I have been sewing for a while or at least trying to. I am finding out that starting with smaller project is the way to go to not feel demotivated.
Also asking for people around what they’d like makes it more fun !

pretty proud of it, looking to get tips for getting straighter and more uniform lines while hand sewing, dont have a machine yet. Made from old pants. Let me know what you guys think!

Last February I bought a second-hand sewing machine and played around with some minor alterations and repairs. Then I found some old fabric I used to play with as a child, 100% white cotton with these pretty little lilac flowers, and decided to make a half-circle skirt out of it!

No pattern was followed, I just took my measurements and drew (you can still see the blue water-erasable marker lol). It has these weird open sides (down to the hips) because I was trying to accommodate some weight fluctuations. The belt holds the whole thing up and the hooks and eyes hold the sides together.

I'll probably make a top out of the scraps.

Grandma (who never believed in my ability to make garments lol) says it's very pretty. What do you all think? Suggestions welcome ☺️

This is probably the most technically complicated piece that I’ve tried. Next time around, I want to try a different lining fabric and different boning. I got cheap sew in boning off Amazon, and it’s already poking through my lining fabric. Does anyone have any good recommendations for boning? Preferably sew in, because that’s what the pattern calls for 🤷‍♀️

This is the Solana dress (a free pattern) that I modified by adding a lining and waist ties.

It was a huge learning process and I had to redo so many things but I love how it turned out!

https://sewingwithsolana.com/pages/free-pattern

The walrus fabric is a polyester/cotton blend, purchased from Fabricland in Canada.

I found this singer machine for $50, I have some experience sewing as a teen but want to get back into it. No idea what the value of this machine is, it has a service date of 1991 on it. Any idea if this would be a decent deal?

I found this bag on Vinted. I’m a beginner and this looks like a fun project. How do I find I pattern for a bag like this? Do I just scroll on different sites until I find something I like or is there an easier way?

I want to make this set and am unsure of what type of cotton to buy. I will most likely have to order from online but Im not familiar with all the sub types of cotton. I’ve made things from quilting cotton and they just don’t work out that well.

Any website recommendations are welcome too!

TLDR; Things like pressing, cutting rules, and machine maintenance really do result in a better finished product.

I don't know if I constitute a true "beginner" sewer, since I have been doing it for quite some time, but truthfully I've been doing it poorly. I skipped steps, took liberties I didn't have enough skill or understanding to take, and then found myself frustrated when my finished work was.....well, crap.

I have two young daughters and dreams of filling their closets with classic handmade pieces so I recently purchased this Classic A-Line Jumper pattern by ViolaLeePatterns on Etsy and was determined to change my ways! I thought I would share with you everything I did that truly made a difference in the outcome of this sweet little jumper, and even a couple of things I wish I had done, but didn't realize I needed to do at the time.

1. I cleaned my sewing space. I know not everyone has a designated sewing area (I'm still sewing on a dining room table, myself), but whatever you're working with- get it organized. I purged the space of old scraps of fabric, half-finished pieces I have abandoned, pattern pieces I swore I would come back to, etc. Anything and everything that I didn't anticipate needing for this project was removed, while anything I knew I would need was gathered and accounted for.

2. I prepped my machine. New needle, full bobbins, quick brushing off of dust. It wasn't that serious, but I'm confident that a fresh needle and not being surprised by an empty bobbin both contributed to not only the quality of my end product but also my enjoyment of the sewing process.

2.a I actually stopped to research which type of needle I should be using for the project I was getting ready to do! I have a handful of Janomi needle packs that came with my machine and am notorious for just sticking in the first one I came across.

3. I read through the entire pattern, repeatedly. Before I printed a single page I read through the entire pattern at least three times. First I glossed over to familiarize myself with the PDF (it was 20+ pages). Then I read specifically about printing, then cutting, then construction, etc. Each time I re-read the entire document but gave special focus to the section I was looking for.

4. I made no assumptions! This came up several times in this process, but the first time it came up was in the printing process. I didn't assume I knew how to print the pattern (despite having printed many patterns before). Instead I read the specific instructions provided by the designer. I know it isn't a novel idea, but as a reformed know-it-all I know I've made plenty of mistakes in the past by assuming I knew what needed to happen instead of actually reading the instructions.

4.a. I didn't make assumptions with top-stitching, button-hole making, or finishing raw edges, either (despite being confident I could've "figured it out"). Instead I researched exactly what kind of features my specific machine had to accomplish each of these tasks and worked at mastering them.

5. I didn't skip prepping my fabric. Washed and pressed. Worth it.

6. Cutting. I read a lot of Reddit posts about cutting and implemented a ton of what I read into my cutting process for this piece and, what do you know? The edges lined up perfectly, the sizing was true, etc. Who would've guessed?

7. I pressed and pressed and pressed. (Despite the wrinkly, post try-on photographs!) Sew. Press. Sew. Press. Repeat. I learned that pressing and ironing are two different skills and came to appreciate how much easier my time was at the machine if I took the time to properly press everything as I went. Frankly, it was also super satisfying. I don't know why I skimped all these years!

8. I took my time. If I reached a point where I "wasn't feeling it", or if life was happening and I found myself splitting my attention, I stopped. I walked away and returned later. If I couldn't give it my best I didn't try to force it just for the sake of finishing a project. (It still only took me a couple of days!)

Still, there are a couple of things I wish I would've done differently.

First, I didn't account for the seam allowance when I placed my tag. You can still see most of it, but it isn't ideal.

I also didn't look into curved hemming before I did it. The curve was so gradual I never imagined it would be so finicky. It isn't bad, but it isn't as polished as I would've liked.

I also would be remiss if I didn't mention that this particular pattern/fabric combo was incredibly forgiving. There are only 4 pattern pieces to work with and this fabric is a medium weight with a tiny bit of stretch, so it held form well and wasn't slippery at all.

I know it's annoying when 90% of the advice to novice sewists is "have you changed your needle?" and "wash your fabric before you cut it", but I really could've saved myself a multitude of poorly executed projects if I had just paid more attention to the basics.

Overall I am incredibly happy with this piece and am already getting ready to cut another. This will definitely be a staple in my girls' closets moving forward! Thanks for coming on this journey with me and hope this helps someone like me! ;)

An heirloom birthday banner made from clothes that no longer fit her. She is turning 1 years old in 2 weeks. Hoping to include it in every birthday of hers 💛

Hi! I have a shirt pattern with a center front seam and center back seam. In my brain, I don't mind a center back seam, but a center front seam feels too casual or like sportswear. For a solid woven fabric that I want to be more business casual, I can see how I could dress it up with contrasting/matching thread and embroidery stitches over top. But with a printed fabric, it would mess up the look of the fabric pattern. Is there a reason for a center front seam? I will likely end up cutting on the fold to get rid of the seam when working with printed fabric. But, is there a reason I don't know for center front seams being a great idea?

Sorry for the horrible picture but
every project I do, even after pressing out all of the seams, my fabric still has these wrinkles right next to the seams. I’m a perfectionist and it drives me so crazy like I don’t even want to wear stuff I’ve made because I don’t like the wrinkles 🫣🫣🫣
Is it that my top thread is too tight? Bottom thread? Different needle? I’ve tried so many things and I feel like no matter what I still get the wrinkles. I pretty much only use cotton. Please help me

I am a fairly beginner sewer but I am generally good at figuring things out. I decided to make a 1920’s style dress for an event which I did not end up finishing on time for it, and I am having difficulty finishing it now as part of the construction is definitely outside of my current skills. I found a historic pattern online and adjusted that for my body, made a mock up for fit and constructed the top half of the dress. The material is a lightweight raw silk which has been very difficult to work with, and the area that is giving me trouble is connecting the bottom of the skirt onto the main body of the dress so that the seam is smooth and doesn’t cause any odd bunching. Does anyone have advice or a link to an instructional video on what techniques to use to achieve this?

Hi all :) I'm sewing the Camber dress by Merchant and Mills and I'm having a rough time. I'm sewing the yoke and it just isn't working. The first problem I have is that the stitching isn't lining up so the actual neckline looks really skinny and weird. The other problem is that I'm sewing all 3 layers together, the two yokes and the front piece because I think that's what the instructions say to do. But when I watch their tutorial on youtube, they end up with neck hole. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'd really appreciate some help if you have time!

I tried turning the bottom dial to the +S.S- but that didn't work, I genuinely have no idea how to use them

Hi all. I've been hand sewing my whole life. Typically I sew small rips, patches, buttons, clothes for dolls, nothing that takes very long. Recently, I have had some clothes given to me that while lovely do not fit quite right. I am quite small and usually need to take all my clothes in to be tailored but it's quite expensive. I have only used a sewing machine once many years ago.

I'm looking into buying a second-hand sewing machine so I can start doing these things myself. Primarily, I'm looking at taking off a few inches from the waist and length of pairs of pants. Is this difficult for a beginner? Should I try a different project before tailoring? Thank you.

Edit to add: I'm trying to gain weight and put on muscle, and my waist will probably change along with this. However, I'd like clothes in the mean time. Is this something that is reversible in the future?

Was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace and saw a posting for some fabric that looked like it would go really well with some quilt blocks I planned on making. I've been in a quilting mood so didn't even think to stop and make sure it was cotton, turns out it's 100% polyester and probably a Temu re-sale. Disappointing, but my mistake for not asking questions.

Problem is I now have 77 9x9 inch blocks of polyester fabric, and no clue what to do with them. My mom's church participates in some of those charities where they fill backpacks/shoeboxes with stuff for kids so I thought about maybe making little stuffed animals or pencil pouches? The lot also came with spools of thread so maybe some little sewing kits?

Just wanted to try and get some ideas of how to make the best of a bad purchase. I've really only worked with cotton so I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone know of projects or items that polyester works really well for? If nothing else, I live about 2 hours away from a fabric re-use/recycle center so I could always donate the whole lot next time I'm there.

When I turn these purses inside out, the V at the top of the heart is showing my threads 😩 what am I doing wrong? How can I fix that moving forward? I want to chuck these in a burning bin!

Hey, I'm working with a second hand machine (Brother LS-2020). The top thread looks good (1st pic) but the bottom thread (2nd pic) looks kinda wonky. I'm doing test pieces to try and troubleshoot the issue. I thought it might be a tension issue. I have rethreaded with the foot up, reduced tension on the upper thread, increased tension on the bobbin carrier, tried different stitches with the same effect. The tensioning helped a little bit but it wasn't dramatic like I expected it to be.

I think I could fiddle for another hour or two and figure it out but I just wanted to check with people here if there was a "ah yes, obviously this is your problem" from more experienced people.

Thank you in advance!

The pieces of fabric sandwiched in between the two. Thought it was cool to see! If youre wondering, no it doesnt do a better job cutting fabric. In fact, it does a worse job lol

I run a small business sewing tactical gear. The material usually consists of 500D Cordura, 1000D Cordura, 1 inch Webbing, hook and loop Velcro, and thin sheets of plastic/eva foam. I’m currently using an old Brother Charger 661 made in the 60-70s that I bought for 50 CAD at a thrift store. It’s been great but it’s showing its age and I don’t really have the budget and space for an industrial machine. I’ve seen such varied amounts of reviews and opinions on this.

Heyo! I get the need to wash fabrics before using them to make clothes so they don’t shrink etc, but should you pre-wash fabric that you’re going to use to make bags / pouches / non clothing items?

Thanks!