And then challenge yourself and make something that you never thought you would even attempt. I’m learning from my mistakes and have a better understanding of how my machine works because of those mistakes. You are not going to be super good at this your first time. On a sewing machine that has a built-in lock stitch feature, refer to your sewing machine manual. But here, I just changed the stitch width………see how different each row of zig-zags look? My mom gave me her 4H book, and I can’t help but laugh at some of the stuff they say is important, like making sure your nails are always clipped and rounded. (Don't put the fabric and start the sewing machine, which causes too much winding and the sewing machine jams). I also think that when you’re practicing your stitches, it helps to do what you did in the photos–thread your machine with a thread that contrasts with the fabric you’re practicing on. Thank you so much for this. I still have my ancient Singer machine with just the basics, but it does the job. Just thought it might be a helpful tip for others getting started as well. Thanks for being so encouraging! What a great tutorial, everyone has to start somewhere, I’ve been sewing since I was about 6 yrs old but can still learn a thing or two from your tutorials I get all excited when I see that you have a new blog post :). On a sewing machine that does not have a built-in lock stitch feature, you can achieve the same result by shortening the stitch length to as short as possible and sewing two to four stitches in that one spot. Loved reading this! I’ve been embarassed to tell the giver that I’ve been to scared to actually use it. Can you help me with the manual buttonhole feature, No 9, and the keyhole buttonhole, No.10 on the Bernina 150? Do you have any suggestions, everything else seems to be working fine? I gave her a sewing machine last summer. Your tutorials are fabulous, by the way!! Then pull the needle all the way through. I am a newbie to this thing called sewing. Anyway now that you have given me inspiration I think I will get that machine out and give it another shot. I’ve made several little projects, but I never get my fabric cut straight and then the seam allowance doesn’t quite work if the fabric is crooked to begin with!! I don’t think she’s ready for that yet. Plus, if you have to resew your fabric because the single thread was not strong enough, then you will be wasting the time and thread you avoided using if you had chosen a double thread method. Great info to know. I have a small machine a New Home it has nothing fancy on it and is just a plain simple machine. I’m really enjoying it, now that I’ve conquered getting thread on the bobbin and straight lines without bird nesting the bobbin. The stitch is too short. Backstitch is my absolute favorite stitch. Love you the way you present things in simple easy steps. Press the reverse button, which is the button that looks like a "U" with an arrow attached to it. I have no one to teach me and all the tutorials I have found online don’t seem very beginner to me. I am happy to say that although I started sewing a little more than a year ago, your blog and its slow, clear tutorials have helped me advance quite a lot. Looking at the back of the fabric after I stitch helps, too. I am going to go home and start practicing my sewing skills tonight. It was a whale stuffie for my 5 month old son and I could not get the tail right and I was almost in tears. Basket 0. Thanks and Happy New Sewing Year! I will be perusing your tutorials in just a minute ;D. What a great post! Keep up the great journalistic work! I know this is probably a silly question, but all the sewing tutorials on the web jump right into how you can use the decorative stitching without explaining this. I just got a machine for Christmas. What are your favorite scissors to use and how many different types do you have? My husband told me I could get a sewing machine if I wanted, but I’ve been too intimidated because every time I sit down at my mom’s machine to try something (not many) I get frustrated and give up. I talk a little bit more about the zig-zag stitch and how adjusting the stitch width and the stitch length will change the look of your zig-zag, here. My sewing machine will not pull the fabric thru, (the machine is used, was given to me by a friend), I have to pull the fabric. Now, continue sewing right over that row of stitches and continue on the path that you were wanting to sew. On a sewing machine that has a built-in lock stitch feature, refer to your sewing machine manual. Thanks!! One tip that helped me greatly was Not to watch the needle – keep my eyes on guiding the fabric – i was much straighter after that. Well, maybe you will be. LOL. My grandmother tried to get me into sewing when I was young, but I got so frustrated, I lost interest quickly. I’ve had my sewing machine for a little under a year now and have done a few projects, but it helps to think about practicing the basics. But why not just give it a try? How to Use Your Sewing Machine to Sew a Back Stitch. I bought my 4 (well almost 5 year old) a sewing machine for Christmas. I was so EXCITED to read this post because it is exactly what I am looking for! :-) Thanks, again, for making such an easy-to-follow tutorial! I received a fancy machine for Christmas, which seemed a bit much for my novice experience and first sewing machine. I had friends tell me that it might be the tension, but I am kinda afraid to mess with it! Oh I’ve been sewing for a while now, but hadn’t thought of just zigzagging the ends like that! Now I have a 1-year-old and I am loving making clothes for her. I will try to remember to email pictures when I complete my first project. The shop that I had service it & that I bought my other machine from will show me how to use it, I just haven’t had the time. And if someone tells you that everyone’s first project should be a pillowcase and you hate the idea of making a boring ‘ol pillow case, don’t make one. Thanks for the tutorial. Thank you Ashley for reminding us that our lines don’t have to be perfectly straight. - Change the stitch length to be longer. Thank you for taking the time to post it!! but this is great for getting re started. Thanks for tutorial!! I just sent this link to my 11 year old granddaughter. this really work n im taken sewing classes, Thank you! Not, “but, did you see my crooked lines or the bunchy bobbin threads on the back?!”. Or some new sewing supplies. So helpful. I don’t evern think we used thread! Thank you!! What a wonderful post! great tutorial!!! If you think something is too hard…break it down piece by piece…my first quilt project was a twin size quilt…started with just doing one block at a time and eventually I had 72. Grab two little scraps and line up two edges that you want to sew together. How to pick the right one? I hated my last machine because it was sooo hard to thread so hopefully this one is much simplier. I did get a sewing machine for Christmas, and I just now got back to my RSS feed after all the holiday clean-up. Make a case for your iPad or make a pillow for your couch. If something works for you, go for it. Wondering though, what are all the different feet for? I love your pep talk! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Being a perfectionist, the crooked lines and messed up edges drive me CRAZY, but reading this gave me a little hope. Look for the eye of the needle (the hole). i have a machine that i barely use because i’m not comfortable with it. How to pick the right one? This may take time but the vulnerability is there. This is called your “seam allowance”. In hand sewing, it is a utility … Thanks so much for this tutorial. I’m learning from my mistakes and have a better understanding of how my machine works because of those mistakes. excellent guide for newbies like me plus its so inspiring. Use some cheap fabric and just give it a go. There could be lint impacted under the stitch plate - Remove the two screws securing the needle plate and remove the lint with a brush or vacuum cleaner. Introducing the CP2410 computerized sewing and quilting machine, a machine to give the designer in you even more flexibility. To learn how to backstitch using a sewing machine, scroll down! Make a case for your iPad or make a pillow for your couch. EVERY tip helps too – so these were great!! My mother recently passed away and I inherited 3 of her sewing machines, but have been too intimidated to use any of them (lots more bells and whistles than the kenmore machine she taught me to sew on!). So, sew your little heart out and try a few things. I need help!! Well, this will knot your threads in place. So when a pattern tells me to use a 5/8″ seam allowance, I make sure my edges stay right along that line as I sew. Thank you (: I also want to thank you for this excellent post! Just got a sewing machine a couple days ago!! Turn it towards you until the needle goes down into your machine.) Huge news: our little peanut has arrived six weeks EARLY! Sewing does take practice but it also doesn’t take years and years of sewing to get good at it. Thanks for the motivation! Thanks!! I have practiced, but can’t figure out how to use the memory for two exact buttonholes and how to use the reverse button when making the buttonholes. Nope, none of that hoopla. Many thanks! What a great pep talk!!! Stitch one length away from the first stitch. If you want your backstitch to stand out, pick a contrasting color instead of a matching one. thank you so much! Pull the thread until the two sides are hanging either side of the eye of the needle, matching up in length. Then, if you open those two pieces up that you just sewed together, you will see a nice clean line where the two pieces of fabric were joined. To begin, put your needle down in to your fabric where you want to being your line of stitches. I got my first sewing machine for Christmas and a week after the big day I’m still to try it out. When I sewed that cloud looking shape, I only sewed 2-3 stitches and then readjusted my fabric and then sewed 2-3 more………all around those curves. I’ll be making wool diapers. :). I posted it on my blog https://cyndicated.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/a-sewing-machine-makes-all-the-difference/. I’ve seen lots of sewing ideas and want to learn. Thanks!! I just received a sewing machine for Christmas and it is still sitting on the counter in my craft room because I just didn’t know where to start. And then sew it along a curve, etc. And if you bought your machine from a dealer, take the classes they offer. It is done by sewing forward and backwards on top of the seam stitches to prevent the stitches from becoming loose. I just found your blog from She’s Crafty blog. Like, I noticed you have a table that your sewing machine drops into. My hubby just bought me my first sewing machine for our wedding anniversary (yes romantic I know :/) but I always sew by hand and things take me so long to make. I can’t wait to do some more projects on my new machine. This is perfect for what I was looking for! My husband bought me a sewing machine a few months ago and I have made a few things, but feel so frustrated with my final product because it’s not “perfect”. I had real trouble going round the bends!! I think the best way is to try and sew on top of some lines while still a beginner. :) Thanks! In embroidery, these stitches form lines and are most often used to outline shapes and to add fine detail to an embroidered picture. Well, maybe you will be. Many of you are very new to this crazy sewing thing so let me give you a really quick pep talk. Another tip is to take a piece of masking/blue painters tape and put it on the 5/8 seam allowance line of your machine to help sew a straight line. That way, you can see how your stitches change and exactly what’s going on. Now practice sewing zig-zags along your edge of fabric. But regardless, i just got a Brother CS-6000i for Christmas and this post has given me the courage to start using it! This is too perfect! We are always our worst critic…paying too much attention to the little “mistakes” instead of taking in the whole finished product and knowing that you did a good job. Since I get inquiries about learning to sew, I’ve posted a link to your blog. i just have to say i always love your projects and sewing advice. And as you sew, you may have to lift up your presser foot, readjust your fabric, and then continue on. Santa brought me a sewing machine for Xmas and I was a little overwhelmed at where to start! my daughter just got her 1st machine-what a perfect place to start!!! This is just what I’ve been looking for! And then feel happy with what you’ve done. Almost like the stitches made by the sewing machine. Well, maybe you will be. Thanks again! All the project tutorials I see seem to be for people much more advanced then me. My machine gets delivered tomorrow and I can’t wait to get started. I’m so new to my sewing machine that I didn’t even realize there was a back-stitch button! I needed that. What a nice post! Or you can go with a nice top stitching seam which is very strong. Brother walmart.com. The sewing machine must not be idling. Unless you are using the triple straight stitch which is made to stretch with your fabric. I figured I would start off with a small machine that was inexpensive to see how it goes. Okay, now every machine is different and has different bells and whistles. And then adjust the stitch length and the stitch width. And you’ll get better. Thank you!! Now, rev up that machine and sew your little heart out. I cannot stress that enough! thanks so much for this! I’m waiting for my new machine to come in the mail. It shows clearly and concisely with great pics how to get started. Could you (or have you) do one on needles? I’d be first in line to buy it! Thank you so much for this! Thanks for the tutorial. She didn’t do it and got all flustered and may never see again! So even if you have a really simple machine, take a look and see what it does have. You will notice your machine will start sewing backwards. But taking my time and finishing the other two helped me feel so accomplished! person... I’ll let you into a little secret. Okay, first real lesson: the Back-Stitch. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know this sounds a little too basic, but don’t forget to lower the presser foot. I’ve never touched a sewing machine in my life. This may have given me the courage to try ;)* great tutorial! Thanks! Question about bobbin and elastic- my bobbin starts acting weird every time I try to sew elastic. It is the closest to machine sewing that you can get by hand - which is great for hand finishing seams that are too tiny to do on a machine! Thanks for tutorial!! WIth curves, you can’t sew as fast……so ease up on that foot pedal. Thanks :). This is so helpful! Great pep talk! Wrap the end of the long side of the thread loosely around your index finger 1-3 times. I don’t really want to spend a ton, maybe $300? (Most often when sewing, you place 2 pieces together with the “right” sides of the fabric together. I wish I would’ve seen the patterns for sale yesterday to help Mr. Dylan! (Internet isn’t giving me much solid info, yet.). Now practice sewing zig-zags along your edge of fabric. That was 9 years ago, and it’s still on my son’s bed. I used photocopies out of a sewing book for kids, but you could draw designs on paper or even use a coloring book page. Thanks again… can’t wait to get started on that bad boy! My mom found me a $10 sewing machine at a tag sale (circa 1965 or something like that) but old Bessie is doing well…and I’m learning!! I’m going to bookmark this because I will probably need all your help!! But regardless, i just got a Brother CS-6000i for Christmas and this post has given me the courage to start using it! Thanks so much again! And there are many uses for the zig-zag stitch but one of the most common is zig-zagging a raw edge (so that it won’t unravel). Also a basics about thread? This technique is especially important for reinforcing the ends of seams. I’ve been researching a few but wanted to see which one you recommended. I’ll be checking your blog frequently for tutorials. It’s a cheap easy way to practice and if you mess up real bad, just recycle! hen using the sewing machine, be sure to place the fabric first. I have bought all 7 patterns though I am a complete beginner in sewing. Happy new year! (Or, you can tie both ends of your thread into a square knot with your hands…..but a back-stitch on your sewing machine is MUCH easier.) WIth curves, you can’t sew as fast……so ease up on that foot pedal. Your tutorials that I browsed over now for the day have been so helpful. Make sure your machine is in good working order (if you have had it for a while, get it serviced) and put a NEW needle in it!! I got my first sewing machine about a year ago and I’ve made a couple of things, but I always get so discouraged. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. This is just what I’ve been looking for! Thanks so much for this tutorial. Seam Repairs-used for seams that need extra strength and flexibility like the armhole seam and the crotch seam. I have to plug in the number that I want it to do and then it sews that stitch over and over while the foot pedal is down. The way you explain things is so easy and well laid-out it just makes sense to me!! Make sure your machine is in good working order (if you have had it for a while, get it serviced) and put a NEW needle in it!! The length of your stitches is up to you, but doing them about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) apart will be the easiest and most secure. Yay. Maybe you could do a blog post on sewing essencials and stuff that is just nice to have. This is a great tutorial and one I will put to good use! Lately, I have felt very discouraged because I don’t understand everything in my class. I got a new machine, too, and this will be very handy! I can’t wait to start practicing, thanks for the motivation. I have been contemplating learning to sew but have been a little reluctant. My children know how to sew, but I think some of the tips on here can enhance their skills so much. Try to keep right on top of the lines and keep your lines really steady. Thank so much for your tips and detailed pictures! Thank you! What type of thread do you love to use? .. a real one because the toy ones all had HORRIBLE reviews. I got a sewing machine for Christmas and I am completely intimidated seeing as how I have never so much as sewed a button on. Thanks for the pep talk it has me wanting to pull out the machine and give it another try. I cannot tell you how many times I sit at my sewing machine and grin from ear to ear as I look at something that actually worked. Brother Sewing. The whole bias, selvage, etc. Home; Fabric. Thank you! A great way for anyone to practice their stitches without using up the thread and fabric. It’s great to see that there are so many other ppl out there who are just getting started like I am. Thanks for the great tips. I loved your ideas about making straight lines on the cloth to help sew a straight line. I just did my first invisible hem the other day thanks to a tutorial of yours. Your email address will not be published. I had real trouble going round the bends!! I couldn’t believe I actually did it. What do you recommend? Thank you! ), but this post reminded me of that great feeling the first time something turns out how you pictured it, and also made me giddy for all the new sewists out there! You’re the person that gave me the courage to try to sew my first pair of baby leggings for my daughter(my first successful project). This is so helpful! Then practice speeding up and slowing down and see if you can stay on your lines. My husband bought me a sewing machine a few months ago and I have made a few things, but feel so frustrated with my final product because it’s not “perfect”. I came to thank you for the sewing tips, and found out about you raising fund to help Dylan. Ach! and I don’t feel bad going through paper that I can recycle afterwards. I got a sewing machine last year for Christmas and am currently taking a sewing class to try to learn how to use my machine better and just feel more confident making more projects. I can’t wait to see more tips and projects! 2. I wish I had one of those. Do you sew the decorative stitches (daisy, turkey feet,Greek keys, leaves, etc.) I’m going to follow your steps for her. I have made some rice pads and my most achieved project was a cover for the machine. The needle should start sewing backwards now. Thanks again!!!!! Hmmmm… that was the last thing that turned out right and I got frustrated and put the machine away. When you should use the Backstitch. Your website was the first sewing website I visited and definitely one of the most helpful! I normally fold over, and then sew, but I might try that next time! I am excited about sewing and want to learn more. …I just kept turning the fabric around to go over my stitches a second time.. I bought my machine a few years ago and have tried to sew off and on. Consult your model’s product manual for specific instructions on positioning the needle and foot. Do you use weights to hold down your pattern pieces or do you pin the pattern to the fabric? THANKS!!!!!!!! I would love if you made more of these. I am nervous about cutting up the panel, as it is very pretty, but excited about the attic window. I tried it recently on my first quilt and it looked so bad I had to tear it all up and redo it by hand…which was definitely not fun. While 0.25 in (6.4 mm) is a common length for a single stitch, you can make yours wider or shorter as desired. Thank you for your tips. I took Home Ec in jr. high but promptly forgot everything I learned in that class. It bunches up and just stops sewing all together. Turned out great, and took me less than an hour last night! So thankful for Mr Awesome and my spiffy new machine. She made a Barbie pillow & was so excited. I’m going to be working on some pillows for the couch. Places where a sewing machine needle can’t reach; Decorative stitching such as outlining appliqué shapes I have been sewing for a year now, but this is a great refresher! Your sewing will be more professional if you remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam. I received a sewing machine for Christmas and have what is probably a very stupid question. When you reach the end of your row of stitching, push your back-stitch button/lever/knob and sew backwards a few stitches, resume to forward stitching and return to the end of the row of stitches that you made. so happy!!! Thanks. I feel so empowered I’m going to go make a ton of skirts! It was really helpful. I think it’ll probably take me a while, but I will show you what I manage to make. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I remember sewing straight lines and curvy lines in home ec on paper the teacher had shapes printed out on. And change your settings a bit. I bought a vintage zigzag sewing machine it is a model Dom-b was made in Japan. I know you are one busy little lady but I would love if you kept these sewing tutorials up and gave us ideas of beginner projects to try. YAY! 3 years ago I got my grandmothers 1942 Singer which I still have never used because I don’t know how to. I’m still fairly new at sewing though so I’m still going to put some of your advice to work like practicing more. ohmygosh this is so great!! I love the idea of drawing on the fabric to practice! The lines are already there (more than 20 on each sheet!) So my machine has decided to poop out on me. Jenny x. Stop when you get back to the beginning of your line of stitches. THANK YOU!!! I am going to go try it now. EVERY tip helps too – so these were great!! This image is not licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. It’s nice to find some things that are for beginners :). .. a real one because the toy ones all had HORRIBLE reviews. Want to share my first sewing project with you (and it’s not a pillow case!) After struggling to get my machine’s thread tension for a few hours, I finally produced a few perfect stitches. I know there has to be a trick or something to make it easier, but I’ve yet to figure it out. Brother Innov-is F420 Sewing Machine. Good luck to all the new sewers, you will not regret learning to sew. I love your site and hope to be up to beginners status soon. After you get nice and comfortable with those straight lines, sew around random shapes on your fabric, or draw some on your fabric. Now they are electrified so the foot pedal powers the stitching with a motor. great post thank you. A blind stitch is … i got my sewing machine for christmas last year and I absolutely would have loved loved loved this – so those with the new machine this year are probably ecstatic about this post!!! I’ve had one in the past ( like 13 yrs ago!!!) Maybe it’s not as complex as it seems, but these basics seem to be missing from a lot of places, and your instructions are so understandable. I got a sewing machine for Christmas and I’m STOKED to use it! You’re just practicing. my challenge to myself is an attic window quilt make from a panel. It’s hard not to want to race through your first projects, but I find that just sitting and thinking about the end product and visualizing what the sewing machine is doing helps a lot when I need to troubleshoot. (And even after you’re done practicing and you sew your first project, and it looks squiggly, promise me you’ll cherish those imperfect lines and just be so pleased with yourself for making your first sewn item. Why Back-Stitch???? It’s great to see that there are so many other ppl out there who are just getting started like I am. So I couldn’t wait to get started and quickly realised that people make it look so easy. 'Modern' electric sewing machine have a number of gears made from rubber, silicone, and plastic - if the teeth on those gears are worn just a bit the teeth will catch if there is enough of the synthetic material left on several teeth - the stop-start motion in sewing will force the wornish bits on until the remaining teeth catch. I have a little sewing machine that I think only does straight lines. And if so, you should sign up for Project Runway!!) Now for a few sewing practice tips. Okay. Happy New Year!! Press the reverse button, which is the button that looks like a "U" with an arrow attached to it. A blind stitch is not on all sewing machines but it's a common stitch. I got a sewing machine for Christmas and I’m STOKED to use it! Also, don’t feel tied down to rules. It’s been so long since I learned I didn’t know where to start. It also says to practice on paper and gives the same sorts of lines to practice with as you did above. Do you by any chance have one on how to get re-started in the middle of a stitch if you run out of thread or the bobbin get jammed? That way, I have a visual reference to turn to (instead of the black and white line drawings in the manual) when I need a new stitch to use. This serger has stitching options for plain and decorative designs, over-lock stitches, and three… Use a ruler to keep the guideline straight. Hopefully that will help you brand new sewists who are trying to get used to your machine. Best wishes to Dylan and his family! On an electric sewing machine there is usually a button that allows you to sew backwards for a couple of stitches to secure the thread at the start or end of the run. Maintain the fabric straight so that the backwards stitch goes right on top of the forward stitch you sewed previously.