Beginners guide to sewing

164 Pages·2016·64.03 MB·English

E GINNE
B R’
S
GUIDE TO
!
y
DIGITAL EDITION a
Learn to sew t o d
28

PROJECTS
& PATTERNS
+

EASY TO USE
TUTORIALS
FELT!
BASKET!
P82!

Welcome...
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Beginner’s Guide to Sewing,
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Editor: Rebecca Reid
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Editor in Chief: Debora Bradley
Group Senior Editor: Julie Taylor
…to The Beginner’s Guide To Sewing!
Head of General Craft: Liz Taylor 116
Head of Women’s Creative: Kerry Lawrence
Whether you’re new to sewing, want to
Managing Director, Future Women:
Jo Morrell
refresh your skills and learn some new
CONTRIBUTORS
Katy Berwick, Alice Blackledge, Susan ones, or are in need of inspiration for things
Cousineau, Chris Jefferys, Melanie McNeice,
Lola Nova, Cheryl Owen, Helen Philipps, to make, then this is the magazine for you.
Debbie Shore, Kate Smith, Alyssa Thomas,
Susan Wasinger, Laura Wilhelm
ADVERTISING Sewing is a fantastic skill to have – not only
Senior Advertising Manager: Penny Stokes
Deputy Advertising Manager: Mike Pyatt is it really useful for making lovely things
Advertising Sales Executive:
Samantha Whittingham for your home but it’ll save you money and
UK Sales Director: Clare Coleman-Straw
CIRCULATION it’s wonderfully therapeutic too. It’s often
Trade Marketing Manager: Janine Smith
International Account Manager: really hard to find accessories and items
Rebecca Richer
Head of Trade Marketing: James Whitaker for your home and yourself which fit
PRINT & PRODUCTION exactly in terms of colour, shape, size and
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Production Manager: Mark Constance taste – but once you’ve learnt to make 90
LICENSING
them yourself then you are only limited
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Tel: + 44 (0)1225 732359
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CUSTOMER SERVICE We’re going to show you what tools
UK hotline: [phone]
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available to buy. We’ll explain the basics
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Then we’ll teach you some essential
Future produces high-quality multimedia products which techniques as well as the skills needed
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practice the technique and make a
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© Future Publishing Limited 2014. All rights reserved. No part So, turn the page and learn to sew with 154
of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the
written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited us – it’s a wonderfully absorbing hobby
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B EGINNER’
S
GUIDE TO
72
a y !
Learn to sew t o d
101 154
82
MATERIALS 28 All about Seams 57 PROJECT Child’s play 74 All about Casings
30 PROJECT Crazy apron Protect little 76 PROJECT Bunting
& TOOLS
patchwork bunting clothes from big nursery toy sack Rustle
10 Tools & notions All you Decorate your home creative messes! up a bag kids will love
need to get started with fabric off-cuts 60 PROJECT Pretty cushion 78 PROJECT Delicate
13 Fabrics Choose the 34 PROJECT Retro-style with ties Easy-peasy drawstring bag Perfect
perfect material peg bag Jazz up home décor for pyjamas and lingerie
16 Glossary Learn the lingo laundry days 62 All about Trims 80 All about Interfacing
19 Washing What the 38 All about Hems 64 PROJECT Mini 82 PROJECT Handy felt
symbols mean 40 PROJECT Classy café drawstring bag baskets Sturdy
napkins Upcycle your A lovely gift to wrap storage solutions
20 Machine sewing Get to bloke’s cotton shirts treasured trinkets in
grips with the basics HAND SEWING
44 All about Binding 66 All about Bordering
ESSENTIAL a fabric edge a fabric edge TECHNIQUES
TECHNIQUES 46 PROJECT Pretty bound 68 PROJECT Deep bound 88 All about Patchwork
napkin Perfect for throw Add a touch of
24 All about Pinning, al fresco entertaining textile luxury 90 PROJECT Little hexagon
quilt Great first project
tacking, and hand 50 PROJECT Summer 70 All about Buttons and
stitches vagabond bag Go buttonholes 94 All about Appliqué
26 PROJECT Padded coat shopping in style 72 PROJECT Envelope 96 PROJECT Lollipop
hanger Pretty wardrobe 54 All about Ties, handles buttoned cushion flowers picture Bring a
essential for a lovely gift and straps Stylish accent piece splash of colour to walls
152
107 120
144 90 34
Step-by-step
pictures and
101 PROJECT Funky monkey 120 PROJECT Freehand 142 All about Machine fionrs tdrouzcetniosn osf
pillow A cheeky chappy teacup cushion appliqué techniques
to brighten any room Practise drawing with 144 PROJECT Chequered
104 All about Hand your sewing machine! tea cosy Keep your
embroidery 124 All about Bag making teapot toasty
107 PROJECT Hedgerow 126 PROJECT Sporty duffle 146 PROJECT Floral
coffee cosy Hug your bag Practical and shopping bag Carry a
favourite hot beverage pretty, too – use it for garden around with you Iron the fusible web pieces, paper side up, on
111 PROJECT Dress-up your gym kit 150 All about Filled shapes the wrong side of the fabric and let them cool.
pJarezztt yu pp yaotcuhr ejesa ns 130 PbRaOgJ EEaCtT o Outil cinlo rteht rluo nch 152 PdRoOorJsEtCopT PAonr teaabslye Pthliasc we iall dhaelmp pp rtoetae ctot wit ealn odn s ttoicpk othf eth gel uwee.b as
style – be the envy of project for practising
MACHINE
the lunchtime crowd machine skills
SEWING 134 All about Machine 154 PROJECT Sebastian the
patchwork softie snail The cuddliest
TECHNIQUES
136 PROJECT Pieceful easy ever toy to snuggle
116 All about Machine scarf A fab way to
NEXT STEPS
embroidery recycle old jumpers and
other favourite woollies
118 PROJECT Embroidered 160 Learn more Now you’ve
flower napkin Table 140 PROJECT Patchwork mastered the basics, Loads of
linen to treasure – make seat pad Give your take your sewing to fabric ideas,
a new family heirloom dining room a new look the next level tiapnsd, t ho iinntssp &ir e
you!
Start sewing today...
Whether you’re a complete beginner to
sewing or just want to refresh your skills,
The Beginner’s Guide to Sewing has a page
great mix of projects and tips for you… 40
H
andmade is super-trendy right now and sewing
seems to be everywhere – whether it’s about
making your own or buying ready-made. If you’re
completely new to sewing then don’t worry, you’ll find
everything you need here to show you how. Starting off with
some essentials, we’ll show you, in easy-to-follow guides how
to master the basic techniques of sewing from perfect seams
to brilliant buttonholes. Each guide is then followed by a
project using that skill to make a beautiful finished item.
Sewing really is all about practise, practise, practise and
that’s what you’ll have plenty of as you work your way
through. You’ll learn new skills in the hand and machine
sewing sections and, again, be inspired to make some
gorgeous things for you and your home.
Our Essential Techniques
section starting on page
23 will teach you all the
page
basic skills you need, from
11
perfect hems to using bias
binding and much more.
page
20
First off, turn to page 10
and page 13 for an
page
at-a-glance guide to We guide you through
13
what products you need how to get the best out
to buy and which fabrics of your sewing machine
you’ll need to use. – see page 20.

6 Beginner’s Guide to Sewing
Ed’s Picks
page
46
Adding a casing to the
top of a piece of fabric
(page 74) is a useful skill
for making drawstring
bags, which can be
Sewing a bound edge to a used for so many things,
square of fabric is a quick and like this fun Toy Sack for
easy way to make a stunning a child – just perfect for
set of napkins. We show keeping everything neat
you how to stitch the fabric and tidy (page 76).
strips on and make a really
neat finish. Get to grips with
binding skills on page 44.
1
Practical & pretty
The best way to practise
embroidery is to make
page something as lovely as it is
144 useful. The cute coffee cosy
on p107 fits the bill perfectly.
page 2
76
My perfect gift
I love making gifts for loved
Using fusible web to attach simple ones, and it’s even nicer to
appliqué shapes (page 94), and stitch a little drawstring bag
learning how to work some basic to wrap up the present in
embroidery stitches (page 106), style. That’s why I love the
means you’ll be able to decorate pretty floral bag on p78.
favourite items of clothing and make
lovely things, like textile pictures. Our
stunning projects will inspire you to
make and create your own designs.
3
page
96
Use all your skills
Once you’ve mastered all
the sewing skills you can
make Sebastian the Snail,
our cute cuddly toy on p154.
He’s my all-time favourite!
page
110

Beginner’s Guide to Sewing 7
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Materials
In this chapter, we’ll talk you
& through a few of the supplies
you’ll need to start sewing. Get
tools
ready to top up your tool kit, find
favourite fabrics and learn the
lingo with our handy glossary.
Basic Techniques
Tools & notions
If you’re all brand new to sewing, we’ll talk you through a
few basic supplies that may come in handy along the way
THREAD SEAM RIPPER sewing. You’ll find all sorts of bundles. See page 13 to
There’s a thread for almost Everyone makes mistakes specialist needles are find out more about the
every occasion and your now and then, and this available for embroidery, different types of fabric.
local fabric shop will be clever gadget takes some quilting and cross stitch, but
able to help you find the of the frustration out of a pack of assorted sewing PINS
right one for your project. unpicking your stitches. needles is a good place to You’ll use these to hold your
Cotton is a fabulous Simply slip the pointed end start. When you choose pieces of fabric in place.
all-purpose thread, but under your stitch (taking your needle, make sure the You might find traditional
polyester (or a mix) is handy care not to catch the fabric eye is just large enough for dressmakers’ pins fiddly to
if you need extra strength. as you go) and cut through your thread to go through work with – if so, try pins with
Cheap thread is more likely it by gently pulling upwards. but not too large that it’s larger glass or ‘flower’
to break easily, so it’s worth Look out for non-slip constantly slipping out. Use heads. Most are between
spending a little more for handles as these make the a sharp pointed needle for 2.5-5cm (1-2in) long, so you
a great finish. seam ripper easier to use. all sewing – the blunt ones could always collect a
are used for cross stitch variety to use on different
BUTTONS THIMBLE and needlepoint. projects. Don’t forget to buy
Whether you’re using them It’s a good idea to save a tin or make a pincushion
for practical fastenings or yourself from pricked or THREAD CUTTER to keep them safe!
just for decoration, you calloused fingers with a Essential for the travelling
can never have enough thimble. They are usually stitcher, this nifty device DRESSMAKERS’ SCISSORS
buttons! They’re usually sold worn on your middle finger enables you to snip your A pair of dedicated
by size (diameter in to help you push your threads even when you dressmakers’ scissors will
millimetres inches), either needle through thicker don’t have the space for help you snip through any
individually or in packs. fabrics. Thimbles come in (or are not permitted to fabric with ease. Look for
Most are flat, but ‘shanked’ different shapes and sizes carry) scissors. Some cutters some that are about 20cm
buttons have a loop on and are made from plastic, double up as a pendant, so (8in) long and have a
their underside that helps porcelain, metal or leather. you can wear them around curved handle to enable
thicker fabrics to sit Choose one that fits snugly your neck. If you plan to accurate cutting on flat
beneath them when the but not tightly. sew on a flight, take a surfaces, with pointed tips
garment is buttoned up. minute to check the for precision. Avoid using
EMBROIDERY SCISSORS airline’s restrictions before your scissors on anything
FASTENINGS At about 10cm (4in) long, you travel. other than fabric or you
Snap fasteners (also known these are much smaller will blunt the blades.
as press studs) are used to than fabric scissors. FABRIC
hold two pieces of fabric Whether you’re hand You’ll usually purchase TAPE MEASURE
together and can’t be seen sewing or working on a fabric by the yard or metre, Measuring fabric correctly
from the front. Hooks and machine, the fine, straight but if you just want a small is crucial to a perfect
eyes hold fabric edges flush blade makes them good amount of material, opt for finished project (measure
together or you can buy for trimming stray threads a ‘fat quarter’, which is a twice, cut once!), so a tape
magnetic fastenings, which and removing excess fabric yard that’s been cut into measure is one of your most
are ideal for bag and purse in tight spaces. four sections, making a important tools. Find one
closures. Safety pins are piece of fabric that that measures around
great for securing thicker NEEDLES measures about 46x56cm 150cm (59in) and has both
fabrics or for threading The needle you use is (18x22in). You can buy metric and imperial units for
cord through casings. dependent on what you’re these individually or in quick conversions.

10 Beginner’s Guide to Sewing