Sewing for beginners
It can be tricky starting any new hobby, but with these sewing instructions, we hope the journey will be a little smoother! To ensure you get off to the right start, we've gathered some simple, quick sewing ideas for beginners.
Trivia for novice sewers
When you first start out in the world of sewing, certain terms and phrases can be confusing.
1. Take some time to familiarise yourself with your sewing machine.
2. Cotton fabrics are relatively easy to work with as they're not stretchy and aren't likely to slip out of place when you machine sew them. With patterned fabrics, if your seam is not 100% straight, it won't be so noticeable.
3. Wash your fabric before sewing as natural fabrics can shrink in the first cycle.
4. Always transfer your pattern to the wrong side of the fabric so that the markings are no longer visible later!
5. Iron your fabrics so that the pattern pieces align with each other perfectly when you sew them.
6. Always check whether your pattern pieces have a seam allowance, if not, make sure to add them in yourself.
7. When transferring the pattern, pay attention to the grain and the pattern of the fabric.
8. Never use your fabric shears for paper! This will make them blunt.
9. Try out the different settings on your machine and take your time!
10. If your test piece stays flat and doesn't bunch up, you've found the right setting.
11. Remember to always secure your seams at the beginning and the end; this means you should sew a few stitches back and forth. This will seal your stitch.
