Hi...I just bought my first sewing machine (props to Craigslist) and I am looking for a good how-to book. I have been looking at "Sew Everything Workshop" by Diana Rupp. Does anyone have any advice?
I think you're probably at a good how to book right now :)
I, too, am new to sewing. Someone said start with an apron. So i found an apron pattern and a henley style fabric I loved...and I bought some bias tape and went to work with polyester plastic invisible thread because I couldn't find any to match my bias tape or my fabric.
Huge mistake. The thread tangled and wouldn't sew because the bobbin was in wrong. (Stupid diagrams in sewing manuals!) The henley fabric pulled and didn't hang right. The bias tape wasn't conforming quite as I expected it to.
Disaster. I tossed it.
And then I found burda style, printed a pattern and went to town (after a stop at the local sewing store for someone to spend two minutes fixing the way i had the bobbin threaded and save my life :P) Things don't turn out great and there is a lot of trial and error and forum tracking but what I can say is, don't depend on a book where personal attention from the internet can provide :)
This is a great resource full of people who know what they're talking about. Of course, if you want a book, all the more power to you :)
JHolley, I'm in the same boat. I'm just beginning I'll keep in touch and let you know things progress hopefully you can do as suggested by bitterepiphany b/c I bought the Dummies books. It's Sewing for Dummies and it's truly not helpful:) I think too it depends on your learning style. I am hands on and trial and error rules! If you can read something and pick up on it then it might be better for you, I suggest starting on a small project skirt, apron or something easy then you'll be able to develop your own technique and the more you sew then start to read and pick up quicker/easier points.
hallooww.. why need to buy a book? It's all here in Burdastyle website. Anything you need!! Just start sewing something like charlie bag, you can see the result straight away and you can wear it and show it right away to the world!! the key's are trial and error. Happy sewing!
Hiya, yep i am also new to sewing and havn't even got a machine yet-any tips on what type to buy?
I hope to (if i'm good enough) start a little bag business from home. Any advice most welcome!!! ;-)
Im a learner too. I found Burda Style the most help out o anything else I looked at. The how tos have step by step photos for just about anything you need to know, which is great for me because sometimes written instructions confuse me so much. I agree to start with something like the Charlie bag and go through all the how tos. Look forward to seeing some creations from you.
Welcome to the world of dressmaking! I'm really experienced and I still have trial and error and mistakes! That's the joy of sewing, we never stop learning. Books are great (I have plenty that I use all of the time) but Burdastyle is a limitless resource full of creativity... I've found myself venturing a bit more out of the square since discovering this site. My advice? If you've never sewn before, a few beginners lessons at a sewing place go a long long way. There are things they can show you that will make your beginning stages much more fun and less frustrating.
Welcome to the world of dressmaking! I'm really experienced and I still have trial and error and mistakes! That's the joy of sewing, we never stop learning. Books are great (I have plenty that I use all of the time) but Burdastyle is a limitless resource full of creativity... I've found myself venturing a bit more out of the square since discovering this site. My advice? If you've never sewn before, a few beginners lessons at a sewing place go a long long way. There are things they can show you that will make your beginning stages much more fun and less frustrating.
And for AishaD, buy the best sewing machine you can afford and service it regularly. As your business grows, upgrade to a better machine if you need to. I bought a Pfaff 1475CD 15 years ago (it cost me more than my car) and it has never skipped a beat (not like my car!).
I just started sewing last spring. I have enjoyed using the book, 'Simple Sewing with a French Twist' by Celine Dupuy. There are lots of great projects that are easy for a beginner. It also gives the basic how tos and information on materials at the beginning.
I started about five months ago, so I'm only slightly wet behind the ears :) Like several others have written, I found sewing to be fraught with traps within which one seems to fall with frightening regularity, regardless of the materials one is using to help. The BurdaStyle helps, when I remember to ask instead of just bungling ahead and doing things, but I think one has to accept the fact that the learning is necessarily going to involve the mistakes.
I did find the Brigham Young University videos to be extremely helpful and highly recommend them, especially if you need a hands on view that books don't provide. I think there must be upwards of a hundred hours of video on the site all told, a lot of it in small video clips of a few minutes up to half an hour. Good luck with your efforts!
Thanks for all of the great advice. I am just going to stick with all the Burdastyle tools and info. I am also signing up for a beginning class at JoAnn's. This is so exciting!!!! Jacqueline.
POSTS (11)
I think you're probably at a good how to book right now :)
I, too, am new to sewing. Someone said start with an apron. So i found an apron pattern and a henley style fabric I loved...and I bought some bias tape and went to work with polyester plastic invisible thread because I couldn't find any to match my bias tape or my fabric.
Huge mistake. The thread tangled and wouldn't sew because the bobbin was in wrong. (Stupid diagrams in sewing manuals!) The henley fabric pulled and didn't hang right. The bias tape wasn't conforming quite as I expected it to.
Disaster. I tossed it.
And then I found burda style, printed a pattern and went to town (after a stop at the local sewing store for someone to spend two minutes fixing the way i had the bobbin threaded and save my life :P) Things don't turn out great and there is a lot of trial and error and forum tracking but what I can say is, don't depend on a book where personal attention from the internet can provide :)
This is a great resource full of people who know what they're talking about. Of course, if you want a book, all the more power to you :)
JHolley, I'm in the same boat. I'm just beginning I'll keep in touch and let you know things progress hopefully you can do as suggested by bitterepiphany b/c I bought the Dummies books. It's Sewing for Dummies and it's truly not helpful:) I think too it depends on your learning style. I am hands on and trial and error rules! If you can read something and pick up on it then it might be better for you, I suggest starting on a small project skirt, apron or something easy then you'll be able to develop your own technique and the more you sew then start to read and pick up quicker/easier points.
hallooww.. why need to buy a book? It's all here in Burdastyle website. Anything you need!! Just start sewing something like charlie bag, you can see the result straight away and you can wear it and show it right away to the world!! the key's are trial and error. Happy sewing!
Hiya, yep i am also new to sewing and havn't even got a machine yet-any tips on what type to buy? I hope to (if i'm good enough) start a little bag business from home. Any advice most welcome!!! ;-)
Im a learner too. I found Burda Style the most help out o anything else I looked at. The how tos have step by step photos for just about anything you need to know, which is great for me because sometimes written instructions confuse me so much. I agree to start with something like the Charlie bag and go through all the how tos. Look forward to seeing some creations from you.
Welcome to the world of dressmaking! I'm really experienced and I still have trial and error and mistakes! That's the joy of sewing, we never stop learning. Books are great (I have plenty that I use all of the time) but Burdastyle is a limitless resource full of creativity... I've found myself venturing a bit more out of the square since discovering this site. My advice? If you've never sewn before, a few beginners lessons at a sewing place go a long long way. There are things they can show you that will make your beginning stages much more fun and less frustrating.
Welcome to the world of dressmaking! I'm really experienced and I still have trial and error and mistakes! That's the joy of sewing, we never stop learning. Books are great (I have plenty that I use all of the time) but Burdastyle is a limitless resource full of creativity... I've found myself venturing a bit more out of the square since discovering this site. My advice? If you've never sewn before, a few beginners lessons at a sewing place go a long long way. There are things they can show you that will make your beginning stages much more fun and less frustrating.
And for AishaD, buy the best sewing machine you can afford and service it regularly. As your business grows, upgrade to a better machine if you need to. I bought a Pfaff 1475CD 15 years ago (it cost me more than my car) and it has never skipped a beat (not like my car!).
I just started sewing last spring. I have enjoyed using the book, 'Simple Sewing with a French Twist' by Celine Dupuy. There are lots of great projects that are easy for a beginner. It also gives the basic how tos and information on materials at the beginning.
I started about five months ago, so I'm only slightly wet behind the ears :) Like several others have written, I found sewing to be fraught with traps within which one seems to fall with frightening regularity, regardless of the materials one is using to help. The BurdaStyle helps, when I remember to ask instead of just bungling ahead and doing things, but I think one has to accept the fact that the learning is necessarily going to involve the mistakes.
I did find the Brigham Young University videos to be extremely helpful and highly recommend them, especially if you need a hands on view that books don't provide. I think there must be upwards of a hundred hours of video on the site all told, a lot of it in small video clips of a few minutes up to half an hour. Good luck with your efforts!
Thanks for all of the great advice. I am just going to stick with all the Burdastyle tools and info. I am also signing up for a beginning class at JoAnn's. This is so exciting!!!! Jacqueline.