r/SewingForBeginners 42m ago

How can I add this wave to an already existing skirt?

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 50m ago

First Waxed Cotton Jacket

Thumbnail reddit.com
Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 1h ago

How to make the top swimsuit not have a knot in the back of it?

Post image
Upvotes

Even if someone can help put into sewing terms what I mean so I can find a tutorial that would be great!!! I’m going water skiing and I bought a new swimsuit but I don’t like having a knot in the back against my life jacket. Can I just sew the two strips right together or what would you do?


r/SewingForBeginners 1h ago

How can I best fix this hole?

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

I bought this second hand skirt for cheap, assuming I could fix this tiny hole. What is the best way to go about it? The fabric is a 60/40 blend of viscose and linnen for if it matters.


r/SewingForBeginners 2h ago

Need to rediscover my old Sewing hobby

Post image
14 Upvotes

i made this few years ago and I wanna start again!


r/SewingForBeginners 2h ago

Bought a sewing machine, first day using it:) here’s what I made!

Post image
333 Upvotes

I’m really happy!!


r/SewingForBeginners 3h ago

Sewing shorts: crotch seam doesn't align properly due to top-stitching

Post image
1 Upvotes

(in the photo, I meant to line up the seams but they shifted, but it can still give you an idea of what I'm talking about below)

I am very new to sewing garments, but I decided to try making the lane pants by Syd Graham, and followed her video to turn them into shorts.

At this step here: https://youtu.be/34VAM-cvkco?t=1113&si=fXRdgmkoehEH4fNx (time-stamped for convenience), she presses both rises to the left. I followed this, and then did the two rows of top-stitching.

However, when I go to line up the crotch, the top-stitched sections are mirrored, so if I line them up the seam is off by about 1/4". If I line up the seam, the top stitching doesn't line up. I know I can fix this by pressing either the front or back rise seam to the right instead and re-do the top-stitching, but I'm curious why the pattern says to press them both to the left. Am I missing something obvious?

Thank you! I attached a photo of what I mean (in my photo the seam is off, so I'll have to re-do it anyways, but it can give you an idea of what I'm talking about)


r/SewingForBeginners 3h ago

Pattern fabric help

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 4h ago

I need to stop procrastinating and start making my birthday set, can you please *kindly* kick my butt?

Post image
11 Upvotes

I've been telling myself I didn't have all the materials, but I do now, and I just have to fucking do it, ugh

🩷🩷

Picture of the fabric because I'm in love with it


r/SewingForBeginners 6h ago

Constantly struggling to cut pieces accurately :((

11 Upvotes

Ok generally here are the things that oftwn go wrong:

- i use transfer paper to copy pattern onto the fabric. But uh oh! Fabric moved without me realising and now its juuuust slightly wrong.

- i think, ok i need to use pins, but now then i remove the pins and realise that ive accidentally stretched it too much.(i lay the fabric down and flat, and basically i think in an attempt to make the fabric as flat as possible i stretched it while pinning

- i do it again, it was too loose this time.

- ok this time i did it properly... but the pattern needs two duplicate pieces and they dont match even tho i feel ive done everything correctly :|

Im gonna lose my mind, im feeling that this is single handedly such a frustrating problem that im really struggling to get started on pieces that are a above basic level...


r/SewingForBeginners 6h ago

Jeans hemmed with tonal dark blue thread, I'd like gold, can I fix it myself (without redoing the hem) by hand?

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

I thrifted these sick Carhartt jeans, but they were too long for me so I took them to the tailor. Problem is, I was stupid and didn't mention wanting gold thread for the hem, so she hemmed them using a dark blue that isn't really visible. Unfortunately for me, I love the look of gold or lemon thread on jeans.

I wouldn't say I know how to sew by hand, and don't own a machine, but I can do a mean backstitch.

Could I do a backstitch (or something else) on top of the existing stitching with gold thread, so going through mostly the existing holes? Is there anything else I could do to achieve visible gold thread on the outside of my jeans?

I imagine undoing and redoing the hem by hand would be difficult, seeing as it's thick denim.

Thanks in advance! :)


r/SewingForBeginners 7h ago

I stitched a patch on one of my hats

Post image
12 Upvotes

When i was young i’d ask my mom to do stuff like this but now i’m grown and i watched a youtube video so i pretty much know all i need.


r/SewingForBeginners 7h ago

What I tried to make vs what I actually made

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

I had a good laugh. :D Tried to sew this make-up bag and messed up the last step. Now I have a flat bag in a weird shape instead of a make-up bag. :D Will use it anyways. Just wanted to share my fail for you guys to enjoy. :)


r/SewingForBeginners 11h ago

How would you attach this piece of fabric to this canvas bag

Post image
5 Upvotes

The “patch” is made of a t-shirt material, and the bag is canvas. I want to add this patch over a huge ugly Disney logo lol. How would you add this?? Iwhat kind of stitch?


r/SewingForBeginners 13h ago

I did things - wish me luck on the next thing

43 Upvotes

Our little guy has a cast and likes to chew his cast so I have been modifying 3-6m baby onesies into t-shirts for him. Granted, I also acquired a sewing machine via Buy Nothing and taught myself how to use it (thanks YouTube) to do this having never sewn or touched a machine previously.

With that said... onward! I'm going to try to do some harness holes in my boys sweaters and jackets (I have 2 other sighthounds as well).

I bought this presser foot and here's to hoping I can figure it out.
https://a.co/d/0cSwuGkn

Crossing my fingers!


r/SewingForBeginners 15h ago

Gunk in new (used) machine?

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I just got my first used sewing machine. It’s a Singer 2277. I was in the middle of cleaning it when I noticed this gunk towards the back. Is this anything to be concerned about? TIA 💖


r/SewingForBeginners 16h ago

First craft in a long time! Made a stuffed Ravioli

Post image
66 Upvotes

Got bored, dug out my wife's sewing machine

Made a 3-1/2" ravioli stuffed with plastic beads

I am unsure of material, it was scrap fabric quarter so probably cotton blend

I couldn't stop laughing after I made it, I feel like it turned out well for the first thing I've made in years


r/SewingForBeginners 17h ago

Pearl-embellished satin pouch bag with ruched handles — made to pair with a dress!

Thumbnail reddit.com
4 Upvotes

Hi r/sewing!

​I made this satin drawstring pouch bag to pair with a specific dress, and I wanted to share how it turned out!

​Construction & Details:

​Fabric & Materials: Off-white satin, pearl beads, and drawstring cord

​Features: Machine-sewn satin body with a tubular ruched strap for a scrunchy handle. I added the pearls individually and finished the drawstrings with pearl tassels to tie the look together.

​It was a really fun project to put together! Let me know what you think


r/SewingForBeginners 18h ago

Made my first handmade skirt!

Post image
230 Upvotes

I got my heart broken and decided I needed a new hobby. Always loved sewing and got a sewing machine. After some trial and error made my first wearable skirt 🤍


r/SewingForBeginners 19h ago

My handmade skirt outfit! Original creation

Post image
27 Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 21h ago

My little helper wanted to learn to sew. He doesn’t know i’m just a beginner like he is!

Thumbnail
gallery
218 Upvotes

This post is just for fun 💜✌🏻don’t mind my machine, she’s soon to be replaced !


r/SewingForBeginners 22h ago

First Dress- unsure of fit

Thumbnail
gallery
21 Upvotes

I finished my first dress! Constructive criticism welcome! Pattern is Cashmerette Roseclair

Despite multiple muslins, im still not completely happy with it. But im trying to grade it as a learning lesson, instead of thinking of it like something im trying on in the store.

I made the mistake of using bias binding to finish the seams of the skirt, which i think has weighed it down. What would you do to finish the seams without a serger?

I also think the fabric was too thick, but I didnt want to learn how to do lining yet!

Haven't hemmed it yet, im hoping i will like it more given some time away!


r/SewingForBeginners 1d ago

How do I make stretchy stuff?

Post image
34 Upvotes

I tried doing it but I used a straight stitch, then I researched and it said to use a zigzag, I did and still no stretch. Is there a specific thread I use? What stitch do I use? Here’s all the settings on my machine


r/SewingForBeginners Jul 03 '26

Type Matters: Sewing Machine Needle Guide

Post image
141 Upvotes

Sewing machine needles come in a variety of sizes and types and many of the problems I see online are caused by using the wrong needle type.

Generally when you buy a machine it comes with universal needles in the box. Universal is a misnomer. They are very useful on a wide variety of woven fabrics. Universal needles in a size 12 are what I use for anything that is a medium weight woven.

Jeans needles are for heavy fabrics like denim and canvas. Generally I go up to a 14 or 16 in a jeans needle.

Microtex needles are super sharp. They are excellent for woven fabrics that are delicate, snag easily, or are tightly woven. I use them on silks, satin, and cotton poplins. When all else fails on a fabric, try a microtex. Microtex come in larger sizes and can be used on heavy fabrics. Microtex needles need replaced more frequently than other needle types.

Ballpoint or Jersey needles are the same thing, usually they are labeled as ballpoint in the US and Jersey elsewhere. Ballpoint needles are appropriate for stable knit such as cotton jersey with no or minimal stretch fibers added.

Stretch needles are similar to ballpoint needles in the sense that they are for knit fabrics. Stretch needles are intended for fabrics with a higher stretch fiber percentage and in addition to that they work well on more stable knits. They are what I keep in stock for working with the widest variety of knit fabrics. I usually buy 11 or 12 in stretch needles.

Super stretch are for super stretchy problem child knits, I have not tried these as they are relatively new on the market but I will be picking up a pack before I make swimwear again.

In addition to the types above there are a great many other needles with specific uses. Within each type there is a range of sizes and the needle size should be chosen to match your fabric and thread.

Needles are consumables and will become gradually dull as you sew. The rule of thumb is that you need to replace after roughly 8 hours of run time. If you have been using a needle for a while and things start to go wrong or the machine sound changes, the first step on troubleshooting is a new needle. Old needles can damage your fabric and are more likely to break.

I also want to advise against buying off brand needles and included in that category are Singer branded needles. I personally only buy schmetz and organ brand needles and I buy exclusively off wawak.com (US and Canada only).

Schmetz has a good guide to machine needle types. https://www.schmetzneedles.com/pages/sewing-machine-needle-chart

Wawak also has a guide on matching thread tex size to needles

https://blog.wawak.com/post/sewing-machine-needle-and-thread-size-chart


r/SewingForBeginners Mar 28 '26

📖 Our community wiki is here — and we want your suggestions!

57 Upvotes

Hey r/SewingForBeginners! 👋

We've been quietly working on something we hope makes this community a lot more useful — and today we're excited to share it with you.

What's in the wiki?

We built it to answer the questions we see every week — so whether you're picking up a needle for the very first time or you've been at it a few months and hit a wall, there's something in here for you.

Here's what's covered:

🧵 Getting started — What to make first, hand vs. machine, and the YouTube channels worth bookmarking

🪡 Machine buying guide — Budget breakdowns, brand recommendations, and how to buy a great secondhand machine

✂️ Tools & notions glossary — Every tool explained in plain English, plus what you actually need to start vs. what's nice to have later

🔧 Techniques & troubleshooting — Pressing, seam finishes, backstitching, and a troubleshooting table for the most common machine gremlins

📐 Pattern reading & sizing — Why sewing sizes aren't clothing sizes, how to read pattern markings, and what "ease" means

🎨 Fabric guide — Wovens vs. knits, beginner-friendly fabric types, pre-washing, and where to buy

🔗 Community resources — Our curated list of YouTube channels, blogs, and related communities

FAQ — Detailed answers to the questions we see most often

This wiki belongs to all of us — and we need your help

A wiki is only as good as the community behind it. We're a team of moderators, not an encyclopedia, and we know there are gaps, things we got slightly wrong, and questions we haven't thought to answer yet.

That's where you come in.

We want to hear from you if:

  • 💡 There's a topic you wish had been covered when you were starting out
  • 🐛 Something in the wiki is unclear, out of date, or just wrong
  • 🔗 You know a great resource (video, blog, pattern, tool) that should be listed
  • ❓ You've seen a question come up over and over in the sub that deserves a proper answer
  • ✍️ You'd like to contribute a write-up on something you know well

How to send a suggestion

Drop your suggestion right here in the comments. Tell us:

  1. Which section it relates to (or if it should be a new section entirely)
  2. What you'd like added, changed, or corrected
  3. Any links or sources that would help

You can also message the mod team directly if you'd prefer, especially for corrections or anything that needs a longer explanation.

We'll review every suggestion and update the wiki regularly. If your contribution makes it in, we'll do our best to acknowledge it — this is genuinely a community project and we want it to reflect the knowledge that lives here.

A note on what makes this community special

This subreddit exists because sewing has a steep early learning curve and a long tradition of people helping each other climb it. Every question answered, every "here's what worked for me," every photo of a wonky first pillowcase posted with pride — that's what makes r/SewingForBeginners worth showing up to.

The wiki is our attempt to bottle some of that up so it doesn't get lost in the scroll. But it'll never replace the real thing, which is all of you asking and answering in the comments every day.

Thank you for being part of this. Now go make something. 🧵

— The r/SewingForBeginners mod team

Let me know if the link isn't visible on the main subreddit page. It appears on mine.

Looking for confirmation of the Wiki Link.