TOP 5 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN LEARNING TO SEW // Advice to my beginner sewer self!

It seems we all make the same mistakes when learning to sew! There are in fact so many, but these are my top 5 mistakes to avoid, that will make the biggest improvement to your sewing when you understand what your doing wrong!

0:00 Intro
3:11 Poor fabric choice
5:22 Not testing everything
6:49 Not understanding grainline and cutting patterns incorrectly
9:44 Not reading the instructions
12:44 Skipping steps
14:24 Not pressing as you go
15:50 My advice

And take a free class!

// LINKS:

* Get my SEWING GUIDES

// WHAT TO WATCH NEXT:

How to DESIGN AND PLAN YOUR BEST SEWING SPACE, using the space you have!-Get 'Sew Organized' Phase 1

The best way to SORT AND ORGANIZE YOUR SEWING supplies! Get Sew Organized Phase 2!

How to STORE AND DECORATE YOUR SEWING supplies for your ultimate sewing space! Sew Organized Phase 3

What is grainline and grain of fabric?

What is bias?

#1 WAY TO MAKE YOUR SEWING LOOK MORE PROFESSIONAL... plus (spoiler!) 3 tips on pressing and ironing!

5 good sewing habits you need

TO PRE-WASH OR NOT TO PRE-WASH YOUR FABRIC BEFORE SEWING??? Why do I have to pre-wash fabric anyway?

HOW TO DO UNPICKING AND SEAM RIPPING? - Is there a difference? And what’s the red ball for anyway?

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Until next time
Evelyn

…
#evelynwood #learntosew #sewingforbeginners #sewing

[mouseluva]

My biggest lesson was to slow down and enjoy the process instead of just focussing on the finished garment! Taking my time didn't actually make it take any longer because I was doing things right instead of constantly unpicking mistakes, and I actually can take pride in the final result!

[shannonbriesemeister]

I just started sewing this year and I’ve already learned:
1- stop rushing and take the time to do it right
2- USE MORE PINS! Especially when cutting out the fabric so it’s cut evenly
3- read the complete instructions first- actually saves time in the end by preventing mistakes
4- don’t compare yourself to others skill level- everyone learns at different paces

[kathygann]

When I was in high school, my grandmother gave me a piece of fabric from her stash she didn’t know what it was, but thinking back, it looked like linen. I made a beautiful 2 piece lined suit with this lovely pink fabric. It looked and fit great. Then I washed it and the outer fabric shrank a FOOT. Wash or pretreat fabric first, especially if it is antique fabric!

[thebratqueen]

I am only just learning to sew but since you referred to the "Aha!" moments I would say a key lesson for me was in how to sew a straight line. People would keep telling me practice practice practice but not tell me what I was supposed to be doing while I practiced. It wasn't until I learned that you're not supposed to watch the needle but rather how your cloth lines up on your machine that I was finally able to do a straight stitch that didn't look like my eyes had been closed the whole time. :D

[sahtification]

3:15 poor fabric choice
4:57 not testing everything you plan to do
6:49 cutting out patterns incorrectly
10:00 read ALL the instructions!
12:30 don't skip the steps!
14:18 press as you go

[charlottealexander]

Don’t spend a fortune on fabric then use junky thread and dull needles. Buy that nice european thread. Write notes on your pattern. Pressing was the most important improvement for me. Thanks for a great video.

[sahtification]

omg learning to sew with snow white? Yesss

[joejust]

I could not take my eyes off the collar of your blouse. Shoulder line and sleeve, how many hours pre thinking before even pinning. It is truly a beautiful piece. Thank you for the videos love your work!

[PamWD]

This really has nothing to do with the topic, but something about your blouse struck me. The lines in your sleeve and the lines in your collar align perfectly with the lines in the main part of the shirt! I don't think my mom was that detailed, but it still reminded back eons ago when she was teaching me to sew how she emphasized matching up the lines/designs at the seams. I had forgotten all about that. I wish had continued sewing from back then, but taking it up again now. That's for all your videos!

[andaaae]

This was so helpful! Coming across your channel is literally like finding that one holy grail teacher that gets your grade from an F to an A.

[juliacaro]

My lessons include absolutely all of the ones you mentioned! The other three big ones for me were:

1, Don't rush even when you're tired and almost done. I would take my time and go carefully and slowly, then at the end I would find myself racing to finish. Now what I do when I feel that energy is put it down and walk away.
2. If you're very upset and nothing seems to be going according to plan, or the directions make no sense, walk away. For example, a weird mitered jacket sleeve hem makes no sense even though I know I've done it before, or that sleeve can't possibly fit that bodice, or what monster even wrote these instructions! Rested eyes almost always show me a fresh take on whatever was being problematic.
3. Knowing when it's time to level up. This one has been a pretty long running theme for me but I fight it. I've put the work in over a lifetime of sewing (with breaks of time where I didn't sew) but I can trust myself, and it's OK if I make a huge mess because I'll do exactly what you said, I'll look at every detail of what happened and I'll learn from it.

Honorable mention: I wish someone told me to always keep learning. I consume books and videos for basic and advanced techniques because there are so many new ways of doing things. I watched your pin cushion cuff tutorial, made one, and now I can't believe I ever sewed without it!

[SequoiaSleeps]

Please do a video on different fabric contents and what they’re good for! It’s one of the most important things to know but it’s so hard to find information about.

[PeterMavrikos]

Hello from Chicago! These extended times at home lately have helped me return to sewing after an absence. One of the standout lessons I was taught ages ago (way before the internet!) was from a sewing mentor; never stop learning, no matter the resource. As an intermediate or advanced sewer, watching beginner videos or reading beginner books seems unnecessary. But, you can always pick up something. Same goes for beginners; watch advanced techniques and read advanced books to gauge how much you understand or techniques you'd like to learn. Libraries are great resources when we can visit them again! Many people who've been stitching seams for years seem to pass over beginner resources. And a lot of beginners avoid anything labeled "advanced." Yet, for anyone on the sewing spectrum, there's always a novel way to do something, a nifty trick you might not know, or an explanation of a concept that finally clicks for you. When I was first learning to sew, I struggled with blind hems on my machine. I randomly visited the library and got a book on couture hand sewing. For fun, I worked an inch of blind hem by hand on scrap and click! my brain understood how they worked. I also knew what I needed to ask the machine to do for me. Thanks for the videos and the excellent channel. May your needles stay sharp!

[copperrosecreatives]

I am slowly teaching myself to sew. I'd been putting it off because I knew (based on my body shape and past experience) that most of the patterns out there don't fit me properly without making adjustments. My "ah-ha" moment was when I discovered if I stop thinking about a pattern in terms of making a new garment and start thinking about it as an experiment with new skills, I become more confident in my sewing and I don't see any mistake along the way as failures. Instead I see them for the learning moments they are, make notes when I need to and move on without beating myself up about it. This isn't a perfect plan by any means, but it's working pretty well for now! Great video as always!🥰

[victoriatube]

Heres a tip i figured out myself: when you put your spool of thread on your machine check where the cut for your thread to tuck into is. Mos spools have a little cut on one end for the end to go into and if your spool is positioned in the correct way the thread can slip in that slit while your working and it will seem Like your machine has the tension to tight or something of that nature is wrong. I had this happen and after an hour of fiddling around with my machine I looked at the spool and behold the thread was tucked into the slit. All I had to do to fix it was take the thread out and flip the spool around.

[labdian]

Thank you so much for this! I certainly have made all of these mistakes and I continued making them for years until something clicked and I realized my most important mistake was not caring enough. I was not tidy and accurate enough in my sewing, just letting things slide. A crooked seam? A torn thread? Parts not matching? Oh well, it’s good enough. Never unpicking, never trying to fix things. Once I started valuing my work, time, effort and materials, it all changed.

[christinemartin]

Hi from England.Hi have been sewing for getting for 60 years. I was self taught in my early teens, sewed things without thinking, had terrible fit, stopped sewing because the results were awful then started again. I did get better through experience but I think what has made me into a better sewer is never giving up on learning and watching vloggers such as you over the past couple of years. Bad habits begat bad habits so we have to stop and learn. Thank you for doing these videos.

[kperttul]

Sewing trousers from a fine wool garment: always have the same direction (e.g. top to bottom) even if it would be easier to sew one seam upwards and one downwards. Two way sewing on long seams makes the fabric to pull weirdly as you have them on. At least that is my experience.

[mjbstevens]

Using the right needle in my sewing machine for the type of fabric has been a huge Eureka! moment.

[tf]

I learned the hard way: making your own patterns is actually the most work.
I started out with just copying and altering patterns off of clothes I already have (because that's how the much more experienced DIY ppl I watched did it and I didn't want to buy a pattern).
But copying a pattern off clothes and figuring out in what order to sew is... difficult.
It did make me a good dress detective (I always look at garments "how was this done") and good at altering patterns, but it was so frustrating, that I almost stopped sewing.