If you spend the day out and about with my daughter you will find it very likely that someone will stop to ask about her dress. They are curious about where it came from. When they find out I made it, after they are done swooning, they will usually spend the next two minutes or so sharing with me (apologizing actually) how they have always wanted to learn but just “don’t have the talent” to sew.
Although I’ve been sewing since I was little, I was not born with a super infusion of sewing wisdom, know how or some designer brilliance. I learned like everyone else: by trying and making mistakes. Sometimes they were very, very bad mistakes. Yup, I got my “talent” from good old elbow grease and screwing up. If you’ve always wanted to sew, I’ve got a few tips to help you with your “lack of talent".
- Don’t be afraid to try, a.k.a. sewing is NOT rocket science. If you accidentally sew the wrong pieces together, your project will not self-destruct in 30 seconds. Unless you drop the sewing machine, it’s not likely you’ll do any irreparable damage to it. Yes, cutting two of the same sleeve is a pain, but it’s not the end of the world. Other than the usual stabbing yourself with pins or burning yourself with an iron, the worst that happens is you cut or tear the fabric in a place it can’t be patched or you need to cut a piece to replace a cutting mistake, but don’t enough fabric leftover. If that happens, you can take the project apart and make it into something for a littler person, buy more fabric or swear you’ll never sew again. Which brings me to my second tip…
- Sewers are designers and designers can do ANYTHING. It was the year I saw trash bags on the runway that I said nothing I sew will ever look anywhere near that bad. That was also the year I found out about draping. Draping is when you take a piece of fabric and create a design right on a person or dressmaker’s dummy. You tuck and fold and snip and pin until you get the look you want. And that means…
- Notches don’t always have to match; directions were made to be ignored and other sewing rubbish that should be disregarded. It used to drive me crazy when my pattern placement notches didn’t match. I thought I was a psycho, who didn’t know how to use scissors, until I put pattern piece to pattern piece and found out they didn’t match either! You need to realize that there are certain places you can fudge and everything will still turn out fine. And sometimes, the directions that come with the pattern AREN’T the best way to put things together. So what can you do to learn when to be a rebel and when to tow the line?
- Start simple. Although tempting, a 1940s Vintage Vogue pattern with 20-some asymmetrical pieces is NOT the pattern to start with. Tackle a simple sheath dress or A-line skirt or apron or a simple dress for a little person. Pants are tricky and plaid should not be in your vocabulary for at least 5 projects. Some people like pillows or curtains for a first project. I still find pillow corners and zippers tricky. I also find that less beginner guilt is induced if you can donate a skirt to the thrift store verses 6 valances that will only fit your oddly shaped windows. Choose wisely.
- Learn using cheap fabric. For $10 you can have enough fabric to make almost any beginner pattern with plenty left over. Check your local chain fabric store clearance piles or mill end stores or online and don’t pay over $3 a yard. If spending $10 on fabric that you might ruin gives you the chills, keep things in perspective. It will probably take more than twice that to feed the kids lunch at MickeyD’s. Lunch will only last a couple hours. If the skirt turns out wearable, you’ll have it for years. If not, you’ve gain several hours of priceless experience for $10. How much does college cost?
- Get a friend to help take your measurements. Before you hack into your fabric, make sure you’re going to be hacking out the right size. Ready made sizes are NOT pattern sizes. You need to have accurate measurements if you’re going to pick the right size. It’s very important to be able to fit into something you made for yourself to wear. Just sayin’…
- Get books from the library, watch videos and/or find a sewing mentor. Not everyone learns the same way. What one picks up from a book, another has to learn hands on. Know your learning style, find your teacher.
- Never, never, never give up. I’ve really only gotten really confident at sewing in the last couple years. I’m older and more patient and have learned the wisdom in picking out a bad seam. It really is worth it. The more you sew, the more talent you find you’ll have.
Janel is a piano playing homemaker who loves to sew. You can find her stitching adventures at www.janelmessenger.com
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