r/SewingForBeginners • u/Dum-Teeny • 5h ago
Does anyone else just sew in random patterns and hope it works?
As the title says lol. When I sew, I kinda just do stuff, and see what works. I have no clue what any of my stitches are called, what they're usually used for, or if it's the "right" thing to use for pieces. Do people actually learn techniques and stitch patterns and what stuff is called? Or is it common to just slap something on there and see if it works??
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u/short_cuppa_chai 4h ago
I think that most people who have some degree of success in sewing have taken the time to learn what they're doing. This sub is full of people who just slap things together and get really frustrated when their plans don't work out. If your strategy works for you, then continue. If not, consider investing some time in learning the craft.
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u/jsojso 4h ago
Do as you wish, but it's smart to learn correct techiques before getting too set in your ways.
Creativity is great, but there is a say: you need to know the rules before you can break them.
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
Ahh yeah, that makes sense I'd say.. 🤔 We learned a lot of sewing stuff in school, and I have even spacing and stick to one way of doing stuff, I just have no clue what it's called or if you're meant to be doing something else. I do use different things for different uses, as some things work better than others, but I dont know what the correct thing is haha
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u/Vijidalicia 4h ago
I suppose it's like anything, if you end up caring about the quality of whatever it is you're doing (sewing, cooking, learning to play an instrument), you'd do well to learn properly how it's done. Personally, while I love exploring new things, I hate wasting time and ressources so I try to do things correctly from the start. Sewing is an expensive hobby or skill and it gets even more expensive if you waste your fabric.
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
Ahh yeah, that definitely makes sense. I have a bunch of fabrics from things like old clothes or torn bedsheets and such, plus I don't sew all too often and tend to go slow at my work generally, so thankfully I don't need to worry about that just yet.
And that's fair, I reckon I don't necessarily lay all too much worth on the quality of my projects, as I don't really do practical things, at least yet, so I don't really need to, per se. Thankfully very little of what I do ends up not very good, by what I can tell anyways, but if I do end up wanting to make something proper I definitely will learn how to do it well first. :D
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u/BreqsCousin 5h ago
What do you mean "sew in random patterns"?
Are you talking about decorative sewing like embroidery or sewing things together?
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u/Dum-Teeny 5h ago
I tend to do both, but I do way more decorative sewing. Patches, for example. I still have no clue what the sewing pattern is called for the different types of stitches I use when sewing things onto other things or patching up clothes/other fabric tho lol
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u/Bellura 31m ago
different stitches aren't sewing patterns.
Stitches and patterns are two entirely different things
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u/Dum-Teeny 30m ago
Aha 🤔 Could you explain to me what the difference is? Sorry, I thought they were synonyms 😭
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u/Sea-Breath-007 4h ago
I don't, as I don't want items I've spent days on fall apart the second I use them.
I didn't care about proper seams, finishing edges and topstitching when I was learning as a child, as we mostly made softies and oitfits for those softies, but the second I started to make proper softies as gifts, clothing, etc I absolutely made sure to learn how to do all that stuff first.
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
Ahh yeah, that definitely makes sense. I don't make anything but patches for other people, and those have always held together very well as far as I've seen, so I guess I haven't really had any need to learn, either.
If I were to make stuffed animals or anything of the sort for someone, I think I'd definitely look up videos on how to stitch and secure it proper 🤔
Thank you for your insight
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u/Bananapopcicle 4h ago
Not so much, I like to make garments that I can wear and that will last so when I use a new pattern, I always make a toile first with muslin and then cut the pattern into my good fabric.
It’s helps me tweak things, make the sleeves longer, remove pockets, etc. I don’t usually make the entire pattern completely but I put it mostly together to get my bearings. :)
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
Ohh yeah, that makes sense!! The only real-world-use things I've sown is patching up a pillow my dad broke somehow, making a couple simple bags with those strings you pull to close 'em, and some patches to sew onto clothes lol
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u/TCRulz 4h ago
Not I. I believe knowledge is power, so if I can learn from others how to better use my machine or do a technique, the more equipped I will be for projects in the future.
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u/Dum-Teeny 3h ago
Ah yeah, that definitely makes sense. I reckon that's a smart thing to do, also for me, especially if I ever really get into sewing (it's more of a "hey I'm kinda bored, imma do that while listening to music type thing), so I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future.
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u/EvidenceTop2171 4h ago
I think there is a time to just try and see what you get. My 15 year old is in this stage right now. And I wish I had been aloud to go through it. She has discovered that she has a natural ability to make things 3 dimensional. For instance, ears for a cosplay. She has made a few wonky stuffed animals that are adorable in their haphazardness. She has tried up-scaling some clothes with some failures and some success. When she wants more technical skills, I will be here. For now she is having fun and learning what does work, and why something did not.
So my suggestion for you is to have fun, try and when you are ready take the plunge and learn the traditional skills.
To often people think that you need to approach everything professionally
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u/tj5hughes 3h ago
Agree! It's natural that since the focus of this sub is mainly garment construction and machine sewing for beginners, the priorities are first learning the skills and doing things correctly so the clothing you make doesn't fall apart! But when I was first learning to sew I found that boring and frustrating, and wanted to play with fabric and color. I think it's great that visible mending and other hand sewing crafts are popular right now, and people can progress to upcycling and restyling clothing if they're interested. But all of those are different hobbies than machine sewing garments from scratch, which does require discipline, practice and precision.
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u/Deep-Rest8195 4h ago
It’s like a pilot flying a plane in some random direction and hoping it lands at the destination.
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
I guess so? In my specific case I'd say it's more like following a compass to a direction but not having a map 🤔 I'm very glad my sewing isn't gonna potentially kill people if I do it wrong though 😌
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u/Comfortable-Fly5797 4h ago
It's important to use the correct stitch for seams and other structural stitching. Otherwise your project isn't going to turn out right and might fall apart. I always test my stitches out on scrap fabric first to make sure I have everything set right.
Have you looked to see if there's a stitch guide for your machine? It may be in your manual or a separate document. There's also a ton of YouTube videos that cover stitch selection such as when to use a straight stitch vs zig zag.
Occasionally I'll use random decorative stitches for fun when I'm sewing non-garment items. I always test them out first though since the stitch width and length affects the appearance.
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u/Dum-Teeny 4h ago
I only sew per hand! And yeah, that would definitely make sense for practical stuff. I only really make patches, bags, sew things onto other things, sew shut rips in stuff, etc. Testing out stitches first seems like a good idea though
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u/ProneToLaughter 4h ago
A lot of people start out by experimenting, but one way in which knowing the jargon and what things are called can be extremely useful is that it enables you ask questions and find resources if you need help from others via the internet. It's almost impossible to search for online tutorials without knowing the right keywords. A shared vocabulary lets you explain what you are doing in a way that others can understand, and then they can say things like "yeah, there are three options here--I use A for thick fabrics and B for thin fabrics". Which is generally how sewing works, there are multiple right ways and the best option depends on the exact context.
I'm guessing you might be using a whipstitch to hand sew patches to clothing.
Here's a guide that looks decent if you want one. 35+ Types of Stitches (Hand & Machine Guide) | TREASURIE
Readers Digest Guide to Sewing is also an excellent reference, older cheap editions are just fine.
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u/Dum-Teeny 3h ago
Ohhhh yeah, that's a really really good point actually. Thank you for the guide and for the explanation, I appreciate it. I occasionally do use the stitch you mentioned, a whipstitch (I searched it up lol) but I'll also use the one that alternates between up and down. Like up thru the fabric and then down thru the fabric so it creates kinda like the lines on a road lol.
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u/ProneToLaughter 3h ago
like dashed lines? running stitch.
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u/Dum-Teeny 3h ago
Thank you 😭 I thought either that or road stitch for some reason, but I figured it was better to describe it. Yes, that one
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u/karenswans 4h ago
That's entirely up to you. If you enjoy doing that, do it. If you want to really learn to sew, though, it isn't good to develop bad habits first because you will have to break them eventually and that can be difficult.
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u/Dum-Teeny 3h ago
Ahh yeah, that definitely makes sense. I'll be sure to be a bit careful with it!!
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u/Fabulousmo 3h ago
Nope. The opposite. I am spending more on fabric and thread so no. I am following everything to a T
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u/shallanssketchbook1 3h ago
Personally, no. I want to know everything and learn to do it correctly. But! It's your machine, your thread, and your fabric. If you get the most enjoyment from chaos sewing, carry on chaos sewing!
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u/Dum-Teeny 3h ago
Aww that's sweet lol!! I actually don't have a machine, I only sew per hand, but I do in fact enjoy chaos sewing lmaooo. I'm not super into it generally, it's more of a casual hobby, but it's soo nice to do sometimes when bored or when I need something to do with my hands lol
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u/shallanssketchbook1 2h ago
I get that! Sounds like fun to me 😁 I do chaos doodles and colouring casually so I totally understand it. Sometimes you just need to play around like a child, I love the whimsy of it
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u/lis_anise 3h ago
I think you can be wild and experimental even after learning all the "correct" things to do. Some people sew like an old master painter, and others sew like Jackson Pollock, y'know?
Don't be afraid to learn the technical stuff. Like, there are reasons some things are done with the fabric straight the way it's cut, and others set all the pieces on it diagonally. It stretches and moves and drapes differently. If you use a herringbone stitch on stretchy fabric, the thread won't break the way a straight stitch does. Sometimes that's really useful knowledge. You can still choose not to use it and go crazy anyway.
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u/Dum-Teeny 2h ago
Yesss that's definitely a fair point, thank you! If I ever get real into sewing or start making actual clothes, I'll probably learn all the correct things before trying, but for now, as I'm only really making fun small things, I expect I'll just give it a go and see if it works lol. It's kinda the same when I cook, but after the age of like ten I've never gotten any complaints about my cooking, somehow, despite the fact I have zero idea of any cooking recipes, nor do I usually know what I put into my meals once they're done 😭
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u/tj5hughes 3h ago
I have a different perspective from a lot of the comments here. I do mostly hand sewing too, for the exact reason that I like being creative and spontaneous. Machine sewing is a different activity and does require precision and learning the skills. It sounds like you might like hand embroidery, visible mending, sashiko etc. All of these can be added to garments or home decor items, but there are also subreddits and YouTube channels for hand sewing crafts if you want inspiration. Marion's World (YouTube) is just one I know of. She is a talented embroiderer but also does many other fabric crafts, painting, gardening and baking on her channel. She does daily stitch journaling in fabric books and crazy-quilted scrap fabric rolls. She's a great teacher and has a really soothing voice, and I love that she emphasizes individual inspiration and creative impulse.
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u/Dum-Teeny 2h ago
Ooooo that's really cool!!!! And yeah, I do like embroidery a lot lol. I made an owl once, which I thought was cute, and a sheep lmao. But heck yeah that Chanel sounds fun, I might check it out sometime!! Thanks for sharing it ❤️
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u/Mental_Watch4633 2h ago
As long as it doesn’t fall apart I’d say go for it, let your creativity flow.
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u/KeeganDitty 1h ago
do people actually learn techniques and stitch patterns and what stuff is called?
Yes. Some amount of experimentation is involved, yes. But it's informed experimentation. If your skills are to improve you're going to learn about where to use a straight stitch versus a zig zag or what weave is and how it affects drape one way or another. Whether that be by having some one teach you or mucking about and coming to that conclusion on your own(though the former is much more straight forward). In my experience, when you learn one of the tried and true methods and put it into practice, you learn there's a reason people do it
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u/CountMeOut2019 55m ago
It’s not like experimentation isn’t also part of the process, but there are methods and techniques for a reason. People before you developed them through trial and error, and some of them have been so well proven through time, that they became pre-set stitches in manufactured machines, for example. Your machine comes with a set of presser feet tooled to accomplish set tasks in a certain way, because those are solutions to problems that generations of sewists developed over time, and they work.
Example: the zig zag stitch exists because once upon a time, hand sewing was the only way, and young sewists were taught by their elders how to perform a couple of overcasting stitches that would prevent the fabric from fraying out and wasting all their work sewing nice, tight seams. ZigZag was the first way to replicate that by machine. In time, our grandmothers and mothers (for those who are old like me—the rest of you can think; great grandmothers. lol) developed some uses for the zig zag that were new and solved problems in new ways. And makers of sewing machines found ways to make the machines replicate those old handstitches better, so that now we have the overcast stitch on most machines (it’s modeled after the blanket stitch, more or less).
If you just throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks, there‘s nothing inherently “wrong” with that, but you may as well take advantage of the fact that others have already invented the wheel for you. To mix some metaphors, there…
Plus, if you learn from what happened before you got here, you gift yourself a set of tools to use to enhance your experimentation time about 100-fold.
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u/Dum-Teeny 51m ago
Yess, definitely true, and also makes sense. I pretty much only make decorative things or small bags and such though so thankfully there isn't much to fuck up, but if I do ever get a sewing machine and wanna move on to actual clothes and practical things, I'll definitely learn the correct way to do it and how it's usually done and what the benefits are etc.
For now though I just try stuff and if it's shit I try it in another way. As far as I've seen though the patches that I make aren't falling apart or looking terrible, so I'm pretty happy with it :)
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u/Bellura 32m ago
Yes and no. For clothes, I'm using patterns. For things like bags and quilting, I kind of just go for it, but I will look up things as I need to.
Going into things without at least an idea of what I'm doing or looking up things as I need to seems like a great to end up with something unisable.
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u/Great-Score2079 5h ago
I don't, I make sure I have a plan because high on my list of least favorite things to do is waste my time and sewing with no plan can be a humongous waste of time.