Learning to sew

I know there are some very crafty people on this site, so I was wondering if anyone could help me.

DH (under my instructions) bought me a sewing machine for Christmas last year. Every time I pass it, I look longingly at it, but still don't know how to use it. Well, that's not quite true - I took the free lessons that were offered, so I know the basics of how to operate it. However, I don't know how to machine sew. I've done plenty of hand sewing, but that's as far as it goes.

I really want to learn how - I want to use this lovely new machine, but it is still so damn hard to get out on my own to a lesson, let alone a series of them, that I haven't made anything yet. Please bear in mind that my toddler still only permits work in very short bursts... So could anyone give me suggestions, or recommend a helpful website or book that you think might work well for me?

Thanks!

Thanks Krystal, that is very encouraging. I think my perfectionistic qualities are getting in the way - I've been too afraid of making mistakes and messing up perfectly good material! That's a good tip.

How old were you when you started? And what did you gravitate towards after learning how to operate the machine - patterns, or personal experimentation?

[SuzySunshine]

Robyn, I learned in high school home ec but then retaught myself when I got my own machine a few years ago. Krystal's suggestions are great. Buy some cheap material and just play for a while. Patterns are pretty intuitive when you get to that point.

[Michele]

I've been sewing for about two months and I'm addicted! Hancock has patterns on sale for 99c every month or so....so check your local stores for sales. Also, they rotate what is on sale....some weeks it's thread, sometimes bobbins and feet etc. I've been rotating stores trying to hit all the sales so I don't break our bank with my new hobby. I made a dress first but I used too thin fabric so I can't wear it. but I've since made a halter top, a scrub hat for russ, one for me (w/o pattern!) a ringsling (but Daegan doen't like it as much as the wrap ) and a sleepsack for him out of fleece (no pattern, used the tto small one as a guide). The fleece was my first braching out of cotton.

I want a new machine now!! I'm using and old Riccar that's built into a little table.

I'm having so much fun with it!!

I was taught some when I was little, but basically have self taught myself in the last 6 years. First off, what kind of sewing do you want to do? The more basic - streamlined type of sewing (pillows, place mats, table runners) is a GREAT place to start. There are lots of books that simplify these steps. Um... I grabbed a good basic sewing book a while ago, I'll go look it up either tonight or tomorrow (busy today). If you want to do clothes, (via patterns) I say classes are the best place to go. I have a hard time with patterns, the more complicated the pattern the more you need to know your fabrics and what ways the fabrics can give with the pattern. In clothes you really need to understand proper inseams, the drapping of the fabrics, how to accomidate the pleats, darts and such to your body or whomever you're sewing for. My experiance with patterns is they often are wrong, often don't explain certain techniques very well, and make you frustrated. As I"m getting more experianced, I'm starting to get the hang of patterns, but I still think they are a PITA.

As far as self teaching, pull out your clothes and investigate the stiching, how the pleats are used, pockets are stitched and so forth. I make 90% of my own patterns for items I want to make. I just look at like items and figure it out, but then I like that cause it causes me to try new things out.

If you have cable I know there are sewing shows there, goofy, but some would be good to follow.

HTH

[Deebs]

I learned to sew in Junior High, but then didn't do anything with it for years. Last year's tax return paid for a new sewing machine. I was too afraid to start with anything I would use for my house, so started buying random kids' fabrics, cutting them into squares, and sewing into kind of a patch-work blanket for friends's babies. I made the first one for DD, and expirimented with stitches and types of fabrics. Then, I started refining them and making them for shower and/or birth gifts. Now, I've moved onto sewing one side of the blanket together, taking it to the embroidery store, and getting name/birthdate, weight, etc embroidered on before I finish the blanket. My friends all love them! It's probably the easiest thing you could make (no pattern required), and gives me a lot of practice with my machine. Plus, a super cheap baby gift that looks really expensive. When we move, I plan to move on to draperies and pillows.