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 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. ❤️

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!

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

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

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

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.

Love my new denim dress but it has this ruching? Elastic? situation in the back and makes it look almost like a diaper. Looking for a way to remove that or make it look flatter

this is the first thing i’ve ever sewn (potholder) and i was wondering why randomly my stitches go wacky like this? the other side, that was faced up while i was sewing, is perfect, and the back ( pictured) is mostly good, but there is a few sections where the thread goes like this. could it be something with how fast the needle is going? my tension was set at a 2. google isn’t helpful and the manuel is confusing me

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 😭😭

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.

Hello everyone, I'd like to sew this garment for my next cosplay, but I'm a bit lost as to where I could find the proper pattern for those clothes, I don't even know what their name is, though it looks similar to a kimono, I only know they're meant to be chinese.

Would you know what they're called and where I could buy a pattern online ?

I'd also like your help to pick the correct fabric, I was thinking maybe a jersey or rayonne, but I've also heard that bamboo fabric could be a cheaper alternative to silk. Do you have any recommandations for a nice drapey and flowey fabric ?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello, I am using a pattern for shorts/pants and I’m having issues with the fit. They are the sourdough pattern from sewbake.

I took my measurements and based on those cut a size 8. That was a mistake, the shorts were too big and a disaster. I wasted my good fabric so I’m trying again but I have sheets to practice on.

The pictures are of shorts in a size 4. I still dont like the sizing. The fit is feels too loose and the crotch/inseam(?) seems to low. I know the design is loose fitting but it feels like I could easily be pants by my toddler.

Any suggestions? Size down to 2?

I'm so confused why the base of my dart is inverted and somewhere else is pointed. Please help I don't understand what I did wrong. This is after FBA. When folded r looks normal.

Hi! I have a Singer Heavy Duty, and it’s by no means heavy duty. It has a really hard time when I’m quilting, especially binding and sewing through multiple layers.

I’m looking to buy a new one, and I’m really not sure what would be a good one that can handle multiple layers of fabric. Janome, Bernina, Brother, Juki? What would you recommend.

Thank you!!

I bought a sewing pattern for a wrap shirt. I have the fabric, I have a sewing machine, I have scissors, and I have thread. What else do I need before I start? Just want to make sure I’m prepared to actually sew something before I start cutting up the fabric.

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?

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

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!

Hello everyone! I'm a beginner and I've been struggling with stretch fabrics. I heard that a walking foot can make a big difference but I'm having a hard time finding one for my Husqvarna Viking Emerald 116.

I found this one online but it is a bit spendy:
https://www.thecolorfulworldofsewing.com/products/husqvarna-viking-emerald-116-118-122-walking-foot?srsltid=AfmBOopSY9YdwbA0aG0M7KE_xCneNOumdWwcPYMfjuGwEpzwtFzqVlsZ

I also found these 2 listings but they appear as sold out:
https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/products/walking-foot-viking-416358301
https://www.singer.com/products/husqvarnaviking-walking-foot?srsltid=AfmBOopWjkjvKg0ZV0ivrUu4rcAs8txgarq8J5pH5ubkjZvwMnHUitwW

Does anyone have any advice?

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?