Sewing

General Advice Before You Even Start:

Sewing is a lovely art, a useful skill and an enjoyable hobby. Sewing can range from quilting to fine embroidery and from sewing on an occasional button to sewing clothing for your entire family (including linens).

Many people take up sewing in a hope to save money. In general if the only reason you are choosing to sew is that you want to save money on clothing you would be better off shopping at you local Good-Will or Saint Vincent dePaul. There are many reasons to sew but in all honesty it doesn't make sense for money to top the list of your reasons. You will almost never be able to make clothing for as little as you can purchase it at a thrift store. Even using sale fabric, reusing patterns and buying inexpensive notions you will usually still find the better bargain is second hand clothing. This is especially true once you figure in your time. It takes time to sew.

Learning to sew can at times be very frustrating. Especially if you are learning by yourself. Directions and diagrams don't always make sense. Sometimes something really odd happens and you can't figure out what went wrong. Sewing requires patience. You can't be afraid to take out a seam and start over if you do something wrong. A certain amount of precision is required. A small mistake at the beginning can bloom into something disastrous if not taken care of right away. Get into the habit from the beginning of not taking short cuts and not being afraid to undo a mistake. It will make all your projects better and overall more enjoyable.

Try not to sew if you are in a rush. On occasion this can't be helped, but sewing gifts on Christmas eve, putting a hem in a dress while your daughter is getting ready for her piano recital or some other last minute flurry can lead to frustration and mistakes especially for a beginner. Leave yourself about twice as much time as you think you will need for the project.

It also takes space to sew. If you don't have a dedicated sewing area then you will have to store your sewing equipment. You will need a good sized cutting area, light and a comfortable place to sit and sew.

There is a wonderful sense of accomplishment in finishing a sewing project, seeing your daughter in her piano recital in the lovely dress you made, having your mother gleam at the homemade lace trimmed table cloth you have made her or finally having a blouse with sleeves that are the right length. You can save money in ways by sewing. Especially seasonal and crafty items. Home decor is an other area that you can really save on. It is usually much less expensive to make curtains then to purchase them. If you would love a silk dress you can probably sew one for about the same as a cotton designer dress.

When you sew you will always be able to find the perfect color, modest cut or whatever your clothing desire might be. If you have special size considerations sewing is the way to go. You will never be able to find off the rack clothing that will fit you as well as clothing you make for yourself.

Start off with easy projects and let your skills naturally progress. It takes time and practice to be able to sew really well. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you plan to sew a complicated bridal gown in the next year if you have never sewn a stitch before now. But you will be surprised at how quickly your confidence and ability do develop.