How to get started with sewing (for absolute beginners), by Stanley Phan on YouTube. 11 min 27 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 27 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Plug in the machine, switch it on and raise the needle to its highest point with the handwheel. Lift the presser foot so the thread can pass through the tension discs later.
Wind thread onto the bobbin using the bobbin winder, then drop it into the bobbin case. Check your manual for whether the case loads from the top or the front.
Thread the top of the machine from the spool, through the guides, down to the needle. Follow the numbered arrows printed on the machine and finish by threading the needle front to back.
Hold the top thread and turn the handwheel toward you one full turn. The bobbin thread will come up through the needle plate, so pull both threads back under the presser foot.
Select a straight stitch, set stitch length around 2.5 mm and stitch width to 0. These settings suit most practice seams on woven cotton.
Draw a few straight pencil lines on scrap fabric and sew along them slowly with the pedal. Keep your eyes on the line, not the needle, and let the machine feed the fabric.
Place two fabric pieces right sides together, pin them and sew a seam about 1.5 cm from the raw edge. Press the backstitch button at the start and end so the seam does not unravel.
Press the seam open with an iron, then trim loose threads with scissors. Repeat on more scraps until your seam lines stay straight and even.
Tips and common mistakes
Fit a fresh needle every few projects, since a blunt or bent needle causes skipped stitches and snags.
Never pull or push the fabric through the machine, as the feed dogs move it for you.
Keep your fingers at least a few centimetres from the needle and unplug the machine before changing a needle.
Use cheap scrap fabric first, because practising on good fabric wastes money and confidence.
Questions
Do I need an expensive sewing machine to start?
No. A basic mechanical machine with a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch covers most beginner projects. Look for a second-hand model with a manual and a pedal.
Why does my thread keep tangling under the fabric?
Usually the machine is threaded wrong or the bobbin is wound unevenly. Rethread the top, reinsert the bobbin and pull both threads back before you start sewing.
What stitch length should a beginner use?
About 2.5 mm works for most woven fabrics. Use a slightly longer stitch on thick fabric and a shorter one on lightweight cotton.
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.
