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learn to sew!

Making things is good for the soul. FACT!  You may daydream about projects you wish to make, you may have a fabric stash waiting for the perfect project, you may have aspirations to design and make your own clothes or give thoughtful, handmade presents to your friends and family.  Taking a beginners course in learning to sew, how to use a sewing machine, how to mark and cut and fabric, the fundamentals of pattern cutting and adjusting a pattern to fit are all brilliantly useful skills which will elevate your dressmaking and sewing skill and build your confidence no matter how young or old you are!

Whatever it is that motivates you to pick up a needle, there are a few rules that if followed with care should enable you to meet your sewing aspirations.

Here we go…..

Start off with a simple project which you can make really well – it will boost your confidence.

Read through and follow the suggestions given in the instructions – they are there for a reason and although at first you may not understand why you have to do something in a particular way the sewing fog will lift as you progress in your project – and don’t forget all that experience you will be gaining.

Make in haste – seam rip at leisure…….(self-explanatory!!)

Check you know where the grainline of your fabric is (usually parallel to the selvedge edge), it will stop your projects looking squewhiff as fabric tends to buckle or twist if it is not cut on the straight of grain.

Please, please, please protect your scissors – ban anybody else in the family using your fabric scissors as they will be blunted on paper, tin foil or toe nails (yes, it has happened).

Get your sewing stuff organized in one place – you never know when the opportunity will strike to do some cheeky sewing so have it all in a bag/box – ready for action.

Essential items in your sewing box…

  • Sharp fabric shears (long bladed scissors for cutting lengths),
  • Sharp embroidery scissors – handy for snipping threads and tidying up your work
  • Round headed or daisy headed pins – easy to use and pick up when dropped
  • A packet of assorted needles including sharps (pointy ends) and crewel needles (rounded ends
  • Thread for tacking (always use a contrast colour for tackings – easiers to see and remove)
  • Tailor’s chalk (for temporarily marking fabric)
  • A soft tape measure
  • A pin cushion

 

There are loads of great books and tutorials to follow on sewing but I believe that sewing is something that needs to be shown to you and having an expert to guide you in a comfortable, well equipped classroom is irreplaceable.

 

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