Happy Friday! It’s time for another Free Stuff giveaway! Today we’re awarding one lucky reader with The Fashion Designer’s Handbook & Kit: Learn to Sew and Become a Designer in 33 Fabulous Projects. This fabulous kit is perfect for aspiring fashion designers (age 8 and up), and comes with a mini dress form, 24 reusable mini patterns, decorative fabrics, rickrack, embroidery thread and a tape measure. It would make an awesome gift for anyone you know who wants to start designing and sewing clothes.
To enter to win the kit, answer the following question in the comments section: What’s the best advice you’d give to a sewing beginner?
We’ll randomly choose a winner on Monday. Good luck!
Read the directions at least twice before starting the project.
keep you hands on either side of the needle. Never place your hands (fingers) in front of the needle. You will end up with a hole in your finger nail at some point in your life.
Start simple, learn from your goofs, press, press, press and relax and enjoy!
Take your time and know you will make mistakes. When you do make mistakes just rip out and start again. Don’t give up. Also add good tools to your sewing kit. It is all about good tools and pressing your garment.
Keep it simple
I would advise them to take their time, & not to give up, because once you learn all the basics you’ll be hooked & “sew” happy you that you did.
Don’t make something you hate before you even start. If you hate it, you are likely to hate sewing.
Learn to use the iron at the same time.
I would tell them to not be afraid to try new things. Fear can paralyze you and keep you from trying something that you could learn to love. Also find a mentor; someone you know who sews and can guide you in your quest to learn to sew.
I would advise to read as much as possible about what you are trying to accomplish, know your machine and be very patient until your skills improve.
Take your time and think!
The sewing machine is your friend. Treat it well, take care of it, and it will give you years of pure joy.
Take your time, read – and follow – the directions carefully.
All mistakes are learning experiences-be ready to sew and then rip out your stitches till you get it right. don’t cut corners when you sew-pressing makes a professional look!
I would advise them to find a good and patient mentor or a great dealer who offers classes. Classes help especially if you’re with others at the same level of learning.
Lick the needle, not the thread, to get the thread through the eye.
sometimes sewing pattern directions can seem overwhelming. start with a beginners’ project, take your time to read through the directions, break them down into manageable steps and soon you will be proud of your sewing accomplishments.
Read the pattern instructions through and look at the pattern pieces. When you’re done, do it again. Surprises are not fun when you’re sewing.
I would advise to measure twice when ever you need to measure.
It takes awhile to get use to the stich with so put a piece of tape on the machine to help you guide your fabric to assist you in getting your seams the right with
Sew something you really like and that is a beginner project. Take your time and don;t give up.
Practice on your machine with scraps to understand stitch length and width. Read the pattern instructions carefully before you start. always measure twice and cut once.
Try different things – different shapes, different fabrics, different trims. Practice the things your really like, but be sure to do other stuff just for fun, too!
Don’t get down on yourself if you make a mistake. Seam rippers are a necessary notion. And experienced “sewists” have all ripped many a seam and have learned by making mistakes…..sometimes over and over again. (Says the person who has been sewing for well over 30 years who just ripped out the same mistake TWICE!)
Learn the basics but always remember that what you are making is yours. No mistake is too terrible. Relax and enjoy what you are doing and you will love creating. Once the basics are there, you make the rules.
Sewing is learned best by making mistakes–taking them out and working till you sew it right.
Get a pattern that only has a few pieces, cut them out of the paper. Lay them out, compare them to the directions inside the envelope. Find the names of the different pieces that are printed on them. See how they relate to each other. Ask me what the pieces are that you don’t recognize. Lay them on the fabric so you can see the design through the paper. This is going to be fun!!
Be patient! And use good, sharp scissors.
Patience, patience, patience! Also practice on some scrap material.
The seam ripper is the best tool in the box. Even people who have been sewing for over a half a decade make mistakes. Just take it out and try it again. Experiance is the best teacher
Ooooh… my niece just got her first sewing machine… I’d tell her to just be silly sometimes—it might just turn out beautiful!
Take your time and read the instructions through at least twice so you understand the step by step process. Visualize each step while reading so that when you start your project you will have less errors and it may take less time to finish.
Have patience and most of all have FUN !!!!!
I would tell a beginning sewer that it’s ok to make mistakes! When you are learning, your seam ripper will be your best friend! Try try again!
I would tell them to relax and enjoy the process. The finished project will be wonderful and just think…you made it yourself!
Have fun and let your creativity flow! If at all possible, don’t sew on a machine that has problems, as you will get discouraged. Sew on the best machine you can afford! As for tools, a seam ripper will become your best friend!
Take it one step at a time and don’t try to read through the whole manual without trying each thing along the way. Try different stitches and keep samples of each one. It’s ok to make mistakes – even the same ones over again!
Don’t buy a cheap machine at a discount store or warehouse store. They will just frustrate you with their tension problems. And, definitely do NOT buy those toy/kid sewing machines. Buy a machine from a sewing machine dealer who includes free lessons. You can find plenty of decent machines for around $200 – sometimes less. Buying from a dealer means that if you have issues with the machine, you have someone who can actually help you solve them and a factory warranty.
Have a seam ripper near by
Measure twice and then cut!
Try to make things that are simple at first and slowly increase the difficulty. Nothing kills the urge to sew faster than getting frustrated by a project that is beyond your skill level. But, if you take it one step at a time, you can do it and make really nice things. And try to work on a non-frustrating machine.
I would advise them to get a beautiful piece of cotton fabric and a simple pattern eg for a skirt, then with the help of a kind sewist, make something gorgeous – they’ll be hooked for life!
FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY AND TAKE YOUR TIME! YOU CAN’T
START WITH DIFFICULT PROJECTS. START WITH SIMPLE THINGS AND
YOU WILL BE MORE CONFIDENT TO TRY THINGS THAT ARE MORE
COMPLICATED! GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN! PS: MAKE SURE YOU
ARE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR MACHINE BEFORE YOU START.
Choose a project they really want to do. Not something assigned to them.
Listen to your teacher. Ripping out is not fun, but in order to learn properly, it’s got to look good too. Thanks for the giveaway.
Take classes until you feel confident.
Enjoy the process – take your time – try everything at least once.
Call your mom – then call Grandma – compare answers.
Use a new needle with every project!
I think choosing an easy project and take your time and follow the directions. It’s easy to try short-cuts and creating a disaster!
Start with some simple alterations of ready-to-wear. It can give a boost of confidence, without worrying about getting everything right on an entire project.
Have a good seam ripper!