Sewing, How did you learn to do it?

[gmcttr]

The place to start and refer back to as needed, is the sewing machine's user's manual. Read it, follow it, refer back to it and you will be well on your way.

[ufdigga]

The place to start and refer back to as needed, is the sewing machine's user's manual. Read it, follow it, refer back to it and you will be well on your way.

Interestingly, I didn't find the sewing machine manual to be much help. It told me how to operate the machine, but gave no guidance beyond. There was no "a bobbin is..." or "use a straight stitch when...". It seemed geared toward people who already knew the basics of sewing.

But no worries... there are tons of resources out there. Your search can pretty much start and end on Youtube.

[Ramblinrev]

5 years old at my mom's Singer turning the fly wheel by hand. She wouldn't let me use the motor until I was much older. I made about a bazillion bean bags.
Sixty years later I am now allowed to run my own machine with the motor.

[gmcttr]

Interestingly, I didn't find the sewing machine manual to be much help. It told me how to operate the machine, but gave no guidance beyond.....

Many of the problems and frustrations people have with sewing goes back to the machine not being set up correctly, improper thread tension, not meticulously cleaning the bobbin area, etc.

Following the manual and getting these basic things right from the start will put a new sewer a step ahead of those that jump in and don't follow instructions.

[Snowball]

Back in elementary school it was mandatory for one year. We had to take what they called a “sewing driving license”. We started with threading the machines and then moved on to sewing paper after lines moving on to oven mitts …… I can’t remember the last projects its some 40 years ago. I actually made my first hammock back then but it was not a success, made in canvas. Back then I used my mom’s Bernina. It had to be serviced after that project Result, restricted access for a while. Have been sewing a few times a year since but approx 5-6 years ago I started to sew kites and then I moved on to hammocks by coincident. Looking back I should have started with hammocks because kites require more precision in sewing and cutting the fabric otherwise they won’t fly or they spin like h….
Because a hammock is big doesn’t make it harder but take your time. Look at how you feed the fabric and not the needle. The needle does not change position it just moves up and down but you decide and control the fabric. Never pull or push the fabric but guide it.
Check out YouTube. There are tons of sewing videos and you don’t have to look for hammock videos its more or less the same technique whatever you are making.

One advise. Don’t start out with the very thin nylon materials. It’s harder to control and may require some machine trimming skills but after a few hours you are on the way. IMO tread tension is the hardest part to learn but there are lots of sources to learn from.

[SilvrSurfr]

I just jumped right in. It felt pretty weird at first because I felt like I'd done it before. My mother-in-law asked, "Are you sure you haven't sewn? And I said, "nope."

Then I remembered that I was an apprentice to a seamstress for two years. I hated that job. Must have blocked it out of my memory!

[Koolranch]

My mom, then she gave up teaching me because the material was too thin and slippery. So then I learned on my own. However I credit her.

[Rob_3D]

I just jumped right in. It felt pretty weird at first because I felt like I'd done it before. My mother-in-law asked, "Are you sure you haven't sewn? And I said, "nope."

Then I remembered that I was an apprentice to a seamstress for two years. I hated that job. Must have blocked it out of my memory!

Haha wow, you must have hated that job with a passion.

[twandawg85]

Well first I had to Frankenstein two broken machines together(totally different manufacturers). Then I broke a few needles, made a few giant knots with thread (who knew string that small could make a knot that big), and ruined some fabric. Then somewhere along the line everything clicked and things started going really well.

[gunner76]

Took a class at the local Community College ( was only male in class ) then practiceed by making lots of stuff sacks and pillows.