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How can I learn to use a sewing machine?

18 years ago

I never learned to use a sewing machine. I do know how to hem. Is there a place I can get lessons? I am currently in Manhattan but moving to Westchester soon.

thanks

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Comments (6)

joansews4u
18 years ago
People fall into about one of 5 catagories on HOW they learn things. Some people can be told over a phone, some can be shown, some learn by watching someone else, some can follow written instructions & etc. Think of yourself & how you've learned to do other things in your life. This may give you an idea of which way to go. I learned by observation as a child. I have a grand niece who is just now 1st grade. Since she's been sewing longer than she's been reading, looks like she's an observation learner too. We've seen her mimic things we never showed her. She will tell my daughter how I do things & what products I use & I have never really explained any of this to her.

You may need to find someone you can observe. You may be able to pick up a good sewing book & go from there or you may need someone showing you each step going over the terminology as you go. Search the internet for sewing lessons. One has a list of sewing terms. Review it & see if you know what each term means.

I teach kids & some don't follow through because of the math involved. They dislike math & that makes it too much like school & less like the fun thing they anticipated.

Do some research & come back & ask questions. Good Luck.
grammyp
18 years ago
Many fabric stores offer lessons, as does our local recreation center. You can also check with the school system to see if the home ec department has some adult classes.

beverly
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So this is a good thread to introduce myself! I am a 1947 baby, I like the sound of that! Everything I ever wanted or needed to know about sewing I learned from my grandmother, or teachers who obviously knew her! (not) I remember as a little girl, either 8 or 10, when I spent the summer in Nebraska with my granparents, my grandmother sat me down at her Necchi-Elna zig-zag machine, and had me try it out, petrified me because I just knew I would break it. Guess that got me started sewing though, I started handsewing doll clothes, and by the 5th grade was designing dresses and patterns for my Revlon doll (no Barbie for me, too expensive, my mother's words). Still have those clothes too. Seventh grade I took art, and have never regretted it, taught me about colors. Eighth grade I started home ec, sewing and cooking, just loved both, but the sewing was better because I couldn't do it at home. First learned in school on a Singer treadle, best thing that ever happened to me in my opinion. My grandmother would send me dresses or such she had made for me, and somewhere around junior high time, I would take the article of clothing and turn it inside out to see how she finished things, or did certain things, I learned so much this way, but I did start noticing I learned different and sometimes better ways of doing things, so then when my grandparents moved to Boise I taught her, or maybe she just let me think that! For $19.95 my mom got a converted Singer treadle, boy could that thing ever stitch well! At 16 I received a Singer slant needle, treasured that for 20 years. I started in home ec with a gathered skirt, supposed to take most of the semester, I was hemming by open house and mine was the one the teacher used to show how "it should be done", boy was I ever proud! By the time I finished 5 years of home ec I had learned pattern design, reconstruction of old clothes, tailoring, and had all freshman classes in home ec waived at the University of Idaho. Unfortunately for them I had no money to go to school so I got married and put my husband through at the U of I. I no longer make my own clothes, although I am considering that again. For 17 years I was a crafter, designing, selling, etc. I just this year dissolved my little business. When I started crafting I had to teach myself not to be a good sewer. Now I have found quilting, and re-learned how to be a careful and precise sewer! Feels like I came home. I crochet, never could get both my hands working at the same time to knit, blame that on carpal tunnel. Or my brain. I learned to embroider as a little girl, have my first embroidery hanging in my bathroom, I made it in 4-H in the second grade. By fourth grade I was lots better! I love making little stitcheries, words and phrases with small embroidery with them. It is not the best thing for my hands however. So here I am, officially I call myself a quilter, even though I can never attempt hand-quilting. So I find other ways to finish and embellish things. Thanks for this thread, it is so interesting reading about all of my new-found "friends"! Lynne
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Comments (4)
there's no sewing machine that will protect your fingers, you'll need to learn to keep your fingers out of the way. Once you get a machine, you'll find that allowing the feed dogs to do their job to pull the fabric to the needle is easy, pushing it to the needle yourself can give a bad stitch. Let your machine do the work! And NEVER run over pins, I'll be over your shoulder watching:) That can mess up the timing of the machine or break a needle while you're sewing. As far as a machine goes, if you think you'll be doing much sewing get the best machine you can afford. I find that a lot of new sewers get caught up in the number of stitch functions on machines. To tell the truth, you really only need straight stitch and zigzag. I rarely use the extra stitches on my machine. If you have a sewing machine dealer nearby, consider a used model; you may be able to get a much better quality gently used machine for the same cost as a new lesser quality new one from a big box store. Good luck, I hope you learn to sew on your own & enjoy it!
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I bought my Bernina over 10 years ago for $1000. it was half price because Bernina was coming out with a new line and the shop owner wanted to make room in her shop for the new line. I have seen Bernina half price when they just want to get rid of older models. Call around. I drove an extra hour but saved half of the price and my machine is still wonderful. They also sometimes have machines that others have traded in. I don't reccomend buying a used machine from ebay. You can get something good from a reputable dealer for 1000.
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RSI is not caused by chairs. It's caused by awkward arm and hand positions held for a long time, or muscle tension held for long periods of time. 1 - Check that the chair, table and machine combination height lets you hold your wrists straight while you are sewing, with your shoulders relaxed and your feet flat on the floor. It's going to be surprisingly low. Lower the table or raise the chair. 2 - Learn to sew with a minimum of hand grip and wrist twisting. ============== This shows typing, but it's the same for sewing ... it's all in the wrist position And to get that wrist position, it's the chair and work surface ... in your case the sewing machine's bed instead of the keyboard.
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keepeminstitches
18 years ago
Some community colleges offer classes as well.

Mary L
rosefolly
18 years ago
One of the premier sewing schools in the country is Fashion Institute on Seventh Avenue. You might check with them and see if they offer a beginning sewing class. If not, they might be able to direct you to a place that would.

I am currently enrolled part time in a community college based fashion design program in another part of the country. The classes are excellent. The beginning sewing class goes over all the basics of using a sewing machine.

If all you want to know is how to use YOUR machine, though, with no sewing instruction, find a dealer who sells the brand you have and ask if they offer classes.

Rosefolly
PRO
Lavoie Boho
18 years ago
If all of the above has failed, chances are there is someone right in your neighborhood who can show you in their home, and for free, if they are the friendly type. Maybe someone right there in the building where you live. Attend a local church and get a program or newsletter. Look for church crafting people who can refer you to who in their membership sews. Most churches have crafting meetings like quilting and knitting for church bazaars. All the older ladies would probably have sewing machines sitting unused in their closets, and certainly many of the middle aged ones. Some elderly ladies would certainly welcome the companionship. I luv NYC and miss the good old days when I could get anything at the fabric and notions stores there. I still sew all of my party dresses. Robin in NC
lotus99
18 years ago
I saw a couple of sewing lessons offered on craigslist.org in your area for about $25 an hour. If you could get someone to come to your home and show you how to sew on your machine, that would probably work out well, if you can't find a class or one of the other options people have posted.

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