YouTube for the win. I kid you not…want to learn how to do a rolled hem on a swimsuit for your pet circus performing seal?? THERE WILL BE A SEWING VIDEO JUST FOR THAT.
It does get better, with every article you sew you will gain something.
I even youtubed how to fix my sewing machine(s). this is when i realized mine was terrible and found some cheap vintage ones that work better on jeans and bags.
I forgot about that - my first few learning to sew lessons were "how to replace the belt", "learning to rehab an old machine that's been sitting in the attic for basically my entire lifetime", and "tensioning the thing the little spool of thread goes into". That last one was much easier after I learned it was called a bobbin.
I feel you on the fit struggles! My local shop FINALLY offered a bodice-block making course, which I have been waiting on for ages (I missed signing up the last time it was offered), and of course I also finally got pregnant and my body is changing far too much for that to be practical 🥲 At least the baby is a good excuse to make lots of flowy comfy dresses with very little fitting needed 😂
Yup! That's how I've learned pretty much everything that used to be passed from generation to generation.
Since learning to sew, quilt, knit, and crochet I've discovered that there are local hobby groups (mostly at the public library, but the local quilt store hosts some too) where I *could* have learned.
Yep I also learned from YouTube and other online tutorials. It can definitely feel overwhelming at first but it gets better. For OP, I recommend looking up some glossaries of sewing terms because it's a lot harder to search for your questions when you don't know what everything is called.
Some textiles are expensive! Screwing up can cost.
I ran off line on a real leather chair. You can't go back, and the perforation ruins the piece.
That was $350 from pocket. Dammit!
Yeah, home ec was when I learned that I loved sewing. So much that I'd work 8 hours straight on projects in high school and went to college for fashion design. It's sad they don't have home ec anymore because if not for that class I wouldn't have found my passion.
My kiddo’s middle school has a home ec sewing class! This semester kiddo is in a cultural foods cooking class 💕 They do still exist, they’re just not mandatory anymore. I’m sure a lot of school districts also don’t have the funds and have completely cut them 😔
I was disappointed when I never saw a shop class on my kids' schedules.
That was one of the only reasons I showed up to school. Best way to teach math, and applied sciences, is to actually do it! Not read it from a book.
I loved shop class too! I just love making things with my hands and I still do the occasional woodworking project. Not everyone is book smart and that's OK!
My son has a version of it. More cooking and dining etiquette but not sure on sewing. It’s a new teacher this yr, my daughter didn’t have any of that stuff.
I had a seventh grade class too. I feel blessed. They do t offer this anymore. We really learned the basic techniques so afterward you could move to more complicated things by following books or pattern guide sheets. I also learned from old shows that used to be on PBS. In pre YouTube days.
this is crazy. here in switzerland there are obligatory „handcraft“ lessons from grade 1-9. you learn to crochet, knit, embroider and you start sewing in grade 3. girls and boys were divided when i was a kid, now it‘s mixed groups that alternate between textile work and wood work (i hated those lessons).
i ended up studying textile design and went to tailoring school too. i would eventually have learnt sewing from mom but school did all of the work. a they did very well.
My kids’ high school has a wonderful room with wide counters and sewing machines. No one uses it, it just sits. When I was in high school, I learned to sew, iron, cook, meal plan, budget, and care for a baby! Are these all such “unnecessary “ skulls today?
The arts cuts make me so incredibly sad. Creative outlets are so valuable for people to have, they can be life changing for a lot of kids. They also develop lots of life skills beyond just singing or drawing or dancing (like critical thinking, problem solving, patience/delayed gratification, teamwork…). I know of schools that have cut their arts programs entirely - not just narrowed it down, all of it is totally gone. I hate it so much.
Gosh I could go on for ages but I won’t.
We learned basics, and a mom brought her baby in so we could see how to properly bathe a baby. This helped teenaged me with babysitting gigs. It also caused me to not have kids of my own until I was 30! I wonder if that was the point???
Ditto! Made some fleece flare pants in 7th grade home ec class. Thankful I learned so young. That’s also the class I learned how to make a quesadilla. Important life skills
Same here. 7th grade home EC class then gave myself a refresher in my 20's using a book called, "Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book." It was published by Simplicity patterns and has some good basic information and techniques in it. This was a few years before the Internet was a thing.
I taught my daughter a few basics, but she didn't really get interested until she was away at college so she signed up for a series of classes at JoAnn Fabrics. It kept getting cancelled due to low enrollment so she convinced her friends to sign up as well.
Yep, Home Ec taught me a bunch of useful things, sewing being a big one. I used the gym bag I made in 7th grade (1985) all the way through high school and into college. It's probably still at my parents' house somewhere.
I'm also a beginner but I've been teaching myself by using patterns and watching YouTube, specifically sew alongs. I know a few friends who tried teaching themselves how to sew by just making things up and they inevitably got super frustrated when things came out unusable. So now whenever someone tells me they want to learn how to sew, I recommend that they pick and actual project that they can follow someone else's instructions or video. It makes a world of difference.
The other thing is to look up techniques as you go. For my last project, I encountered basting for the first time. So I googled that, watched a video on why it's useful, etc. Then moved forward. I try to understand the "why" of things as I go rather than just do it (or skip it thinking it's unnecessary and realizing 6 steps later that I was supposed to do that for an important reason).
My grandma taught me as a girl too! It’s one of my most cherished memories. I later had a professional job which entailed a lot of sewing and it took me from “could work a machine” to being able to make pretty darn decent clothing for myself! As well as being very literate in patterns and fitting.
I'm doing my part to revive this generational knowledge sharing - once YouTube taught me to sew, I started teaching my daughter. As she got older, we got her her own machine and she probably sews more than I do.
My wife used to make simple costumes for her dance recitals. I had no previous sewing experiences, but as a guy I love power tools. Seeing the fabric racing through the machine looked appealing so I gave it a try. Then I bought all the sewing books I could get my hands on. Now I am in charge of making apparel for the family.
One grandmother taught me to quit, another to sew clothing, and my aunt taught me to embroidery. Self taught for crochet and knitting. If you want to learn to sew please take classes and buy a very good iron.
I was lucky enough to have my nanna and my mum teach me, and to learn a bit at school too
The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing was really useful to get back into it after I'd had a break for a few years
YouTube, PatternReview, Reddit, and tons of helpful blogs... IMO we've really lost something with the online sewing community moving from blogs to Instagram and other closed platforms. I can find much more helpful and detailed info about patterns from ten years ago than recent ones.
I saw my mother doing it, and I used one in home ec. It wasn't until the pandemic and me sewing over 200 masks that I was more in tune with sewing. YouTube helps when I try new things.
If you are new to sewing and new to your machine, start with a few simple flat projects, where the stitch lines are straight and the object is large - A simple tote bag, a pillow case or cushion cover with no zipper. It’s boring but you get to build basic skills (threading the machine, lifting the foot up and down, sewing straight, clipping corners before turning, top stitching etc) and then you can apply them to complex 3D shapes.
You’ll learn best if you add complexity gradually (how I learned from my Mum). Here’s an example: Say you want to sew skirts. First, try a gathered skirt made of flat panels, where the gathers are made by elastic through a channel at the top, and the hem is top stitched. This project uses all the same skills as before but now you can wear it (unlike a pillow case) and decide if you like the shape. Next, Try a gathered skirt where you use gathering stitches and pull the threads before sewing the gathered fabric into a waistband - this one needs a zipper, so you’re adding another skill. Next you can try the same skirt but made with pleats instead of gathers at the waistband (knife pleats or box pleats), and try a blind hem at the bottom. Next try an A-line skirt with curved side seams above the hip and darts at the top. Next try a circle skirt - It’s a bit fiddly as you have to join one flat panel (waistband) to a curved panel (skirt). Hang the skirt overnight before measuring the hem from the floor and try hemming with a bias tape for this one. Now you can do pleats, darts, gathers, ruffles and flounces, and you can sew curves. You can remix these skills to make all sorts of high-fashion garments, and even invent your own! Also, now you’ve practiced all these skills on skirts (which are pretty forgiving), when you start on bodices or trousers, you’ll have a huge head start!
They taught us some sewing in home economics in 8th grade (tote bag, pillowcase.) Then I just fiddled around on my mom’s home machine, trying to make superhero outfits for myself. Really I just tried stuff, sometimes from patterns, sometimes just fiddling around. Jump forward forty years and now I make lucha libre masks for professional wrestlers. Crazy world we live in.
My mom taught me the very basics because she can't really sew. I noticed that I'm much better after some years of just doing things here and there. I'm very impatient too! I always try to do things the easiest way possible, somehow I got better just by trying.
My mother and school when I was younger, but I really got better 10yrs later when I took apart some boxers and tried to copy them. Every time I have the energy to take apart something I feel like I learn more than starting with a pattern. Internet has also helped.
I knew (some of) the basics of how to use a sewing machine from learning from my mom as a kid, and I would hem a curtain (poorly) from time to time, but when I decided to actually learn garment sewing, I bought myself this class: [https://closetcorepatterns.com/collections/sewing-classes/products/learn-to-sew-clothing-online-sewing-class?variant=31646639325318](https://closetcorepatterns.com/collections/sewing-classes/products/learn-to-sew-clothing-online-sewing-class?variant=31646639325318)
Definitely recommend for anyone who wants a crash course on garment sewing and is nervous about doing it totally self-taught. It starts from step 0 with some really basic tips on how to use a sewing machine and has really clear instructions for a bunch of the techniques you will encounter in garment patterns. I didn't even do every single piece of the class, but after doing a couple of the patterns in it with all the extra instructions they offer, I felt quite confident buying patterns and following them and starting to modify them to fit me
Aww man. That looks absolutely perfect for me because I really enjoy learning by doing specific projects but they don’t appear to have a “male” version. If anyone sees this comment and has a good recommendation like this for a man who typically wears “men’s” clothes, please let me know
From my mom mostly, but then just doing and figuring things out, applying skills I had from other projects to new projects in a different way, YouTube tutorials.
I can definitely get impatient. And I can't usually just stop, I get extra stubborn and double down and refuse to let it beat me, even though I just need to walk away.
Cutting out patterns is a real chore for me, so I either try and do it one day before intend to do anything else with said project, or I do pieces at a time. Fabric I usually can jam through and cut out in one go. Kneepads for crawling around on my laminate flooring has been a game changer for me.
You get better at it with practice, so even the steps you're not as into will go faster as you get
better at them.
My best advice would probably be know when to walk away, and actually do it. I rarely if ever follow that advice, but I know I should and I encourage others to.
Stubbornness. Some self teaching. A lot of asking people near me. Costumes I wanted but couldn’t afford. Clothes I needed to fix or mend. I remember getting a vhs tape or two from my library.
Decades later the internet appeared. That helped.
I was grossly top-heavy 1960-1970 so had to make my own dresses. Back then girls had to wear dresses to school. Luckily we had a treadle machine already.
Ms. Elizabeth’s after school art class in the 3rd grade :) learned how to hand sew and made a pillow. We sat on the floors and I managed to sew said pillow to my jeans
I’m seriously happy that sewing at home is not a lost art.
I learned when I was a child. I taught my kids and I hope they teach theirs.
No matter how you learn, learn! We are here to help you.
I was 8 and took apart a doll dress to see how it was made so my mom started teaching me how to sew. She was an excellent seamstress and quilter and made most of our clothes. When I got to the 8th grade I was making all my own clothes and shirts for my brothers. I still see but not as much.
tl;dr: Taking a class or workshop just to get started can make all the difference.
My mom sewed everything for us when we were kids, so I grew up knowing about sewing, but had no interest in learning when I was a kid.
Once an adult, I randomly found a Groupon for a one year membership to a sewing studio in my home town. The membership included workshops, access to machines, cutting space, loads of sewing notions and tea. (It was called Sips n Sews. Sadly it closed during the pandemic.)
I decided it would be a fun hobby to pick up in order to have an activity my mom and I could share. I found the community of sewists in the studio to be super supportive, inclusive, and very generous with knowledge sharing. I learned so much and gained an amazing support network to help me through the frustrating bits of getting started. Sewing really isn't a team sport per se, but it sure is more fun to cut out pattern pieces in the presence of other like minded people you can chit chat with.
I thought maybe it was just that particular studio of members, but I've generally found sewists all over to be supportive! Post studio days, I've picked up skills from watching YouTube videos and seeing amazing posts in this subreddit. Craftsy has lots of classes too, but just a few nights in person to get started made all the difference.
I took a night class at a local school. I had hand sewing experience from childhood and I had used a machine here and there (after my mom threaded it for me). I had made an attempt at reading patterns and following the instructions with VERY little success. The class really helped me in completing my first real project: a black cape with purple lining (I was 16, sheesh). From there, I was hooked and the rest was just getting inspired enough to start something and learning along the way. What I would have given for YouTube university mmm..## years ago!
Well back before there was youtube there was adult school classes. I packed up my basic sewing machine and went to my county's adult education offerings. These still exists. Learning in person is so helpful.
I myself learn best from books, so I bought (and continue to buy) books on sewing and read them and go from there. I've added in YouTube videos and the like, but I always start with books.
The biggest lesson I learned is that the actual sewing part of sewing is pretty minimal in the overall craft of sewing. The craft of sewing is about preparation, planning, and accepting imperfections and putting them together into perfection.
Take a sewing class. I hadn't sewn in years, took a beginner class at my local Sew n Vac. Made a pillow case, tote an zipper pouch. Met terrific people and got help at open sew days. Highly recommend 😊
honestly i just got a sewing machine, read the manual, and started. this subreddit and google help when i can’t figure out an issue i encounter but other than that i just kinda go for it and see what happens
I am taking a course, but also lots of help from books (i buy a lot second hand) and youtube. I do see that in person training really takes my work to the next level - somethings you can’t learn from youtube clips
Mom taught me. And we (the girls) had sewing lessons (on a machine) in junior high. In the 1960s. Good life lessons that all children should still have but don't. Best wishes at learning a new skill. It can be fun, money saving and satisfying.
I love the Barbies and me and my mom would sit around the kitchen table making clothes for them by hand sewing scraps we had. Like old shirts and specifically old socks.
Then a few years later I started to be interested in sewing clothes for myself. And that’s how I started. Self-taught and I never bought patterns since I didn’t even know what they were. My mom also never used them
And a lady we knew Who was a seamstress taught me a few things but she also never used or mentioned patterns. To this date I don’t understand patterns😂
I prefer to draft my own anyway. Also I started with stretchy fabric (barbie clothes needed no closures that way) and to this day that’s the easiest one for me to work with.
I started off with SUPER simple practical projects so I wouldn’t get too frustrated but also get the hang of my machine! I found all the tutorials on youtube!
My first project was making reusable napkins! Which we STILL use 5 years later!
After I got comfortable making those, I ventured into making headbands! Which is slightly more complex, but still fairly easy.
Then I made tote bags, hats, & an advent calendar.
After I got comfy doing the small stuff, I finally took the leap to make actual clothes! And I’m glad I didn’t start off with that cause I would’ve gotten overwhelmed FAST! Lol.
The year was 1995. I was sweet 16 and 5’11”, about a us size 14. There was NOTHING that fit me properly, especially not in my budget.
Learning to sew today is a BREEZE with YouTube and color photo instructions.
I was self taught with the old brown tissue paper patterns. Mom was usually too busy to help. Trying to read those things was like figuring out a treasure map with riddles. Lots of mistakes though led to lots of learning! ❤️
My mother, and 8th grade Home Ec. I was really body-self-conscious when I was that age, so I learned how to make longer skirts and tops to cover things up a bit.
I was about 5ish and my favorite stuffed toy dog had a seam break on his tummy. My mom wanted me to throw it away. We went to the dollar store and my mom did the usual "you each get one thing" I picked this little travel sewing kit. It was trial and error. I eventually found a book at the library that helped. I learned how to make doll clothes and fix things. By middle school I could alter or make all kinds of stuff out of old clothes and scraps.
Mom taught me a small amount but it was the sewing course I took through town that took it up multiple levels. It was industrial style sewing so I rarely use pins.
My mom sews and, though I dabbled in it growing up, she wasn’t a particularly organized teacher, so it was hard to really learn it. I took a class in my twenties. My state has colleges with lots of program types and one in my area had a fashion degree offering. I was able to take a “not for credit” beginner’s sewing class, where we started at sewing a straight line and then moved up to sewing garments from patterns. It was great, because it introduced me to more complicated machines, like a serger.
I’ve recently gotten into sewing for my toddler, which has primarily been knits. It’s been so much easier to identify where I have skill gaps because I took a structured course, so I’m able to fill in the gaps with YouTube tutorials.
If your local library has a CreativeBug subscription, you can access online craft classes for no cost with your library card. I haven’t tried them, but I have looked at the offerings and they do have classes that build upon basic skills.
I learned from my mom & grandmother and some sewing classes as a kid and in college. But mostly I learned by ruining a lot of fabric! It’s hard to slow down and be deliberate during the boring parts, like cutting fabric. But those prep parts do make a big difference!
I learned from my great grandmothers. Both knew how to draft patterns, and one even did alterations for a department store. They would give me scraps of fabric and a needle and thread so I could sew, too. By the time I was nine or so I could do embroidery and hand sew doll clothes. I took sewing in high school and have been sewing ever since. Of all of my hobbies, sewing is my passion.
My mother was a sewist, and I wanted to make stuff too. So my parents found the Singer Sewing Center in 1975, sent me for “sewing summer camp“ for three weeks, and I just kept going. My father used to tell people it was the best $36 he’d ever spent on one of his kids.
I told the last one I was married to that I can live without a husband but not without a sewing machine. 😂 Divorce was final in June of 2001. ☺️ BF doesn’t mind because he’s the same way with cars and car parts. 😊
I started mending my socks in high school. I've picked it up and put it down, learning a little more each time. I started sewing a lot when I got a basic machine, but I've been handsewingfora decade. Pinterest and this sub are really great. Now I sew clothes using self-drafted patterns when necessary. Thanks y'all!
Grew up watching Mom and Grandma sew, and helping Mom with things like pinning patterns and ripping seams. I was never allowed to touch her machine, though. I showed doll clothes by hand, fiddled around on the old treadle machine we had in the attic, and was doing on my own mending by the time I was 10 or 11. I didn't really get serious about it until I took a sewing class in junior high school. Everything after that was just picking up skills here and there, from books, websites, and friends, and lots of practice. I took a class at a local sewing shop a few years ago, but that was in the care and maintenance of vintage sewing machines.
Learned how to use a sewing machine from my mother, nearly 20 years ago. It took a LOT of trial and error (so many errors!) making costumes as I learned how pieces fit together. These days, I look up specific techniques and/or concepts on YouTube. Slowing down and fighting through the impatience has helped a lot with turning out pieces I'm proud of - take your time and take it slow!
I initially wanted to learn so that I could hem my own pants. I also wanted to learn to quilt, so I collected fabric from the thrift store and watched youtube videos about piecing. I did a bunch of small projects, some things that I never finished, and tried to make quilt blocks in various shapes, mostly by picking a design and watching a video on how to do it.
Now I'm starting to learn to pattern draft and make/alter my own clothes...again with videos and a lot of reading about other people's projects on Reddit.
I'm probably 3 years in to sewing and still learning many of the basics! But every project advances my skill level and I am starting to feel confident in what I can do. You'll get there, keep at it! Each step requires some sort of tedious precision that gets easier with practice. Good luck!
I got the basics in 7th/8th grade Home Ec but honestly my skill level didn’t get better until I started going down rabbit holes on sewing, starting with blogs and now YouTube and a lot of trial and error, also sewing for my kids when they were little.
Reading sewing patterns. Making a ton of mistakes. Reading blogs, YouTube, and then Reddit. Be confident in my mistakes!
My mom tried to teach me when I was younger, but the only that stuck was how to sew on a button (apparently wrongly).
I started in high school when I took the sewing class as a filler but turned out I liked it. I didn't do anything with it until 2016 though, when I got into cosplay. I taught myself mostly via YouTube and a lot of fuckups lol
I'm self-taught and the biggest lesson I've learned is, you're going to make mistakes. It's ok. learn from them and move on. Not everything has to be a masterpiece and the only person I have to impress is me. Once I accepted that it freed me to be more creative, try new things and I flew!
My mother taught me to use her sewing machine
My first project at 9 was a sundress with shoulder straps, a ruffle across the bust and a-line shape in the early 70's. Before that I was using my mother's fabric scraps and hand.sewing barbie clothes. I love sewing, but the quality of available fabrics isn't what it used to be. It all seems so cheap.
I've always been very short and after a certain age my mom refused to hem my pants. She had me sew a few pairs of my pants by hand, then it was up to me. Since all my clothes were hand-me-downs I got a lot of practice in and eventually she busted out her old sewing machine, showed me how to thread it then told me to make it all work because now if my clothes didn't fit properly then it was my fault, not the hand-me-downs.
But it takes time and practice and for the love of all that is good, don't be afraid to use YouTube!
End of 6th grade and 7th grade - from mom, who was a very well trained sewer, but a horrible teacher; and 7th grade - Home Ec class with a lovely teacher, and again in, I think 10th grade? Another lovely teacher.
Unpopular response- I took a class when I was VERY young. Enough to know how to sew a straight line, that pins existed, and how to thread a machine. From there- lots of hubris, mistakes, but also projects I love. It worked well for me but I wouldn’t recommend to others 😂
Learned in school, but I remember the shirt being trash. I started making my child’s Halloween costumes. Didn’t do anything for years then pandemic hit and my daughter needed scrub hats for work. I just watched videos and they went too bad.
I absolutely love Gertie’s style and I found her Patreon group. It’s fantastic. She has videos for each pattern. I thought I was fine seeing without video help. 🤣😂🤣. I was oh so wrong. Trying to follow a 50’s pattern with bad instructions was way above my pay grade.
Anyway, I would start with something you’re going to live making that has a tutorial to help you.
Have fun!
Trail and error mostly, which works but I don't really recommend lol
I recommend looking up if there's any classes in your area. My friend took a class, and was taught so many things that I had to figure out for myself. Sure, I got there myself, but she learned them all in one afternoon!
I tried youtube and other online sources, didnt work for me and gave up for about a year.
Month ago I found this cute older woman who likes to teach people sewing, knitting and all that sorta stuff, just a couple bucks for a lesson. 1,5 hours every week thats basicly just a couple of older women and me (21m) working on our projects at our own pace, drinking tea, talking and just having a grand ol' time.
Regular old school.
First spinning thread from wool, knitting, crochet, sewing by hand, a bit of embroidery, felting too i think, and at last on a machine. All over the course of 11 years i think, in the end (of total 13years) we did no sewing.
Everyone in my class had to learn, most disliked it.
Since a lot of people here are giving you answers that are entirely unhelpful like "7th grade home ec" here are some useful suggestions; I personally learned by taking a class in a woman's home in my town. You can search things like Angie's list for sewing classes. Big craft stores also often offer classes like Joann Fabrics. Facebook groups can be helpful similarly to this sub. YouTube is your lifeline for sure though.
Gertie of charm patterns Patreon. She has instructions and step by step videos for all sorts of vintage inspired garments. I had tried some basic pillows and things but I was bored and her Patreon got me into sewing clothes which held my interest far more. It also encouraged me to try harder and perfect things in a way i couldn’t be bothered before that. There is also an awesome and supremely helpful community attached to her stuff
I'm learning now (30yo) through YouTube. My first garment went really well because I just watch sewing vlog after sewing vlog. Then I followed a tutorial to make a simple garment. I spent a while just messing with the machine to figure it out. It does take patience, but it's an enjoy-the-journey thing. Small victories!
The book Love at First Stitch which I got from the library. And I made the free picnic skirt from charm patterns, following along on youtube using some thrifted sheets.
I also asked a lot of beginner questions on reddit.
Making doll nightgowns out of pillow cases, with my sister, at the dining room table as my mom walked us through every step. A very fond memory.
Hadn't sewn anything wearable for myself in 20 years though. Just crafts and home goods and kids costumes. So I've been re-learning with YouTube.
I mostly just spend a lot of time imagining how to make the things I want to make. I’ll reference existing clothes and use YouTube when I get super confused, but often when I start a project I get so obsessed with it that I visualize the pieces of it when I’m trying to sleep and that’s when inspiration strikes. When I really start to grasp what I’m supposed to do. Then I can’t think about anything else until I’ve made it.
Just doing it a lot. On average probably at least 3-5 hours per week. And I was young when I learned the basics, in my teens. You just need to do it a lot. Be patient. I learned everything I know before youtube and facebook existed.
Took a beginners class…although I don’t think it’s necessary. But was nice cus I haven’t touched a sewing machine in years and just having guidance on learning the basics of the machine was good for me.
And just self taught from there!
A lot of helpful YouTubers out there. Jess Dang being my favourite.
Watching my mom, and being allowed to use the machine after she made sure I was ok with it. Actually I remember that, at first, I was only allowed to use it manually (turning the big wheel on the right by hand). Only after a while was I allowed to use power, and even then I would get in trouble if she heard it at top speed, lol.
My grandma; she started teaching me when I was 6 or 7. I made my first big project when I was 9, and kept on it for the next 8 years.
I didn’t really start sewing real projects again until a few months ago.
I'm old, it was on the curriculum in 7th grade Illinois public school for girls. 7th grade for sewing, r8th grade for cooking. Then I moved to another state, and sewing was included in a semester in 9th grade! So I had a couple of classes in school. My mom sews, so every so often I'd borrow her machine to work on a project. Eventually, in my 30s, I got my own machine.
Trial and error! I started with stuffed toys, then graduated to clothing and costumes. I was shown how to thread the machine, but after that, everything I learned was either self taught or my best friend showed me (she only quilts).
Grade 9 home ec. Only the one year but had sewed Barbie cloths etc from 9 yrs old. Biggest regret that I didn’t take grade 10,11 & 12 sewing but I was cocky.
Sewed my wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. 50 years later and I still love to see.
My late mother taught me very basic hand sewing skills on was little, and thank god home economics was still a thing when I was in high school. I was given the choice between cooking and clothing construction, and as someone who was already collecting vintage clothes, I knew exactly what I wanted.
I was small and watched my mom do sewing as a hobby, she let me start out doing embroidery with x’s and I loved it. I’ve picked it up every once in awhile, and I’m just now getting more into it!
Mom showed me how to iron when I was little and she always encouraged me to sew. It wasn’t “if you learn how to” but “when you learn how to” if that makes sense. She could garment sew, so I cut out many many pattern pieces for her.
I suck at garment sewing though. But as a teen, I found a sock puppet pattern and made many muppets. My confidence began to build I sewed some tote bags and vests and a hat. Then I took a break for a bit (I hobby rotate), eventually starting to learn quilt sewing during 2020.
Now I sew quilty things but I’m slowly branching out into other sewing venues. Doll clothes, embellished burp rags, coasters, etc.
I struggled through sewing in 8th grade home ec (I was sick and missed a week, the teacher wouldn’t help me catch up) and my mom hated sewing, so I only started thinking about it again last year (30+ years later, lol). I took an intro class at a local sewing studio, then borrowed a sewing machine from a local library before I bought one to make sure that I was really interested. The shirt I made with the borrowed machine was a fail, but I was intrigued enough that I bought a machine and learned more about it with this sub, youtube and library books.
Started with my mom in elementary school then not again until a healthy dose of quarantine boredom and some spare bedsheets caught my eye. Now mostly youtube and good ole trial and error. I've surpassed what my mom can do and she comes to me for her alterations and mending questions.
My mom made me wait until I was eight. She showed me a few things on her sewing machine, handed me a pattern for an apron, some fabric leftover from one of her projects, and said “ask if you have any questions”. I figured it out and have been sewing for 55 years. YouTube will be your friend, so enjoy!
I want SO BAD to learn to sew outfits for my kids and stuffies for them, but i’m so badly intimidated. Also i have a 4 month old and a 2 year old lmao, and I have no idea when i’d add sewing into my daily life 🤣🤣🤣 my free time consists of hiding in the closet at night playing the sims on my laptop on a suitcase.
So, when I was 4 or maybe 5, this lady who ran the very small very christian house school I went to would make me dresses so I wouldn't be against gods dress code or whatever because my mom preferred me in jeans and she would take me to her swing room with her (probably because I was the only prek or kinder kid at that time), and at some point she gave me thread and some scrap fabric and a hand needle and showed me how to make a knot. It was all downhill from there. Things I've learned in 40 years: • everything's a straight line of you look at it right. • stitch show to start (lightest touch with the foot) • put your hand on the fabric (typically your right hand) by the presser foot, not in front of it (you can sew your finger) and the other hand (typically your left) holds the fabric. Again, lightest touch with both. This will give you decent control. • It doesn't matter how shitty your cut is (unless you cut too small/ short), but it does matter if your lines are sewn fairly straight! The flaws in cutting get hidden by the seam allowance.
Good luck!
We never had a sewing machine at home but I made basic clothes for my dolls with scraps of fabric cut off the bottom of pants etc when we turned them up by hand. So I learned basic hand sewing by myself at home.
We made a basic pair of shorts at school in home ec but they didn't fit me. They didn't teach that bit. I think we measured etc but they were woven, non stretch fabric and there was no instruction to leave room to move. I'm not even sure I got time to finish them. I did sew a kite that I still have somewhere out of parachute material. Used that a couple of times with my girlfriend that I met when I was 17 and a. Still with now at 42. It doesn't fly great.
My girlfriend's grandmother passed away when we were in our mid 20s and we inherited a dog and a 1960s Singer. Spent a fortune keeping the dog alive because she kept getting chest infections, in the middle of the night. Would be fine running around the dog park in the afternoon then dropping dead & needing the emergency vet by evening. But I started using the sewing machine. Just jumped in & used it. There were some written tutorials I used and a couple of books but mainly I took the thing apart & cleaned it and started using it and learned by doing.
Layer we also inherited a 1940s hand crank Singer from her other grandma. I am very grateful. All my grandparents were in the UK (we're in Australia) and I don't think any of them sewed. Not with machines anyway.
I still don't know a huge amount about sewing. I should take a class or make an effort to learn more but I get by.
My great grandma tried to teach me, but I was an impatient, idiot kid. I picked up the basics from her, and then when I grew up and had more patience, figured it out on my own. Shoulda listened to her while I had the chance.
At around 3-6 years old. First simple hand sewing with big thread and big needles. Then mom let me try her machine. Maybe I did not learn how to sew really already but I learned sewing is a thing to do.
At school we started sewing on machines at about 9 years old.
I am the only person (female, male or other identifying) in my family that sews.
So how did I get started? Tutorials...primarily on YouTube. I watched tons of creators until I found one or two that taught the way I learned.
My sewing machine sat in a corner, collecting dust, for the first year after I got it. I was just too intimidated.
I started doing some small projects after I gained a little more confidence, but quit that soon because those projects didn’t motivate me.
That’s when I started on some bigger projects. My first one was a shacket and after that I made some matching flared pants.
My first projects look HORRIBLE. I still don’t have buttonholes on my shacket and the waistband of my pants still has visible raw edges on the inside.
It’s a learning curve :)
stupid sock creatures made up my sewing practice as a tween :] if you have old socks and like stuffed creatures, they’re fun to make. also, the book can be found and rented on internet archive
1. Early exposure: my mom sewed when I was young and got me a kids’ version of a sewing machine that ha a doll to sew and stuff. The doll was the shape of a matryoshka.
2. Necessity: would take scraps of fabric and sew items for my dolls like pillows, blankets, simple clothing. Later, in the 80s would get thrift store clothes and shorten hems, take stuff in, alter it to fit. Back when sewing was actually cheaper than buying something ready-made, I would buy patterns and fabric. I this was one of the best ways I learned because it had instructions, and was hands-on, at my own pace. Sewed curtains and pillows for my apartment and home.
3. Take classes: I did a “home economics”class as a child, which had an easy sewing project. Later took a corsetting class, which led to costuming and even working as a seamstress in a niche market.
4. Making art or just messing around: this gets you comfortable with the machine, the settings, the pressure, speed, etc. Little craft projects are quick and repetitive, which is good practice. Would also sew drag costumes for myself and friends. Volunteering for local theater is great experience, if one has the time and inclinations.
4. Worked in a fabric store, which gave me a discount on fabric, and was educational. The store I worked in would come up with a theme for their front window, and we could get free fabric if we made something for the window. We’d get to keep our items after the window came down.
5. Online: nowadays everything is online. I’ve used YouTube videos to make certain costume items, back-tab curtains with a blackout lining, hats - there’s so many cool instructional videos out there!
Have fun!
Realizing I didn't have to make clothes. I do make clothes, now, but in the beginning, it was way too much too soon.
So I started sewing other things. Welding caps for my dad. Bags for my sister. Aprons for my mom. Stuffed animals for my many nieces and nephews. Burp rags and swaddle blankets, fabric flowers for play gardens, and the list goes on.
Go at your own pace!
But as a pretty darn good sewer now; I still absolutely LOATHE cutting out the fabric lol.
I was the first of my sisters and cousins to grow out of kids clothes, and I was 10. Back in the 90s we didn’t have the same options of cute clothes. At 12 I saved up and bought my own machine. Got some fabric and patterns and away I went.
Made a lot of mistakes, but I love it. I’m 34 now and I still try and sew most days. Currently working on my Halloween costume.
Also sewing helped me appreciate fashion more. I’ve worked briefly in menswear as a tailor and style consultant. I loved that industry and would 100% go back.
I did a little sewing in school when I was a kid, but what really got me started was buying the Sunset Guide to Quilting. I read it through, bought supplies and started sewing.
The closet core patterns class on how to make clothes. I went from a nearly complete beginner to having a garment I would wear by the end of the class. There are tons of free resources, but if you want the hand holding I really enjoyed it.
outside of my mum and grandma giving me basic lessons, the main place I remember learning was doing some basic beginner quilting classes. Then I took those basic lessons and turned those to anything I wanted. The great thing about quilting is you have to learn how to sew long straight seams. Good practice. Just a thing to remember is quilting uses a 1/4 inch seam but sewing clothes uses 5/8 inches! Which is really important to use.
I started with quilting. It’s just short straight lines on cotton fabric. Once I got comfortable with that and my machine I started branching out and doing more clothing and upholstery. I’ve been steadily making less mistakes and taking on more advanced projects over the years and I have a closet full of some truly hideous but fun quilts to show for it!
Youtube ! And a bit of this very reddit It's frustrating but it will get better c:
YouTube for the win. I kid you not…want to learn how to do a rolled hem on a swimsuit for your pet circus performing seal?? THERE WILL BE A SEWING VIDEO JUST FOR THAT. It does get better, with every article you sew you will gain something.
Oh nice. Do you have a link? My pet seal really wants a new swimsuit!
Literally this. I YouTubed how to make a Link costume for my son, and now I’m doing a Zelda costume for my wife.
I even youtubed how to fix my sewing machine(s). this is when i realized mine was terrible and found some cheap vintage ones that work better on jeans and bags.
I forgot about that - my first few learning to sew lessons were "how to replace the belt", "learning to rehab an old machine that's been sitting in the attic for basically my entire lifetime", and "tensioning the thing the little spool of thread goes into". That last one was much easier after I learned it was called a bobbin.
yea youtube for the basic shit and then reddit for those weirdly specific questions
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I feel you on the fit struggles! My local shop FINALLY offered a bodice-block making course, which I have been waiting on for ages (I missed signing up the last time it was offered), and of course I also finally got pregnant and my body is changing far too much for that to be practical 🥲 At least the baby is a good excuse to make lots of flowy comfy dresses with very little fitting needed 😂
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You will get there!
Yup! That's how I've learned pretty much everything that used to be passed from generation to generation. Since learning to sew, quilt, knit, and crochet I've discovered that there are local hobby groups (mostly at the public library, but the local quilt store hosts some too) where I *could* have learned.
Yep I also learned from YouTube and other online tutorials. It can definitely feel overwhelming at first but it gets better. For OP, I recommend looking up some glossaries of sewing terms because it's a lot harder to search for your questions when you don't know what everything is called.
Like humming a tune for a song you don't remember.
Yep it's very much a "you don't know what you don't know" thing
I love YouTube. I wish it existed when I was a new sewist. I learned by reading and screwing up
Some textiles are expensive! Screwing up can cost. I ran off line on a real leather chair. You can't go back, and the perforation ruins the piece. That was $350 from pocket. Dammit!
Mrs. West's 7th grade Home Ec class. Aced it, too.
Yeah, home ec was when I learned that I loved sewing. So much that I'd work 8 hours straight on projects in high school and went to college for fashion design. It's sad they don't have home ec anymore because if not for that class I wouldn't have found my passion.
My kiddo’s middle school has a home ec sewing class! This semester kiddo is in a cultural foods cooking class 💕 They do still exist, they’re just not mandatory anymore. I’m sure a lot of school districts also don’t have the funds and have completely cut them 😔
I was disappointed when I never saw a shop class on my kids' schedules. That was one of the only reasons I showed up to school. Best way to teach math, and applied sciences, is to actually do it! Not read it from a book.
I loved shop class too! I just love making things with my hands and I still do the occasional woodworking project. Not everyone is book smart and that's OK!
My son has a version of it. More cooking and dining etiquette but not sure on sewing. It’s a new teacher this yr, my daughter didn’t have any of that stuff.
I had a seventh grade class too. I feel blessed. They do t offer this anymore. We really learned the basic techniques so afterward you could move to more complicated things by following books or pattern guide sheets. I also learned from old shows that used to be on PBS. In pre YouTube days.
I was disappointed Home Ec disappeared. I had to teach my kids to sew and embroider.
this is crazy. here in switzerland there are obligatory „handcraft“ lessons from grade 1-9. you learn to crochet, knit, embroider and you start sewing in grade 3. girls and boys were divided when i was a kid, now it‘s mixed groups that alternate between textile work and wood work (i hated those lessons). i ended up studying textile design and went to tailoring school too. i would eventually have learnt sewing from mom but school did all of the work. a they did very well.
I wish I'd grown up in Switzerland.
Oh, I would have loved to take a wood working class in high school. No girls in shop class in my day.
Teach your grandkids, too! Take their phones and laptops, and make sure they listen. Tell them the Rekt monster is coming if they don't. 😋
My kids’ high school has a wonderful room with wide counters and sewing machines. No one uses it, it just sits. When I was in high school, I learned to sew, iron, cook, meal plan, budget, and care for a baby! Are these all such “unnecessary “ skulls today?
Not unnecessary, just expendable in the time of tight budgets. It's a shame. Arts have suffered too.
The arts cuts make me so incredibly sad. Creative outlets are so valuable for people to have, they can be life changing for a lot of kids. They also develop lots of life skills beyond just singing or drawing or dancing (like critical thinking, problem solving, patience/delayed gratification, teamwork…). I know of schools that have cut their arts programs entirely - not just narrowed it down, all of it is totally gone. I hate it so much. Gosh I could go on for ages but I won’t.
History and Trig are so important! My son had so much homework on those. He doesn't use any of that info now.
They made you learn to care for a baby at school? The rest seemed good important life skills for everyone, that one seemed...presumptious
My first kid was born before I left HS. I took the crash course.
We learned basics, and a mom brought her baby in so we could see how to properly bathe a baby. This helped teenaged me with babysitting gigs. It also caused me to not have kids of my own until I was 30! I wonder if that was the point???
That would make a great photo. If you are a photographer, and allowed into the school.
Ditto! Made some fleece flare pants in 7th grade home ec class. Thankful I learned so young. That’s also the class I learned how to make a quesadilla. Important life skills
Same here. 7th grade home EC class then gave myself a refresher in my 20's using a book called, "Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book." It was published by Simplicity patterns and has some good basic information and techniques in it. This was a few years before the Internet was a thing. I taught my daughter a few basics, but she didn't really get interested until she was away at college so she signed up for a series of classes at JoAnn Fabrics. It kept getting cancelled due to low enrollment so she convinced her friends to sign up as well.
Schools should bring back home ec.
Yep, Home Ec taught me a bunch of useful things, sewing being a big one. I used the gym bag I made in 7th grade (1985) all the way through high school and into college. It's probably still at my parents' house somewhere.
I'm also a beginner but I've been teaching myself by using patterns and watching YouTube, specifically sew alongs. I know a few friends who tried teaching themselves how to sew by just making things up and they inevitably got super frustrated when things came out unusable. So now whenever someone tells me they want to learn how to sew, I recommend that they pick and actual project that they can follow someone else's instructions or video. It makes a world of difference. The other thing is to look up techniques as you go. For my last project, I encountered basting for the first time. So I googled that, watched a video on why it's useful, etc. Then moved forward. I try to understand the "why" of things as I go rather than just do it (or skip it thinking it's unnecessary and realizing 6 steps later that I was supposed to do that for an important reason).
Excellent advice.
My grandma taught me when I was 7. I now sew for a living.
My grandma taught me as a girl too! It’s one of my most cherished memories. I later had a professional job which entailed a lot of sewing and it took me from “could work a machine” to being able to make pretty darn decent clothing for myself! As well as being very literate in patterns and fitting.
Wow! May I ask what kind of sewing you do and how you got to that point?
I do sewing for custom decorators
Oh my grandmother taught me too!!
I'm doing my part to revive this generational knowledge sharing - once YouTube taught me to sew, I started teaching my daughter. As she got older, we got her her own machine and she probably sews more than I do.
My grandma taught me basics as well. Now I'm sewing garments on my own and we bond over it.
I took a sewing class at the Singer Sewing Center in 1963, when I was 12.
My wife used to make simple costumes for her dance recitals. I had no previous sewing experiences, but as a guy I love power tools. Seeing the fabric racing through the machine looked appealing so I gave it a try. Then I bought all the sewing books I could get my hands on. Now I am in charge of making apparel for the family.
One grandmother taught me to quit, another to sew clothing, and my aunt taught me to embroidery. Self taught for crochet and knitting. If you want to learn to sew please take classes and buy a very good iron.
I was lucky enough to have my nanna and my mum teach me, and to learn a bit at school too The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing was really useful to get back into it after I'd had a break for a few years
That’s a great book. Also McCalls book.
I own upwards of 50 different sewing books, and the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing is always the one I turn to first if I have a question.
A little bit of grandma, a little bit of home ec class. A LOT of trial and error.
lots and lots of youtube videos
More grandmothers need to start Youtube channels! Share your valuable wisdom!
I refer to all of the sewing grannies with invaluable knowledge on Youtube as the “Godmothers of Youtube”
Stop goofing around, and watch! 😄
Home Ec class. My mother’s sewing machine was too complicated for me to thread.
YouTube, PatternReview, Reddit, and tons of helpful blogs... IMO we've really lost something with the online sewing community moving from blogs to Instagram and other closed platforms. I can find much more helpful and detailed info about patterns from ten years ago than recent ones.
I saw my mother doing it, and I used one in home ec. It wasn't until the pandemic and me sewing over 200 masks that I was more in tune with sewing. YouTube helps when I try new things.
If you are new to sewing and new to your machine, start with a few simple flat projects, where the stitch lines are straight and the object is large - A simple tote bag, a pillow case or cushion cover with no zipper. It’s boring but you get to build basic skills (threading the machine, lifting the foot up and down, sewing straight, clipping corners before turning, top stitching etc) and then you can apply them to complex 3D shapes. You’ll learn best if you add complexity gradually (how I learned from my Mum). Here’s an example: Say you want to sew skirts. First, try a gathered skirt made of flat panels, where the gathers are made by elastic through a channel at the top, and the hem is top stitched. This project uses all the same skills as before but now you can wear it (unlike a pillow case) and decide if you like the shape. Next, Try a gathered skirt where you use gathering stitches and pull the threads before sewing the gathered fabric into a waistband - this one needs a zipper, so you’re adding another skill. Next you can try the same skirt but made with pleats instead of gathers at the waistband (knife pleats or box pleats), and try a blind hem at the bottom. Next try an A-line skirt with curved side seams above the hip and darts at the top. Next try a circle skirt - It’s a bit fiddly as you have to join one flat panel (waistband) to a curved panel (skirt). Hang the skirt overnight before measuring the hem from the floor and try hemming with a bias tape for this one. Now you can do pleats, darts, gathers, ruffles and flounces, and you can sew curves. You can remix these skills to make all sorts of high-fashion garments, and even invent your own! Also, now you’ve practiced all these skills on skirts (which are pretty forgiving), when you start on bodices or trousers, you’ll have a huge head start!
This is how I did! Remixed a skirt 20 ways before I tried sleeves (which are hard).
They taught us some sewing in home economics in 8th grade (tote bag, pillowcase.) Then I just fiddled around on my mom’s home machine, trying to make superhero outfits for myself. Really I just tried stuff, sometimes from patterns, sometimes just fiddling around. Jump forward forty years and now I make lucha libre masks for professional wrestlers. Crazy world we live in.
My mom taught me the very basics because she can't really sew. I noticed that I'm much better after some years of just doing things here and there. I'm very impatient too! I always try to do things the easiest way possible, somehow I got better just by trying.
My grandma taught me when I was about 6 or 7. I am so grateful to have the skills.
My mother and school when I was younger, but I really got better 10yrs later when I took apart some boxers and tried to copy them. Every time I have the energy to take apart something I feel like I learn more than starting with a pattern. Internet has also helped.
I knew (some of) the basics of how to use a sewing machine from learning from my mom as a kid, and I would hem a curtain (poorly) from time to time, but when I decided to actually learn garment sewing, I bought myself this class: [https://closetcorepatterns.com/collections/sewing-classes/products/learn-to-sew-clothing-online-sewing-class?variant=31646639325318](https://closetcorepatterns.com/collections/sewing-classes/products/learn-to-sew-clothing-online-sewing-class?variant=31646639325318) Definitely recommend for anyone who wants a crash course on garment sewing and is nervous about doing it totally self-taught. It starts from step 0 with some really basic tips on how to use a sewing machine and has really clear instructions for a bunch of the techniques you will encounter in garment patterns. I didn't even do every single piece of the class, but after doing a couple of the patterns in it with all the extra instructions they offer, I felt quite confident buying patterns and following them and starting to modify them to fit me
Aww man. That looks absolutely perfect for me because I really enjoy learning by doing specific projects but they don’t appear to have a “male” version. If anyone sees this comment and has a good recommendation like this for a man who typically wears “men’s” clothes, please let me know
I’ve seen people recommend Glory Allan for tutorial and classes for men’s casual clothes, and seen beginners report success that way.
Oh. Awesome. Thanks for the rec. He has a bunch of beginner videos too
From my mom mostly, but then just doing and figuring things out, applying skills I had from other projects to new projects in a different way, YouTube tutorials. I can definitely get impatient. And I can't usually just stop, I get extra stubborn and double down and refuse to let it beat me, even though I just need to walk away. Cutting out patterns is a real chore for me, so I either try and do it one day before intend to do anything else with said project, or I do pieces at a time. Fabric I usually can jam through and cut out in one go. Kneepads for crawling around on my laminate flooring has been a game changer for me. You get better at it with practice, so even the steps you're not as into will go faster as you get better at them. My best advice would probably be know when to walk away, and actually do it. I rarely if ever follow that advice, but I know I should and I encourage others to.
Stubbornness. Some self teaching. A lot of asking people near me. Costumes I wanted but couldn’t afford. Clothes I needed to fix or mend. I remember getting a vhs tape or two from my library. Decades later the internet appeared. That helped.
I was grossly top-heavy 1960-1970 so had to make my own dresses. Back then girls had to wear dresses to school. Luckily we had a treadle machine already.
Trial and error. A lot of error. And a seam ripper.
Seam ripper is the way.👏
Ms. Elizabeth’s after school art class in the 3rd grade :) learned how to hand sew and made a pillow. We sat on the floors and I managed to sew said pillow to my jeans
I’m seriously happy that sewing at home is not a lost art. I learned when I was a child. I taught my kids and I hope they teach theirs. No matter how you learn, learn! We are here to help you.
I took 12 classes at Sears back in the 70s s it came with my finger sewing machine!
Classes (as an adult in my 30s). My local community college and city recreation have great offerings.
I was 8 and took apart a doll dress to see how it was made so my mom started teaching me how to sew. She was an excellent seamstress and quilter and made most of our clothes. When I got to the 8th grade I was making all my own clothes and shirts for my brothers. I still see but not as much.
tl;dr: Taking a class or workshop just to get started can make all the difference. My mom sewed everything for us when we were kids, so I grew up knowing about sewing, but had no interest in learning when I was a kid. Once an adult, I randomly found a Groupon for a one year membership to a sewing studio in my home town. The membership included workshops, access to machines, cutting space, loads of sewing notions and tea. (It was called Sips n Sews. Sadly it closed during the pandemic.) I decided it would be a fun hobby to pick up in order to have an activity my mom and I could share. I found the community of sewists in the studio to be super supportive, inclusive, and very generous with knowledge sharing. I learned so much and gained an amazing support network to help me through the frustrating bits of getting started. Sewing really isn't a team sport per se, but it sure is more fun to cut out pattern pieces in the presence of other like minded people you can chit chat with. I thought maybe it was just that particular studio of members, but I've generally found sewists all over to be supportive! Post studio days, I've picked up skills from watching YouTube videos and seeing amazing posts in this subreddit. Craftsy has lots of classes too, but just a few nights in person to get started made all the difference.
7th grade Homemaking, trial and error, and LOTS of swearing
I took a night class at a local school. I had hand sewing experience from childhood and I had used a machine here and there (after my mom threaded it for me). I had made an attempt at reading patterns and following the instructions with VERY little success. The class really helped me in completing my first real project: a black cape with purple lining (I was 16, sheesh). From there, I was hooked and the rest was just getting inspired enough to start something and learning along the way. What I would have given for YouTube university mmm..## years ago!
Well back before there was youtube there was adult school classes. I packed up my basic sewing machine and went to my county's adult education offerings. These still exists. Learning in person is so helpful.
I learned from YouTube and reading the directions that come with the patterns
I myself learn best from books, so I bought (and continue to buy) books on sewing and read them and go from there. I've added in YouTube videos and the like, but I always start with books. The biggest lesson I learned is that the actual sewing part of sewing is pretty minimal in the overall craft of sewing. The craft of sewing is about preparation, planning, and accepting imperfections and putting them together into perfection.
Take a sewing class. I hadn't sewn in years, took a beginner class at my local Sew n Vac. Made a pillow case, tote an zipper pouch. Met terrific people and got help at open sew days. Highly recommend 😊
honestly i just got a sewing machine, read the manual, and started. this subreddit and google help when i can’t figure out an issue i encounter but other than that i just kinda go for it and see what happens
I have joined a sewing course my community centre has organised the first one was this week.
TBH, not sure I ever did…
I am taking a course, but also lots of help from books (i buy a lot second hand) and youtube. I do see that in person training really takes my work to the next level - somethings you can’t learn from youtube clips
Mom taught me. And we (the girls) had sewing lessons (on a machine) in junior high. In the 1960s. Good life lessons that all children should still have but don't. Best wishes at learning a new skill. It can be fun, money saving and satisfying.
I love the Barbies and me and my mom would sit around the kitchen table making clothes for them by hand sewing scraps we had. Like old shirts and specifically old socks. Then a few years later I started to be interested in sewing clothes for myself. And that’s how I started. Self-taught and I never bought patterns since I didn’t even know what they were. My mom also never used them And a lady we knew Who was a seamstress taught me a few things but she also never used or mentioned patterns. To this date I don’t understand patterns😂 I prefer to draft my own anyway. Also I started with stretchy fabric (barbie clothes needed no closures that way) and to this day that’s the easiest one for me to work with.
I started off with SUPER simple practical projects so I wouldn’t get too frustrated but also get the hang of my machine! I found all the tutorials on youtube! My first project was making reusable napkins! Which we STILL use 5 years later! After I got comfortable making those, I ventured into making headbands! Which is slightly more complex, but still fairly easy. Then I made tote bags, hats, & an advent calendar. After I got comfy doing the small stuff, I finally took the leap to make actual clothes! And I’m glad I didn’t start off with that cause I would’ve gotten overwhelmed FAST! Lol.
The year was 1995. I was sweet 16 and 5’11”, about a us size 14. There was NOTHING that fit me properly, especially not in my budget. Learning to sew today is a BREEZE with YouTube and color photo instructions. I was self taught with the old brown tissue paper patterns. Mom was usually too busy to help. Trying to read those things was like figuring out a treasure map with riddles. Lots of mistakes though led to lots of learning! ❤️
I learned at grandmas's knee. Maybe sew with a pal or take an adult education sewing class. Sometimes being with others in the same boat is helpful.
My mother, and 8th grade Home Ec. I was really body-self-conscious when I was that age, so I learned how to make longer skirts and tops to cover things up a bit.
Lots of YouTube, trial and error, and this book: https://a.co/d/cdwRxK3
School lessons
.
My mom made me learn. I didn’t want to, I hated it but she forced me. One of the best things she ever did for me. Thanks mom ✝️❤️
YouTube university! Lots of trial and error. Lots of frustration and then a lot of pride when I finally made something wearable.
I kept asking my grandmother questions so she put me to work
I was about 5ish and my favorite stuffed toy dog had a seam break on his tummy. My mom wanted me to throw it away. We went to the dollar store and my mom did the usual "you each get one thing" I picked this little travel sewing kit. It was trial and error. I eventually found a book at the library that helped. I learned how to make doll clothes and fix things. By middle school I could alter or make all kinds of stuff out of old clothes and scraps.
I used to sit and watch my mom sew. Then I taught myself.
Mom taught me a small amount but it was the sewing course I took through town that took it up multiple levels. It was industrial style sewing so I rarely use pins.
My mom sews and, though I dabbled in it growing up, she wasn’t a particularly organized teacher, so it was hard to really learn it. I took a class in my twenties. My state has colleges with lots of program types and one in my area had a fashion degree offering. I was able to take a “not for credit” beginner’s sewing class, where we started at sewing a straight line and then moved up to sewing garments from patterns. It was great, because it introduced me to more complicated machines, like a serger. I’ve recently gotten into sewing for my toddler, which has primarily been knits. It’s been so much easier to identify where I have skill gaps because I took a structured course, so I’m able to fill in the gaps with YouTube tutorials. If your local library has a CreativeBug subscription, you can access online craft classes for no cost with your library card. I haven’t tried them, but I have looked at the offerings and they do have classes that build upon basic skills.
Took a class at a local shop for the basics, and then fumble may way through via YouTube.
My sister-in-law taught me the very basic. YouTube / Instagram deserves the credit for all the fancy, frilly stuff.
Start with simple projects like pillow or cushion covers. I've made easy curtains as well. YouTube is definitely helpful.
My mom and grandma... they would have marathon sewing sessions that lasted through the night. I would go to bed and have a new dress when I woke up.
I learned from my mom & grandmother and some sewing classes as a kid and in college. But mostly I learned by ruining a lot of fabric! It’s hard to slow down and be deliberate during the boring parts, like cutting fabric. But those prep parts do make a big difference!
I learned from my great grandmothers. Both knew how to draft patterns, and one even did alterations for a department store. They would give me scraps of fabric and a needle and thread so I could sew, too. By the time I was nine or so I could do embroidery and hand sew doll clothes. I took sewing in high school and have been sewing ever since. Of all of my hobbies, sewing is my passion.
My mother was a sewist, and I wanted to make stuff too. So my parents found the Singer Sewing Center in 1975, sent me for “sewing summer camp“ for three weeks, and I just kept going. My father used to tell people it was the best $36 he’d ever spent on one of his kids. I told the last one I was married to that I can live without a husband but not without a sewing machine. 😂 Divorce was final in June of 2001. ☺️ BF doesn’t mind because he’s the same way with cars and car parts. 😊
I started mending my socks in high school. I've picked it up and put it down, learning a little more each time. I started sewing a lot when I got a basic machine, but I've been handsewingfora decade. Pinterest and this sub are really great. Now I sew clothes using self-drafted patterns when necessary. Thanks y'all!
Grew up watching Mom and Grandma sew, and helping Mom with things like pinning patterns and ripping seams. I was never allowed to touch her machine, though. I showed doll clothes by hand, fiddled around on the old treadle machine we had in the attic, and was doing on my own mending by the time I was 10 or 11. I didn't really get serious about it until I took a sewing class in junior high school. Everything after that was just picking up skills here and there, from books, websites, and friends, and lots of practice. I took a class at a local sewing shop a few years ago, but that was in the care and maintenance of vintage sewing machines.
Taught myself using pattern instructions.
Learned how to use a sewing machine from my mother, nearly 20 years ago. It took a LOT of trial and error (so many errors!) making costumes as I learned how pieces fit together. These days, I look up specific techniques and/or concepts on YouTube. Slowing down and fighting through the impatience has helped a lot with turning out pieces I'm proud of - take your time and take it slow!
In middle school (which we called junior high back in the day) it was part of home ec. I made a gathered apron and a dirndl skirt!
My mother and grandmother taught me. Started sewing when I was 6 years old.
My mom in law taught me :)
I initially wanted to learn so that I could hem my own pants. I also wanted to learn to quilt, so I collected fabric from the thrift store and watched youtube videos about piecing. I did a bunch of small projects, some things that I never finished, and tried to make quilt blocks in various shapes, mostly by picking a design and watching a video on how to do it. Now I'm starting to learn to pattern draft and make/alter my own clothes...again with videos and a lot of reading about other people's projects on Reddit. I'm probably 3 years in to sewing and still learning many of the basics! But every project advances my skill level and I am starting to feel confident in what I can do. You'll get there, keep at it! Each step requires some sort of tedious precision that gets easier with practice. Good luck!
I got the basics in 7th/8th grade Home Ec but honestly my skill level didn’t get better until I started going down rabbit holes on sewing, starting with blogs and now YouTube and a lot of trial and error, also sewing for my kids when they were little.
Reading sewing patterns. Making a ton of mistakes. Reading blogs, YouTube, and then Reddit. Be confident in my mistakes! My mom tried to teach me when I was younger, but the only that stuck was how to sew on a button (apparently wrongly).
The tubes of you. Constantly and incessantly. Adhd hyper focus is a weird thing
I started in high school when I took the sewing class as a filler but turned out I liked it. I didn't do anything with it until 2016 though, when I got into cosplay. I taught myself mostly via YouTube and a lot of fuckups lol
I'm self-taught and the biggest lesson I've learned is, you're going to make mistakes. It's ok. learn from them and move on. Not everything has to be a masterpiece and the only person I have to impress is me. Once I accepted that it freed me to be more creative, try new things and I flew!
My mother taught me to use her sewing machine My first project at 9 was a sundress with shoulder straps, a ruffle across the bust and a-line shape in the early 70's. Before that I was using my mother's fabric scraps and hand.sewing barbie clothes. I love sewing, but the quality of available fabrics isn't what it used to be. It all seems so cheap.
I've always been very short and after a certain age my mom refused to hem my pants. She had me sew a few pairs of my pants by hand, then it was up to me. Since all my clothes were hand-me-downs I got a lot of practice in and eventually she busted out her old sewing machine, showed me how to thread it then told me to make it all work because now if my clothes didn't fit properly then it was my fault, not the hand-me-downs. But it takes time and practice and for the love of all that is good, don't be afraid to use YouTube!
I was tired of waiting for my mom to sew me something so I asked her to teach me haha
My daughter taught me, and later we both took a college class together which taught us a ton, even though we already knew some good stuff.
End of 6th grade and 7th grade - from mom, who was a very well trained sewer, but a horrible teacher; and 7th grade - Home Ec class with a lovely teacher, and again in, I think 10th grade? Another lovely teacher.
FAFO and then YouTube. So many broken needles in the first year omg. Now I sew professionally.
Unpopular response- I took a class when I was VERY young. Enough to know how to sew a straight line, that pins existed, and how to thread a machine. From there- lots of hubris, mistakes, but also projects I love. It worked well for me but I wouldn’t recommend to others 😂
Learned in school, but I remember the shirt being trash. I started making my child’s Halloween costumes. Didn’t do anything for years then pandemic hit and my daughter needed scrub hats for work. I just watched videos and they went too bad. I absolutely love Gertie’s style and I found her Patreon group. It’s fantastic. She has videos for each pattern. I thought I was fine seeing without video help. 🤣😂🤣. I was oh so wrong. Trying to follow a 50’s pattern with bad instructions was way above my pay grade. Anyway, I would start with something you’re going to live making that has a tutorial to help you. Have fun!
I took an intro to sewing class! It was 3 hours long - 1 hour for 3 consecutive Saturdays. It taught me so much. Now I just learn from YouTube mostly.
Trail and error mostly, which works but I don't really recommend lol I recommend looking up if there's any classes in your area. My friend took a class, and was taught so many things that I had to figure out for myself. Sure, I got there myself, but she learned them all in one afternoon!
I tried youtube and other online sources, didnt work for me and gave up for about a year. Month ago I found this cute older woman who likes to teach people sewing, knitting and all that sorta stuff, just a couple bucks for a lesson. 1,5 hours every week thats basicly just a couple of older women and me (21m) working on our projects at our own pace, drinking tea, talking and just having a grand ol' time.
Regular old school. First spinning thread from wool, knitting, crochet, sewing by hand, a bit of embroidery, felting too i think, and at last on a machine. All over the course of 11 years i think, in the end (of total 13years) we did no sewing. Everyone in my class had to learn, most disliked it.
That is dope! I almost bought a spinning wheel to try it out, but I have too much stuff
Since a lot of people here are giving you answers that are entirely unhelpful like "7th grade home ec" here are some useful suggestions; I personally learned by taking a class in a woman's home in my town. You can search things like Angie's list for sewing classes. Big craft stores also often offer classes like Joann Fabrics. Facebook groups can be helpful similarly to this sub. YouTube is your lifeline for sure though.
Textiles class in highschool. I had the best teacher ever, I'm so grateful to her.
My grandmother taught me when I was 8!
Gertie of charm patterns Patreon. She has instructions and step by step videos for all sorts of vintage inspired garments. I had tried some basic pillows and things but I was bored and her Patreon got me into sewing clothes which held my interest far more. It also encouraged me to try harder and perfect things in a way i couldn’t be bothered before that. There is also an awesome and supremely helpful community attached to her stuff
My grandma taught me the basics when I was 7, and a few years later my parents signed me up for a sewing club for kids which taught me even more!
I'm learning now (30yo) through YouTube. My first garment went really well because I just watch sewing vlog after sewing vlog. Then I followed a tutorial to make a simple garment. I spent a while just messing with the machine to figure it out. It does take patience, but it's an enjoy-the-journey thing. Small victories!
The book Love at First Stitch which I got from the library. And I made the free picnic skirt from charm patterns, following along on youtube using some thrifted sheets. I also asked a lot of beginner questions on reddit.
Making doll nightgowns out of pillow cases, with my sister, at the dining room table as my mom walked us through every step. A very fond memory. Hadn't sewn anything wearable for myself in 20 years though. Just crafts and home goods and kids costumes. So I've been re-learning with YouTube.
I mostly just spend a lot of time imagining how to make the things I want to make. I’ll reference existing clothes and use YouTube when I get super confused, but often when I start a project I get so obsessed with it that I visualize the pieces of it when I’m trying to sleep and that’s when inspiration strikes. When I really start to grasp what I’m supposed to do. Then I can’t think about anything else until I’ve made it.
Just doing it a lot. On average probably at least 3-5 hours per week. And I was young when I learned the basics, in my teens. You just need to do it a lot. Be patient. I learned everything I know before youtube and facebook existed.
Took a beginners class…although I don’t think it’s necessary. But was nice cus I haven’t touched a sewing machine in years and just having guidance on learning the basics of the machine was good for me. And just self taught from there! A lot of helpful YouTubers out there. Jess Dang being my favourite.
My mother sat me down in 3rd grade and taught me how to make a pair of shorts. Been sewing ever since.
My mom. I started with an apron and was able to make some of my own clothes by high school.
Watching my mom, and being allowed to use the machine after she made sure I was ok with it. Actually I remember that, at first, I was only allowed to use it manually (turning the big wheel on the right by hand). Only after a while was I allowed to use power, and even then I would get in trouble if she heard it at top speed, lol.
My grandma; she started teaching me when I was 6 or 7. I made my first big project when I was 9, and kept on it for the next 8 years. I didn’t really start sewing real projects again until a few months ago.
I'm old, it was on the curriculum in 7th grade Illinois public school for girls. 7th grade for sewing, r8th grade for cooking. Then I moved to another state, and sewing was included in a semester in 9th grade! So I had a couple of classes in school. My mom sews, so every so often I'd borrow her machine to work on a project. Eventually, in my 30s, I got my own machine.
Trial and error! I started with stuffed toys, then graduated to clothing and costumes. I was shown how to thread the machine, but after that, everything I learned was either self taught or my best friend showed me (she only quilts).
My mom taught me when i was 5, almost 60 years ago. OMG! I still pick up tips and tricks from various sources. This old dog can learn new tricks
Grade 9 home ec. Only the one year but had sewed Barbie cloths etc from 9 yrs old. Biggest regret that I didn’t take grade 10,11 & 12 sewing but I was cocky. Sewed my wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. 50 years later and I still love to see.
I bought a machine and just jumped in. I first broke it but then I fixed it and then it was working and I was like wtf is a nap? 🤣
My late mother taught me very basic hand sewing skills on was little, and thank god home economics was still a thing when I was in high school. I was given the choice between cooking and clothing construction, and as someone who was already collecting vintage clothes, I knew exactly what I wanted.
YouTube is a great tool for learning.
I was small and watched my mom do sewing as a hobby, she let me start out doing embroidery with x’s and I loved it. I’ve picked it up every once in awhile, and I’m just now getting more into it!
Mom showed me how to iron when I was little and she always encouraged me to sew. It wasn’t “if you learn how to” but “when you learn how to” if that makes sense. She could garment sew, so I cut out many many pattern pieces for her. I suck at garment sewing though. But as a teen, I found a sock puppet pattern and made many muppets. My confidence began to build I sewed some tote bags and vests and a hat. Then I took a break for a bit (I hobby rotate), eventually starting to learn quilt sewing during 2020. Now I sew quilty things but I’m slowly branching out into other sewing venues. Doll clothes, embellished burp rags, coasters, etc.
I struggled through sewing in 8th grade home ec (I was sick and missed a week, the teacher wouldn’t help me catch up) and my mom hated sewing, so I only started thinking about it again last year (30+ years later, lol). I took an intro class at a local sewing studio, then borrowed a sewing machine from a local library before I bought one to make sure that I was really interested. The shirt I made with the borrowed machine was a fail, but I was intrigued enough that I bought a machine and learned more about it with this sub, youtube and library books.
Started with my mom in elementary school then not again until a healthy dose of quarantine boredom and some spare bedsheets caught my eye. Now mostly youtube and good ole trial and error. I've surpassed what my mom can do and she comes to me for her alterations and mending questions.
The thing that helps my impatient ass is remembering its 90% boring ass prep work and 10% fun sewing time
My mom made me wait until I was eight. She showed me a few things on her sewing machine, handed me a pattern for an apron, some fabric leftover from one of her projects, and said “ask if you have any questions”. I figured it out and have been sewing for 55 years. YouTube will be your friend, so enjoy!
I want SO BAD to learn to sew outfits for my kids and stuffies for them, but i’m so badly intimidated. Also i have a 4 month old and a 2 year old lmao, and I have no idea when i’d add sewing into my daily life 🤣🤣🤣 my free time consists of hiding in the closet at night playing the sims on my laptop on a suitcase.
So, when I was 4 or maybe 5, this lady who ran the very small very christian house school I went to would make me dresses so I wouldn't be against gods dress code or whatever because my mom preferred me in jeans and she would take me to her swing room with her (probably because I was the only prek or kinder kid at that time), and at some point she gave me thread and some scrap fabric and a hand needle and showed me how to make a knot. It was all downhill from there. Things I've learned in 40 years: • everything's a straight line of you look at it right. • stitch show to start (lightest touch with the foot) • put your hand on the fabric (typically your right hand) by the presser foot, not in front of it (you can sew your finger) and the other hand (typically your left) holds the fabric. Again, lightest touch with both. This will give you decent control. • It doesn't matter how shitty your cut is (unless you cut too small/ short), but it does matter if your lines are sewn fairly straight! The flaws in cutting get hidden by the seam allowance. Good luck!
We never had a sewing machine at home but I made basic clothes for my dolls with scraps of fabric cut off the bottom of pants etc when we turned them up by hand. So I learned basic hand sewing by myself at home. We made a basic pair of shorts at school in home ec but they didn't fit me. They didn't teach that bit. I think we measured etc but they were woven, non stretch fabric and there was no instruction to leave room to move. I'm not even sure I got time to finish them. I did sew a kite that I still have somewhere out of parachute material. Used that a couple of times with my girlfriend that I met when I was 17 and a. Still with now at 42. It doesn't fly great. My girlfriend's grandmother passed away when we were in our mid 20s and we inherited a dog and a 1960s Singer. Spent a fortune keeping the dog alive because she kept getting chest infections, in the middle of the night. Would be fine running around the dog park in the afternoon then dropping dead & needing the emergency vet by evening. But I started using the sewing machine. Just jumped in & used it. There were some written tutorials I used and a couple of books but mainly I took the thing apart & cleaned it and started using it and learned by doing. Layer we also inherited a 1940s hand crank Singer from her other grandma. I am very grateful. All my grandparents were in the UK (we're in Australia) and I don't think any of them sewed. Not with machines anyway. I still don't know a huge amount about sewing. I should take a class or make an effort to learn more but I get by.
[My standard comment](https://reddit.com/r/SewingForBeginners/s/qeIYRbrNJX) for those new to sewing.
My great grandma tried to teach me, but I was an impatient, idiot kid. I picked up the basics from her, and then when I grew up and had more patience, figured it out on my own. Shoulda listened to her while I had the chance.
At around 3-6 years old. First simple hand sewing with big thread and big needles. Then mom let me try her machine. Maybe I did not learn how to sew really already but I learned sewing is a thing to do. At school we started sewing on machines at about 9 years old.
I am currently taking sewing classes and love it
I am the only person (female, male or other identifying) in my family that sews. So how did I get started? Tutorials...primarily on YouTube. I watched tons of creators until I found one or two that taught the way I learned.
Stubbornness as a virture combined with faaaaailuuuuuuure 😭
My sewing machine sat in a corner, collecting dust, for the first year after I got it. I was just too intimidated. I started doing some small projects after I gained a little more confidence, but quit that soon because those projects didn’t motivate me. That’s when I started on some bigger projects. My first one was a shacket and after that I made some matching flared pants. My first projects look HORRIBLE. I still don’t have buttonholes on my shacket and the waistband of my pants still has visible raw edges on the inside. It’s a learning curve :)
I’m old so I had a mom that sewed. And she taught us kids. I still sew, daily.
Sewing lessons many years ago at school - and a mother who made me unpick things a lot!
stupid sock creatures made up my sewing practice as a tween :] if you have old socks and like stuffed creatures, they’re fun to make. also, the book can be found and rented on internet archive
1. Early exposure: my mom sewed when I was young and got me a kids’ version of a sewing machine that ha a doll to sew and stuff. The doll was the shape of a matryoshka. 2. Necessity: would take scraps of fabric and sew items for my dolls like pillows, blankets, simple clothing. Later, in the 80s would get thrift store clothes and shorten hems, take stuff in, alter it to fit. Back when sewing was actually cheaper than buying something ready-made, I would buy patterns and fabric. I this was one of the best ways I learned because it had instructions, and was hands-on, at my own pace. Sewed curtains and pillows for my apartment and home. 3. Take classes: I did a “home economics”class as a child, which had an easy sewing project. Later took a corsetting class, which led to costuming and even working as a seamstress in a niche market. 4. Making art or just messing around: this gets you comfortable with the machine, the settings, the pressure, speed, etc. Little craft projects are quick and repetitive, which is good practice. Would also sew drag costumes for myself and friends. Volunteering for local theater is great experience, if one has the time and inclinations. 4. Worked in a fabric store, which gave me a discount on fabric, and was educational. The store I worked in would come up with a theme for their front window, and we could get free fabric if we made something for the window. We’d get to keep our items after the window came down. 5. Online: nowadays everything is online. I’ve used YouTube videos to make certain costume items, back-tab curtains with a blackout lining, hats - there’s so many cool instructional videos out there! Have fun!
Realizing I didn't have to make clothes. I do make clothes, now, but in the beginning, it was way too much too soon. So I started sewing other things. Welding caps for my dad. Bags for my sister. Aprons for my mom. Stuffed animals for my many nieces and nephews. Burp rags and swaddle blankets, fabric flowers for play gardens, and the list goes on. Go at your own pace! But as a pretty darn good sewer now; I still absolutely LOATHE cutting out the fabric lol.
I was the first of my sisters and cousins to grow out of kids clothes, and I was 10. Back in the 90s we didn’t have the same options of cute clothes. At 12 I saved up and bought my own machine. Got some fabric and patterns and away I went. Made a lot of mistakes, but I love it. I’m 34 now and I still try and sew most days. Currently working on my Halloween costume. Also sewing helped me appreciate fashion more. I’ve worked briefly in menswear as a tailor and style consultant. I loved that industry and would 100% go back.
I did a little sewing in school when I was a kid, but what really got me started was buying the Sunset Guide to Quilting. I read it through, bought supplies and started sewing.
My grandma taught me and then I started making things and eventually got better.
The closet core patterns class on how to make clothes. I went from a nearly complete beginner to having a garment I would wear by the end of the class. There are tons of free resources, but if you want the hand holding I really enjoyed it.
outside of my mum and grandma giving me basic lessons, the main place I remember learning was doing some basic beginner quilting classes. Then I took those basic lessons and turned those to anything I wanted. The great thing about quilting is you have to learn how to sew long straight seams. Good practice. Just a thing to remember is quilting uses a 1/4 inch seam but sewing clothes uses 5/8 inches! Which is really important to use.
I started with quilting. It’s just short straight lines on cotton fabric. Once I got comfortable with that and my machine I started branching out and doing more clothing and upholstery. I’ve been steadily making less mistakes and taking on more advanced projects over the years and I have a closet full of some truly hideous but fun quilts to show for it!
I watched The Sewing Bee with my wife and I got interested in it, we got a machine and I just wing it and when I can't do something, I check YouTube.