Sewing - A Wonderful Pastime

So now you want to learn to sew, my first suggestion to you is if you have a friend that is a seamstress or tailor and they have the patience; ask one of them to teach you.

If you don’t want to bother your friend, then visit your local sewing center and ask about classes. Normally they are pretty inexpensive. The biggest catch is they usually want you to buy their brand of machine.

Before you decide to buy any sewing machine, do some comparisons. All machines sew straight lines, most have zig-zag stitches. Decide what you want your machine to do and shop around. Are you planning to do a lot of gathering? Are you looking at a lot of embroidery? Do you want buttonholes easy to make? These may seem like silly question, but if you really want to sew, think about them.

There are so many brands and so many functions, it is best if you visit different shops and try out their machines. If the salesperson thinks they might have a sale, they will bend over backwards to help you choose a machine.

Some of the sewing centers also have, besides new, reconditioned machines. Nearly all of them come with some kind of warranty, if it doesn’t; then you don’t want to purchase it. The newer the machine, the longer the warranty.

Personally, in my sewing room, I have two sewing machines. I also have two overlock sergers. I am not going to tell you the brand of my machines, because I do not want to influence you. I can say they are top of the line and still in excellent working condition and one of the sewing machines has been with me for almost 25 years.

I mentioned the overlock sergers, these machines are not a necessity, but can make your sewing a lot neater. They can be a bit pricey, so decide you really want one before you make the investment. If you are doing sewing for people other than yourself, then it is a good machine to have.

The overlock does many more things than overlock seams, it also creates rolled hems for tablecloths, making washcloths out of old towels, etc. Have the sewing center show you how they work.

The invention of the sewing machine was a definite boon to all of us that love to sew. Can you imagine that all the clothes that came before this marvelous machine were all done by hand? I still do some hand sewing, but only finishing touches.

Now that you have chosen your sewing machine and taken your course, you can start to organize your sewing room. I do hope you have a room or part of one that can be used for this purpose. I remember the days when the only place I had to sew was in the dining room. The machine had to be taken down every night so the family could eat. What a pain!! But I did it.

You do not have to buy that fancy sewing cabinet either. My machines are set up an inexpensive interior door that is available at any home improvement store. The legs are a pair of saw horses. I chose the new plastic ones that have an adjustable height.

Across the room I have my cutting table, it again is just a door sitting on the saw horses. But it is set to the height that allows me to reach across to cut and not have to bend my back. I have also allowed enough room to slide my ironing board underneath. This way I don’t have to take it down and put it away every time I need to use it.

Underneath the doors I have placed the inexpensive plastic drawers that you can pick up at Big Lots, Dollar Stores or at Walmart, when they are on sale. Great for storing patterns, thread or any notions.

I have hanging on the wall a plastic coat rack; this holds all my scissors, measuring tapes, yardstick (hole drilled and a piece of string to hang).

If you do not have a whole room, as I do; then set up your sewing room in a closet. Simply hang a shelf the height you want and put your machine on it. You can put up more shelves to hold all of your fabric and notions. Baskets are great on these shelves because they will hold patterns or whatever else you wish and are easy to take down and put back.

Before you begin organizing, make a thorough inventory list of all the items you need in your sewing room, such as:

The more organized you become with your sewing, the more you will enjoy your sewing and by being organized you could even save money, being able to find sewing notions easily will save you buying unnecessary items. The main thing is to enjoy what you are doing.

Recycling is the key here. If you or a member of your family has a shirt that is worn out, remove the buttons. A pair of jeans or pants you are going to throw away, remove the zipper.

Also be sure and check the thrift shops for these items. Look at the patterns that are in the shop. Most of them have all the pieces and the instructions. One that I frequent gets the patterns that are being withdrawn from the fabric store and they are brand new.

Look for fabric at the thrift shops as well. They get a lot of it donated to them and the price will certainly be cheaper.

When in the fabric store, be sure to look at the remnant table or the markdown bins or tables. You can really get a lot of good bargains there.

Check out the shops that have a rewards system. If you join as a member, when you have spent a certain amount you qualify for a discount on your purchases. See if you have one with this offer near you and take advantage of it. If there isn’t one, why not suggest it to your favorite supplier.

Sewing saves you money; because you can mend that garment you absolutely love and not have to find someone to do it for you.

You can also decorate your home. Don’t buy that decorator pillow that costs a fortune, make it.

Also don’t throw out all the scraps that you have left over. Someday, you may graduate as I did into quilting. Those pieces are invaluable.

I hope these tips have given you some ideas, so start saving money with your sewing, its all in the planning.

Sewing 101 Spiralbound "Sewing 101 is a modern-day primer on the basic skills and techniques of sewing. This book is geared toward the absolute novice and assumes you know little or nothing about the craft. Filled with lots of step-by-step photos, useful sewing tip sidebars, and a painstakingly detailed glossary. Teaches you how to sew successfully. You will learn terminology used regularly in sewing, as well as all the basic skills that are the building blocks of the art. From threading the machine to sewing a straight stitch, to more complicated procedures such as installing zippers and following patterns, everything is covered. * Spiral-bound: 176 pages * Publisher: Creative Publishing International; Spiral edition * Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.0 x 1.1 inches"

Leisure Arts-I Can't Believe I'm Quilting "In this introduction to quilting, Pat Sloan provides a complete overview for the beginning quilter. She explains quilting terms, preparing fabrics, cutting, pressing and piece, machine quilting, and finishing. "

Start To Sew- All the Basics and Projects! "Creative Publishing international-Start To Sew: Start to Sew is the perfect first book for new sewers. Thorough instructions and step-by-step photographs expertly guide beginners through the basics of sewing. Here is everything you need to get started, from buying supplies to sewing a seam. Six projects teach new skills, each project building on the next, while creating a real décor or fashion project. Whether the goal is to teach a kid to sew, decorate your home, figure out how to use your first sewing machine, or experiment with a wonderfully creative craft, Start to Sew makes sewing fun and successful from the start. * Machine sewing for the absolute beginner * This is a paperback book * Contains 64 pages"

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