Sewing 101

[Cathy Pascual]

I know Miss Jenn sews :))))
so I wanted ask her or anyone else - what is a good beginner sewing book?

I want to start with some simple project and then maybe work my way up.
I have no sewing skills on a machine.
I have a Janome but have only used it a couple time for sewing on my sb pages....

any advice is appreciated :))

TIA!

-cathy

[lily24]

I lurve this book by Dorling Kindersley:

The Complete Book of Sewing (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Book-Sewing-Step-Step/dp/0789404192/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215962762&sr=1-11)

It's a greate reference book but also offers great step-by-steps for beginners!


hugs cathy!:cool:

[Jess Gordon]

OMGosh Cathy, I could have written that exact post, word for word (right down to the type of machine)! And especially since I have been seeing all of this eye candy on Jenn's blog and from her talented fabric chick friend :)!

Well, I should add that I did a couple of mini projects for Gabe's nursery on my friend's machine before I got mine, but I had no clue what I was doing, I just made it up as I went along by looking for ideas on the internet.

I would love to know how to do basic things and how to use patterns, etc. Maybe someday I will have the satisfaction of making beautiful quilts and adorable kids clothes :)!

P.S. Thanks for the tip Angie, I will have to check that one out!

I know Miss Jenn sews :))))
so I wanted ask her or anyone else - what is a good beginner sewing book?

I want to start with some simple project and then maybe work my way up.
I have no sewing skills on a machine.
I have a Janome but have only used it a couple time for sewing on my sb pages....

any advice is appreciated :))

TIA!

-cathy

[Shabby Miss Jenn]

Well darling, you will love sewing. Book? I've never read one..I SHOULD read one now! LOL I learned in 4th grade in Blue Birds. :) Then my mom taught me the rest. BUT..I'm still beginner...:) Definitely try that book..it sounds awesome. And then start with little things. :) IMO I felt the quilt was easier than patterns/clothes..but that is just because I never liked reading patterns. LOL But...if you start playing, you'll learn it so quickly! :) Yeah!

[lily24]

LOL I learned at school as well - and knitting and chrochet!!!!! I didnt really take up sewing properly until I was pregnant with my DS. I made a hand stitched patchwork quilt for his moses basket. A real labour of love. :)

[Cathy Pascual]

thanks for the advice ladies!
with all the gorgeous fabrics out there - it is just so tempting!

i will look for that book angie thank you! I am definitely a book-learner although I wouldn't mind if jenn or angie came over to teach me a few things firsthand :)

[kamahrt]

I love to sew too but rarely do it since I have never gotten great at it. I limit myself to stuff like my kids Halloween costumes and yesterday finished a prairie girl dress and bonnet for my daughter. Anyway, when I was sewing my other daughter's prairie dress earlier this year I discovered something I thought was so cool! You can google sewing techniques and find how to videos!!! I am really visual and need to see how something is done. So, it has been great to see someone actually doing the things I was trying to learn!!!

:)
Kristi

[Andrea]

Well darling, you will love sewing. Book? I've never read one..I SHOULD read one now! LOL I learned in 4th grade in Blue Birds. :) Then my mom taught me the rest. BUT..I'm still beginner...:) Definitely try that book..it sounds awesome. And then start with little things. IMO I felt the quilt was easier than patterns/clothes..but that is just because I never liked reading patterns. LOL But...if you start playing, you'll learn it so quickly! Yeah!

I did Blue Birds, too! And we did sew an apron, and then, that is where my sewing career ended, for the most part, LOL! I did make a rag quilt for my oldest son when he was baptized and want to for each of my boys, but my friend had to practically hold my hand the whole time! But I did love just picking out fabric and making my own pattern! And I had each member of the family have a patch and each cousin, aunt & uncle and grandparents. It was fun. I never even took a picture of the back, LOL, but here is the front view of my ONLY sewing project:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m133/andreagraves/Baptism022.jpg

I actually think it would be fun, I wish I had a decent machine, I just have a cheapo one and I used my friends fancy-smanchy one and LOVED it! Course hers cost like $800 and mine was like $100 (on sale from $299), ROTFLOL!

Maybe one of these days I will actually learn this sewing hobbie. Although, the thought of threading the machine or bobbin, or whatever, terrifies me, LOL, I never could do it - even after I drew arrows and wrote directions on my machine, LOL (I'm sorta following directions impaired, LOL). And then I bought thread that looked cool, turned out to be upholstery and my machine isn't cool enough to handle it and I sorta broke it and above said friend, came and fixed it!

If there is some how-to book, I would love to see it, too! :)

[Jess Gordon]

That is beautiful Andrea!!

Thanks for the tip about online videos Kristi - I will have to try that, I am a visual learner too!

[Jodie]

Oh wow, that quilt is gorgeous.

[Susan]

I have bought so many patterns and fabrics and never finished anything!! I really really want to make it more of a priority!

[leslie]

I have never read anything on sewing and probably should have! I learned to sew in home ec in high school, but just the basics. My grandmother is a master quilter and my MIL is pretty handy, too. I've made a few things for my DD recently that I'm really proud of. I would like to do more.

[Cherry]

I did a short course on machine embroidery and i think this is what i like better than dress making.....at the moment im trying to get back into it.....so ive started on some calico in a hoop then im adding all different kinds of small material some plain some glitzy and all you do is by using different threads to is just keep sewing over it till you see what you like....ive used this for hybrid scrapping too....but looks great in cards too....hope ive made myself clear lol...

...the quilt is lovely.

Jennie