How to sew

Learning to sew  is a skill that requires a lot of consistent practice. There are two ways to sew. The first  is by hand the other is by sewing machine.You can learn to sew by machine without learning to sew by hand but generally they come hand in hand. Most things can be sewn completely by machine but there are still other things that look better if sewn by hand, such as some hems, tacking, basting for fitting and sewing on buttons and snaps.
To sew by hand you need to have a sewing needle, thread and some fabric. Begin by threading the needle( that is to insert the thread through the eye of the needle). Pull the thread to make it double about 12 inches long.. Make knot at the bottom by wrapping the thread around your index finger then roll the thread between the thumb and index finger in a back and forward motion until you get a knot.You may need to practice several times.
 Start sewing by inserting the needle in the fabric and pulling it until it stops at the knot. sew in the same spot making2 or 3  tiny stitches to reinforce the stitch. Continue sewing sticking the needle in and out of the fabric making a straight seam. For beginners it may help to draw a straight line as guide to sew on.Reinforce your seam at the of the seam.Continue in this manner until you have completed what ever it is you are sewing.

Sewing by machine is a lot quicker.First read your sewing machine manual to learn how to thread the sewing machine. Then put the fabric under the presser foot next to the 5/8'' seam line on the needle plate. Lower the presser foot . Sew forward a few stitches, reverse stitch then sew until you reach the end of the seam. Back stitch again. Form the habit of reinforcing your stitches in the beginning and end when sewing permanent stitches.

Tip

When sewing by hand, it is easy  to sew straight stitches when you insert the needle evenly in and out of the fabric until it is full, then pull the thread out.

Until next time, happy sewing!

F.A.
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P.S. Here's a nice sewing guide to add to your sewing collection. Click Here!

How to make a patterm from a garment

Today I am going to write about  how to cut a pattern from a pair of basic in seam pocket,elastic waist pants.The first thing you would do is turn the pants inside out. Notice the crouch seam. How the front is shorter then the back and how the back seam folds about 1/2 over to the front.

I am going to start with the front. Fold the pants in half so that the back of the pants are facing each other. Pull in all of the back crouch seam so that you can only see the front seams. Next lay the pants on some paper or fabric. If you are using fabric fold in half so that after cutting you will have two pieces. Use any kind of marker to trace around the pants adding 5/8" for seam allowance on the sides and adding 2 1/2 inches at top and bottom for elastic and hem. Also be sure to streach the elastic or just draw a straight line on sides instead of curving. If you want you may move the pants and then cut the pattern out. But I usually leave them  until I have finished cuttig.

Trace and cut the back pants the same way. If you are using paper mark front and back and write (cut 2 on grain line of fabric ) or draw the arrows like you see on other patterns . Finally trace  the pockets . Write cut 4 on it. Locate on the pants where to attach pocket. Mark the same on Pants pattern,which is usually 2 1/2 " from waist line. You may ues your new pattern now, or fold it up neatly and store in a freezer bag for latter use.

Keep practicing cutting patterns from any of your favorite basic garments. As you learn more about sewing you will be able to copy any garment you want. I hope this helps. Look for more in my next post.

F.A.

P.S. Please leave your comments. let know what else you'd be interested in learning about sewing. Also check out my site @  http://www.faysoriginalsewing.com

and read this post:

 http://fayssewinginfomationtips.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-sew.html

Thanks

How to sew straight

Sewing straight is a very important part of sewing. It will have a great effect on the finished appearance of your garment. I am going to taech a simple method on how to practic sewing straight. First get your sewing machine out and unthread it. Get some lined paper and sew along the lines until you have completed all of them. Then put a new needle in the sewing machine, thread it and sew along the lines of some striped fabric. Keep praticing until you can sew straigh along the lines of the fabric.

When sewing a garment you can keep the stitches straight  by locating the 5/8 mark on your sewing machine. Keep your eyes fixed on the edge of the fabric to make sure it does no go over  5/8 or away from it. How- ever if your sewing machine does have seam maesurements on it then you could put some tape as a marker to keep your seams from getting wider or smaller. I hope this helps. Please leave your commets. Let me know what you think.

F.A.