Your questions answered on starting your sewing journey
I put a video on Instagram Stories asking you, the makers, are there any questions you’d like answered in regards to starting out on your sewing journey. What do you ask when you’re only starting to sew? I remember all too well that feeling of not knowing what to ask when I first started going to fabric shops and it really put me off. If I can prevent someone feeling that way about making, I’d be thrilled so this is my attempt to carve out an easy route for anyone starting out. On the whole, independent fabric shops are great for beginner sewists. They’ll answer any questions you have and will be eager to help yet another new person enter the exciting sewing community.
Here are some questions I was asked.
How do I know what fabric to choose?
By far the most popular question and sadly, a difficult one to answer because it does depend on what you’re making. HOWEVER, most patterns will have a section stating what fabrics are recommended so definitely look out for that.
Perhaps you found that you’ve never heard of the type of fabric suggested? (Charmeuse anyone? Chambray? They sound like cocktail ingredients to me!) If you don’t know the fabric, simply ask the question. Just drop the shop owner you’re thinking of buying from an email or a phone call and they’ll let you know what they have. Let them know what pattern it is that you’re making and they might even offer you an alternative. Ideally, post-Covid, drop into a fabric shop so you can actually feel the fabrics. Unroll a bit so that you can get a sense of the weight and drape.
I am very aware that this really doesn’t answer the question properly so I think I’ll delve a little deeper on this subject when I have time because I think it’s an important one.
What is the best sewing machine for beginners?
You certainly don’t need all the bells and whistles to make clothes so don’t let a basic machine put you off. Basic machines can be great. Try not to get tempted into buying 100 stitches that you probably wont use. All you really need for garment sewing is: Straight Stitch, Zig-Zag Stitch, Button Hole Stitch. Everything else is a bonus.
The main brands are Brother, Pfaff, Singer, Janome. You won’t go far wrong with any of them. I’d usually choose them using the same method I choose wine, look at the cheapest then maybe go up one!
You can also keep an eye our for second hand options. Just be sure to check if they are in working order before you hand over the cash!
How do I know how much fabric I’ll need?
The pattern you use will give you a rough estimate as to how much you need. If it eases your worries, perhaps buy an additional 0.25 metre but in most cases, the pattern recommendation should be more than enough. Then you can search all the scrap busting projects for your leftover bits!
If I don’t have quite enough fabric, does it really matter what direction I lay out the pattern pieces?
It happens to the best of us. You have a fab piece of fabric, you see the latest pattern release taking over your Instagram feed, you buy the pattern and turns out you’re just a few centimetres short. Grrrrrrr! So what if I just place all the pieces down next to each other in different directions and squeeze them in? It’ll be fine right? Eh, no, I’m afraid not. You need to ensure the grainline is correct. You could try getting clever and cutting some pieces on the cross-grain (that’s perpendicular to the grainline) depending on the fabric but anything off the grain or cross-grain just won’t work properly. You’ve been warned! But do take a bit of time to play pattern piece Tetris. The guides given in a pattern are just that, a guide. You can lay your pieces out what ever way you like as long as you pay attention to those grainlines. If a pattern suggest folding the fabric for cutting (where you’ll be able cut 2 pieces at once) perhaps try cutting the fabric unfolded since this can sometimes be more economical. Just remember to flip over the pattern pieces to get your left and right sides correct.
Why are there different types of needles? Which do I actually need?
You will find lots of different machine needles in your local fabric shop. The more you sew, the more particular you may become about using the right one for certain fabrics, for example, a microtex needle on silk, a jeans needle on canvas or a ballpoint needle on jersey but if you’re starting out, try not to worry about this too much. Just grab yourself a pack of Universal Needles, which often come in packs with a few different sizes, and you’ll be just fine.
What is interfacing?
Interfacing is an extra layer of thin fabric used to give structure to part of a garment. Most of the time, there’s glue on one side that you iron onto the wrong side of the fabric you’re using. Or you could use an extra layer of regular fabric depending on the structure you’re looking for. You might use it on a collar or at an armhole or at a pocket opening. There are lots of times you might need it. If the pattern suggests you use it, then I would. This will help the garment last longer.
How do you buy fabric on the internet? Isn’t it a big gamble?
Buying fabric online can seem like a mad concept if you’ve only ever shopped in an actual shop. But fear not, you’ll be hooked in no time! You just need to think a little differently about the way you purchase. I will say however, if you get familiar with fabrics in your local shop, you’ll become more tuned into what to expect when looking at fabric online. If you have an idea of how a cotton lawn feels in reality, you’ll know what to expect if you order some online.
If you are unsure as to what you’re getting, simply request a swatch. Most online fabric shops offer a swatch service. It’s far more cost effective to pay a small amount on a few swatches than forking out your money only to realise the colour was different to what you expected and that it was actually a stretchy fabric when you wanted a stiff one. Once a fabric is cut and shipped, it can’t be returned. Once you’re aware of these things, simply browse to your heart’s content! You can get really specific about your searching. Search specific colours or fabric type or even garment type.
What is the best pattern to start with if you’ve never made anything before?
This is a tough one. I don’t like pegging things as ‘beginner friendly’ or ‘intermediate’ etc. because your idea of difficult might be very different to someone else’s. Instead, I would say if you are starting out, a pattern with not too many seam lines should do the trick. This is why skirts and t-shirts are often the first thing people will make. With this in mind, here are some suggestions:
Tilly and the Buttons Miette Skirt - A simple wrap skirt with nice pockets.
Helen’s Closet Patterns Ashton Top - A simple boxy shape top with minimal fitting required.
Sew to Grow Bondi Top - A simple t-shirt with a lovely back detail.
Megan Nielsen Patterns Eucalypt Top & Dress - Two patterns in one so you could make a top & a dress from this straightforward pattern.
If you can think of other things that have stopped you from getting stuck into a sewing project, let me know in the comments. I’d be really interested to hear your stories. x