She sewed my new blue jeans…

I have started to teach 6 co-workers, who range in age from 26-40, how to sew. We meet each Friday afternoon and spend a few hours sharing lunch, chatting, and discussing all things sewing.  Three are novice seamstresses and the others rank somewhere along the beginner spectrum.  I’ve been sewing for as long as I can remember so I had to really think back to what my grandmother and mother taught me, and combine that with what I learned during my fashion design training to create my own ‘learn to sew’ series.  In other words, always begin with the baby steps.

The first baby step will be to assemble a basic sewing kit, which will come in handy whether one ends up sewing or not.  I’ve suggest visiting JoAnn or Walmart or surfing Amazon to purchase the following:

• Sewing shears (dedicated to fabric, ribbon and thread ONLY)
• Embroidery scissors (for fine fabrics and threads, embroidery, etc.)
• Pins (Ball head pins are easy to hold, as well as find on the floor without using your foot!)
• Tape measure
• 24″ Ruler with markings
• Classic pin cushion (you can’t go wrong with the classic tomato with berry standard)
• Seam ripper
• Thread (start with the basics – black, white, brown, red, blue, and beige/yellow)
• A container to hold it all (any old tin, box, or tupperware will do initially)

Over the summer my plan is to teach the group hand sewing stitches and techniques, sewing machine use and maintenance, fabric and pattern skills, and help the group with their first sewing projects (which include a pillow/comforter set for a doll, making a throw pillow cover with a zipper, a full skirt, and a table runner).

Are you a sewer?  What sorts of things do you like to make? Do you have any tips or wisdom I can pass along to my sewing circle? I’d love to know…

*House of the Rising Sun – The Animals