Sewing beginner...what to buy?

Lizabeth21

Oh and patterns come with really good instructions but if you come across something you don’t understand - you tube it!!

Anoneemoose

Thank you, Lizabeth. That's fab information. And I will definitely try the starting from scratch as well.

I have been watching lots of stuff on YouTube and I am enthralled. I often have issues sleeping so it whiles away the long hours!

Lizabeth21

And it’s free tuition on you tube - win win.
There’s loads about pattern alterations to get the fit you want (and you can pause and rewind!����). Take your time and enjoy it’s really satisfying however I’m useless at sugar craft but can make clothes.

bouicca21

A friend did a pattern altering course and found it excellent value. In the dim and distant past I did a tailoring class at the local adult ed centre - some of my fellow students were turning out stuff that looked amazingly upmarket.

I no longer sew, except to mend stuff, but when I did use the sewing machine, a zip foot was really useful.

Anoneemoose

bouicca21 wrote: »

A friend did a pattern altering course and found it excellent value. In the dim and distant past I did a tailoring class at the local adult ed centre - some of my fellow students were turning out stuff that looked amazingly upmarket.

I no longer sew, except to mend stuff, but when I did use the sewing machine, a zip foot was really useful.

I was hoping to book on to a beginners dressmaking class with my local college, however, when I went to enrol, it was fully booked. I am looking at doing the one starting in January. The lady said to phone after half term to get on it. So will do that next week.

And thank you, a zipper foot will be on my list!

Lizabeth21

An invisible zip foot is also good because invisible zips are neat.

tigerfeet2006

Have a look at the Curvey Sewing Collective on FB and their website. Lots of help there as well.

gsymoo

One thing if you're sewing clothes is to have an iron. When sewing being able to press seams etc as you go along makes all the difference. A zipper foot is brilliant and good scissors (that you only use for fabric, never paper as it will dull them)

Enjoy!

theoretica

Needles for hand sewing too, you will want them for tacking before sewing on the machine and some jobs or corners are best done by hand.

C_J

I'd like to suggest that you only buy quality sewing thread - don't fall for the temptation to buy cheap ones from the pound shop, they are such a false economy as they won't be strong. There's nothing worse than thread which breaks, it's frustrating and will spoil the look of your garment.

I'm a big fan of Guettermann threads, but any named brand would be just as good.