I finished my first real sewing project: this very silly crossbody fish bag! This is a gift, so I'll be saying goodbye to the Mac on Saturday, but I have grown very fond of it over the last month as I've worked on it. I used this pattern and very helpful guide from Madison Makes.

It took me probably about ~25 hours total, I've been trying to spend about an hour a day over the last three weeks on it.

I wanted to share some things I learned as a true beginner. I've hemmed pants and repaired pockets, but that's the full extent of my sewing experience before this bag.

1. Pictures #1-3 show the bulk of the finished product. I'm so pleased with it as a whole, and it's so silly that I don't mind the mistakes I made at all. The macaroni and cheese fabric was truly a spur-of-the-moment choice that I really love. Also it may be hard to see, but the fabric for the fins has hands on it, which I found to be quite funny for some reason I can't explain.
2. Picture #4 shows just how wonky the zipper attachment is - I used a standard presser foot and moved the needle all the way to left, but was not super precise with my allowances and definitely colored outside the lines a bit because I was nervous. This is definitely a skill I want to practice more.
3. Picture #5 is just a top view of the zipper: even though it's wonky on the inside, it actually looks mostly fine and does the job of a zipper, so I didn't feel passionate about taking it apart to redo it.
4. Picture #6: the buckle (not the latch) is backwards: the little plastic bits that clasp in should not be hollow, the other side is filled. It's so silly and small I didn't even notice until long after I threaded the webbing through, so it simply will look like this forever. It's a bag that looks like a fish, after all.
5. And lastly, Picture #7 was my original blocked piece plan: a scalloped fin and a less-busy pattern for the stripe. But as I tried (MANY) times to sew the scalloped side fin, I realized I just don't quite have the practice yet to sew those little tight curves. I know I'll get there. At that point I decided that, because this is a BAG that looks like a FISH, it was simply more fun to keep the more chaotic stripe fabric (which I'm glad I did, because I used that fabric for the interior and the whole thing feels more intentional.).
6. Right now, the interior seams are just kind of....there. I'm going to try binding them tonight, but I may just whack over them with a zig-zag stitch to finish them depending on how much time I have.
7. I wish I had taken a picture of my workstation before cleaning it up because it was truly a disgusting mess. I still have little bits of teal thread all over the place, I think this must just be part of the hobby.

All in all, not bad for someone who could barely sew a straight line before this (although I have learned that sewing a curved line is actually much harder)! Making something silly helped me disassociate from any outcomes about the final product, because all the mistakes I made contributed to the silliness. I made a lot of decisions based on "fun" and that really made the whole thing more enjoyable.

This is your PSA that you can start with any project that gives you joy! As long as you have the motivation to push through making mistakes, difficult projects don't have to be locked behind simple ones. As an example, this is my first project, a maternity corset based off Aranea Black's Victorian Riding Corset. It is far from perfect, but I can't believe I made it! It's very comfortable and should be plenty serviceable for the rest of my current pregnancy and any future pregnancies as well. So go forth and accomplish anything you set your mind to!

ETA: disclaimer: this did take me over a year of off and on time to work on it and I made MANY mistakes that needed correction. This will come with frustration and it is absolutely okay to step away and take on an easier project if that suits your personality better!

Honestly this is the fifth time i’ve tried using this machine. Same shit every time. I’ve tried rethreading, i’ve tried new thread, i’ve tried every tension setting, i’ve tried new bobbins, new needles. I know the user manual better than the person who wrote it. I took the whole machine apart to see if there’s something broken inside. There isn’t.

Not sure if anyone remembers but I was here a long time ago with this absolutely bone dry custy machine that my dad gave me. Only recently I took it to a shop to get it serviced. They said it was extremely dry and they cleaned it up nicely and lined it.

I just crappily repaired the hole in my pillow case. I'm glad to be here.

Hello!

I bought this dress from a store without a fitting room and spent all day feeling like a can of biscuits because the liner felt two sizes smaller than the actual dress. Based on these pictures, do you think it would be easy for a beginner to replace the lining with some material that doesn’t feel like the jaws of life?

Someone suggested taking the liner out and just wearing a slip or a body shaper under it, but it’s too hot for shapewear, and I gave up wearing slips in 1996.

The shell of the dress is made of some type of bootleg seersucker, and the shell is made of some type of polyester. Can I get away with sewing a trapeze dress (pattern in the 3rd frame) in an opaque, breathable fabric to the inside of this?

hiya! I’ve been handstitching for about like 4ish years, and im going to get a sewing machine!! I make clothes, bags, and also embroider. I normally work with cotton, denim, lace, and tulle!

Ive been considering this Janome, because my budget is definitely not going anywhere past 180. i really think that dims my options, but if theres anything passed that i’ll save for it!

Hi guys. First time poster, long time fan. Just wanted to ask what this thing is called and if possible what kind of fabric/material it is. Thank You

I want to make this blouse but I don't know how to make the sleeves, I would appreciate it if you can help me with ideas or the pattern to make them, thank you

I have three Lilly Pulitzer Marlowe pima cotton dresses that have 3/4 sleeves that are too tight. Should I go sleeveless or short sleeves or something else to give the sleeves more space?

Also, I'm 5'11" and they feel too short. I can let down the hem on two of them (the third I already did that and I still don't wear it), but I'm not sure if I should just shorten them into tunics/shirts? Postpartum my shape is more pear than hourglass and the fabric feels restricting, plus it's hard to run around after my toddler in these dresses. I need some ideas that are manageable for me to do at home either by hand or with my simple sewing machine that I only sometimes can get to work. Here's how it fits me today:

This darker blue one I'm thinking about cutting a straight line from the bottom of the sleeves and starting over with a different neck and arm holes. The sleeve seams are at an angle, so harder to shorten. These have all been sitting in my closet for years so I figure I might as well experiment?

Thanks for any thoughts/ideas! I appreciate it <3

Hi everyone!
Most of what I’d love to make is pants, cotton underwear, and maybe bikinis. Much further down the road (hopefully!), I’d also love to make silk pieces. 😅
The thing is… I’m a complete beginner. I have zero sewing experience and I’m just starting to learn. Right now, I’m trying to decide between these two options.
Which one would you recommend for someone starting from absolute scratch? I’d really appreciate any advice or if you’ve had experience with either one. Thanks!

EDIT: Im in Portugal if anyone has recommendations heres. And thaks all for your advices

So I've added the strap to the bag and it seems to be handling items pretty well so Ig I should stitch it all now?

Going to be using straight stitches but still worried that it won't be a functional bag but after this test.. It should be fine?

The reason why I'm worried is bc the fabrics that I'm using are not the typical fabrics used for bags (like sweatpant material and jeggings) but after this test...it seems to be okay?

hi! i’m a total beginner, but i’m relatively comfortable using a sewing machine and understanding garment construction since i knit. i keep seeing tops like these on pinterest, and im wondering if these could be made pretty simply by using 2 rectangles, sewing slanted along the shoulders and figuring out how to add piping for the ruching/ties. any feedback would be appreciated!

I found this at a thrift store, its lightweight, drapey, not stretchy and see through. Not really good at telling fabrics apart yet and wondering what this would be classified is.

Thanks in advanced!

I love this dress I got from uniqlo, but there is a layer on the inside that cuts right across my bust. it’s not uncomfortable, just unflattering. I would really appreciate some suggestions or guidance about how to fix this! Thank you!

I’ve done some embroidery and made some simple nightgowns and own a sewing machine.

I am making a half circle mini skirt with side pockets out of thin wool fabric. The pockets will be attached to the waistband.

Is there a reason a thin waistband (2cm) is a bad idea? When I search for similar skirts, I almost always see a thick (~4cm) waistband. Thinner waistband would be easier to make (no need to make it curved) and I kind of like the way it looks. Is the thickness just a matter of preference or am I missing something?

So I'm trying to make a bag and this is what it looks so far

I added double reinforcement (using jeggings scrap) on the bottom panel (haven't stitched that either)

This is from sweatpants since I made shorts (the one in the vid) and had scrap so thought a matching bag would be cute

I was worried it wouldn't be a wearable bag but since doing this and it's staying in place, I think it may be fine after stitching it

I'm not sure what type of stitch to use tho. When making the shorts I used zizag all throughout so I'm guessing the same zizag should be used to connect the pieces?

Edit : ik the strap isn't Included in the vid but the strap is, I think 18 smth inches and I would add jeggings reinforment and attach to the sides of the bag using the box and x method but idk 😭😭

Me again, my apologies if you’re tired of seeing my projects. #3 - going back to the metallic purple material this time, as it proved so popular. It’s my hubby’s favorite too.

I used the same guide as before, except this time my challenge was going for a front middle seam to create a front pouch. Figured it was worth attempting if I decide to branch into accepting orders from other bodybuilders and doing more custom suits.

The cut I use for the trunks I make is an online template for men’s IFBB pro cut trunks. I use this video a lot to help me:

https://youtu.be/CS2dLsz1m4M

Again, not the first attempt on display, it took many tries as before but end result I’m happy with and need to find a home for!

Hey y'all, I just ripped my favorite pants side pocket (got it stuck on a drawer handle...). Sadly the pants aren't available anymore and I really love them. So can this be saved? I can technically hand sew and use a sewing machine but I'm not very good at it and I don't know where to start here and how to go about it. I would love some help on how to do this best (or if it

tension is 4 (but it does this at any tension), stitch length 3.5 (but it was doing this at 2), güterman thread. I’m at my wit’s end 😭 it does this after about 5-10 seconds of sewing. I’ve rethreaded multiple times, checked the needle is in the right place, made sure no thread is stuck in the machine. what am I doing wrong?

Not my size but still wanted to try it on
(Sorry for the shit video too I wanted to crop my face out )

“Beginner” project that took me 6 hours but we made it!

This is the very first rag quilt I’ve ever made.
I made it for my sister in law’s baby shower.
She and her husband tried for five years to have a baby, and because of some medical issues, there were times they weren’t sure it would ever happen.
Then we got the news we’d all been praying for. She’s due in late August.
I wanted to make something with my own hands that her little baby could grow up with, so I decided to make my first rag quilt. It definitely isn’t perfect, but every stitch was made with a lot of love.
I think this one will always be my favorite quilt, no matter how many I make after it. ❤️