Last night I held my first online sewing class and it was magic! I am so proud of all the lovely cushions that my students stitched up and all the engaging questions that everyone asked. I took some time to pen these questions down so you have them for the future.
Any recommendations for a starter sewing machine?
I personally use a Janome Sewing Machine and I love this brand for ease of use and online support videos. They have sewing machines from beginner to more advanced. There are many more sewing brands available and it's always good practice to do your research before purchasing your dream machine. Always bear in mind your budget and think of buying second hand on facebook marketplace or Gumtree.
What are your tips when starting to sew?
It's important to have good tools for the job. Ensure you have good thread and needles for your projects. Make sure your needles are the right ones for the fabric you are working with. I.e Use stretch needles for jersey fabric and leather needles for leather.
Remember, when something goes wrong, most of the time it's not your fault. Taking time to get to know your machine is important and reading the manual is very helpful.
Some of my recent sewing gadget buys…
This is the seam allowance guide I used in my online sewing class.
What kind of fabric and projects are good for beginner and kids projects?
Fabric: I would always say look within your home and see what textiles you already have that you can use. Old bed sheets and duvets are great, especially kids duvets which are normally very colourful. They are normally made from cotton / poly cotton which is a great fabric to start with as it has no stretch and will press well.
Early Projects: I would start with simple projects like cushion covers for your home. If you would like to sew for yourself a great pattern to begin is the Thrifty Stitcher PJ bottoms.
Have you ever dyed old fabric, like duvet covers, to create something new and if so what dye do you use?
I have recently dyed linen for a project using Dylon Fabric dye. I saw great results from this when I dyed light to dark fabric. You can also try natural dying which is something I would love to do at some point.
What are the absolute essentials for starting? i.e the fabric scissors, seam ripper etc?
I would say the starter items needed are: sewing machine, scissors, stitch ripper, old fabric to practice, thread, bobbins and needles. Most of all you need enthusiasm and a can do attitude :)
Keep Sewing xx