How do you start sewing clothes?

If you're new to sewing clothes, start with accessories! This allows you to practice basic skills before diving into more complex projects. If you've already completed a few simple sewing tasks, you can skip this part and jump ahead.

For beginners, begin with small items like pillowcases, napkins, or scarves. These simple projects help you get comfortable with basic techniques, and some don’t even require finishing the edges. 

Once you're ready for a challenge, try sewing small bags, pouches, or even a pouf. As you become more confident in your skills, particularly with finishing seams neatly, you'll be prepared to tackle your first clothing projects.

If you've moved beyond the basics of sewing, let's explore the key differences between sewing clothes and accessories. Some people, who have been sewing beautiful bags and aprons professionally for years, are hesitant about making clothes. But there's no need to fear! The first garment might be tricky, and it might not turn out perfectly.

The key is to approach it as an experiment to gain experience. Once you embrace that mindset, you'll feel more confident as you work toward making clothes you'll actually wear.

Here's how sewing clothes differs from sewing accessories:

1. Clothing requires precision: While accessories can often be measured directly on the fabric or sewn by eye, sewing clothes demands more accuracy. Even a small miscalculation can make a big difference in fit and shape. That’s why patterns are essential. These are pre-designed templates that you cut out of fabric to ensure your garment comes together correctly.

The patterns used for sewing clothes come with specific markings, such as sizes, notches, pivot points, or instructions for where to sew the zipper. It's important to carefully read the instructions and legend. Sometimes, you may need to trace parts of the pattern onto another sheet of paper, but don't worry—it's a simple task!

2. Sewing a garment is more complex: Unlike accessories, which can sometimes be sewn with just one or two steps, clothing involves multiple stages. For example, in a scarf, there's just a single stitch, but with clothes, you need to think through the entire process. A helpful tip is to mentally "sew" the garment first. Visualize the order in which the pieces come together and when to finish the seams. This mental practice can be a useful exercise, and you can even do it while standing in traffic!

3. Clothing requires a deeper understanding of materials: Even if a garment is well-sewn, the fabric plays a huge role in how it looks and whether you'll actually want to wear it. The material can impact how the garment fits the pattern and its overall functionality. For example, the fabric might be too thin, too thick, or have the wrong texture or composition for the intended design. I’ve covered the basic fabric types and what they’re best suited for, as well as the essential properties of materials you need to know.
To start sewing clothes, it’s best to choose slightly stiffer fabrics like linen. These are easier to cut and sew. As you gain experience, you can move on to softer, more fluid fabrics. For delicate materials, it helps to learn some extra techniques.

 Currently, sewing with knit fabrics, like t-shirts or sweatshirts, is very trendy. However, knit fabrics require different sewing techniques, so I wouldn’t recommend starting with them just yet!

4. You have to consider your silhouette: When I first started, I loved to taper my clothes at the waist to accentuate them. However, this often made the clothes too tight to breathe in! With clothing, it’s important to objectively assess your figure and embrace what you might consider "imperfections." Experienced sewists know how to sew garments with the right amount of "slack"—the difference between the body’s measurements and the garment’s measurements. This slack helps you cover areas you're less comfortable with and highlight your best features. It's your ally!

Also, pay attention to how the garment fits your body. Small folds and pleats in the fabric can indicate areas that need adjustment. If the fabric is pulling, digging into your body, or gathering excess material, it's a sign the garment needs to be altered. 

5. You’ll need different equipment for sewing clothes: At first, you can start with just a few basic tools, many of which are inexpensive. However, as you progress in garment sewing, it’s worth investing in better equipment. A good pair of tailor’s scissors, needles suited to different fabrics, a good sewing machine, a dress form, and specialized feet will make the process smoother and more precise.

6. Straight thread matters even more: While straight thread is important for accessories, it’s absolutely crucial in clothing. For instance, a slightly fitted Everyday Top needs darts to fit properly. If you cut it on the bias, you can avoid darts, but the straight thread must still be accurate. Misaligned threads can cause seams to twist, so it’s vital to measure the fabric’s grain carefully when cutting clothes.

Sewing a trial version should become a habit: If you're using a new pattern, sewing a trial version (often called a "toile") is a great idea. It helps you check the fit and test out new techniques before committing to your final fabric.

7. Accuracy is crucial when sewing clothes: While accuracy is always important, it’s even more critical with clothing. For example, an armhole that’s off by just 1-2 cm can cause discomfort or reveal undergarments. That’s why precise measuring, tracing, cutting, and sewing is essential. Simple techniques like holding your scissors perpendicular to the table while cutting or using the stitch plate markings on your machine can help maintain that accuracy.

How to Start Sewing Clothes: Tips Based on the most common mistakes

1. Don’t dive in headfirst: If you're new to sewing clothes, don't jump straight into complex projects. Start with small accessories or simple designs like sleeveless blouses or elastic-waist skirts. Learn at a steady pace, picking up one skill at a time. Avoid rushing through steps—it might seem tempting, but skipping key techniques never leads to good results.

2. Follow the manual: Early on, I skipped steps like ironing, lining, and finishing edges. Over time, I learned that following the process laid out by more experienced sewists is crucial. Creativity is important, but the basics should never be skipped. Sewing is a technical skill that requires practice, not innate talent.
   
   

3. Patience is a mindset: I used to get frustrated when things didn’t go as planned, throwing projects aside instead of problem-solving. Now, when something goes wrong, I take a step back, stay calm, and continue working through the issue. With patience, I’ve learned it’s faster to fix mistakes than to rush through them.
   
   

4. Understand fabrics from the start: Years ago, I thought color was the most important factor, but I quickly realized that fabric quality matters most. Many garments ended up in the bin because the material wasn’t suitable for wear. Make sure to learn about fabric types and compositions early on to avoid costly mistakes.
   
   

   

5. Precision is key: I used to think I could "wing it" and everything would just fall into place. But without accurate measurements and even tracing, the results were less than ideal. Now, I always use a proper tailor's marker for precise lines—this simple tool has made a huge difference.
   
   

6. The inside matters too: It's easy to focus on the exterior of a garment, but if the inside isn’t finished well, you’ll wear it less often. Over time, I realized that investing a little extra time in neat finishes makes a huge difference. The result is a garment that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
   
   

I hope you now have a better understanding of how to start sewing clothes! It’s not as intimidating as it might seem, but it’s helpful to plan out the learning process in advance. You can find plenty of beginner-friendly patterns on my website to start with. You can find them all in this section: Sewing Patterns for Beginners. 

That’s all for today! Feel free to share any tips or additions from your own sewing journey in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!