My First Sewing Machine.. suggestions for easy projects for a complete beginner?

[bimble]

I'm amazed you got deadstock fabric, any fabric, so cheap. Where from? In London and online the price of it has gone right up and is now the same as new fabric because it's seen as sustainable and is therefore in demand.

I have to say most people don't find it a cheap hobby at all and I personally am paying a lot more for my clothes than if I just bought them. Specially once you've bought a couple of reels of thread, a zip and some elastic. Except that you can't really compare because what I'm making is more Toast quality than H&M and I wouldn't be able to buy anything similar in my size at all.

I can imagine ending up with a big collection of ostrich feather trims and wotnot and the whole thing getting a bit expensive that way longer term but, right now (or maybe tomorrow) I’ve got six curtains which are a size you can’t buy readymade and which would have cost mad money to get made to measure, for the cost of some cheap ikea ones plus some £2.99 a meter fabric and a 10p charity shop roll of blue trim. So it’s a bargainous hobby so far, the problem will start when I get into antique kimono fabric and stuff which I will try not to.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I fancy getting a sewing machine. I fancy making shirts, I don't have the skills, nor do I have a sewing machine.

We await the accident reports.

 

[geminisnake]

For fabric I've been buying bedding from charity shops and fleece blankets from Asda, I spent about £50 on fleece that will become trousers but it helps that I am not tall so the 150cm blankets work for me

 

[heinous seamus]

I did a canvas sewing workshop last month which I enjoyed. I made a wee ditty bag which was quite a good project.



It was hand- stitched though. The sewing machine seems like a fabulous invention.

 

[Artaxerxes]

The wife suggests a box top, she’s a sewer (I’m not allowed to touch the sewing machine but tempted to give it a go at some point)

All Well Box Top Sewing Pattern — all well

allwellworkshop.com

 

[RubyToogood]

I can imagine ending up with a big collection of ostrich feather trims and wotnot and the whole thing getting a bit expensive that way longer term but, right now (or maybe tomorrow) I’ve got six curtains which are a size you can’t buy readymade and which would have cost mad money to get made to measure, for the cost of some cheap ikea ones plus some £2.99 a meter fabric and a 10p charity shop roll of blue trim. So it’s a bargainous hobby so far, the problem will start when I get into antique kimono fabric and stuff which I will try not to.

Home furnishings is where it is a money saver. I made myself some blinds for probably about £50 that would have been hundreds and hundreds.

 

[Epona]

I used to make some of my own clothes when I was a teenager, nothing too fiddly but plain tops, skirts, trousers.
Making your own curtains is ace, they are dead easy and as others have said, such a money saver, especially if you have large or unusual sized windows.

My mum's mum was a seamstress by trade and had one of those big professional old Singers - you know the ones with the big treadle and the fold out wooden work bench, lovely piece of equipment, so I used to use that.
It would be worth a fortune these days (especially as it was well-maintained and perfect working order!), but after I moved out it wasn't being used and I think my parents got rid of it at a car boot sale, there wasn't much interest in them at that time as beautiful objects, especially since it was a large piece of home-industry furniture made from what was at that time quite unfashionable dark wood and iron, and took up quite a bit of space. I still wish I'd had room to take it at the time mind, feel very regretful about having to turn it down.

 

[campanula]

I'm amazed you got deadstock fabric, any fabric, so cheap. Where from? In London and online the price of it has gone right up and is now the same as new fabric because it's seen as sustainable and is therefore in demand.

I have to say most people don't find it a cheap hobby at all and I personally am paying a lot more for my clothes than if I just bought them. Specially once you've bought a couple of reels of thread, a zip and some elastic. Except that you can't really compare because what I'm making is more Toast quality than H&M and I wouldn't be able to buy anything similar in my size at all.

I got the cord from Ralston fabrics and haunt Pound fabrics, where I have bought 4 or so linen/cotton mixes for around £3 a metre. Yep though - my clothes look exactly like some £200 number from Toast or Terry Macey Iin fact, I often do a design rip-off from either of the above). Ikea sheets are usually 100% cotton...and nice and thick and Dorma duvet covers have also been a good source of fabric.
No, it isn't a cheap hobby...but it could be a necessary skill so always worthwhile. Same with knitting...but I buy undyed yarn from World of Wool or A C Woods and dye my own...or sometimes Uppingham yarns or Yarn on Cone...but yeah, the cheapest jumper is still £40...but a zillion miles better than any wool jumper I could afford. It is entirely possible to do this on the cheap if you are patient and careful...and as I am basically skint, I have no choice. Plus, there is nothing on earth which would induce me into Primark or H&M (or anywhere, tbh - i fucking loathe shopping).

 

[bimble]

Curtains are done, 3 pairs of them. i'm knackered but it does feel really good to have sorted it out without having to ask anyone to help me.

 

[Spymaster]

The most difficult piece I made was a pair of tartan cropped leg trousers ...

I reckon head trousers would be even more difficult.

 

[The39thStep]

Need to get bimble working on a pair of these

 

[bimble]

Only thing in that photo I could possibly attempt is the net curtains .

 

[Aladdin]

I reckon head trousers would be even more difficult.

All tartan trews are difficult

 

[The39thStep]

what ever happened to net curtains ?

 

[campanula]

For the longest time, I only ever bought second hand clothes, especially beautiful vintage clothing...but now, jumble sales seem to be extinct and charity shops are more expensive than Primark...which actually does leave making your own as a feasible solution. Back when I was a teenager, it was also cheap to make your own clothes - cotton and wool direct from mill or market, I sewed up until the 80s, including for my children. Globalisation and cheap fashion made it uneconomic to make your own clothes...but this is definitely changing...or at least, attitudes towards clothing are. Even paying £££ for good new fabric, a really great dress can be made for less than £50. And, as RubyToogood points out, the quality is incomparable.,
Sewing is a great hobby - it is possible to make something worthwhile, with only an afternoon of practice - I know because my fidgetty grand-daughter can sew and knit (I am not a great teacher and neither of us have much of an attention span). So, while she probably won't embrace textile work for a while, the skills and confidence will stay with her.
I recently started making my own knickers!

 

[Boudicca]

Need to get bimble working on a pair of these

This is me on the far left around the same time. I was aged about 13 and on my French exchange trip. Looking very grumpy but sporting a home made lilac denim jacket.

 

[WouldBe]

I was going to suggest cushion covers, for the straight lines but they usually involve zips

I was going to suggest that. You can do them without a zip by having the opening overlap.

 

[WouldBe]

I think shirts must be one of the hardest things to make, the collars and buttons and all that. I might manage a very loose sleeveless summer dress fashioned from a duvet cover.
For now, splicing two ikea curtains together feels like a great achievement.
I’m loving it though which I didn’t expect to at all, have been scared of the machines since Mathew sewed through his finger in home economics one day in the 1980s.

Shirts are quite easy. One of the first things I made. Some sewing machines have button hole settings.

 

[bimble]

What about a patchwork quilt? I’ve got a collection of bits of material I’ve been hoarding for no particular reason for years.

 

[bimble]

Shirts are quite easy.

I don’t believe you.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

What about a patchwork quilt? I’ve got a collection of bits of material I’ve been hoarding for no particular reason for years.

You could make an urban-themed patchwork quilt - you could embroider* our avatars, one per square, then sew it all together.

* thats an odd word really

 

[Boudicca]

Shirts are quite easy. One of the first things I made. Some sewing machines have button hole settings.

Buttonholes on a shirt are certainly not easy, even with a buttonhole foot. You need to get them perfectly lined up, you are often sewing on the edge of fabric over uneven layers and if it all goes wrong, they are very tricky to unpick.

Zips aren't that difficult and worth the effort I think.

What about a patchwork quilt? I’ve got a collection of bits of material I’ve been hoarding for no particular reason for years.

Patchwork is precision cutting & sewing. So you cut some squares, sew them into strips and then you sew one strip to another and the lines have to match exactly.

I like the idea of using up waste fabric, but I don't like slicing through nice patterns and it's too time consuming and the end result is too messy for me.

 

[Boudicca]

You could make an urban-themed patchwork quilt - you could embroider* our avatars, one per square, then sew it all together.

* thats an odd word really

Many moons ago, I made this urban themed card. Miss-Shelf took it off my hands, I think, don't know who she gave it to.

 

[Callie]

I reckon plough in with a dress that's pretty much what I did with a nice cotton flat sheet from IKEA.

It was a good way to learn and understand how patterns work and go together. It was a challenge but I was happy with the end product.

My recommendation would be to get a good book to assist with how to do things but I guess there will be tutorials etc on YouTube or websites too. I just seemed to prefer a book.

Get stuck in!

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Many moons ago, I made this urban themed card. Miss-Shelf took it off my hands, I think, don't know who she gave it to.

View attachment 359644

I might have given it to pennimania - it's the sort of thing she would like.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Buttonholes on a shirt are certainly not easy, even with a buttonhole foot. You need to get them perfectly lined up, you are often sewing on the edge of fabric over uneven layers and if it all goes wrong, they are very tricky to unpick.

Zips aren't that difficult and worth the effort I think.


Patchwork is precision cutting & sewing. So you cut some squares, sew them into strips and then you sew one strip to another and the lines have to match exactly.

I like the idea of using up waste fabric, but I don't like slicing through nice patterns and it's too time consuming and the end result is too messy for me.

If you don't mind lines not matching, quilts can be made wonky. I'm not something enough to be able to get lines to match so I dont try and sometimes my quilts turn out charming in their own way

 

[WouldBe]

Buttonholes on a shirt are certainly not easy, even with a buttonhole foot. You need to get them perfectly lined up, you are often sewing on the edge of fabric over uneven layers and if it all goes wrong, they are very tricky to unpick.

I didn't find them difficult.

 

[campanula]

collar stands are not exactly easy...but having said that, I made a shirt for sweetheart after a sewing layoff of over 3 decades- although I did cheat and followed a website (The English Tailor, I think) which went through the whole process. One of the sleeve plackets ended up back to front but apart from that, it was really rather wearable, in a nice striped linen.
Compared to working with metal, or even joinery, I find fabric to be very forgiving indeed...and a seam ripper is truly invaluable.