How to start making your own clothes! 🪡🧵 #sew #sewing #fashiondesign #fashiondesigner #beginners, by Brooke Barry on YouTube. 1 min 52 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 52 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a simple first project such as a loose top, an elastic waist skirt or a tote bag. Skip zips, linings and stretchy knits until you have sewn a few straight seams.
Choose a beginner pattern with clear instructions and seam allowance included. Print it at 100 percent scale and check the test square measures exactly as stated before cutting.
Take your bust, waist, hip and height measurements with the tape snug but not tight. Pick your pattern size from those numbers, not from the size you buy in shops.
Buy light to medium weight woven cotton or linen, roughly 1.5 to 2.5 metres depending on the pattern. Wash, dry and iron it first so it does not shrink after sewing.
Lay the pattern pieces on the fabric following the grain line arrow and any cut on fold marks. Pin them down, then cut with sharp fabric scissors rather than paper scissors.
Thread the machine, wind a bobbin and sew a test seam on a scrap of your fabric. Check the tension and set stitch length around 2.5 mm before you touch the real pieces.
Sew the main seams with a straight stitch and backstitch at the start and end of each line. Press every seam flat with the iron as you go, because pressing shapes the garment.
Finish the raw edges with a zigzag stitch or an overlocker, then try the garment on before hemming. Turn up the hem to the length you want and stitch it in place.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep your fingers clear of the needle and store pins in a magnetic dish so you do not find them with your foot later.
A fresh needle matched to your fabric prevents skipped stitches and small holes along the seams.
Watch the guide lines on the needle plate, not the needle itself, to keep your seam allowance even.
Sew slowly on curves and corners, lifting the presser foot to pivot with the needle down.
Questions
Do I need an expensive sewing machine to start?
No. A basic machine with a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch covers most woven beginner projects. Learn to thread it and adjust the tension before you think about upgrading.
What fabric is easiest for a first garment?
A medium weight woven cotton or linen is easiest because it does not stretch or slip. Leave jersey, satin and chiffon until you are comfortable with the machine.
How long does a first garment take?
A simple skirt or top usually takes a few hours spread over two sessions. Most of that time goes into measuring, cutting and pressing rather than actual sewing.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
