Ideas for First Sewing Projects! (and advice, too!)

[MurasakiB.]

Makeup rolls are great. There basically squares and there are not too many steps; plus there are a bunch of YouTube tutorials on them and the video instruction is a great help. Good luck and have fun!

[johndavid312]

Learn new designs from your mother and implement them in sewing your pillow covers, curtains and on other small piece of fabric. Don’t forget to practice them on any rough fabric before. Hope this will help. Thanks   

[Astraea]

Silly question, but... what do you all do with your beginner projects?  I don't need bags or purses or aprons or placemats or pillows; if I don't already have too many of whatever-it-is (the bags and pillows), then it's something I'll never use.  The simple sundresses and skirts aren't usually styles I would wear, and even if I did, I wear skirts/dresses so seldom that I only need one or two.  Yet a beginner project isn't exactly something good enough to sell or even donate to the thrift store.  (I don't know anyone who needs any of those things, either, that I could gift them to...)

(I do plan on making a pair of pajama pants, and finally converting a sarong I have to a skirt like I've been meaning to do for years...)

[Aislynn]

In cases like you're describing, because I've been there, I save the project and re-use the pieces of it later, once I've gotten better.  I sort of always need PJ pants, so I keep those.  But skirts, aprons, purses, I threw the ones that were better called "learning experiences" than projects into a tote bin, and I've slowly been pulling them out and taking them apart--either to re-make them now that I'm more skilled, or to use the fabric and notions in other projects.  Or as a mock-up or practice run for a new technique.  I've used a skirt to make a muslin for a bag, I used the top of a dress, which was pretty well made, to make another dress, and the bottom of it to line another bag.  I've used any number of things to practice crazy quilting.

[Astraea]

Thanks, Aislynn.  I thought of doing something like that but I wasn't sure if it was a dumb idea or not.  I just hate waste... even if it was cheap fabric and such, I'd feel bad just throwing something away so I'd rather "recycle" in this way.

[nicole_lee]

Mt first project was a couple basic pillowcases. They were easy to make (and easy to take apart when something went wrong) This also gives you the opportunity to play with the different designs on your machine without having to worry about ruining your project. Just hit up wal-mart for some clearance fabric that semi-coordinates with your room and have at it.

[CarinaJo]

My first projects were refashioned items. Now I'm trying to learn how to use and read patterns so I've been using vintage (50s-70s) Jiffy patterns because they are really simple. It has been a good stepping stone from refashioning to following a pattern. I got the patterns on eBay for less than $10.