How To Sew - Sewing Courses, Sewing Projects, Sewing Tips

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Do You Want To Learn How To Sew Using Common Sense Sewing And Fitting Techniques?

Discover sewing secrets in common sense basic and couture sewing courses plus a brand new fitting method that leads to your 1st step to sewing success in fitting pants and skirts.  Enjoy step-by-step sewing projects and sewing tips to improve your sewing skills.  It just makes sense!

Once you have a basic understanding of what sewing is and what the sewing terms, tools and equipment are, you will want to take a sewing course to help you with your sewing project.  There is a lot of free sewing information here to help you do that.

Be sure to check out my sewing blogs, Sewing Success Sewing Blog and Sewing Project Tips Sewing Blog. They are incredible resources loaded with sewing tips, techniques and sewing projects. . .all FREE!

Remember that a portion of the proceeds from any sales from the links on this site are donated to cancer research.  My husband and I as well as many family members  and dear friends have had cancer.  Cancer touches all our families in one way or another.  Help us make our donation to cancer research significant.  Thanks!

PS:  Check out my website, 1st Step To Sewing Success and see my sewing courses to help you achieve sewing success. Don't forget to sign up for Sewing Success News It's FREE PLUS you even get a BONUS worth at least 50 cents!

If you love to sew for kids, you will absolutely love the downloadable sewing ebooks you can get here.  Check it out!  You will have sew much fun and save a ton of money on boutique kids clothing plus a whole lot of other good stuff to make.   "You Can Make This!" is one of my favorite how to sew sites.

 It just makes sense!

You Can Make This!

What is Sewing? 

Sewing according to Marian and Wikipedia

I believe God was the first to sew garments when he sewed fig leaves together for Adam and Eve.

This is Wikipedia's Version:

Sewing

Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, leather, animal skins, furs, or other materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.

Sewing is used primarily to produce clothing and household furnishings as curtains, bedclothes, upholstery, and table linens. It is also used for sails, bellows, skin boats, banners and other items shaped out of flexible materials such as canvas and leather.

Most sewing in the industrial world is done by machines. Pieces of a garment are often first tacked together. The machine has a complex set of gears and arms which pierces thread through the layers of the cloth and semi-securely interlocks the thread.

Some people sew clothes for themselves and their families. More often home sewers sew to repair clothes, such as mending a torn seam or replacing a loose button. A person who sews for a living is known as a seamstress (or seamster), dressmaker, tailor, or garment worker.

"Plain" sewing is done for functional reasons: making or mending clothing or household linens. "Fancy" sewing is primarily decorative, including techniques such as shirring, smocking, embroidery, or quilting.

Sewing is the foundation for many needle arts and crafts, such as applique, canvas work, and patchwork.

General Sewing Methods 

These are some general sewing methods

Hand-sewing is still done to some extent for finishing and repairing garments.

Sergers are becoming more popular for home use, but are not capable of all the functions of a traditional sewing machine. Because of this, people usually purchase a traditional sewing machine first, and purchase a serger at a later date.

Serger prices typically start at two to three times the cost of a traditional sewing machine.

Hand-sewing: using a needle and thread with your hands to produce stitches.

Machine-sewing: using a machine to produce similar effects to hand-sewing, but at a much quicker speed. Sewing machines can be electrically or mechanically operated. Electric machines are by far more common.

Serging: trimming the edge of fabric and overcasting all in one step, sometimes with the option of stitching as well. Also used for creating artistic effects. Serging is ideal for stretchy fabrics or fabrics that should have neat edges. Virtually all commercially-sold clothing is completely made with one or more specialized industrial sergers.

Almost all of these methods can be done by either hand, sewing machine, or a serger; however, the specific techniques used can be quite different.

Some methods are not appropriate for some applications, even though it may be possible to replicate another method. As an extreme, you could technically duplicate serging with hand sewing, but it would take at least several hundred times as long to do the same work.

Furthermore, some techniques are not possible with other methods: making an embroidery stitch called a French knot is easy by hand, but impossible by sewing machine or serger.

Seam Allowances, Techniques And Stitches 

Seam Allowances

Seam allowance is the area between the edge and the stitching line on two (or more) pieces of material being stitched together. Seam allowances can range from 1/4 inch wide (6.35 mm) to as much as several inches. Commercial patterns for home sewers have seam allowances ranging from 1/4 inch to 5/8 inch.

Sewing industry seam allowances range from 1/4 inch for curved areas (e.g. neck line, armscye) or hidden seams (e.g. facing seams), to one inch or more for areas that require extra fabric for final fitting to the wearer (e.g. center back).

Dressmaking/Tailoring/General Sewing Techniques to create clothing and other textile projects

Mending: using general techniques and specialized methods such as darning to repair textiles.

Quilting: sewing together layers of fabric and/or fibrefill to make warm blankets and clothing, or used for effect. Machine quilting is most common, but quilting "purists" and traditionalists do all quilting by hand.

Serging: uses multiple threads to produce a stretchy and secure edge finish or seam that keeps raw edges of fabric neat. The term "serging" is commonly used to refer both to the act of sewing with a serger, and the type of effect the serger produces.

Embroidery or machine embroidery: artistic embellishment.

List Of Stitches:

back tack
backstitch
basting stitch (or tacking) - for temporary fixing
blanket stitch
blind stitch (or hem stitch)
buttonhole stitch
chain stitch
cross-stitch
darning stitch
embroidery stitch
feather stitch
hemming stitch
lockstitch
overlock
padding stitch
running stitch - for seams and gathering
sailmakers stitch
slip stitch - for fastening a folded edge to a flat piece of fabric, or to another folded edge
stretch stitch
straight stitch
topstitch
whipstitch (or oversewing stitch) - for protecting edges
zig-zag stitch

Sewing Tools, Accessories, Notions, Closures 

Sewing Tools and Accessories

awl
bobbin
bodkin
dress form
dressmaker's or tailor's shears
measuring tape
needle
pattern
pattern weights
pin
pincushion
rotary cutter
scissors
seam ripper
sewing table
tailor's chalk
thimble
thread
tracing paper
tracing wheel
wax, often beeswax

Notions (objects sewn into garments or soft goods)

Closures

buckle
button (buttons can be sew-through or have shanks.)
toggle
chinese frog
eye
hook
hook-and-loop tape (often known by brand name Velcro)
snap
zipper

Finishing and Embellishment

elastic
eyelet
grommet
heading
interfacing
rivet
trims (fringe, beaded fringe, ribbons, lace, sequin tape)

Sewing Links To Help You Take Your 1st Step To Sewing Success From Sewing Project Tips Sewing Blog 

Learn Common Sense Sewing and Fitting Techniques

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It just makes sense!

Sewing Info From Sewing Success Sewing Blog 

Links to more sewing projects and tips

Sewing Success Sewing Blog is for all sewing enthuasists to discover how to sew using common sense sewing techniques. Discover the sewing secrets, sewing projects, sewing tips, sewing lessons and fitting tips to help take your 1st step to sewing success.

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Download Sewing and Quilting eBooks Now! 

It's easy!

There are lots of "how to" courses here that you can download in a few minutes even if it's 2 AM.

Discover the easiest way to improve your skills at your own pace, in your own space. You don't have to worry about missing a class or keeping up or taking notes. Get a sewing course eBook now! It just makes sense!

Common Sense Fitting Method For Hard-To-Fit Sewing Folks Who Want Great Fitting Skirts And Pants

Sew A Tee Pee And Accessories For Your Tribe Of Kids - A fun basic sewing course that is not just tee pees.

How To Sew A Classy Designer Straight Skirt - A couture sewing course

Sew A Sewing Mat Tote Bag Basic Sewing Course

Sewing Project Tips Sewing Course It's like having multiple sewing courses in one with more than 60 sewing projects, tips and techniques.

Tee Hoodies Sewing Course Discover how to makeover your favorite tee shirt into a hoodie. Great gifts for your friends and family. Have fun recycling tees into hoodies.

How To Repair Your Sewing Machine. Sewing Machine Repair As A Home Business Or For Your Self

Sewing Roman Shades. How To Easily Sew Roman Shades. Step-by-step Roadmap To Professional Window Shades

Sew More For U. A Diy Sewing Companion, More Than A How To Sew Book

Sewing 101. A Step By Step Guide To Sewing Basics

Home Sewing Secrets. Step-by-step Guide To Creating Comfortable, Stylish Clothing For A Fraction Of The Cost All From The Comfort Of Your Home

How To Start Your Own Quilt Shop. Comprehensive Business Guide Shows You How To Start, Run, And Market A Successful Quilt Shop

201 Patchwork Quilt Patterns. The Famous Ruby McKim Book Plus A Bonus Of 102 Vintage Patterns

Enjoy Some Great Sewing Projects And Tips 

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Stitching It Up To The Big Time 

by Susan Andriks

Stitching It Up To The Big Time
By Susan Andriks

Do you make "Project Runway" one of your must-see TV shows? Do you always watch the DIY Network, or HG TV and think "I wish I could do that!" Well, you can. And what's more, you can make a living at it.

First and foremost, you must know how to sew. If you don't already have sewing skills, or they are rusty and outdated, find yourself a class. There are many sewing classes offered around the U.S. Fabric stores and quilt shops often have classes in-house, or can give you a list of offerings in the neighborhood. Local high schools offer adult education classes, another great place to find instruction. There are classes offered by sewing schools, where you travel to them for a week of instruction. On-line classes are also very big and a great option if you can learn by reading. The on-line classes, while mostly self-instructional, offer the opportunity to chat on-line with others taking the class and ask questions of the instructor. The only thing missing is the hands-on interaction with the teacher who can determine what you might be doing wrong, and correct you.

When looking for a class, consider the following:

* What is your skill level? Have you ever learned to sew or has it been years since you've sat at a sewing machine? You should probably find a beginner or a basic class. A beginner class should teach you how to use the machine, reading the pattern, cutting and sewing the fabric, and cover some basic sewing techniques (such as inserting a zipper).

* If you have some sewing experience and want to make garments, look for a class that teaches a specific article of clothing, like skirts, blouse, etc. These classes typically teach to a project, meaning that you will make the project during class time so the teacher can supervise and instruct you on each step.

* Are you interested in primarily learning how to decorate your home? A class on how to make pillows, curtains or other home dec items is what you want to find. Adult education classes are great for this.

* Finally, if you are looking for a career change, find as many classes as you can and take them all to build your learning and your skill level.

So now you know how to sew and are comfortable enough that you're ready to spread your wings, so to speak. If you want to get started quickly earning money, consider taking on alterations. Nearly everyone has to have something altered or repaired at so

Sewing Books 

Add to your sewing library.

There are books for everything you can imagine. Some are better than others, but if you look, you will always find something to learn, even if it is what "not" to do.
Sewing for Dummies

Sewing for Dummies

by: Janice Saunders Maresh

Amazon Price: $10.34 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It)

Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It)

by: Judy Ann Sadler

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Best of Sewing Machine Fun For Kids -The

Best of Sewing Machine Fun For Kids -The

by: Lynda Milligan

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

My First Machine Sewing Book: Straight Stitching (My First Sewing Book Kit series)

My First Machine Sewing Book: Straight Stitching (My First Sewing Book Kit series)

by: Winky Cherry

Amazon Price: $9.32 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Sewing

Sewing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Sewing

by: The editors of Creative Publishing international

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Subscribe to Sewing Magazines 

Get your favorite sewing magazines here.

Keep up with the latest happenings in the sewing world.
Threads

Threads

Amazon Price: $32.95 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing World

Sewing World

Amazon Price: $86.00 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

American Patchwork & Quilting (1-year)

American Patchwork & Quilting (1-year)

Amazon Price: $24.97 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing With Stitches Australia

Sewing With Stitches Australia

Amazon Price: $235.17 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing With Stitches Australia

Sewing With Stitches Australia

Amazon Price: $221.73 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Kids Sewing 

Let the kids express their creativity while you spend some quality time with them.

Create happy memories with your children now. They last a lifetime!
Best of Sewing Machine Fun For Kids -The

Best of Sewing Machine Fun For Kids -The

by: Lynda Milligan

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It)

Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It)

by: Judy Ann Sadler

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing Fun for Kids - Patchwork, Gifts &

Sewing Fun for Kids - Patchwork, Gifts &

by: Lynda Milligan, Nancy Smith

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sew Fast Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew

Sew Fast Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew

by: Elissa K. Meyrich

Amazon Price: $16.29 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys and Girls Outfits

Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys and Girls Outfits

by: Nancy Langdon, Sabine Pollehn

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/21/2009) Buy Now

Get Sewing Patterns on eBay 

Find some good deals on sewing patterns on eBay.

You never know what you will find on eBay. You might even find that vintage sewing pattern you always wanted. Take a look!

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Get Sewing Machines on eBay 

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Get Sewing Notion on eBay 

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eBay

Get Sewing Books on Ebay 

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eBay

Great Stuff on CafePress 

Women's T-Shirt

Women's T-Shirt

From: janice

Buy Now

Rather be Quilting License Plate Frame

Rather be Quilting License Plate Frame

From: Full Moon Emporium

Buy Now

I Sew Ornament (Round)

I Sew Ornament (Round)

From: Stick Figure Shop

Buy Now

Sewing & Patches Clock

Sewing & Patches Clock

From: Gemini Graphic Creations

Buy Now

Eat Sleep Sew Mug

Eat Sleep Sew Mug

From: The Ultra Geek Store!

Buy Now

Carpe Sewem Ceramic Travel Mug

Carpe Sewem Ceramic Travel Mug

From: Gentle Parenting Advocacy Gift Shop

Buy Now

Sewing Sigg Water Bottle 1.0L

Sewing Sigg Water Bottle 1.0L

From: Full Moon Emporium

Buy Now

Quilts Are Like Cats Mug

Quilts Are Like Cats Mug

From: Crafty Gear

Buy Now

Power tool with thread Women's Pink T-Shirt

Power tool with thread Women's Pink T-Shirt

From: OuterMonologue

Buy Now

See more designs like these on CafePress
Powered by CafePress

Sewing Machine Videos 


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The Sewing Machine (song)

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Sewing Machine Demo

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Sewing Machine Demo

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Sewing Machine Demo: baby lock BLR machine

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PFAFF performance 2056

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How to fill a bobbin on a Kenmore Vintage Sewing Machine

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Making a Muslin

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Thanks!
Marian

PS: Be sure and stop by my website, 1st Step To Sewing Success and see my sewing courses to help you achieve sewing success. Don't forget to sign up for Sewing Success News It's FREE!

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by SewingSuccess

Marian Lewis is an expert sewing instructor, author and creator of an amazing new fitting method for hard-to-fit sewing folks who want great fitt...

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