Sewing 101 For Beginners

The right sewing machine needle can make or ruin your sewing project! Learn about all the parts, sizes, and different kinds of sewing machine needles so you can choose the right one.

Compare these machines to find the best sewing machine for making clothes and learning to sew. Pick one that fits your budget since these machines are perfect for beginners.

With every hobby comes items that you need. These are my top twelve sewing tools that I can’t sew without and will help you get started.

I believe if you really put in the work and you have the motivation to learn through the mistakes, you can sew your own clothing. I have put together a list of advice I would give to anyone wanting to learn to sew clothing and some free sewing practice sheets to master your sewing machine!

To be able to stitch in the ditch is a great basic sewing skill. In apparel sewing you stitch in the ditch most often when finishing a waistband, cuff or collar. To stitch in the ditch is to attach the inside or back as invisibly as possible.

There is a difference between edgestitching and topstitching, and edgestitching can easily be confused with topstitching. Each basic sewing stitch have specific uses.

An important basic sewing skill to have is to knowing how to understitch. It can be a little confusing if you’ve never done it before, but it makes your handmade items look professional. It’s great for facings, linings, pockets, flaps, etc. and makes your edges look good.

Now that I’ve sewn lots of insides curves and lots of outside curves, and over time I’ve learned how to make those curves look good. I’ve made plenty of sewing projects where I didn’t notch or clip enough so my curve doesn’t lay flat. Once you learn how to clip and how to notch sewing curves will be a breeze and will always look professional! It’s not hard to learn how to sew curves!

Sewing knit fabric can be a little intimidating unless you know some simple tips and tricks. I will teach you everything there is to know about how to sew knit fabric, so you can learn and become comfortable with sewing knit fabric! 

Learn how to sew darts to make nicely fitting garments. Sewing darts is a great skill to help you sew sewing patterns!

Sewing often requires fasteners one of which used to always scare me: the zipper. At some point in your sewing practice you will have to insert a zipper, and it doesn’t have to be that scary. Learn how to sew a zipper!

An invisible zipper looks really nice on clothing but what if you don’t have an invisible zipper foot for your sewing machine? You can sew an invisible zipper without an invisible zipper foot.

There are lots of different ways to hem fabric, and I'm going to seven different ways to sew a hem. Some hems are easier to sew and other hems look really professional. Some hems work best with curves or straight edges.

Learn how to finish a seam with one of these nine seam finishes and when to use them. There are different seam finishes for knit and woven fabric. 

Trimming and grading seams are different but equally important basic sewing skills. Learn the difference between them, how to grade seams, and why to trim seams. 

When I first started sewing I didn't realize how important interfacing was. I had learned about interfacing and logically I understand what it was used for, but I disliked having one more thing to buy to be able to sew clothing. Once I saw the difference of using it and not using it, now I never sew clothing without it! 

Learn three different ways for how to gather fabric and where to use each sewing technique. Gathering can be a tricky skill to perfect, but it's an important sewing technique to know. 

And isn't sewing great that you have a second, third, or fourth chance at sewing something? There are multiple ways to seam rip so you can find the way that works best for you.

Sewing can be an expensive hobby, but you can also save money and sew to save money. I might not always be cheaper than fast fashion at big box stores, but it's a sustainable way of sewing. I have used these tips in my sewing practice, and I have saved my family money. 

Learn how to sew on a patch three different ways! See examples of sewing a patch onto a backpack, jeans, and a pouch.

Learn how to cut vinyl and how to sew vinyl the easy way. Vinyl is a unique fabric and you can sew it with your home sewing machine.

Learn all about how to sew lace to make beautiful handmade clothing. These sewing tips work for sewing and altering lace dresses.

Learn how to cut felt and how to sew felt the easy way. Felt is a beginner sewing fabric, it’s perfect for kids, and it makes a good applique.