If you’ve made it through the last five posts, congratulations! You know how to work your sewing machine, you’ve practiced your stitches, you know how to read a sewing pattern, and you’ve learned how to choose the right fabric. Now let’s sew!

In this post, we’ll guide you through some beginner-friendly sewing projects focused on garments and accessories. These projects will help you build confidence, familiarize yourself with your machine, and hone your skills—without the frustration of tackling complex designs too early.

Many sewing tutorials will recommend choosing something like a pillowcase for your first project, but let’s be honest, that’s just not very fun. If you’re like me and you need instant gratification, sewing a garment or accessory will get you more pumped up for sewing and make it a more rewarding experience. Just don’t expect it to turn out perfect or put too many expectations on yourself! I made so many mistakes in my first few sewing projects and learned from every single one.

Ok, if you read my last post you know that I can clearly talk about fabric all day long. Hopefully that post is helpful to those who are trying to understand the very basics of how fabric is made and what materials it is made from. Now I want to get more specific about what you might see in stores and online when you are buying fabric for a sewing project. When you first start sewing, fabric choices can seem overwhelming and it’s my goal to simplify that a little bit!

Let’s start by imagining that you are shopping for a pattern (it doesn’t matter what kind of pattern; we’ll get to that later). Most fabric stores and online fabric shops will organize their fabric by “type.” Sometimes that “type” refers to fiber content (like a webpage or aisle devoted to linen), sometimes it might refer to how you might use that fabric (like “athletic knits” or “swim knits”) and sometimes it might refer to the weave/knit type (like “twill” or “ribbed knits”). Confusing? It can be when you’re just starting out! Scroll down to see a definition of some of the most common fabric “types” and how you might use them.

I’m going to simplify this a little because it’s very easy to get carried away into the world of textiles and I’m not trying to overwhelm anyone. All fabric can basically be defined by two things: the fiber content and the weave (or knit). Fiber content is the material that is used to make the fabric, and the weave/knit is how those fibers were put together. Woven fabrics are made using weaving techniques. A basic weave is like a basket- imagine the paper weaving we did as kids: one under, one over, one under, one over, etc. There are other weaving styles that can affect the appearance of the fabric, but (almost) all woven fabric has no stretch.

Now that you have your machine set up and ready to go, you’ve gotten to know how all the buttons and knobs work, and you’ve tested your stitching on some scrap fabric, you’re ready to move on to an actual sewing project and for that you will need a pattern. Fun fact: I sewed my very first dress without a pattern. I was too scared to use one, so I just copied what I saw from some ready to wear dresses, guessed how big things should be based on my measurements, and went for it. To be honest, it didn’t turn out that bad, and I learned a lot, but I would not suggest taking my path.

Master the ten techniques detailed below and become an expert sewist in no time!

If you are dreaming of learning how to sew, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of tools on the market for sewing. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of these tools are great to have; however, if you just want to get your feet wet and see if sewing is the hobby for you, you may not want to have to buy a lot of expensive items. The good news is you really don’t need to. There are only a handful of things you must have in order to sew successfully. Here are the tools that are non-negotiable if you want to sew at home:

If you’ve decided that sewing is the hobby for you, you may want to move on from the bare essentials of sewing tools and branch out from the need-to-have tools to the nice-to-have tools. Maybe you want to up your sewing game by making more complicated garments, or maybe you just want to make your life a little easier. Here are some tools I recommend:

It’s easy to remove the button placket from the Elizabeth blouse, making it into a square-neck pullover top. Here are the simple instructions to do so 

If you want to learn how to sew, the first thing you need to do is get comfortable with using your sewing machine. I know hand sewing is a skill, but unless you’re planning to hand sew garments like a couture fashion house, sewing machines are where it’s at. Read ahead for tips on getting to know your machine before you even open a pattern.

The Elizabeth blouse is a great sewing project for beginner sewists and more advanced sewists alike. Follow along for additional photos and tips to make your sewing project a success.

Wondering if sewing is the right hobby for you? Here are seven reasons why you should learn to sew, including creative freedom, environmental benefits, and creating a wardrobe that fits your unique body.