Beginners Guide
Welcome!
If you're new to sewing it can seem like a daunting hobby to get started with. But it absolutely shouldn't be!
We've put this page together to show you just how achievable it is. Follow our guide and you'll be wearing beautiful, high quality home sewn clothes in no time!
No. 1
Get Inspired
This might seem like an obvious first step but believing that you can sew beautiful garments before you get started is half the battle.
We want you to be able to make the kind of clothes you actually want to wear from the start. Let's skip the lousy practise projects or unwearable first attempts. We're going in at a higher level.
Check out these amazing first time makes from beginners to see just what you can achieve.
Beginner Makes from our Community:
Ivana
"I loved sewing the Over Shirt and as my first ever garment, it was challenging and incredibly empowering. I'm so glad that I did the online workshop with Hetty, I learnt so much and it gave me the confidence to make other garments by only following a pattern."
Ellie
"This was one of the very first garments I sewed, and the process was great. I was nervous but the instructions and diagrams were great and made this one of my favorite garments to date!"
Merel
"Modern Sewing Co. patterns and workshops are actually the reason I started sewing. Before it seemed so overwhelming to start a project but the videos helped me understand everything involved. Not only does the workshop guide you step by step, you'll pick up good habits along the way. You end up with a piece of clothing of high quality AND high level sewing skills!"
Sareeka
"The sewing process for me is like therapy. I became obsessed with sewing at the start of the year when I decided I wanted to make my wardrobe. I love how simple the Frida shirt is and it's perfect for someone at the beginning of their sewing journey. I took it slowly and didn't put any pressure on myself for it to be perfect, but I was amazed at the result and how it all suddenly came together."
Malin
"Having the workshop at hand made a huge difference; it felt like Hetty was there with me throughout the entire process. It was so helpful to be able to rewind and see each step clearly. I'm so proud of my top, which looks so professional. I love the expert sewing techniques, and the garment looks as beautiful on the inside as it does on the outside."
Honoka
"The pattern and video were very easy to follow! This pair of trousers is my first actual garment. I have only sewn wash bags, cushion covers and other small easy stuffs before. What I like about the worker trousers is that bias tape on the inside makes it look very professional!"
Lucie
"This was my first me-made pair of trousers and I couldn’t love them more! I’d been quite apprehensive about making trousers because of how technically difficult and confusing the instructions can be for a not-so-confident sewer, but the beautiful illustrations, thoughtful directions and little hints and tips made the Sunday Trackies such a breeze."
Lydia
"I love this design idea and how it is also helpful for reducing waste. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, even for a first-timer trying piping and inserting a zip (easier than I thought it would be!) It's perfect for all my scraps - I use it all the time when I'm sewing."
Yvonne
"At the time, the Over Shirt was the most complicated piece I’ve made. The workshop was so helpful for additional tips, a deeper dive into the instructions, and encouragement. In the end, I couldn’t believe I made such a complex piece only 2 months into my sewing journey."
Meredith
"As a visual learner, I would not have been able to sew these trousers, or have the confidence to tackle a zipper fly, without the workshop! Utilizing modern sewing’s workshops catapulted me from a timid beginner to a sewist that’s willing to tackle challenging patterns."
Tips
from beginners
We asked some of our customers what they wish they'd known before starting.
It's not as hard as it looks!
"I wish I knew sewing garments is much less daunting than I first thought - after I bought the Beginner series from Modern Sewing Co it took me a good 8 months to get started and get out of the vicious cycle of postponing it, all because I wasn’t sure if I’d make a wearable piece. I strongly recommend the workshop videos to anyone who is a bit less confident about starting off like I was. Since I started with the Cara top less than 2 years ago, I’ve made many more Cara tops & also Frida tops - I’ve also made a few Daphne trousers that I wear proudly to work - all in under 2 years with no prior knowledge of sewing. For anyone on the fence about buying the workshop packages, this is your sign to do it!"
Pragna
Be prepared to spend time preparing
"I didn't realise much time would be spent on all the steps before, during and after sewing. eg washing, drying, cutting, pressing and more pressing. So give yourself time and embrace all the stages, because they really do make a huge difference in making something beautiful. And when you begin, making clothes is not as quick as it may look on tutorials but that ok, it's a beautiful way to counteract a society of instant gratification."
Ivana
Take your time
"Take your time with each piece to invest in its quality. Let projects take multiple days, or even weeks, to complete. You’ll end up with a piece that lasts longer and wear more often."
Yvonne
Use hand sewing to help you
"My biggest tip is to hand-baste the sleeves when you have pinned them in place. It really made the sleeve-process painless, as I could then attach them by machine without the hassle of having pins in the way and all layers perfectly secure and not shifting. Hand basting one sleeve took me exactly 86 seconds and saved me hours of sweat and tears."
Iris
Invest in good patterns and workshops
"My best advice to beginners is to be brave! Also, invest in good, clear patterns and workshops. It's not particularly difficult as long as you have patience and clear instructions."
Malin
Buy fabric you'll definitely want to wear
"I wish I'd known the quality of the trousers that I ended up with! I just thought ‘this is my first time sewing something ever, let’s not expect anything and use an inexpensive fabric’. Big mistake. Following the workshop I ended up with decent trousers (with some crooked hems) that I would totally wear in public! Using a higher quality fabric would have made my trousers so much neater and the sewing process a lot quicker."
Merel
Tips on tools
"I wish I’d realised I didn’t need to buy lots of kit before I started sewing, just a pair of scissors an unpicker and some pins."
Lucy
"A good quality pair of scissors makes the cutting process much nicer. And if you decide you want to start sewing regularly, get a proper ironing board! I used one of the mini travel ones for months and ended up with a bad back from hunching over!"
Sareeka
No. 2
Gather Your Tools
To start sewing you don't need an complex tool kit, you can make do with just a handful of items. To get started you will need access to a sewing machine and the following tools:
- Sharp scissors
- Tape measure
- Pins
- Sewing needle
- An unpicker/seam ripper
- Pencil
No. 3
Brush Up on the Basics
Next up it's time to familiarise yourself with the basics by watching our free 'Getting Started' video series which will tell you everything you need to know about how to set yourself up for sewing. Chapters include:
- Your Tool Kit
- Threading Your Machine & Trouble Shooting
- Choosing Your Fabric
- Patterns and Lay Planning
- Cutting Your Fabric
- Fusing/Interfacing
- Binding
- Practising Your Seams
No. 4
Learn From Professionals
Next it's time to learn.
Save yourself the trial and error by investing in your learning. Our online workshops will show you exactly how to sew high quality clothing from day 1. You'll save yourself so much time and heartache on projects gone wrong and you'll be able to start wearing beautifully made clothes from the start.
A taste of the skills you can learn...
