Learn to sew and knit clothing (crafts, models, collect, watch)
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I want to learn to make my own clothes and I'm interested in the following information:
On sewing:
1) Should I take sewing lessons at a larger chain fabric store or an independent sewing company? (I have access to both.)
2) What personal attributes are necessary to be a good sewer?
On knitting:
1) Would a knitting circle (knitting club) be a good way to learn the craft? (This is all I can find in terms of lessons locally - my YMCA offers it.)
2) Do you find knitting is far more limiting as compared to sewing in terms of what types of garments you can produce?
Both:
1) How long did it take you from the day you started learning to the day you were able to produce garments you were proud to wear?
2) If you have tried both, which was easier to learn - knitting or sewing?
3) Does it take years to be able to go from following patterns to making your own patterns? Do you have to have a certain type of brain to follow patterns? Like does it help to be a highly visual person? (Because I'm not )
4) Do you think I can save money by making my own clothes or will it be more expensive than buying clothes? (Saving money is not my primary purpose for wanting to make my own garments, just wondering if I can expect it as an added bonus.)
some people learn knitting and/or crochet from Youtube
learning crochet is easier than knitting
I learned both at school when I was 8 yrs long ime ago
large site on knitting & crochet is www.ravelry.com/
I am from a time when you still had seamstresses that made you dresses on order I had a seamstress long ago. She ended up with back trouble. Sewing takes up a lot of time. It can be learned you need patience and a good teacher.
I am myself a handsewer very few of those. Sewing machines and me do not go well together I did try.
Things I handsew are evening bags and sometimes a top etc Good fabrics can be expensive.
Myself I think you can not save money by making your own clothes.
Some people do restyling of clothes or adorn shop bought simple clothes.
I think if you could find a person take a few lessons and see how it goes. Not everyone takes to machine sewing and using patterns.
Patterns can be expensive allthough there are regular discount sales. If you have a friend that also sews you could share patterns perhaps. From following patterns to making your own what they call drafting patterns is a skill that takes a long
time to learn . Some people with a good brain do draw their own patterns but is has to be learned professionally if you want to be real good at it. There is sewing and there is couture sewing. Some couture sewing is done by hand. As I told I am one of those I know good stitching but its hard on the hands and you need good eyesight. Handsewing is a joy very relaxing.
If you manage to learn machine sewing I wish you success. Dover books: education, coloring, crafts, literature, music and more has old books on fashion like Erte
and books on fashions from different eras , costume sewing is also nice to look at.
For sewing you need lots of patience a tranquil area and practical wise a sewing room. A very good quality scissors used only to cut fabrics. Good lights. A good assortment of notions.Well hope this helps there are more links to be found via google.
Have a good sunday browsing all the links.
Last edited by Nerys52SoSilver; 03-03-2013 at 02:28 AM..
I do both, and I'd say it is easier to learn to knit. Operating a sewing machine is quite simple, but there's a lot more to fitting garments than stomping on a pedal. That said, I still think sewing is very rewarding. It takes some time to learn to make garments, so many people start with a simple, non-fitted design, or small home dec projects (pillows, place mats, stuff like that).
For learning to sew, talk to both places. If you do not already own a machine, you may actually only have one choice that will allow you to use/rent one of theirs. Otherwise, specialty shop would be my choice.
For learning to knit, you can learn a lot from youtube (Knitting Help shows how to do all the stitches in two styles), but it makes a huge difference to have a person sitting by your side to guide you. Youtube is less than interactive. You should make sure that whatever group you join is willing to teach. You can check out Ravelry to find groups in your area, too. It's a HUGE knitting/crocheting/spinning community.
As a general case, once you've achieved even tension in knitting, you will be able to make clothes very soon. Neither is necessarily cheaper than ready to wear, depending on where you buy your clothing, etc. However, either is pretty cheap in terms of your entertainment dollar.
I know I didn't answer all of your questions, but still hope this helps somewhat.
I don't knit, but do crochet. I suspect that basic knitting will be easier to self teach yourself than sewing. I'll just talk about sewing, though, since that is what I know about.
Sewing is a hobby but I'm also at a point where I can make things more cheaply than I can buy them for. However, if you want to compare cost of what I sew to something from Walmart, then Walmart will always appear cheaper. I make clothes to last and aren't hyper trendy so something I make can be in my closet for a decade (or more) which you cannot say for the bottom end clothing. If you compare it to better made clothing I will come out ahead, especially because I can sew to fit me rather than hope a designer made something with my shape in mind.
For a beginning sewer there is no way the hobby can pay for itself, though. If you add in the cost of the materials, the purchase of a decent sewing machine and pay for electricity your initial garments will likely be very costly in comparison to what you can "store buy". If you stick with it and become versatile you can start recouping the cost as you make one of a kind gifts (think baby items, pocket books ala Vera Bradley, place mats and kids clothes) for less than buying them from a store or craft fair. If you are hard to fit, or are shorter or taller than average making clothes for yourself can be priceless.... and cheaper if you don't have to take things in for alterations. If you do buy ready made, you will also be able to do simple alterations which makes the cost come down.
There are a few ways to cut corners. There are literally hundreds of blogs out there by younger women who are designing and selling items and giving away free patterns that will inspire you to make interesting things. There are also lists of free patterns in all sorts of categories that sometimes come with pretty good picture tutorials. I've made several handbags from these kinds of patterns that get rave reviews (and requests to have one made). If you have a JoAnn Fabric store or a Hobby Lobby nearby they will run occasional 99 cents each or 5 for $5 dollar sales on patterns which will make it cheaper to collect a few to work with. Sales at fabric stores will help cut costs as does shopping on line. Some people specialize in re-purposing Goodwill store finds and make some really amazing "new" stuff.
How long it takes you to learn to sew well depends on you and if you take a few classes. Local sewing store usually have classes for basic sewing or for a project of the month that would be worth the cost for you to get some start up help. When I've taught sewing I found the people who did the best were a little more driven to be precise. If you are prone to "good enough" thinking and cutting corners then your sewing may never be better than very home made looking.
These responses have been most helpful! Thank you! I've watched sewing and knitting shows on PBS and have sought out Youtube tutorials as well but I know that real in-person lessons are how I want to learn. I have an older sewing machine that was handed down to me (it's an Allyn International Necchi-Alco model A-709-4). I have read the instruction manual and played around with it and I know this sounds weird but it was thrilling to watch the line of stitches form!
A great point was brought up in this thread - about alterations! I am 5'2'' so it is not uncommon for me to take a garment to be altered. If I became proficient at sewing I could alter my own clothes and save money that way.
I don't even know the difference between crocheting and knitting.. that's how much of a beginner I am! Can crochet be used for garment making?
I tend to be both impatient and a perfectionist. It sounds like the impatience will hurt me and the perfectionism might help me in my quest to learn how to make my own clothes. I will say though - every time I have hand sewn something simple (like putting a button back on a shirt, or stitching up a tear my dog made in a bed skirt) I have gone into a zone of relaxation - impatience never entered the picture. I just found it totally enjoyable. So I hope that's a good sign that I could be cut out for sewing and knitting.
yes you can crochet shawls scarfs vests cardigans sweaters complete dresses crochet uses just one hook and knitting uses two there is also tunisian crochet , I did learn knitting also but never continued with it. My MIL used to knit socks. She could knit without looking at the work faultless. Crochet if you make a fault is ways of getting around it but knitting you unravel and redo at least that is how I learned. Perfect work takes time to learn. Flat sewing like placemats etc is good for practise. Keep your sewing machine oiled is special oil used for sewing machine is a very pure thin oil. A bottle lasts years the manual says how. Keep your sewing machine well serviced by going to a company that does this. Perfectionism takes years. My seamstress I took the fabric and a design I draw and she could make it to fit perfect I never had to go have in-between fittings was good in one go.
Seamstresses like that do not exist anymore. Threadsmagazine.com somewhere has the Shellstitch is nice for handsewn hems is one of the ones I use frequently watch the even spacing etc steady work.
Beadwork can be used to embellish , you need readingglasses to augment if you want to see the very fine beading 11/0 & 13/0 and to work faultless collars or a rim give a blouse a posh look or replace spaghetti straps with beaded straps.
I am making a handsewn dress for my teen daughter with beaded straps it is handsewn silk , shellstitch for the hem.
Vogue has some very nice accessoires patterns. If you look at a site like Neiman Marcus some of the evening bags are reasonable models to remake when you can sew. Lots of free patterns online and I think is the Butterick if you become a member you get free purse bag patterns downloads I made the retro bag from there in a Klimt gold fabric. I also do handquilting. So machine quilting is something you can do with sewing machine. See Youtube MissouriQuiltCom for vids.
Quilting cotton is good for making bags purses lots of designs available. see www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/and see Robert Kaufman Fabrics: Quality Wholesale Fabrics for Quilting, Fashion & Manufacturing Since 1942 they have free bag patterns
learning the bias cut is also nice gives clothes a nicer drape , takes up more fabric to cut and costs more in fabric see Madeleine Vionnet for bias cut
google images "Madeleine Vionnet" you get lots of pictures of bias cut dresses
These responses have been most helpful! Thank you! I've watched sewing and knitting shows on PBS and have sought out Youtube tutorials as well but I know that real in-person lessons are how I want to learn. I have an older sewing machine that was handed down to me (it's an Allyn International Necchi-Alco model A-709-4). I have read the instruction manual and played around with it and I know this sounds weird but it was thrilling to watch the line of stitches form!
A great point was brought up in this thread - about alterations! I am 5'2'' so it is not uncommon for me to take a garment to be altered. If I became proficient at sewing I could alter my own clothes and save money that way.
I don't even know the difference between crocheting and knitting.. that's how much of a beginner I am! Can crochet be used for garment making?
I tend to be both impatient and a perfectionist. It sounds like the impatience will hurt me and the perfectionism might help me in my quest to learn how to make my own clothes. I will say though - every time I have hand sewn something simple (like putting a button back on a shirt, or stitching up a tear my dog made in a bed skirt) I have gone into a zone of relaxation - impatience never entered the picture. I just found it totally enjoyable. So I hope that's a good sign that I could be cut out for sewing and knitting.
Welcome to the sewing addiction. I don't see the stitches anymore unless I am watching my embroidery machine forming them but I have a good idea about what you mean. The old Nechi machines were often sold as industrial machines and are tough. I have an elderly friend who still sews with hers and I am sure it is at least 30 and probably closer to 40 years old!
Being able to make things in your size for your height is a big deal. It will save you money once you get good at it. Knowing what you can alter at home will come from having sewn similar clothes. After a while you can tell what you can fix easily and what you can't and buy things accordingly.
No matter what you sew, once you pass the beginner stages, it can make hours fly by and be very relaxing. The occasional badly done pattern can be irritating but on the whole the feeling of holding up a finished garment, accessory or quilt is one that can't be described beyond joy, contentment and a deep feeling of accomplishment. It's also fun to hear the amazed "You made that?" when people discover I've sewn whatever they are admiring or complimenting.
You can crochet sweaters, vests, scarves, mittens and basic bags (pocket books) but I think one of the best things you can do is make afghans. I've made quite a few over time as I watch some TV in the evening and love knowing a few loved ones are warmer this winter from my work. I have a friend who spends nearly half of every year in an RV with her husband who travels to different job sites. She takes along several different crochet hooks and wherever she stops she finds yarn and makes old fashioned dishrags and tons of pretty snowflakes to give away every year at Christmas time. It's all she has room for in small quarters (the rest of the year she quilts in a big studio in her home). Buying a few different sized crochet hook is not very expensive and yarn goes on sale all the time for you to practice with. Eventually you can buy more expensive yarns from yarn shops to make long lasting heirlooms. There are usually several good books to learn from at the library. Crocheting seems more solitary, though. You'll find there are more knitting books than crocheting and probably more knitting classes through stores and local community colleges.
I love to knit and sew. Yesterday I tried nuno felting and it was really fun, and the result was beautiful. I hope to learn to spin soon, and will definitely knit something from the yarn I spin. I knit a sweater for a friend's dog awhile back and it was a fun project.
I used to sew a lot when my children were small, and it was fun and economical. The reason why I do not sew clothing anymore, although I do makes drapes sometimes, is that fabric is so expensive now that I cannot make a garment cheaper than I can buy it, and there is also an added worry that I won't like it when it's done. I got my first new sewing machine this year for Christmas, I've only ever had hand me downs before, and bought fabric to make 6 placemats which came to about $50. This is ridiculous.
One piece of advice I can give you about sewing or knitting is, if you make a mistake, stop and correct it before you put the work down. So many unfinished projects happen because you know you should rip out a seam or unravel a few rows, and you dread it, so you never get back to it. Trust me, one little wrong stitch in a knitted or crocheted item will scream at you forever.
These responses have been most helpful! Thank you! I've watched sewing and knitting shows on PBS and have sought out Youtube tutorials as well but I know that real in-person lessons are how I want to learn. I have an older sewing machine that was handed down to me (it's an Allyn International Necchi-Alco model A-709-4). I have read the instruction manual and played around with it and I know this sounds weird but it was thrilling to watch the line of stitches form!
A great point was brought up in this thread - about alterations! I am 5'2'' so it is not uncommon for me to take a garment to be altered. If I became proficient at sewing I could alter my own clothes and save money that way.
I don't even know the difference between crocheting and knitting.. that's how much of a beginner I am! Can crochet be used for garment making?
I tend to be both impatient and a perfectionist. It sounds like the impatience will hurt me and the perfectionism might help me in my quest to learn how to make my own clothes. I will say though - every time I have hand sewn something simple (like putting a button back on a shirt, or stitching up a tear my dog made in a bed skirt) I have gone into a zone of relaxation - impatience never entered the picture. I just found it totally enjoyable. So I hope that's a good sign that I could be cut out for sewing and knitting.
Hi my name is jessica and I wanted to know if I can somehow get a copy of your manual? I have just gotten a the same model but cannot seem to find the manual anywhere!!!! Please let me know my email is [email]araizaja21@gmail.com[/email] Thank you so much!!!
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