How To Learn Sewing (If You’re A Sewing Beginner)

If your plan at the beginning of the year was to learn sewing, and you’ve made it to October and still haven’t started, this is your reminder that there’s still time!

There are so many options when it comes to learning how to sew, that I thought I would take you through them all to help you find the best way for you to learn sewing!

Sewing Blogs

The cheapest way to learn to sew is by using sewing blogs. Mine is one that has been popular for sewing beginners for a few years now, and many have learned to sew using my written sewing tutorials in the Learn to Sew category.

The tutorials are free to access, and as they’re online you can come back to them again and again. There are advertisements every few paragraphs as that is how I can make them available for free, but if you’re short on cash and like to read tutorials with photos, a sewing blog is a great way to learn sewing.

Sewing Books

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that I may receive a fee at no extra cost to you if you purchase a recommended product.

For those who like to have a physical object to learn from a sewing book is an ideal way to start learning, and there are so many sewing books available that it is tricky to know which one you should try out. I have a few that I bought some years ago that I’ll share with you below, but when looking for a sewing book, you should consider:

• The type of sewing you want to do: clothing, bags or home décor?
• The fabric types you prefer to wear: knit vs woven? There are books available that are specific to each type!
• Your preferred book style: text heavy, photo heavy, or do you prefer diagrams?
• Do you want included patterns or just techniques: some sewing books have patterns while others teach sewing techniques only.

Some of the sewing books I have in my stash are DK Sewing (an oldie but goodie), Sewing for Fashion Designers (created by my tutor when I was at Fashion School) and Sewing with Knitted Fabrics.

All three combined total about $120 which is a decent investment, but the only patterns you get with those books are in the Knitted Fabrics book, so you would need to spend extra to get started with a few basic woven sewing patterns.

If you do want pattern included, then check out this post looking at sewing books with sewing patterns included!

Sewing Vlogs & Tutorials

For those who prefer to watch than read, sewing vlogs and video tutorials on YouTube are where it’s at when you’re short on funds and need free ways to learn.

I have a YouTube channel which has some sewing lessons still published from years past, which you can still watch for free. Again, there will be ads within the videos because that is how the platform works, but if you want to learn with minimal costs involved, that is one way to do so.

There are many other channels on YouTube where you can learn a variety of sewing skills. Three of my favourites are…

Vintage Sewing

For those who like more vintage sewing take a look at Evelyn Wood’s channel. She has spent years building up a catalogue of sewing tutorials with a vintage sewing vibe.

Historical Costume Sewing

While not a traditional tutorial-based channel, Bernadette Banner’s channel does cover plenty of historical costume sewing which I adore watching. It’s perfect for those who want to be inspired by the slow sewing process.

Fashion Sewing

A channel that I have enjoyed tuning into over the years is Natalia Trevino Amaro’s channel. She is a sustainable fashion designer based in LA, and she has shared a variety of content that is equal parts educational and entertaining.

I pop over to catch up on her business vlogs mostly, but I think there is something to learn from her approach to sustainability in fashion that many will enjoy.

In Person Classes

For those who can, an in-person sewing class or workshop is always a great way to learn to sew. Not only do you have the guidance from a sewing tutor in person, but it’s also a great way to meet other people starting their sewing journey.

You can do an online search for a sewing class near you or look at websites for local fabric shops, technical schools and even colleges in your area that may run day and evening classes each week.

Not all will have a sewing class available, as they do take them off their offerings when there’s low tack up, but it is always worth having a look.

Online Sewing Classes

Finally, there are online options for those who are willing to pay when learning to sew.

Sewing Memberships

You might think about joining a monthly sewing membership where you pay a fee each month for ongoing access to classes. Those classes may be based on skill level or project based, and you’ll get access for as long as you stay a paying member.

I think of sewing memberships like gym memberships: you should join one when you need to focus on a certain thing and not get tied into annual plans which you then rarely make use of… that’s just money down the drain!

Online Sewing Courses

The other option is to buy an online sewing course. These sometimes have an annual access option, where you pay per year, but mostly you pay once and get ‘lifetime’ access.

In a world of recurring subscriptions for everything, I decided that it made more sense to offer a one-time cost for sewing beginners who were serious about learning to sew.

You can be assured that your investment is paid in full, that you’ll retain access no matter what, and I know that you’re more likely to show up and learn because you paid money for the course.

Okay, that’s all for today. If you have any questions on any of the above do let me know. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on how you learned to sew… was it with free tutorials? An online course? And do you feel like a different route would have been better instead? Let’s chat in the comments!

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