Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
Oliver + S shares a free pattern for their Sunny Day Shorts for kids. They’re quick and easy to sew up, and work for either boys or girls. You can make them plain, or add fun finishing details like patch pockets, cuffs, ruffles, contrast top stitching, and more. The pattern comes in sizes to fit 6 months – 12 years. Go to Oliver + S to download their free pattern.
[via Freshly Completed] Looking for more Shorts patterns? Check out these patterns we found on Etsy.
So you got a new sewing machine for Christmas this year? Great! This is the beginning of an exciting new hobby. It won’t be long before you’re sewing all the things! But first things first, you’ve got to take that new machine out of the box and learn how to use it. I’ve rounded up some tutorials that will get you started. Start with learning the basic parts of the machine and how they work together, then learn the supplies you’ll need to have on hand, then finally learn how to thread the machine and make it sew.
Parts of a Sewing Machine
A Guide to All the Parts of a Sewing Machine and Their Uses by Martha Stewart
There are a lot of parts and pieces on a sewing machine. Knowing what all these parts are and, more importantly, what they’re used for will help you learn how to use your machine.
[photo credit: Martha Stewart]
How Sewing Machines Work
Sewing Machines by Explain That Stuff
This is a great article that explains how all those parts and pieces work together to create a stitch. It’s easy to read and will give you a good working knowledge of how your machine works.
[photo credit: Explain That Stuff]
Sewing Machine Anatomy: How a Stitch is Made by Threads Magazine
A sewing machine stitch is different from a hand stitch. A hand stitch uses one thread to make a stitch, but a sewing machine uses two – a top thread and a bobbin thread. This is my favorite video to show people how a machine stitch is actually made.
[photo credit: Threads Magazine]
Basic Sewing Supplies
The Best Sewing Supplies for Beginners by The Seasoned Homemaker
There are a LOT of sewing supplies out there! Just take a walk down the notions and supplies aisles at the craft and fabric stores and you’ll know what I mean. And while there are some basic supplies you’ll need to have on hand when you start sewing, most of those fancy supplies can wait. This is a great list of the basic supplies you’ll need to get started.
[photo credit: The Seasoned Homemaker]
Thread Your Machine
How to Thread a Sewing Machine Step by Step by Treasurie
Most sewing machines use the same basic threading path. What that path looks like will vary from sewing machine to sewing machine, but the path and the parts are mostly the same. This tutorial from Treasurie includes an easy-to-read diagram that shows the basic path and order for threading your machine.
[photo credit: Treasurie]
Sew a Basic Seam
How to Sew a Basic Seam by Seamwork
So you’ve got the machine out of the box, threaded, and you’ve got some basic supplies. Now it’s time to make it sew! This post tells how you to sew a basic seam, from layering and pinning your fabrics, to how to put it under the needle and how to keep the line nice and straight.
[photo credit: Seamwork]
I tried this pattern to make a pair of pajama shorts for a 12 year-old. It was terrible. The back and front of the shorts on the pattern didn’t match up! Also the instructions for the pattern are very vague as well. I had to try to figure this out on my own accord and thank goodness it is a simple pattern otherwise I’d have been doomed.