Good first sewing project?

[Ramblinrev]

Your question spans two different skill sets. "Gear making" and "sewing". Sewing can prepare you for gear making but gear making is not the best preparation for sewing. Decided where you ultimately want to be. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a gear maker. But to make clothing, especially jackets and pants you are going to have an even steeper learning curve. If you want to learn the finer points of "sewing" then sign up for a set of classes from a community college or from a fabric store. That is my best advice for that area. If you are content to be a gear maker, then read the multitude of posts in the DIY section and practice, practice , practice. Stuff sacks, bean bags, gathered end hammocks are all easy to learn on. Quilts are by far a more advanced project approaching the threshold between gear making and sewing.

[Oper8or]

Start with stuff sacks then a gathered end hammock or a gear hammock. Your pillow idea isn't a bad one either I don't think.

This is what I started with. Then I made snake skins and a bishop bag. At that point I was brave enough to make a couple of hammocks. The big mistake I made as not rolling the seams on a couple of my bags. Always roll the seams or youll have a fuzzy nightmare.