I gifted myself a sewing machine last week and I wanted to test myself. I found the first picture on Pinterest but couldn't find a pattern, so I said... Why not? And followed my heart 😂 It's far from the reference, but I find it very cute!

Also first time sewing a zipper with the machine.

The inside also has a linen and I tried for the first time as well the zig zag option for the endings. Sorry for the vague vocabulary, not sure of the terms in English😅 but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Anyway, just wanted to share!

Looking forward to work on more cute things😊

my new favorite pattern! my first time making it took probably around 3-4 hours, but i’m so happy with how it turned out 💜💜

I'm gonna cry 😭😭😭

Photos showing my progress of tote bag making! Labeled one photo with which bag was made first

I recently started sewing using my husband's old gear. Since everything had been sitting untouched for a long time, he kindly offered to refresh some of the supplies for me when I got started a few weeks ago, including replacing the old, rusted blade on the rotary cutter with a fresh one.

Well, turns out neither of us realized it, but he put the new blade on incorrectly.

For a couple weeks, I have been absolutely suffering trying to cut fabric. It would technically spin if I messed with it by hand, so I assumed it was working fine and that I was just terrible at cutting fabric. The blade would only drag in one direction, the fabric kept bunching up and shifting, and every straight line was a total workout. Because I am totally new to this, I just figured I had terrible technique and zero arm strength!

I finally mentioned the struggle to him, and he investigated it more. I was literally just pushing a completely stagnant, still blade against the fabric most of the time!

He fixed the hardware, and the difference on my next tote bag was mind blowing!! I had no idea how seamless and easy it was actually supposed to be, not even two inches into my first cut, it felt like absolute butter.

Feel free to laugh, my arms had a good workout, and now I can see such a difference in the 3rd bag!

Wanted to share this here as well. The patch work took about 17 hours, and putting the skirt together was the rest of it. It was definitely a time intensive project, but the patching/gathering is a very forgive process in regard to messing up sems.

If you zoom in you can probably see some mistakes! But from a distance it looks pretty clean!

I would definitely recommend this if you want to learn how to gather, you could even do just two tiers for a little less work.

Just wanted to share my first finished project. I bought my Singer sewing machine 6 months ago and had some breaks in between due to being frustrated at not getting a lot of basics.

I pushed through and finished my first singlet today including neckline and armhole binding. Bit wobbly still but wearable for the summer! 😇

I just read a helpful response by an experienced sewist to a poster having trouble backstitching, which included the sage advice that backstitching is not needed when the seam will be covered by an intersecting seam. I'm primarily a quilter and most of us don't backstitch for just that reason. But the response got me thinking: I don't think I have a single piece of clothing where the ends of the seams are not either folded into a hem or crossed with an intersecting seam. I dislike backstitching because it is almost impossible to reverse direction and get the stitches to run over the existing ones perfectly and that means the pressed seam will have a little jog. And I'm so slow on the uptake that I remind myself the jog isn't a big deal because it will end up tucked into the waistband or covered by facing or sewed into a hem. My brain never asked the follow up question-- so why am I backstitching at all? When I learned to sew (from a ranking officer in the sewing police) we were taught that failing to backstitch would cause the piece of clothing to fall apart immediately. The only thing I can think of is that when you press seams open (quilters mostly press to the side and nest the seams) you don't want the ends to open up as you are sewing the intersecting seam. But that seems pretty manageable. I must be missing something.

Hi everyone, I'm very very new to sewing (or will be once my machine arrives) and I wanted to make this post in hopes you have some tips/recommendations/advices for me! I've never used a sewing machine, so my hope is to start with smaller items and then once comfortable maybe try some clothing, but mainly I'm interested in tote bags, cosmetics bags, aprons etc as I think that is going to be the easiest to learn on. Do you have any pattern website that you would recommed? any advice on patterns? Any creator/videos you'd recommend I follow? I know nothing, so please assume I'm a dummy 🫣

Thank you!

A friends daughter is interested in sewing. I found a "Pfaff" Hobby 303 on FB Marketplace for $25 US. It has everything but the original manual. I put quotes around the name Pfaff because these machines were made by Dorina a partnership between Pfaff & Janome. Pfaff supplied the cases and Janome the internals.

Bag 1 is a Dishmat tote bag from She Sews Seams. The dish mats are from Grocery Outlet. The lining fabric is from Dollar tree, the webbing is from Wawak and the pocket fabric is fat quarter I found on clearance.

Bag 2 is the PB&J pouch from Sleepy House Studio which also has a tutorial from She Sews Seams. The fabric is a denim from an old pair of jeans and a quilting cotton I found at a fabric outlet.

How did an entry level machine from between the mid 1980's-1990's do?
A machine with a plastic hook gear, that was made after the golden age of sewing machines.

Just fine.

Once I replaced the dried playdough in the hook assembly for grease and put oil on the moving parts and felt pads it ran like a champ. I've sewn with Gutterman Mara 100 (tex 30) and Mara 70 (Tex 45) using 12.14 & 16 needles. If the manual is to be believed this machine can use an 120/19 needle which is kind of crazy.

The only issues I had were self inflicted. I should have been using a denim needle from the beginning with the PB& J pouch. My top stitching went squiffy because of having the wrong needle. I also should have used a 3mm stitch length on the exterior seams because of the bulk.I tried an inexpensive Singer walking foot and that made things easier though I think the fresh size 16 denim needle did just as much. Otherwise the projects sewed just fine. The machine has a lot of life left in it.

I don't understand how I'm meant to attach these pieces :')

Hello first time buying used sewing machine. Just picked up from offerup with lady saying she never used it. I did not check needle drop, my fault. I have it on setting 1 straight but its going left and right. It jams. I had a cheaper machine and it did not do this. Fixable? Lady ghosted me. Please help

I love whatever I did with the cute bag.

Hi everyone! I'm a beginner learning to sew and looking for someone around the same level to learn with
I noticed I haven't made any progress, but a study buddy often helps me move forward and actually get things done

I'd love to share progress, work on projects together, exchange tips, and motivate each other along the way. I'd love to start with the simplest shopper and makeup bag.

I'm just starting out. I'd happy to connect! 🥺

ive never used a sewing machine before and got this old one from my grandmother. its missing one of the thread guides soo can i still use it?

My husband had an old uniform that my son wants to use for Halloween but I’m not totally sure where to start here. The shirt has pockets and buttons so I think I’ll have to fully cut it all apart and take it in in the back etc?

Anyone have tips or suggestions? I’m fairly noob

Making our daughters' trick-or-treat bags this year! One down, one to go. I'm so happy with how this turned out that I had to share before they were both done.

I know the white thread stands out, but I'm so new to this I'd prefer to see what I'm doing over it blending in...the toddlers won't mind

I got a pattern for shorts and Idk how to make them actually fit

Im a us 4 in the waist and 2 in hips so idk what size to cut the pattern out off or if their is a way I can go off the lines to get a happy medium somewhere but idk never sewn garments before

Was testing out scallop stitching and noticed the stitches break the fabric thread causing it to look like it split (see the white lines on the fabric).

I did a quick search and saw maybe stabiliser paper may help. I’ll buy it if that ends up being the problem - I did try normal paper but it still had the same issue.

Any other ideas? What type of stabiliser paper would be the best - seems like there’s a few different types.

btw havent touched this machine in maybe 10 years

it barely moves even when fully pressing on the foot pedal - ive tried to oil and clean the inside but it hasnt fixed it...

any tips?

I’ve tried adjusting stitch length, tension, foot pressure, I can’t get anything to fix it. I’m gonna go get some new needles to try that out but if anyone has advice I’d gladly take it. It sews fine on regular cotton fabrics

I have 2 meters of this fabric that I would like to make into a shirt. I dont really know what it is. It has 10% stretch in one direction, and 50% stretch in the other. It stretches easily, so im worried about it stretching out over time.

Do I use a woven pattern with a different woven fabric for a facing, or a stretch pattern with a band for the neckline? Or fold the band or bias tape to the inside and topstitch?

Hi!! I’m brand new here (and haven’t sewed a day in my life yet) and I hope this kind of question is okay. I’m very excited but somewhat skeptical about this find. It intrigued me because it’s right in town and I like its vintage look, and when I looked it up I learned that it’s a highly-regarded and widely-beloved model.

I guess I’m wondering if it’s too good to be true. For how good it supposedly is, I’m surprised it didn’t sell at $250 and wasn’t immediately taken at $125. Perhaps the condition? It’s vintage so I don’t mind it looking worn as long as it’s still functional. I’m wondering if there are any red or even yellow flags I’m missing here as someone who knows literally nothing about these things? The description just says “Runs and has working pedal.”

Thanks so much in advance!!