Where to find Sewing Patterns

Gone are the days when you are limited to the patterns that your small fabric store might have to offer, gone are the times when if they do not have the right pattern in stock you have to settle for something else. Thanks to the wonders of shopping online there is very little that you cannot actually find in sewing patterns anymore. 

All of the major pattern makers have an online presence and many of the online sewing stores also carry a huge inventory of patterns for you to choose from. But there is no reason why you should stop there if you don’t find what you want. Wanting specialty or vintage pattern? Ebay is a great place to go looking for vintage patterns, you will find patterns that date back to the 50s and 60s and many of them are still intact and perfectly useable. 

You will also be able to find new vintage patterns that offer you the ability to sew clothes from the 50s or 60s or you will also find specialty shops that offer patterns for Victorian clothing and so much more. 

If you don’t want to pay for a pattern you may want to consider searching for free down-loadable patterns online, while they are not as easy to use as traditional patterns for beginners once you have had a bit of practice they can be a great way to expand your horizons a bit. 

One thing to keep in mind, while any of those places are good places to get patterns if you want to get your pattern and fabric at the same time you are better off getting your patterns from someplace that will let you see the back of the pattern before purchase. This allows you to see what materials you need and then you can also purchase those at the same time.

Choosing your First Sewing Projects

Learning to sew can be exciting, fun and a bit scary. This is why when you first learn to sew you should keep in mind that you are not here to make a fashion statement ….just yet. You should start with very easy projects and scrap material or material that is not expensive, this way you can get the basic mechanics of sewing without big expectations and or spending a lot of money. 

The easiest thing to start out with is a pillow, this is nothing more than two pieces of fabric sewed together and stuffed. It will give you the opportunity to practice sewing a straight seam as well as how to go around corners when sewing. If you want to sew a piece of clothing a simple sun dress for you or a child may be the best choice. 

You can go to your local fabric store to choose your patterns or you can buy them on the Internet in a variety of places. The great thing about this is that certain sites will allow you to look at the back of the pattern so that you can also buy your fabric and notions at the same time. This means that when your package arrives you will be ready to get started. 

When you look at the back of your pattern you will need to familiarize yourself with the measurements and sizes, this is how you know how much fabric to buy. It is highly recommended that you take measurements since pattern sizes are not always the same as sizes of ready made clothes in the stores.

Once you know your size then you can follow the column down to see how much fabric you need. Keep in mind that there is more than one reading for each size, this is for two reasons, first you need to figure out how wide the fabric is and you need to determine if it has a pattern or nap that needs to be matched. Also keep in mind that there will be more than one color or type of fabric that is used, so keep your eyes open for these details. 

Finally notions will be listed either above or below the charts, keep in mind that you probably will not need all the notions listed, and that description will clearly state which patterns in your pattern set need which notions.

Where to Start If you are a Beginner at Sewing

So you want to learn to sew but you are not sure how? If you have had no experience with sewing and are not sure where to start you have a few alternatives. 

I had my first experience with sewing as a teenager in junior high school. There I learned to use patterns and make simple items and the basics about a sewing machine. Unfortunately I did not learn enough and what I learned was not very practical in the real world. So for years I did not sew at all. 

Then one day I decided I wanted to learn how to sew again, I started by buying a sewing machine, a good basic model that was suitable for beginners but would last me for a while. The next thing I did was pick up a book that taught me everything I needed to know about how to use a pattern and went through the terminology that I might encounter. I remembered just enough from my school days to work my way through the book and in no time I was making my own clothes for my kid. 

If you can get in a class for beginners then can be an excellent way to get started, this offers you an instructor for troubleshooting any difficulties you might have. Not everybody has the access or ability to take a class however, so my next recommendation is that you find a book or video that you can learn from at home. You should do this before you buy your sewing machine, since it will help you to decide just what features you most want in a machine. 

There are many excellent books that you can buy; I personally would plan on buying more than one and a couple of videos as well. 

You will of course need to buy a sewing machine at some point if you do not already have one. There are many excellent sewing machine review sites available on the Internet as well as websites that encourage their customers to leave reviews. These are excellent sources of information about what sewing machine to would be best for a beginner but will still meet your specific needs down the road. 

Now that you have some knowledge and a machine you will need to choose your first project, you may want to start with something very simply, I suggest playing with your machine a bit, maybe making a pillow or table runners as a first time project just to get comfortable with your machine. When you are ready to start making clothing start with something easy that will give you a feel for working with a pattern first become you jump into something more complex. 

Above all enjoy your new found skill and have fun, sewing is about being creative, so explore the many things you can do with your new sewing machine and you will learn and gain experience as you go.

Taking Care of your Sewing Machine for Beginners

Taking Care of your Sewing Machine for Beginners 

If you have just bought your first sewing machine Congratulations! Sewing is a wonderful hobby with so many different applications and it will not be too long before you are as hooked as the rest of us.

One of the most important things you can do to make sure that you enjoy your sewing experience is to make sure that you take care of your sewing machine properly .if you do this right from the start you will find that you will get many years of happy use from it.

If you don’t keep your sewing machine clean and maintained then it will quickly fill up with lint, causing the thread to jam, or your tension to not adjust properly. Cleaning and maintaining your sewing machine will not only make for a longer life but it will also keep your machine sewing the  way it did the first day you bought it.

The first place you should start is to look at your sewing machine manual it will tell you what parts of your machine need to be cleaned and oiled. Make sure to follow the instructions properly to ensure that all parts of your machine are cleaned and that you do not over oil your machine. If you do not have a manual you can get one online through your manufacturer.

1)      1)Clean the lint from your machine - To do this you will need the lint brush that came with your machine; you can also use a mini vacuum or a vacuum with attachments that will fit into the tight spaces of your machine. Some people also use compressed air, but if you are not careful you can get moisture in your machine this way, so read the instructions on the can carefully before you use it. Compressed air does a good job of removing lint from those areas that you cannot reach otherwise.  Make sure to get all of the lint out from under the bobbin case this is one of the places that lint loves to collect. You should also clean under the feed dogs, if these are too full of lint they can affect your stitches.

2)      Check to see if your machine Needs Lubricating in your Manual - Do not ever lubricate a machine that does not need, your manual will tell you if your machine does or not, which oil to use and where and how often to apply it. It is important to the safety of your machine that you follow the directions your manual supplies you on this.

3)      Wipe your machine off with a clean dry cloth and replace the needle. - Many people do not know that you should replace your needle often; this is because a dull or bent needle can not only affect your sewing and it can ruin your fabric and your machine.

4)      Store your machine covered in a clean dry area - Do you keep your sewing machine in the laundry room? Did you know that is the worst place for it because of the amount of moisture that collects in a laundry room?

5)      Send your machine to an authorized dealer every year to two years to be maintenanced. Not only will they do a thorough cleaning and oiling with their special equipment but they will adjust the tension and test all the parts to ensure they are working properly.