HOW TO START SEWING YOUR OWN CLOTHES: Beginner Guide

This is my masterclass on getting your foot in the door of the sewing world FOR A BEGINNER BY A BEGINNER. Yall asked me on Instagram and I put together the most
asked questions about my start, online resources, sustainable fabrics, patterns, and the first step to start learning!

Favorite Sewing Creators:

Tutorials:

Camera: Panasonic Lumix GH5, Canon 70d

0:00 Guide Introduction & Motivation
0:53 My Journey (How I started)
2:59 Learning to sew online + resources
5:36 Patterns
8:35 Fabric (Sustainable options)
11:15 The First Step
12:56 My Tips & Mistakes to avoid
18:15 Best Sewing Journey to you!

Epidemic:
Music used via epidemic sound
Musicbed:

[loudsft]

why is no one talking about the fact that the thumbnail looks like a page from a late 90s/y2k fashion catalogue im fucking obsessed

[TheGrifhinx]

What seems to be the most common reason why people tend to like thinking about making their own clothing line is because, frankly, they wanna make it for themselves. So perhaps people should do that first step before actually going for a clothing line. Chances are, one just wants a wardrobe update, not a business.

[taymc]

To add to the sizing comment, YES! Some clothing brands use what's called "vanity sizing", vanity sizing is when they shift their numbers so that you're a "smaller size" when you buy from them as opposed to other competing brands. So for example, I'm a size 2 for one brand, a size 4 for another, and sometimes even a size 0 or a size 8 for other brands.

When you buy a pattern, the pattern maker may be using a sizing chart from 50 some odd years ago. This is especially true for vintage patterns. When I tried making my first fitted item I didn't know about vanity sizing and had no idea why I was a size 10 according to the skirt pattern when I was a size 2 according to most of my pants. So, measure and remeasure yourself, and remember that your body isn't the problem (no matter what number fits you best), the problem is the psychological mind games the fashion industry plays in an attempt to make you want to buy their stuff.

Happy sewing everyone :)

[megaanny]

For inspiration I like watching Micarah Tewers. She taught me that you don't have to be perfect, you just have to have fun doing it. It takes away the perfectionist stress that stops me from sewing.

[abella]

As someone who just started like 1 and a half year ago and just realize now is Never Ever continue if youre tired, that includes if your eyes hurt back or hands, take a rest put it away for a moment and continue the next day, sometimes I lose track of time and say to myself to push this 3 stitches and you’re done! But It always end up of me rushing and not putting the final detail which always affect on how I feel about my work dont push yourself if you dont feel like it for the sake of it being done.. wishing all of us a good luck in this journey!

[TheEssentialsClub]

Thanks so much for including my channel in the recommendations 🥺🥰

[catgoo]

I literally go to school for this but here i am learning it off of YouTube

[maninthemirror]

here's an idea i have about not wasting fabric:
try to buy natural and neutral colored fabrics. natural fabrics like cotton, wool, linen usually work with a lot of types of clothing. you can buy them in a color you would wear a lot or you can buy them in white color and make everything with it then you can dye it in whatever color you want (natural dyeing techniques recommended)! hope i could help with my not very great knowledge. love you guys, stay safe and thank you Jusuf!

[edenassos]

I have my own fashion labels in Japan and how I started was playing with this software called CLO3D, as I already had a 3D background, it was straightforward, I had to learn the sewing/pattern side of things though, you can measure yourself and either make a 3d character model of yourself or commission someone to do so and you'll basically have the 3d model of your own body ready for you to design clothes on. With such a software, your creativity is the limit, and also since it's a tool for the fashion industry, you can export patterns onto the pattern cutting machines easily. You can prototype designs without wasting fabric ;)

[trang.xoan.]

So... no one here mentioned about how cute she played with her dog naturally while talking? I'm melting by those actions aww

[andynonymous]

I want to make my own clothes for sustainability reasons but I always hated the fact that my family, as soon as they hear that I'm sowing will be all like "thank god you're finally out of your tomboy phase and taking up womanly hobbies! You'll make a great wife someday."
But then I think, what's more punk than not supporting businesses that willingly sell clothes made in sweatshops?

[lilasw]

I’m so glad there are content creators like you who clearly say that producing and buying new clothes is never going to be sustainable! I also just got a sewing machine because I saw your videos about making your own clothes and it inspired me so much! I think this is as sustainable as you can get: reuse old fabric/clothes and make yourself new ones 🥰
Thank you Jusuf ☺️

[eliondoa]

I still want to see the "boring" sewing content you've got🥺

[bellas]

Professor Pincushion, Micarah Tewers, Gunnar Deatherage, and Debs Days are my personal favorites!

[tisbutascratch]

So, my first project was a tote bag. Went straight to hemming some stuff that had to be hemmed, and then made a bucket hat. None were perfect, but they were there and I love them and use them. I now want to make a skirt, but the main issue was finding the pattern that I liked. I looked at a bunch of tutorials, used so much maths to get the right ratios and learning how skirts work and the amount of pride and joy when the skirt (it was a bit of a squeeze but whatever) came on and I liked it. That pride is what makes me want to continue making my own clothes. Because I am proud of them, and unlike when I crochet my clothes sewing is a bit more neat and less handmade to me.

[diefranzi]

I am just a beginner, and my first project was a whole dress. It was an interesting journey, and now i have made a second dress and a blouse kind of top.
I learned all of my sewing skills on the way, made mistakes, learned from them and improved so much, just with these 3 pieces. I always use left over fabric pieces from the fabric stores, for just 5 bucks.

I wanna make my own clothes in the future, with own patterns :)

[lindaabraham]

I sewed all my own clothes in the 1960s for high school, back when you could save money by doing so, and girls could only wear dresses to school. I enjoyed it very much and would like to get back to it, but from your video I see that there are many more resources for learning and creativity. This is wonderful! I would especially like to copy the great dresses of the first half of the 20th century.

[stuffedtoylover]

i've been following a lot of sewing channels for a while and have been thrift shopping my whole life, but recently got overwhelmed by the actual process of making my own clothes. thank you for restoring my hope. (i have a dufflebag of clothes to thrift flip waiting for me)

[s_e_w_p_h_i_e]

A non-exhaustive list of indie pattern labels:
Liam Patterns
PaperCut Patterns
VikiSews (Russian but have English avail)
Grasser Patterns (Russian with English avail)
Anna Allen
Paper Theory
Named Patterns
Birgitta Herlmersson
La Forme (Russian)
Trend Patterns
Dp Studio (French)
Pattern Fantastique
Elbe Textiles
Ready To Sew

[LecheVitrineUK]

I started sewing as a small child thanks mum and grandma, ! Designed and made my own skirt when I was 7. Sewing can be frustrating, you make silly mistakes even when you are very experienced, what is wonderful about sewing is that you can unpick and start again and you haven't ruined the fabric of you made the same mistake in something made from wood you very often have to get more wood!