Thinking about taking up sowing

[TexasNative]

Is it difficult to learn? I would like to be able to hem pants, and even take in dress shirts so they are not so baggy around my waist.

[amyschiff]

Hemming is not difficult to learn, but I believe other alterations are a little more challenging. The nice thing about sewing though is that if you stitch something incorrectly, you can always just rip the stitches out and try again.

[hermione]

Sewing isn't very hard to learn, and like Amy said, you can rip out stitches when you make a mistake. Invest in a good seam ripper - the blue ones that come in the Walmart Mainstay brand $0.88 pack aren't very good. Get a Singer or Brother one. I speak from experience - my sister and I have a sewing business and I am the official seam picker.

As for learning to sew for frugality, I highly recommend it. My sister and I hardly ever buy clothes anymore because we can make our own for so little. We've designed and made our own tops, skirts, nighties, PJs, as well as curtains, pillow cases, herb/cedar sachets for repelling insects, etc.

Here is a post we wrote on our blog about sewing your own clothes - we've made tops and skirts for about $1 each.

Sewing: A Frugal and Fulfilling Hobby – Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes

Here is a pic from the post - I made the top, my sister the skirt. Both for under $1 apiece, as you can see how little fabric it requires.

[SherryTX]

Originally Posted by hermione

Sewing isn't very hard to learn, and like Amy said, you can rip out stitches when you make a mistake. Invest in a good seam ripper - the blue ones that come in the Walmart Mainstay brand $0.88 pack aren't very good. Get a Singer or Brother one. I speak from experience - my sister and I have a sewing business and I am the official seam picker.

As for learning to sew for frugality, I highly recommend it. My sister and I hardly ever buy clothes anymore because we can make our own for so little. We've designed and made our own tops, skirts, nighties, PJs, as well as curtains, pillow cases, herb/cedar sachets for repelling insects, etc.

Here is a post we wrote on our blog about sewing your own clothes - we've made tops and skirts for about $1 each.

Sewing: A Frugal and Fulfilling Hobby – Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes

Here is a pic from the post - I made the top, my sister the skirt. Both for under $1 apiece, as you can see how little fabric it requires.

Very nice! I have a machine and learned to sew when I was younger - but haven't sewn for years! My 14 year old daughter has learned some in school and enjoys it.
I wanted to be able to make some clothes for my daughters, as well as be able to make some for myself and alter clothes that I can buy on the cheap and just make fit better. However, I have been discouraged because fabric seems so much more expensive than I expected!

The more I think about it, the more I am wondering if I need to take a cheap class at the local rec center to get back into the swing of sewing, and just tackle a few small projects here and there.
And suggestions for sewing on the cheap?

[kenyantykoon]

i wouldnot sow to save my life. the last time i tried, i nearly punctured a lung. it is not for the faint of heart

[hermione]

Originally Posted by SherryTX

Very nice! .... However, I have been discouraged because fabric seems so much more expensive than I expected! .... And suggestions for sewing on the cheap?

Thanks, Sherry. We wrote a post not long after the one mentioned above on where we by our fabrics.

Our Favorite Sources for Afforadable Fabrics

It was written about 1 1/2 years ago and prices may have changed a little, but those are the vendors we still use, and I've just updated the post with Free Shipping details on the online vendors.

My sister has a tip on sewing on the cheap:

Old dresses and skirts can be cut down and sewn into pillow cases, patchwork blankets, pet clothing & bedding, bags, etc.

[starshard0]

I'm thinking of taking up sowing as well, having my own farm would be great! Also my wife is interested in taking up sewing to repair clothes or make new clothes, which I think is awesome.

[trustno1]

Hey, I am guy that's not too embarassed to admit I "sew"...well, sort of, lol.

About 5 yrs ago I purchased one of those "as seen on TV" gadgets. It is a mini-sewing machine that is about the size of a desk stapler and looks similar to one. Battery operated or can use an AC adapter.

I made all of the curtains in my house, covers for pillows and chair seats, repaired various covered items and clothing. It is an awesome addition to my "toolbox". It will handle most of the projects I get into.

I have considered buying a regular sewing machine (actually, I have one antique singer that disappears into the table), but it just looks like one of those "setting up a VCR" nightmares to me, which I have learned, is best avoided by people like me...lol.