Sewing: Pad Patter 8.8.15

[jenevang]

AHH!! I took the plunge!

I had a sewing machine about 10 years ago and used it to make 2 blankets (hello straight stitch) after someone else threaded the stupid machine. Then it was lost in a move. I never really felt the loss

Well, my 10 year old daughter wants to learn to sew so I thought it would be a great summer activity and bought a random machine when it was Deal of the Day on Amazon in June. (Insert Mother of the Year title here).

Meanwhile, she has been bugging me about learning and sadly, her mother could not even begin to show her. I honestly couldn't thread the thing. Even after YouTube. (Remove Mother of the Year title)

Enter JoAnn's Fabric store. I called them.

And they had created a class for 3 other little girls (same age) who wanted to take a class before school starts next week. So, off we went! Yes, on the last day of summer. Literally. I fulfilled my promise and we learned how to sew. (Reinstated Mother of the Year title).

Well, technically, we learned how to thread our new machine and sew a straight line. I'm still counting it as a victory.

And, we spent $100 on supplies after the class (really, I had NOTHING, not even bobbins, LOL). So, on the Saturday before Back to School, my sweet DD is sewing herself a little bag. I'm so proud!

Whew... that was long. So here's the patter part.

Do you sew? (I know some of you do) For how long?

I need advice on beginner projects for my daughter? And for her mom?

Any good websites for beginners?

I would love to see what you create! I'm sort of impressed with anyone who can keep the stupid needle threaded correctly.

P.S. I am working toward using it with my mixed media/digi products. BONUS points if you do that and can show me...

 

[tkradtke]

I own a machine that I don't know how to thread :-/ I also haven't tried too hard to figure it though. I love the thought of sewing, but I've never taken the time to really learn.

That said, my daughter has taken TONS of sewing classes at JoAnn's. We loved them! She even had a sewing birthday party there and it turned out great! Pillowcases seem to be a popular beginning project for kids. Clara made tons of them. They're simple enough we could have made them at home, but since I'm sewing impaired, I kept signing her up for the class. The fun part is picking out the fabric combos, she ended up with cases for different holidays. PJ bottoms and a simple jumper were other beginning kids projects there. I have the patterns at home if you want the numbers (it'll be a couple weeks before we're back though) so you can try without the class.

Another thing about the classes at JoAnn's, I forget now exactly when it is, but once a month they have a half off sale on all of their classes. It doesn't help with the supplies (which do add up), but at least your class fee will be less.

 

[jenevang]

I own a machine that I don't know how to thread :-/ I also haven't tried too hard to figure it though. I love the thought of sewing, but I've never taken the time to really learn.

That said, my daughter has taken TONS of sewing classes at JoAnn's. We loved them! She even had a sewing birthday party there and it turned out great! Pillowcases seem to be a popular beginning project for kids. Clara made tons of them. They're simple enough we could have made them at home, but since I'm sewing impaired, I kept signing her up for the class. The fun part is picking out the fabric combos, she ended up with cases for different holidays. PJ bottoms and a simple jumper were other beginning kids projects there. I have the patterns at home if you want the numbers (it'll be a couple weeks before we're back though) so you can try without the class.

Another thing about the classes at JoAnn's, I forget now exactly when it is, but once a month they have a half off sale on all of their classes. It doesn't help with the supplies (which do add up), but at least your class fee will be less.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who was Threading Impaired!

And TODAY is the 1/2 price sale on classes there. I should try to sign her up for the pillowcase class. Or maybe I'll take it, LOL.

 

[jenevang]

Oh, no... the Open House with 1/2 price classes is from 1-3pm... my lunch starts at 1pm. Shucks. Once again, real life gets in the way of my obsessions

 

[tkradtke]

Look at their coupons... they sometimes have them for 50% off classes.

 

[ashleywb]

Love that your doing this with your daughter, Jen. My 11 yr old wants to learn as well and these are the times when I wish I lived nearer to my mom. My mom is a very accomplished and would love to show her. and me.. well, I have aspirations, but that's about it. I have a machine and I have done simple projects like curtains, pillows, etc. I ventured out two years ago and did my youngest's halloween costume using a step by step tutorial on-line.

Truth is I would LOVE to sew more - but where will I find the time??? and it is a bit like paper scrapping in terms of dragging all your supplies out and making a big mess as I have no dedicated space. I know, excuses, excuses!

 

[scrapsandsass]

I love the idea of sewing. And I know how to thread the machine It is the patience part that kills me every time. If I didn't have to cut out the pattern, pin it down, cut the fabric, and pin everything together, I'd be fine just sewing. LOL.

I did make a birthday banner that was literally last minute, but a breeze. I used my Cameo and cut out the pieces, and then ran them through the sewing machine. It was fast and fun.

My daughter just took a little sewing class last fall. It was a one day deal where they made a tote bag and sort of quasi-embroidered their initials on it. It was cute and easy.

I took Home Ec in junior high and made an entire outfit for the mother/daughter tea & fashion show (that my mom-of-the-year didn't attend). It was an a-line skirt that had buttons all down the front, and a little button up crop top. I was quite proud of myself and only wish I had a picture of it.

I have a ton of patterns I just bought for doll clothes. I want to start making them. I think (hope) that maybe, since they are small, it will not test my patience as much? I dunno.

But here is my sewing "project"

 

[jenevang]

Love that background! And your colors. Super!

I have a ton of patterns I just bought for doll clothes. I want to start making them. I think (hope) that maybe, since they are small, it will not test my patience as much? I dunno.

This is what my DD really wants to sew. Clothes for her American Girl doll. She has always love designing clothes (on paper) and would love to sew some. The problem is that she is not interested in patterns, LOL. Maybe if I learn to use them, she'll see the end result may be better than just winging it. The good news about this is that we won't waste TOO much fabric for doll clothes

 

[tkradtke]

This is what my DD really wants to sew. Clothes for her American Girl doll. She has always love designing clothes (on paper) and would love to sew some. The problem is that she is not interested in patterns, LOL. Maybe if I learn to use them, she'll see the end result may be better than just winging it. The good news about this is that we won't waste TOO much fabric for doll clothes

If you decide to use patterns, let me know. Clara and I bought a few American Girl Doll patterns that we never used, and now that she's 13 and the dolls are packed away, I'm pretty sure we're not going to use them. I'll mail them to you!

Oh... and fleece is good to use for "experimental" doll clothes projects since you don't need to hem the edges. In the jumper class at JoAnn's it was just Clara and her friend. Since they had extra time, the instructor showed them how to make easy matching jumpers for their dolls. Very little sewing since it was fleece.

Found the photo on fb, here are the girls with their matching jumpers after their JoAnn's class...

 

[jenevang]

OH, those are so cute! And if you seriously will never use them, I'd love them! I'll totally pay you for them. I want her to learn to use a pattern, hehe. And thanks for the info re: fleece. Good to know.

 

[tkradtke]

We're not home for another couple of weeks, but once I'm back, I'll round up the patterns. I'll gladly just give them to you as they were probably going to end up either buried in the craft closet forever or donated.

 

[Lindzee]

I think I learned to sew around the same time I learned to walk. Yeah it's been that long... In fact the very first purchase I ever made with my first job was a singer sewing machine at Sears on time payments.
Sadly I don't have time to sew much anymore, but graduated from doll clothes to kid clothes, prom dress, curtains, maid of honour dress for my sisters wedding, and yes my wedding dress.

Curtains for all the houses, comforters, pillows, so nice to have something hand made and unique.
I'll get back to it...

 

[dvhoward]

My mom taught me to sew when I was about your daughter's age. I sewed many of my own clothes in high school, and nearly all my children's clothes as they grew up. After some classes at Stretch and Sew (years ago) I even made some of my husbands clothes (pants and one suit jacket). I taught both my daughter's to sew when they were young and they have used their skills for clothes and crafts. They each own a sewing machine (gifts from my husband and myself). Sewing seems to be a dying art, but it might have a comeback. At a recent "Hipsters" Craft Fair in Seattle, the items that were hand-sewn (meaning on a machine) were EXPENSIVE!!!! I, of course, kept looking at each item thinking "I could make that and for a LOT LESS!" Recently I made a wardrobe for my granddaughter's favorite doll. You can check out my gallery for pages about it.

Great beginner projects are an apron and tote bag. Simple clothes work, too. There are bound to be "failed" projects but that's all part of the learning process. Be sure to wait for sales on patterns, notions and fabric; otherwise, sewing is an expensive craft. Always wash your fabrics first before sewing to preshrink fabrics. Those super simple, cheap patterns sometime have directions that take short cuts and don't have good results. Simplicity, McCall, and Butterick are great patterns with good instructions (wait for sales, though).

Sewing classes are fantastic and I've taken many in my time. "Home Ec" (it's called something else these days) in school is a great way to learn, too.

 

[klee73010]

I have sewing projects pinned on my pinterest board called "sewing. ...when I've learned how". I inherited a sewing machine from my MIL when she passed last year, but I've never even opened it I have many supplies already, and even the start of my daughter's baby blanket (I hand stitched one quilt square before giving up. Lol)

 

[Nemla]

For all of you who can't / are afraid to thread a machine: Sewing machines are logical , the thread can never cross itself. So be logical your self. Start from the back and make sure you pass the thread through all the loops and arm on your way down to the needle, don't miss any and always take the next in line so your thread does not cross.....
Good luck.

 

[cfile]

I have my Grandmother's Singer Sewing machine from the 1964 World's Fair and it is in a lovely Cabinet. My Mom had the same one, so I had my brother take that along with the cabinet for my sister in law, when Dad passed away in 2012... anyway I was never a big sewer, mainly a mender, BUT I did cross stitch 2 Christmas Stocking for my Husband & I and needed to have them finished off into a stocking. My Aunt "the sewer" was afraid to ruin them, so I decided ok I will do this. I bought the deep red velvet for the backing, some beige plain material for the inside and I did piping... Yes I said piping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The stockings came out beautiful! I was thrilled to death that my Jr. High School home economics class from 7th grade came back into my head for memories of those skills and I was able to complete them. Of course it has been years and the machine needs to be cleaned as it has not worked right since as fibers from the velvet got stuck in there. I haven't felt the need to sew since (that was 20 years or more ago) and thus haven't gotten the machine cleaned! LOL.. hmmm maybe I need to put that on the "to-do" list!

 

[KimJ]

My mom used to sew all the time. She made a lot of clothes for my brother and me, and tons for my dolls. I learned from her when I was in elementary school, and made myself several outfits over the years. I also made letter-shaped pillows to spell my name and my best friend's name. (KIM was easy, JENNIFER seemed to take forever. ) We even still have mine - Kaylee has the K, Matthew has the M, and the I is floating around here somewhere. LOL

I don't have a fancy machine. It's one from the 60's that belonged to my grandmother, and it's only very basic. The tension adjustment doesn't work very well, so it tends to knot up pretty easily. And the knob you're supposed to disengage when you wind the bobbin is jammed, so the needle just goes up and down maniacally while the bobbin spins. LOL It works well enough for what I use it for though - mostly mending, and anything you see in my shop that has real stitching in it. I have also managed some curtains with it, and I made myself one dress, and a costume vest for DH.

The kids had to do a little sewing in school and found it pretty frustrating, so they haven't shown any interest in doing more at home. Knowing my machine, it probably wouldn't improve their opinion of sewing anyway. LOL

I get the aversion to patterns, since when you're doing it as a creative thing, that seems to go against the spirit of it. (I was the same way when I first learned to cross-stitch.) But I've never tried to sew anything beyond a basic rectangle without a pattern, and I can't imagine that anything more complicated would turn out well for me.

 

[KarenW]

I hated sewing at school - with a passion. I hit university and our touch football team wanted some unusual shorts to wear, we invested in a $20 ancient but solid sewing machine and I made 20 pairs of shorts (all different sizes as well). They were pretty basic , very popular - all were worn til they were thread bare.

I have a love/hate relationship with sewing. i sometimes get enthused about a project, have made a couple of quilts but I hate mending stuff, bores me to tears.

I also made my own wedding dress, economics more than passion but I liked the way it turned out. Since then, I have mainly used my machine for sewing bits on my paper crafts ...

 

[Karen]

Jen... you crack me up.

By your definition, I guess I know how to sew because I have a machine and I know how to thread it. I used to be much better and could even do zippers and button holes. But mostly I don't love to sew, so I avoid it whenever possible. I used to try to do quilts, but I'd get annoyed when they weren't perfect, but mostly because I wouldn't take me time.

My Mom taught my sister and I how to sew very early on and I can remember making aprons for our crayons. We had individual pockets for each crayon and were SO proud on them. Lol.