If you’re learning to sew, you’ve probably toyed with the idea of purchasing a sewing machine. While hand-sewing is a valuable skill, sewing machines are excellent tools for completing projects quicker and more efficiently. That said, sewing machines can be profoundly complicated for beginners. With so many (literal) moving parts and the potential to frustrate you beyond belief, it’s easy to see why many crafters shy away from these intimidating tools. However, here is your sign to take the plunge and purchase your first-ever sewing machine. With enough time, patience and perseverance, it could be the best decision you ever made for your crafting capabilities.
Choose A Good-Quality Machine
While a good craftsperson never blames their tools, you can’t argue with quality. Choosing a high-quality machine may be relatively straightforward for seasoned sewers; however, if you’re a beginner, the sheer abundance of choice may prove overwhelming. There are multiple features that constitute a high-quality sewing machine; for example:
Responsive pressure on the foot pedal
Easy-to-use controls
Basic range of stitches
Lightweight
Service and warranty included
Of course, absolute beginners may want to consider buying a second-hand sewing machine until they grasp the basic techniques. That said, second-hand sewing machines always come with financial risk, and you may require specialist (and pricey) labour to adjust any faults. Furthermore, sewing machines have a limited lifespan, particularly when they are used intensively; therefore, th
ere is no way of knowing how much life your second-hand machine has left in it.
Familiarise Yourself With Sewing Terminology
Once you’ve procured a good-quality sewing machine, it’s time to start familiarising yourself with basic sewing terminology. Understanding the essential words and phrases associated with sewing machines will allow you to gain the necessary knowledge and confidence to get started. Some of the most commonly used terms include:
Bobbin - a small plastic or metal wheel on which the lower thread is wound.
Foot Pedal - the tool that controls the speed of your machine, freeing up your hands to guide the fabric.
Feed Dog - the strips of metal ridges located underneath the presser foot that feed your fabric evenly through the machine.
Hand Wheel - used to slowly and manually control the take up lever and needle.
Spool Pin - used to prevent the thread from becoming tangled and snagged as you sew.
Learn How To Thread Your Machine
Threading your machine for the first time can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, you can find helpful step-by-step tutorials online. Begin your process by winding your bobbin. You can skip this step if you have pre-wound bobbins - a common accessory for brother sewing machines. Now you can load the bobbin into its case and begin threading your upper thread. Most modern machines feature handy pictorial thread guides, so you should quickly get the hang of this step. Once you have gently pulled your thread through the thread guide and through the eye of your needle, you can use the hand wheel to pull the bobbin thread up from below.
Learn How To Stitch A Straight Line
The ability to sew a straight line is a basic yet vitally important sewing technique. Despite what many beginner sewers may think, sewing a straight line can be profoundly tricky initially, as the needle is constantly moving; however, practice makes perfect and provided you make a consistent effort, your straight lines will improve. Once you’ve mastered this technique, your seams and hems will look neat and professional.
Iron Your Fabric
Ironing your fabric will make it abundantly easier to work with. With neat, wrinkle-free fabric, you can make precision cuts and minimise the risk of snagging. That said, there are exceptions; for instance, some fabrics that require little-to-no pre-sewing ironing include wool, cotton, linen and jersey. Furthermore, you should always “press” your seams after sewing, so they lie flat, using the lowest heat setting possible for the aforementioned fabrics.
Zero Waste Crafting
Your formative sewing projects will likely produce a fair bit of textile waste. Not every project will be successful, so you will probably end up with an abundance of scrap fabric. Textile waste accounts for a significant proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions; hence, you can do your bit for the planet by embracing zero waste sewing. Only use as much fabric as your projects require, reuse scraps and upcycle old projects.