Tag Archives: learning to sew

Books for Beginning Sewers

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If you want to encourage someone to learn to sew, a book can be a nice starting place. These books are fabulous for beginning sewers:

Stitch by Stitch: Learn to Sew One Project at a Time by Deborah Moebes. This well-illustrated book is exactly what the title promises. Ms. Moebes takes you through each detail of sewing with several simple, but lovely projects. Each project is designed to build on the sewing skills learned in the last project.

Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing . This book has over 1200 photos and explains everything the beginner and more advanced sewers need to know. It includes instructions on making pillows, tablecloths and other household items. A nice gift for any sewer on your list.

Sew Everything Workshop: The Complete Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide with 25 Fabulous Original Designs, Including 10 Patterns by Diana Rupp. A fun beginner’s guide to sewing, with detailed instructions on hand sewing as well as by machine.

Sewing Tools–the Awl

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Most people think of awls as strictly a woodworking tool, but they can be useful in sewing. An awl can be used to press thick fabric down so that it goes smoothly under the presser foot. Place the awl in front of the presser foot and press down on the material as you sew. This is a great trick to use with thick upholstery or drapery fabric.

Use an awl to press down a zipper at the start of sewing, so that the presser foot glides over the initial hump.

Some sewers like awls made for woodworking, but special sewing awls are available. These have either rounded or pointed tips. Many people prefer the rounded tips because they will not snag fabric.

Learning to Sew–Using Beeswax

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Hand sewing can sometimes be difficult if you don’t know the tricks of trade. Heavy fabrics can make it hard to pull the thread through the fabric. Thread sometimes tangles and knots making sewing unpleasant and time consuming.

A trick used by tailors for years can help the home sewer enjoy sewing difficult fabrics. Thread your needle with the appropriate length of thread. Run the thread through a container of beeswax before using it. The thread will pull through the material smoothly and it will be resistant to knotting and tangling.

Book Review: S.E.W.—Sew Everything Workshop

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If you want a book that teaches you to sew in a clear, fun manner, I definitely recommended S.E.W.—Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp. Included is a section on selecting a sewing machine and a chapter on learning about your machine. This is very helpful for beginners, since frequently one of the great frustrations in learning to sew is getting to understand the machine. In Chapter 2, Diana takes you through all the skills necessary for sewing perfect seams on your machine. Every step is very well-illustrated.

This fun book also includes 10 cool sewing projects with ready to cut out patterns. These aren’t your usual dull placemats and basic skirts, but practical garments like yoga pants, and a classic sleeveless dress. There is Unforgettable Elephant, a cute little pachyderm that is easy to sew. Each project helps you build your portfolio of sewing skills.

Practical Find—Simplicity’s How to Use a Sewing Machine

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There are literally thousands of sewing books on the market, but few show you everything you need to know about a sewing machine. Simplicity’s How to Use a Sewing Machine is one of the few books specifically on sewing machines. If you have ever struggled trying to find information in your sewing machine’s manual and found it woefully inadequate or just plain confusing, you will appreciate this book.

Clear photos and texts make How to Use a Sewing Machine a beginning sewer’s dream. There is a special section on using sergers; so this book could also make a great gift for the avid sewer who has just acquired their first serger.

First Sewing Projects—A man’s vest

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Simplicity has been releasing more patterns in their Learn to Sew line. They now have a man’s vest in sizes 34-42 and 44-52. You can make a button front or learn to sew in a zipper. The pattern also teaches you how to line a vest, and make patch pockets.

Denim, corduroy, twill, wool and wool blends, brocade, and satin can be used for this vest. The instructions are especially geared to beginners, even to guys who might not have given a thought to learning to sew before.

Take it step by step—Complete a sewing project even if you have little time Part I

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Little time to sew? Try breaking your sewing projects in into small manageable steps and preparing your fabric ahead of time, so it will be ready to sew when you are. If your fabric needs preshrinking (the majority do), treat it as soon as possible after you get it, even if you know it will likely be months before you can begin sewing on it.

Then store it away neatly, in an easily accessible place, so you can get it out quickly when you are ready to sew. Some people store prepared fabric folded over a clothes hanger; you might even like to store the pattern you have picked for the project with the fabric, by placing it in a plastic bag and securing the bag to the hanger.

Place your matching notions, thread, zipper, buttons, trim and so on in the bag with the pattern. Now you have everything in place so you won’t have to hunt for something.

Learning to Sew—Making your own bias tape Part III

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Bias tape makers are neat metal devices designed to automatically fold your bias strip the correct width as you press it. Bias tape makers come in several widths: ½” ¾” 1” & 2”.

Cut your bias strip 1” wide to make ½” tape, 1⅜” to make ¾” , 1 ⅞” to make 1” and 3¼” to make 2” tape.

To feed the bias strip through the tape maker, cut one end of the fabric in a point. Thread the pointed end through the wide end of the tape maker and use a straight pin to pull it out the narrow end of the tape maker. Anchor in place by pinning the point to your ironing board or other pressing surface.

Press the folded tape as you pull the tape maker along the length of the strip. It will automatically fold the strip’s raw edges to the center, forming a neat, even bias tape.

Learning to Sew–Making your own bias tape, Part I

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Many projects, such as the pillowcase dresses recommended by Little Dresses for Africa, use bias tape. Bias tape can be used to finish necklines, sleeves, and jacket edges. It is a neat finish for placemats, blankets, small quilts, and many other projects. While you can buy ready-made bias tape in a variety of colors and widths, it is relatively simple to learn to make your own.

When you make your own bias tape you can match your project’s colors exactly and you can add a stylish touch by binding a project in a contrasting print. Making bias tape does take patience and so I recommend waiting until you are past the beginning sewer’s level before you try to make your first bias tape.

Bias tape is called bias because it is cut on the bias—the cross-grain of the fabric. This gives it more ‘give’ or stretch; you can sew bias tape around a curve.

Michigan Surgeon Starts Sewing School

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What do you do if your daughter wants to learn to sew so she can someday become a fashion designer, but there no classes in your area? If you are like Dr. Sandra Howell you start your own sewing school. Dr. Howell, a surgeon who specializes in treating breast cancer, decided that if her daughter was having difficult finding quality sewing instruction, others in the area might be in the same predicament. Wanting to benefit the entire community, Howell purchased a building and began looking for sewing instructors.

She found Shannon Hubbard who is in her fourth year of studying apparel and design at Central Michigan University and Elizabeth Soderquist, who once owed Elegant Bridal, a shop in Mt. Pleasant. The newly opened Dream Key Design Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan is offering sewing classes to the community and plans to expand to offer design courses.