basics and a little more. The internet is a great resource, but it is not always the most reliable place.
As you progress with sewing you may want to start buying things such as specific fabric, patterns, cutting mat, rotary cutter, sewing chalk, etc.
~ What is my first project? ~
Starting is always the hardest part. Now you have all of these supplies and you have no clue what to do. I would say the best project to start with, for anyone, is making yourself a pin cushion. I still have my old pin cushion from when I was nine. You can find a lot of tutorials out there for hand sewn pincushions. They are useful and will progress with you as you continue to learn and develop your techniques.I hope this helps you guys out and encourage you to go and start sewing, or even doing something you have always wanted to do. You don't have to be creative, but you have to be passionate and patient. The rest will come with time.
xoxo, Ana
