threadWEAR 301

Sewing a dress can seem very intimidating at first.

Unlike shirts or skirts, dresses are a combination of a top and a bottom in one piece. This fact alone is enough to scare away new sewists from dresses entirely.

However, sewing a dress isn't as hard as you think.

That's why in this guide, we'll show you the nine steps to sew your first dress.

You don't need years of experience to do this. Simply follow the steps in this guide, and you'll end up with a simple yet elegant dress you can be proud of. 

Picture this:

You're almost finished with your sewing project, but there's just one scary detail left that's putting you off…

A zipper.

After teaching thousands of sewists, we've noticed that zippers are one of the most intimidating details for beginners.

However, with the right technique and some practice, you'll find that sewing in a zipper isn't nearly as bad as you think.

That's why in this quick guide, we'll go over how to sew a zipper, the different types of zippers you can choose from, and how to fix common problems when working with zippers.

With clear instructions and the right tools, you'll be sewing zippers left and right in no time. 

Are you tired of mass-produced shorts that fall apart after only a couple of washes?

Or maybe you found a lovely pair, but for some reason, they just didn't make one in your size.

We've all been frustrated by store-bought shorts before. This is why knowing how to sew one yourself is one of the most rewarding skills to have.

The good news is that sewing shorts is easy.

In fact, you can sew shorts from scratch in as little as 45 minutes — even if you're a beginner.

This article will go over the 8 easy steps you can follow to go from a piece of fabric to a lovely pair of shorts that you can be proud of. 

Imagine being able to sew your own skirt.

You can create any design your heart wants, and it'll not only look great, but it'll also fit you perfectly.

Plus, you can finally say goodbye to all those boring, expensive, or ill-fitted store-bought skirts for good.

Well... the good news is that you don't have to imagine!

Sewing a skirt is a lot easier than you might realize. It's so simple, that sewing a skirt is arguably the best first project a beginner can take on.

Plus, skirt patterns have lots of room for you to customize your design and create something uniquely for you.

But how exactly do you sew a skirt?

Let's go over the nine simple steps to go from plain fabric to a lovely skirt. 

Have you ever wondered why designers keep reaching for scuba fabric in their collections?

This unique double-knit fabric has taken the fashion world by storm, and for good reason.

While it shares its name with diving gear, scuba fabric is actually a game-changing textile that's revolutionizing how we think about structured garments.

Whether you're an experienced sewist looking to expand your fabric knowledge or just fabric-curious, understanding scuba fabric could open up exciting new possibilities for your next project. 

So you want to learn how to sew, but don't know where to start?

You're in the right place.

Today, I won't only give you 28 beginner sewing projects — but these 28 projects are specifically designed to help you build the fundamental skills needed to become a great sewist.

Now, you don't have to do ALL of these projects.

Instead, scroll through these, pick something you'd like to work on, and get started!

Because the secret to becoming a great sewist is to START.

And that's exactly what I hope this blog post pushes you to do.

So without further ado, let's get into it! 

We love a pleated pants moment, and Linda showed us a fabulous version of this using our West End pants pattern.

The West End Pants are a wide legged pant, but by making a couple of simple changes to the pattern, you can make these pants even more exaggerated in width. Then add deep soft pleats in the front, patch pockets in the back, and deep hems and you have elevated this pants style to an avant grade designer look. 

Use the Hudson Top pattern to make an effortless layer in cross-dyed linen. This boxy poncho is open at the sides with ties at the waist.

As sewists there are two big things we collect— patterns and fabric. I mean, we just can't help it, right? Now, how often do you buy a new pattern or fabric only to put it away when you get home and forget about it? I do that all the time. But I've discovered an easy way to put my sewing patterns and fabric collection in a database so I can easily see what I have and what I need. 

In 2013, Linda took her first workshop with Alabama Chanin down in Florence, Alabama. It was a weekend that would change her sewing forever as she started incorporating Alabama Chanin's signature intricate embroidery and appliqué techniques into her own garments. It also introduced her to the beautiful American-made, organic cotton knits manufactured and used by Natalie Chanin in her designs. Today we are one of the few places where you can buy the full range (25 colors) of Alabama Chanin knit! But, what if you don't want to spend all that time hand stitching, beading or appliquéing? What if you just want to add a little detail to a simple garment? Well, we have three ideas for you.

 At our Sewing Workshop at the Sew Arkansas retreat last April we hand-dyed silk to use as linings in the Tremont or San Diego jackets. I decided to use some of my silk to create a scalloped-back MixIt Tank. I mixed the pink silk with our a stripe ponte knit. The process is simple, and I love how the addition of the scallop hem adds a little surprise to the MixIt.

​Those of you who followed along our Cottage Shirt Sew-Along may have wondered why I didn't show my finished Cottage. Well, there I was, getting ready to sew the buttonholes when I realized that the fabric design didn't match in front. And I knew that I just couldn't wear the shirt with a non-matching front.

I rarely use a print that is as grid-like as this one, so mostly I don't worry about matching prints. In fact, the prints not matching on the side didn't bother me at all, but something about that center front being off was just too much for me. So I took the almost-finished Cottage apart and started again.

I've always liked the look of the West End Jacket. It is a great looking, casual jacket that can be thrown over anything. However, I am not a fan of a hood, so I have avoided making it. But when I was thinking about making a garment using our fabulous Palm Tree fabric, I decided that it was time to tackle a woven, hoodless version of the West End. Creating the jacket without the hood was incredibly simple, involving just a few tweaks to the pattern. Read along to see how I did it and make your own!

Our new Stafford Jacket was inspired by that most classic of garments, the jean jacket. Who doesn't have a jean jacket (even I have one and I don't own any actual jeans!). There is just something so right about the slouchy denim jacket. It is comfortable, functional and always looks good. Thinking about the Stafford, we combined the archetypal jean jacket with a cropped swing shape. The most unique feature of a jean jacket is the wonderful topstitching featured on the front, a detail we incorporated into the Stafford. Good topstitching is the hallmark of a professional looking garment, but can be tricky to perfect. Read on for some suggestions on making your topstitching clean and professional.

We've created limited edition Boulder Duffle kits in luxe gold and silver metallic fabric. And while we are all in agreement that the bags are fabulous (who doesn't want bling-y bag?), we are also in agreement that sewing fabrics that have a coating on them such as faux leather, oilcloth, and laminated fabrics can be tricky. Sometimes the fabric doesn't move through the sewing machine well because the fabric is sticky so the stitch lengths are uneven and skipped. Most times, they are almost impossible to press without melting or crinkling the surface. And if you make a mistake and need to remove stitches, holes appear, so you want to try to get it right the first time. Because we want you to have your kit and make it too, we've pulled some of our fabric sewing tricks from our Sewing Faux Fashion Leather Sew Confident! tutorial to help you create your own metallic Boulder Duffle. 

Not every button has to be the same on a garment. After looking at the over-the-top mixed looks this season of Etro, Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana, I decided to shake it up a little bit on my "Burberry" silk charmeuse and pebble textured knit Liberty/MixIt Shirt. You can find the tutorial to combine these two patterns in our August 2017 Sew Confident! tutorial, The Liberty MixIt Fusion. In this tutorial Linda combined the general shape of the Liberty with the neckline of the MixIt. She also teaches you how to shorten the sleeves, create a new self-facing, and create perfect mitered corners. 

When you love a fabric, but it's not quite the right weight for the piece that you want to make, what do you do? This is what happened to me recently. I fell in love with this printed handkerchief linen fabric and couldn't get past the idea of making pants. But the fabric was too sheer for a bottom weight.

Since being introduced by Coco Chanel in her 1917 Nautical Collection, the Breton striped shirt – originally designed as a French naval uniform – has held a firm place in fashion's favor. The jaunty stripe is casual yet chic and gives its wearer a splash of insta-cool. You can find the Breton in shirts, dresses, scarfs and sweaters. This ubiquitous stripe has found itself made into every garment under the sun, though it is most popular in a classic t-shirt. 

As the days are getting warmer, I've been thinking about easy summer clothes that take no time to make, but are stylish enough to wear for work or play. Inspired by some dresses I saw online, I decided to make myself a Breton stripe t-shirt dress. Luckily, I had our classic eTee pattern at hand...

Alex took the new Memphis Dress pattern to the next level, making it her very own. Be inspired and get this look today.

The San Diego pattern has a very unique way of making the facing and collar. The process isn't difficult but requires precise stitching to get a clean, sharp look. We have made a lot of San Diego samples and have found, through trial and error, several tricks for more accurate stitching. To help you make your best San Diego, we have put together a little tutorial on sewing the neckline, complete with tips that we have found make the process easier. Enjoy!

Sequins. It's the perfect festive addition to your wardrobe and we've got the perfect pairing for you!

Sometimes the simplest tools can be the best. Take the humble tweezer. Sure, it has been stereotyped as a bathroom-only apparatus used only for splinters and the stray eyebrow hair. But the tweezer is more than that, it is an apparatus that can be used in the most delicate of sewing situations. 

Have you seen a version of a beautiful oversized red jacket flying around the inter-webs? Well, according to Melissa Greene and friends, it's all over the place and she just had to make a version of it, and, well . . . we love it.

Carol Scott attended Sew Kansas this summer and wore a really cute variation of the eTee that resulted from her running out of fabric! We asked her to share her process.

The Eureka Top is a simple scoop-neck, boxy tee that has become a staple piece in our wardrobes. Linda took that classic shape and added some pizzazz by dividing the pattern and creating an altogether new garment, the Divided Eureka. Read on to learn how to create this fun variation!

I love the look of long vests and sleeveless blazers. Our Mimosa Top has a lovely shape and crossover neckline that gives it that perfect structured look. 

In the December 16, 2015 blog post called French Terry Topper, I described the process of lengthening the Chicago Jacket to make a longer version in French terry. The coat looks and feels great, but I noticed after it was made that it wants to fly open at the bottom a bit, even when just hanging on a hanger.

I love crinkled fabrics. Not only are they interesting, but they hide a lot of things that you don't want to show, including your stitches!

​Have you seen the Barcelona Top? Our brand new pattern is perfect for summer with one easy modification - shorten the sleeves. See how easy it is to make your Barcelona comfortable for the heat wave! 

Pants silhouettes are ever-changing, but one constant in the last few seasons is that pants tend to have interesting shapes and details on the lower portion of the legs.

Every time I fly to Chicago, I always make time to walk through Neiman Marcus on Michigan Avenue to see the Eskandar line of clothing.The pieces are simple. The designer basically turns out the same designs every season and simply changes up the fabrications and perhaps a length or two.

I've known Ellen March, editor of Sew News magazine, for a long time. I wrote articles for her and even fielded questions in the Q&A department for years. When she called me and asked if I would be a guest on her Sew It All TV show, I couldn't resist an opportunity to work with her in another format — on camera!

The inspiration for this jacket came from an OSKA advertisement. It was a yellow felled-wool jacket that had all the "bones" of our Zona Jacket. I love to create garments with boucle nylon and wool fabric using lapped seams and raw edge techniques.

Inspiration The process of being mentally stimulated to do, feel or imagine something, especially to do something creative.

French terry is a type of jersey knit fabric that has vertical ribs on one side of the fabric and fine loops on the other side, unlike terrycloth, which has loops on both sides. It has entered the fashion scene once again and is used by designers for all kinds of ready-to-wear including coats and toppers.

This Metallic Terry Knit is very unique. Soft and warm with the perfect amount of sparkle. A traditional sweatshirt or jacket just wouldn't do. The new Tremont Jacket pattern has a great fit. So why not try a vest?