Sewing Siren - The joys and tribulations of learning to use a sewing machine

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Last year my interest in up-cycling, and the fact that I was too broke to buy new clothes, led me to decide to learn how to use a sewing machine. 

From Pierrot doll to pirates…


I vaguely remember using a sewing machine for the first time at school during an art and craft project where as part of a group of bored and slightly puzzled teenagers I was taught how to create a fabric Pierrot doll. 


Needless to say as an adult I had forgotten everything about threading and using a machine, beyond the memory that I had somehow managed to sew the Pierrot’s black hat the wrong way around.


My first step before investing in a beginner sewing machine was to attend an introductory sewing workshop. I wanted to make sure that I would enjoy sewing, before I spent any money on purchasing one, and to be able to learn the basics of using a machine and ask for support before letting myself loose on my own machine at home.


Someone recommended Fabrications in Hackney and I signed up for their one-day beginner sewing workshop. It was a great opportunity to learn in a small group how to thread the machine, about the various stitches and how to use a basic pattern. I also got to do a little project, in this case a tote bag. I loved the session and I felt incredibly proud of my tote bag, which I made using a ‘pirate’ piece of fabric, at the end of the workshop. 


My first sewing machine


After this positive start, I saved to be able to buy a basic, beginner sewing machine. I first tried to source a second-hand one on Facebook Marketplace but I was concerned about buying

something that might need a to be first taken to a specialist store for a checkup before I could safely use it and might need some parts replaced. So I decided instead to buy a basic JL110  Janome machine. I made the most of a Bank Holiday John Lewis sale offer on sewing machines and I finally ordered my first machine! 

Sourcing supplies and starting to create


I was lucky to find three bags of full of a variety of fabrics on Freegle that someone was giving away for free as part of a house move. I found other handy supplies in charity shops: a beautiful sewing box, craft and sewing books to continue to learn from, jars full of buttons and dress and top patterns. 


I used the sewing machine manual and YouTube videos whenever I was unsure of what to do (and when I managed to break the machine's needle in half...)  and I started making things for the house such as a patchwork curtain for my bathroom small window and cushion covers, as well as mending some of my clothes. 

The next stage will be to start up-cycling some of the clothes I buy from charity shops and potentially to learn to create clothes from scratch using patterns. 


Embroidery 


My sewing journey also made me come across for the first time other sewing and craft techniques. Embroidery caught my eye. I have since started learning basic embroidery stitches and doing bits and pieces on cushion covers and pieces of clothing. I loved this YouTube tutorial and used it to embroider a pink cover cushion found in charity shop. 



I have found using my sewing machine and learning embroidery incredibly rewarding and I am still quite incredulous when I look at something I created and think ‘I made that’! The fact that my house is decorated in an eclectic, arty, boho manner means that what I make does not need to look perfectly designed and produced, instead I love using sewing to bring bright colours, creativity and fun to the house. 













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