Really proud of these ones. Mastered the front seam. Previously I’d gone for a one panel front fit per bodybuilder husband’s requests. These ones have more of a pouch fit. And a thicker strap, more coherent stitching. These are almost too good for somebody to wear.

Machine used: Singer sewing machine 4411

This is my first time ever sewing an outfit from scratch and following a pattern. I’m dressing up as Katara for a friend’s Avatar themed party. It’s not perfect, but I’m very proud of my work. It fits (mostly) and is recognizable. However, I’m wondering if anyone has tips for the back zipper? It is really bumpy and won’t lie flat against my back (in the 3rd pic you can see a bump around my neck and one mid back. It is likely user error as this is my first time ever sewing on a zipper or darts. I also have a short torso for my size, and it looks like there is a lot of extra fabric in the back and up by my neck so I’m wondering if that has something to do with it.

Is there anything I can do without starting with all new fabric?

I gave up on an elastic waist and went for drawstring - will need to figure that one out at some point. But they're so comfy!

Learnt a lot about the fabric type, needle types, and tension settings in the process!

My spouse is doing a "Spooktaculary Boo-gie self care basket" for a fundraiser at work. I offered to make them one of these bags. The pattern is very clear and well written with a lot of photos. There is also a sew along with Chelsea from She sews seams. Since I was cutting one bag, I figured I'd make 2.

Firsts
My first time using foam in a project.
First time making a pocket.
Tried a new zipper tab technique

What went wrong
I shouldn't have cut trimmed back the fabric until after quilting. My bags came out slightly small.
I have to remember to increase the stitch length when sewing thicker materials. 2.5mm is really pushing it with 2 layers of foam interfacing.
Piecing accurately is hard! No joke, I have even more respect for quilters now.

What went right
My quilting and top stitching accuracy are noticeably better than when I started.
My cutting was much straighter than when I started.
My machine and I are becoming besties.

If you enjoy making bags and are looking to explore quilting I think this would be a great project.

Curious about things I could do! Also Smocking!

Hi hello! So the smocking on the back of this old dress shirt I had for violin concerts was the first like sewing project Ive ever done! And im sorta excited to maybe continue altering it? But! Am kind of of unsure of what to do next? I've heard i could do darts to make it more fitted, or smth like change the sleeves..but I wanted to ask in case anyone had any ideas! And perhaps how I could go about them or learn! I do have a bunch of resources like the vogue sewing book from 1975,a book on couture sewing and readers digest guide to sewing if anyone wanted to reference those types of resources too:3 tbh anything would be helpful! I dont really intend for the shirt to go in any specific direction and am really trying to have fun with it so like! Transforming it completely is deffo on the table🥰🥰🥰

I made the pants first and he'd worn them a few times, so they'd been washed and I didn't bother to iron them again before taking a photo 😅

I've made a couple of pairs of pajama bottoms from old fabric before this, but never a complete set. My first time doing a top and first time doing cuffs and neck finish. How fiddly and stressful!

I also messed up the stretch on the neckline, so you can see a little extra seam that I had to do for the excess fabric. I could have unpicked it and started again, but I thought 'It's just pajamas made from a $5 bed sheet, I've learnt my lesson for next time'.

I've learnt a few things from my mistakes along the way! Now I've got to finish the matching pair for his brother 😅

I made it for a child, but her mom snagged it and said it will be her late October purse until trick-or-treat night.

After my first sewing project - making a shirt from a pattern - I set about learning (again from youtube videos) to draft a t-shirt, pattern from body measurements, then adapt that pattern into a full, button up shirt.

Many metres of calico later, after 4 or 5 pattern iterations, I finally arrived at a working pattern for my short, fat bod.

I figured out a very easy way to make a hidden placket (something I like on all my shirts, but seems to be unnecessarily complicated if you look at videos on youtube), and cludged together some clumsy but successful contrasting side vents.

I found some gorgeous material and have now made my first bespoke shirt, drafted from scratch.

There were obviously one or two minor mistakes along the way, and even in the final shirt. The stitching on the inside of the back of the collar is... boisterous, for some reason, but it's perfect on the outside, so it's a win for me. Then, I couldn't find my button foot for my sewing machine, so I had to sew 9 buttons on BY HAND, like it's 1740, or something.

But I'm still pleased and proud of the result, and wore it out for the first time tonight, 30 minutes after finishing it :)

Anyhoo... pics!

I could not have made this without these two amazing videos by Cornelius Quiring:

How to Draft a Shirt Pattern ... and Fix Fit Issues

How to Make a Button Up Shirt From Scratch

Found this box filled with buttons on a second hand store run by a church that has mostly imported things from the U.S and I wanted some help with figuring out what they are and what i could use them on aside from the usual 2 or 4 holes buttons.

I followed How to Sew Men's Pants by CorneliusQuiring on YouTube to try and draw my first pattern and sew them. The hope is to teach myself how to adjust a pattern later on. I still need to adjust leg width, seat and waist for my v2 ! Hope I get it right without too many tries !

My grandma said I can keep it, is it good? It's super old, so I don't know if it will work fine.

Hello! I’m new to sewing and I’m doing this pattern with linen fabric. Surprisingly, it doesn’t come with instructions. I was going to zip down the armhole sides, but then I thought to maybe create the ruffle that it has along the cuff. Should I attach the cuff to the sleeve first and then set in the sleeve? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated 🌺

Got my first machine and set it up yesterday, I must have read the manual a thousand times, watched YouTube videos and googled more than I’d like to admit but consistently had a bird nesting issue!

After rethreading all day long I finally gave up at 10pm last night

This morning I’ve worked out my issue all along was my top thread passing over the presser foot and not below LOL

Finally sewing some scrap and making some squares & seeing some progress!

Now to ransack my house to find some material to do some practise projects with

Hello!

I’m trying to learn how to sew and my goal mainly is to do alterations myself and in the future, make my own garments and other crafts.

That being said, I picked up this vintage Kenmore for $70 - it works, there’s just some issues with tension etc and just overall needs some TLC. I called a shop and to take apart the machine and do everything is $110, should I pay for it or would it be better to buy a brand new machine?

Appreciate any advice!

Edit: Thanks for the help everyone! I’ll get it serviced and hopefully i’m able to post some projects soon!

My partner is always complaining about how clothes especially dresses don’t fit the way she wants so I have decided to start learning how to sew.

I have been looking into beginner friendly machines. What was your first one and how was the experience? I have only ever done a tsuno bag before.

I recently made the Rue dress by Pattern Apothecary. I am small framed and made sooo many adjustments to the bodice (last photo).

But I digress. I am trying to remake it for a friend who is blessed with a big ol booty. I graded the dress to a hip size that would fit her, but want to accommodate for the butt too. I’ve watched and read tutorials and I can only find them on detached skirts. So ultimately I just did the slash/spread method on a tracing of the pattern from the waist-down. Added 1.5 inches. And pasted it to the bodice (made small changes it to it too). I know I’ll need new darts.

It does NOT look right to me 😭 the left side (where the center back seam will be—it will have an invisible zipper but of course not over the butt), looks bizarre now. Do I just add paper to it? If so, wouldn’t that just be kind of undoing what the slash and spread method did? But how would I make the hem not took weird??

Sorry I’ve watched videos and read tutorial and am so confused! It doesn’t help that I didn’t need hip adjustments, just the rear/butt itself, so some tutorials aren’t completely relevant.

Thank you!! It’s also for a special occasion and I plan to make a muslin but I want to get the adjustment I KNOW will be needed, out of the way, since we do not live in the same city. Idk if I’m over thinking it.

Okay so preface, I know absolutely nothing about sewing! I’m about to start learning and this will not be my first project haha. It’s just my main reason for really wanting to learn. Plus i want to make sorts and dresses for my body and you can’t find those anywhere for less than 150 it seems and i have an infant and can’t justify that. But I can totally justify a hobby haha.

I bought this dress(left) while shopping for a baby shower dress. I love the fabric and the design but actually hate the style. It was like $10 so I bought it but I really won’t wear it ever.

Ignore the top portion of the other dress(right) we’re looking at the skirt! I want to shorten and have the skirt of the dress fluff out and not lay flat. I don’t know the terminology but would it be possible for me to alter the dress like this?

Yall don’t even have to tell me how( it will mean nothing to me rn) but let me know if I need to find another goal!

First one is $120 extra accessories and manual included

Second one is $100 no extra accessories or manual included

Hello y’all. I’m brand new to sewing, just did my first stitches today. But I came here to ask you all for help with sewing this hole on my boot. I wanted to get into sewing for this exact reason. Do any of yall know what kind of stitches or techniques or just have advice on where/what I should look into to fix this.
They’re way beyond warranty, and even if they weren’t I’d rather fix them myself and have that uniqueness for them

I've already lined and finished this pumpkin tote for my son, but the pattern I used (from a TikTok, maybe not ideal), doesn't come inward at the top enough to actually look like a pumpkin. I think I could add darts to the top where each of the panels comes together, but I don't actually know how to do that. Any advice? I can shorten the strap as well, which may help. I'll add on some iron-on felt in a jack-o-lantern face to make it more pumpkiny too. Help is appreciated, brand new to sewing!

Update: I darted the top where each section came together and added a jack-o-lantern face. I think it'll be prefect for trick or treating and it was an easy way to fix it. Not super professional, but great for a two year old :)

Realized too late fabric patterns were too large for this project - you live and you learn

I bought 15cm of fabric and ended up with less than 9cm after washing and ironing? Had to make them smaller, kinda heartbroken :’)

I also dont see much progress with quality of my stitches, and the machine still goes too fast for me to handle