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I haven't been near a sewing machine since my schooldays but I'm thinking about taking this up. I was looking at patterns and fabric for very simple summer tops and it would be cheap once I got the machine to make them. What started it all was I saw a lovely top on clearance but it was much too big for me. I could have used the fabric to make a smaller one because the top was a plain square shape.
I would only buy a very basic machine and they cost about $80 - $100. The problem is what I know about sewing and machines you could put on the head of a pin LOL and I don't want to bite off more than I can chew here.
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I don't think sewing machines are that complicated now. I had a basic one that only did ten different stitches and I used the zigzag more than any of them. For beginners you don't need a lot of embroidery stitching or quilting. Do you know anybody that can sew who'll help you get started? I only did curtains and placemats. Sale sheets are a good buy for curtain material.
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Pennywise, I wandered into this very good site that has free downloadable sewing patterns and came back to find your thread to tell you. The patterns are rated on how easy or hard they are to make. There's dresses, tops, craft patterns, bags and that's the first page alone. It almost makes me want to dust mine off. :) They sell patterns as well.
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns
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Pennywise, I wandered into this very good site that has free downloadable sewing patterns and came back to find your thread to tell you. The patterns are rated on how easy or hard they are to make. There's dresses, tops, craft patterns, bags and that's the first page alone. It almost makes me want to dust mine off. :) They sell patterns as well.
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns
That's a great site, frazzledmom. Thanks for that. I dabble in sewing. I'm no expert. Sometimes it's better to ask around friends and family to find a good seamstress they know and get them to do the work instead of risking messing it up.
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Pennywise, you should be alright if you stick with the simplest of patterns to start with. One piece of advice is buy cheap fabric until you get more confident about making stuff. I have a machine and wasted lovely fabric that wasn't cheap at the beginning too often by cutting it wrong or whatever. Cut up some old sheets to practice on getting your stitching speed right and thread tension. Great site, frazzledmom, thanks! :)
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I went back for another prowl around that site there. I like that you can sort the patterns by difficulty level. The retro top is nice and it comes under very easy. It might be simpler to make one from scratch than alter a big one, pennywise.
I've made curtains but they were very plain. I hemmed the raw edges and that was it. Clearance fabric is a fantastic buy. I did five living room windows plus tiebacks - ten curtains - and it cost me about $30.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money. - Cree Indian Proverb