IS it possible to learn to SEW from books? | |
xham-sammichx User ID: 862331 United States 01/11/2010 01:48 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | You might fair well going down to the local legion or something and find an old lady who knows how to sew.. give her a small fee for some informal training.. Luckily my mother sew very good and has taught me.. You're going to just have to practice for a bit.. good luck friend Sleestackin' to the max. GLP - We're all here because we're not all there. If you seem to disagree with me.. That is okay. You may hang on to your beliefs.. While I kick YOUR FUCKING NIPPLES OFF! |
Riker User ID: 684208 United States 01/11/2010 01:48 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Returner User ID: 997 United States 01/11/2010 01:50 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Absolutely not. The CDC reports over 11,000 fatalities from 1956 to the present suffered by persons who attempted to learn sewing from books. Most of the fatal injuries involved massive blood loss from multiple blunt force trauma to the cranium. For the love of God, stop, before it's too late. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 569020 United Kingdom 01/11/2010 01:51 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Absolutely not. Quoting: Returner 997The CDC reports over 11,000 fatalities from 1956 to the present suffered by persons who attempted to learn sewing from books. Most of the fatal injuries involved massive blood loss from multiple blunt force trauma to the cranium. For the love of God, stop, before it's too late. Yeah think of the Children ffs! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 222101 United States 01/11/2010 01:52 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Hello Quoting: LEARNING TO SEW 862293Is it possible to learn how to sew from books? I had read a few sewing books and wathed a few YOUTUBE videos on sewing but it seemed to me that these all came up short and were not very clear with instructions...for a person with no sewing experiance. I do not have the $$$$$$$$$$$$ to fork out for classes at the local sewing shop. My main focus is to make my own, yes I am a straight male, clothes and my childrens. Also, I have a few clothes design ideas that might earn me some cash. thx Good for you for being so ambitious! There are cheaper classes at your local community school. Also, some craft stores have introductory classes for free or for a small fee. Books are good, but it's good to see it in person, or in a video. There is also a class on TV called Sewing with Nancy that is pretty good. Good luck! |
Aquarius 7 User ID: 859380 United States 01/11/2010 01:54 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | You might fair well going down to the local legion or something and find an old lady who knows how to sew.. give her a small fee for some informal training.. Quoting: xham-sammichxLuckily my mother sew very good and has taught me.. You're going to just have to practice for a bit.. good luck friend . . This is good advice, ... but also just ask around amongst your friends. One of them may share their sewing knowledge with you ... or perhaps one of them has a mother or aunt who will give you some tips for free. Thanks be to God, I learned to sew from the time I was four years old. And by the time I was 9, I was in a 4-H Sewing Club. And in high school, I took Home-Ec. Good luck, and don't give up! PS: And that reminds me ... check with your local high schools. They may have a Home Ec sewing class you could sit in on for free. . . . . Cayce: “… The greater portion of Japan must go into the sea. …. then we may know it has begun …”. www.near-death.com/experiences/cayce11.html . "Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle" - Plato . "Those who are at peace in their hearts already are in the Great Shelter of life." ~ Hopi Prophecy . |
Aquarius 7 User ID: 859380 United States 01/11/2010 01:58 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Another bit of advice. Start with something really simple, like potholders. That was the first item I learned to sew. Or hemming cloth to make kitchen towels. Start with simple items, and inexpensive fabric. Don't get discouraged when you make mistakes. . . . Cayce: “… The greater portion of Japan must go into the sea. …. then we may know it has begun …”. www.near-death.com/experiences/cayce11.html . "Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle" - Plato . "Those who are at peace in their hearts already are in the Great Shelter of life." ~ Hopi Prophecy . |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 848649 Canada 01/11/2010 02:01 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
mercury2 User ID: 862309 United States 01/11/2010 02:05 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | OP are you the same person who posted about learning to sew not long ago? I made a good post on that other recent thread about picking a beginner project - pajamas and a robe - and about choosing an easy to sew fabric - I said cotton flannel, but any cotton fabric would be okay, a print helps because then you can tell the front from the back. The main thing you want to avoid is anything slippery. I taught myself to sew from the book I recommended in that thread, Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. It helps to have a halfway decent machine. If you have one that has problems it will just make everything difficult for you and you will think it is your fault. You can teach yourself to sew, just be ready to experiment and make mistakes. I have done the stupidest things and so has everyone else. A lot of the skill you need is visualization - you have to be able to work all inside-out and upside-down and trust that when you turn it over it will be right. People say, if you can cook, you can sew. Really you just have to follow the directions in the pattern, the reason to have a book is that the directions in the pattern are sometimes not all that clear if you don't have any experience. So the book is a supplement to the pattern directions. OP have you tried to sew anything? Just fake it - you will end up throwing some stuff in the trash - get some cheap cotton print fabric and make a nightgown for your kid - who cares if it doesn't turn out? |
Returner User ID: 997 United States 01/11/2010 02:06 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
mercury2 User ID: 862309 United States 01/11/2010 02:09 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | This is my post from that other thread: Thread: HELP...need some basic sewing books, articals for men to learn from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I learned to sew from the book "Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing". A lot of other people did too. You can find copies at thrift stores or used bookstores, it has that oblong format like their other DIY books. Don't bother buying it new. And I kind of like the old edition better than the new one. Quoting: mercury2A great web site for learning to sew is Pattern Review, it has a very active forum and they love to help guys for sure, they have a section for total novices. You have to register to read all the forum pages, but it's free and can be anonymous: [link to www.patternreview.com] I think she has a lot of videos, CDs, courses etc. for sale too. I used to read there a lot more than I have lately. Here is my best suggestion for learning to sew. Start by making sleepwear - some classic pajamas and robes. This way it doesn't have to be perfect but you can still use it even if it's a little screwed up. It has some construction details but no tailoring. You want a fabric that has some body and isn't slippery! Very important! I would use a cotton flannel to begin with as the pieces will sort of cling together and not slip around and creep when you are sewing them. Also if you can stand to use a print, or if you can find a decent one, it is very very helpful for a beginner to use a fabric that has a clearly identifiable right and wrong side. 1. Get the Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing book. 2. Pick a classic pajama and bathrobe pattern - I like Vogue patterns best. They are always 50% off at Jo-Ann and sometimes much more deeply discounted if you sign up for their sale flyers and watch the sales. 3. Choose a cotton flannel fabric with a clearly identifiable right and wrong side. 4. Read all the information about using the right thread and the right needle for the fabric and adjusting the tension - this is better information in the earlier edition of the book I recommended. Also if you are having problems with the stitch, make sure to check if the needle is inserted correctly, that it's the right kind of needle and a new one, and that the machine is threaded correctly, bobbin inserted correctly, etc. And a good source that I respect, Kathleen Fasanella, says home sewers set their stitch length too short - so try setting it longer, like 8 stitches per inch instead of the 10 or 12 that a lot of sewing books say. Or maybe even 6 for a beginner - it's easier to rip out that way. Here's another idea, use a contrasting thread for your first projects, then you can see what the heck you are doing and also rip out easier if you have to do it over. You could even use a contrasting bobbin thread, just to get the concepts in your mind. And use good thread! Ladies at the sewing store will love to help a guy, take my word for it. Last Edited by Vision Thing on 01/11/2010 02:10 PM |
Riker User ID: 684208 United States 01/11/2010 02:18 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Mr. Knit Whittier User ID: 590653 Canada 01/11/2010 02:18 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Aquarius 7 User ID: 859380 United States 01/11/2010 02:31 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Aquarius, I was in 4-H too! Quoting: Riker. . Yay for 4-H. I was in 4-H Cooking club for probably about 7 years +/-. My Mom was the leader of that club. She also led a 4-H club for Bachelor Sewing (basic sewing skills for guys). I was also in 4-H Livestock club ... raised steers for several years. Also in 4-H Sewing in the winter, and 4-H Canning in the summer -- led by my Mom's best friend. 4-H isn't what it used to be. Now it's more into horses, etc. ... at least around here. :( . . Last Edited by Aquarius 7 on 01/11/2010 02:31 PM . Cayce: “… The greater portion of Japan must go into the sea. …. then we may know it has begun …”. www.near-death.com/experiences/cayce11.html . "Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle" - Plato . "Those who are at peace in their hearts already are in the Great Shelter of life." ~ Hopi Prophecy . |
Riker User ID: 684208 United States 01/11/2010 02:51 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Aquarius, I was in 4-H too! Quoting: Aquarius 7. . Yay for 4-H. I was in 4-H Cooking club for probably about 7 years +/-. My Mom was the leader of that club. She also led a 4-H club for Bachelor Sewing (basic sewing skills for guys). I was also in 4-H Livestock club ... raised steers for several years. Also in 4-H Sewing in the winter, and 4-H Canning in the summer -- led by my Mom's best friend. 4-H isn't what it used to be. Now it's more into horses, etc. ... at least around here. :( . . hahaha awesome! we have a variety... plenty of ag/animals for the country but very active urban 4-H clubs as well... mostly due to all the homeschoolers I think. You shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall set you free. ********************************* rikerglp (at) gmail.com ********************************* |
9teen.47™ User ID: 862412 United Kingdom 01/11/2010 03:03 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Sure. And just experiment. Just make sure you have a good set of sewing shears and seam-rippers. :-) Quoting: RikerUse some old bed sheets and make simple stuff. Dress up clothes for the kids. Styles that would look nice on you, and suchlike. Make your mistakes there before using new materials. Zec 12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, [and] all the nations that forget God. Jer 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate [woman]. STOCK UP NOW. You should have at least 6 months worth of basics for every member of your household. Stay away from crowds when trouble starts, do not forget water storage, tobacco is worth more than gold or silver, and be kind to hungry children. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 858037 United States 01/11/2010 03:13 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
mercury2 User ID: 862489 United States 01/11/2010 05:03 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Sure. And just experiment. Just make sure you have a good set of sewing shears and seam-rippers. :-) Quoting: 9teen.47™Use some old bed sheets and make simple stuff. Dress up clothes for the kids. Styles that would look nice on you, and suchlike. Make your mistakes there before using new materials. "dress up clothes for the kids" I like that! I bet there are lots of people who sew who only make costumes. The pattern catalogs at the fabric store have tons of costume patterns and some are really simple. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 811871 Canada 01/11/2010 05:10 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | It's just cloth. Go wild with it and lose the fear. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 858037use old sheets to make yourself a 'practice pillow to learn your style of sewing,' stuff it w/clean old used nylons, and if you're not too frustated, get some nicer/thicker/more decorative material, and make a finished cover for your 'practice pillow.' Recycling at its best, and you'll have an interesting object to contemplate . It's fun and no real cost to 'screw up.' You can always pull out the 'mistake' areas, however in the scheme of things, they would not even be noticable on your 'practice pillow' anyway, it will be inside the cover you may decide to make, and you'll know your style by then. It's all good stuff . If you can follow a line you can sew . |
Aquarius 7 User ID: 859380 United States 01/11/2010 05:11 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | "dress up clothes for the kids" I like that! I bet there are lots of people who sew who only make costumes. The pattern catalogs at the fabric store have tons of costume patterns and some are really simple. Quoting: mercury2. . I made my boys' play clothes when they were toddlers. I also made doll clothes for my niece's dolls. That was fun. . . Cayce: “… The greater portion of Japan must go into the sea. …. then we may know it has begun …”. www.near-death.com/experiences/cayce11.html . "Be kind, for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle" - Plato . "Those who are at peace in their hearts already are in the Great Shelter of life." ~ Hopi Prophecy . |
hotpinkrocks81 User ID: 839757 United States 01/11/2010 05:12 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Hello Quoting: LEARNING TO SEW 862293Is it possible to learn how to sew from books? I had read a few sewing books and wathed a few YOUTUBE videos on sewing but it seemed to me that these all came up short and were not very clear with instructions...for a person with no sewing experiance. I do not have the $$$$$$$$$$$$ to fork out for classes at the local sewing shop. My main focus is to make my own, yes I am a straight male, clothes and my childrens. Also, I have a few clothes design ideas that might earn me some cash. thx Yes it is. Just read and learn by doing. Make mistakes and learn from them. I alter my own clothes all the time, I taught myself. |
blackcat66 User ID: 348276 United States 01/11/2010 05:15 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | O.P. I brought you a link of what I consider the best sewing videos. If you can overcome the teacher's boring voice, you will learn to sew, I promise. She teaches you a skill, not a project. She has different levels, but you will start sewing from video 1. [link to www.youcanmakeit.com (secure)] |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 772927 United States 01/11/2010 05:18 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Taught myself how to sew, Take a pair of old slacks and shirt. Take your seam ripper and take them apart, you will see and have an understanding how shit is stitched together. After you have all the pieces, lay them out on card broad trace around them cut out card broad, BAM you have a pattern. Its freaking easy. |
Vision Thing User ID: 23462738 United States 01/10/2013 10:39 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |