Hi everyone,
I’ve been sewing for a little over a year now. I started with simple projects like toiletry bags and tote bags, and I’ve also sewn a few tops for my sister. Recently, I made a Norwegian traditional-inspired dress called an alvedrakt (photo attached).
I really enjoy sewing and want to take my skills further, but there are no sewing schools in my city. The only options available are very basic hobby courses. I could see myself working with tailoring or alterations in the future, but at the moment I don’t feel confident enough to take paying customers, especially for alterations.
So I’d love to hear from people who learned sewing or tailoring without formal education:
• Did you follow a structured learning plan, or learn project by project?
• What did you focus on first: pattern drafting, alterations, repairs, or specific garments?
• How long did it take before you felt competent, not just at hobby level?
• Are there any books, online resources, or habits that made a big difference for you?
Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you’re willing to share 🙂
I learned basics from my grandmother, the rest I learned on my own over the years. Indeed, if you can take in person classes they can help. I've done a few video courses and I have a decent library of sewing books.
I use commercial patterns but I also made my own sloper(s), which teaches a lot.
3 of my favorite books that have gotten me out of so much trouble:
There are definitely good videos that I've clicked with that I've used as reference.
IMO its not a race. My goal is to learn something new and applicable with each project, so that the next one can be even more spectacular.
So I do OK.
I used to have #1 been searching for an older copy myself great book quite in depth. Newer version cut a lot out.
Self taught mostly by making ly own garments as I don't typically like the styles or fabrics used in most stores. Love to express my creativity and then I have unique clothing as well.
I have an older copy (1978) for 12 dollars, excellent condition, but sometimes you can get an excellent deal (someone here once bought a copy for 2 dollars!) I like that these older copies have more couture and higher level tailoring techniques and for someone who loves to hand sew, will probably be much more sought after. Ebay sometimes will have them if you're not able to find it locally via garage/estate sales.
The Vogue Sewing book takes everything to the next level. Images are dated of course, but the information isn't. Anyone that struggles with patterns (and not just big 4, I used it for a Marfy pattern) Its worth while. There's overlap with RD, sure, but there's a lot of stuff in the Vogue book not covered there, (the lining, interfacing, and underlining guides).
Also admittedly, its the book I learned how to handle fake fur...lol In addition its got a whole section about tailoring that I've read extensively (its really good).
The most expensive book I have of these is number 3 ( I paid 65 dollars for the spiral bound book with the dvd, though might be way more now)
Thank you for expounding! I'll be on the lookout for certain! I don't tend to use patterns I just measure against my body, cut & sew.
Came to recommend the complete guide to sewing. I’m initially self taught from that book, it rocks!
Evelyn Wood Victorian sewing school is pretty awesome and reasonably priced. You do each lesson on your own time and can search for other lessons
Evelyn Wood Vintage Sewing School. It's not about sewing vintage clothes, it's about vintage/tried & tested sewing and altering/adjusting techniques you can use to make any garment.
Love her videos.
Seriously, go to your library, and just start reading the sewing books they have. Just whatever appears to be about what you want to learn. I think I read all of the ones in a pretty large city library. Read Threads magazine, especially the older copies, which your library may have in the Bound Periodicals section.
The older books are so helpful, and written and edited by people who knew what they were doing, and had been doing it a long time. That's who you want teaching you.
Keep sewing while you're doing this. You can learn by doing, but it's best to learn by doing while you're also getting good advice on the type of thing you're doing.
If you think you can only learn from short videos, oh well.
If you want to sew professionally, I would suggest trying to get an apprentice position hemming pants or helping out at an alterations studio while still learning as much as you can through books and experimentation on your own. I was shocked at how much I learned doing even simple things alongside a seasoned professional and most will train you if you’re serious and willing to learn.
Also, most sewing jobs that don’t require a degree have a certain amount of repetition, working a job will give you an idea of whether or not the reality of sewing for work is for you! Unfortunately, most paid jobs are not as exciting as sewing for yourself, (at least not at first) but there is something beautiful about working with your hands and getting into the “flow”. I certainly love it and I hope you will too!
Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further and best wishes to you.
A lot of commenters already replied with great ideas! One more: is there a theater in your town or village? Often they will have a costume shop or person. Offer to lend them a hand, in exchange you can learn a lot of skills plus business know how for if you want to open a sewing business.
Alternatively, if there is a tailor in your town, ask if you can interview them/ask questions for an hour, in exchange for a meal or something. If you want to do sewing as a income generating activity, It’s good to know what services are offered and used in your area, and it can help you fine tune what skills to learn or practice!
YouTube and a lot of failing!
Lots of short courses at TAFE (basically Aus’ tech school), lots of social sewing, lots of practice
I learned basics in school back in the 1980's but I didn't start sewing again until around 10 years ago. I started with purses but then moved onto my own clothing. I learned by reading the pattern instructions and watching YouTube videos. There was a lot of trial and error. I made mistakes but I just kept learning from those mistakes. Now, if I don't know how to do something I just search for it on YouTube and usually find 10 or 20 videos on how to do it. I really like the videos of Cornelius Quiring and also Professor Pincushion.
This is my latest make.
https://preview.redd.it/jh1poruzyn9g1.jpeg?width=1331&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76d126bdd61ac4bc07875b3009ba2111dba4efe8
My husband who was a fashion major helped me get my start and explain the complicated and professional finishes on garments. From there it was trail and error and maybe an errant YouTube video or two.
I’ve just been slowly teaching myself through YouTube (-: haven’t made any big projects yet.
you should probably be enrolled in youtube university. You can find videos on pretty much any topic and skillset you want on youtube. Though I'm no professional myself, not great at all, I've learned a lot on there.
My mom taught me, but my school also still had home ec when I was in middle school. I have very early memories of being at the fabric store with my mom and looking through the pattern books. Also, a lot of my Halloween costumes, she let me pick out a pattern and we shopped for fabric together.
I asked my godmother to teach me to use a sewing machine and read a pattern. It makes me sad that I didn't get the opportunity to learn to sew in school because I could have found this love much sooner.
I learned basics from my 4H group, but mostly taught myself using books and Youtube videos. Sometimes thanks to this board, I find out I've been doing something wrong for years! It's good to ask questions, people here are usually very supportive and helpful.
I learned in the early 2000s before YouTube existed. I just bought patterns and tried to follow them. I actually was successful but I vividly remember making a cosplay top for a school uniform using a knit pattern with woven fabric. Went as well as you thought lol. Nowadays it's so amazing how many resources there are. But everything I've done is self taught - I've never taken any classes.
4-H
Hi -assuming you’re Norwegian- I took a course sewing a male bunad- you learn so many techniques and have a great time with others. Especially the jackets are much like chanel couture. I also like how sømrom emphasises to «sow nice»- it made me focus in a good way. Maybe she has physical courses as well- that would be a great investment.
Thanks a lot, yes I’m Norwegian. Have you tried sømrom online? Is it good ? I live in Stavanger and there is not that much physical courses here, only basic ones.
I’ve just followed her, felt my skills are at a level where I didn’t need the digital course. But I like her focus on technique- Fæbric is nice as a starter though! I also recommend Closet Historian and make your own bodice instead of spending too much on patterns, just made this for myself and it’s so much easier to make things that fit. And last- I was often dissatisfied with my makings because the final piece looked blæh, then someone in here told me about Kibbe. It made it easier to pick the right pattern- and colour analysis for picking the right colours!
My mom taught me basics , I've learned the rest on my own by watching YouTube videos and just experimenting with techniques. I wouldn't call myself a professional ,but I've definitely increased my skill set. I'm sewing things that my mom has never been able to do.
Watch you tube how to videos.
I used Sewing for Dummies and just sewed a lot. A lot of missteps, but that’s the learning process.
Taking apart existing clothes and adjusting them for myself. Just lots of practice.
The basics I got from home or regular school, and from medieval reenactment (great for learning basic patterns made from squares and triangles and then expanding into figure adjustments)
I just made things I wanted to make and gradually got better. I'm not interested in tailored clothes, so that's a skill I haven't picked up.
I took a couple of years of fashion in high school,then 2 year fashion college ,then 3 years of theater design but I never got fast until I sewed every day, all day, on deadlines for at least a year.
I took a home-ec class in 8th grade (80's). The teacher gave us some tips on editing existing patterns, but, more importantly, taking measurements properly.
I tend to wing it. But I mostly made costumes or jammies.
Evelyn Wood Vintage Sewing School. It's not about sewing vintage clothes, it's about vintage/tried & tested sewing and altering/adjusting techniques you can use to make any garment.
For me, sewing is a hobby with the added benefit I get to wear the results on a weekly basis. My learning journey in steps:
1)I learned the basics from my mom as a kid. 2) I practice a lot with costumes for carnival or the drama group so I could tell myself "it's not that important" when something turned out crooked. 3) Asking other sewing people in my life or online to think along before difficult steps or alterations to be more confident in my steps and learn their tips and tricks. 4) When I wanted to move on to sew things for daily wear (maybe after 10 years, but mostly because ten I had enaugh intrest, not nessesaary that it took me that long to develop the skil), I choose projects where I would always integrate one (!) new thing/technique like learning folds, practice gathering, adjusting the patterns, adding pockets, matching fabric patterns, hand sewing hems/lining, etc. I mostly went by what I was most interested at the moment. I am still doing that and it fits me very well to have a mix of steps I am comfortable with and some new challenge. That way it stays fun for me, is not overwhelming and I still see process in my skill. While doing that I use YouTube tutorials to learn specific techniques and I have a book with the basic how-tos in step-by-step instructions. I rarely watch full tutorials on YouTube. [5) After 20 years I finally started going to sewing classes. Mostly for social reasons but having someone with excessive experience looking over the shoulder as you go is absolutely valuable and hardly replaceable by remote learning sources- sorry that was not the question]
Thank you for your input! I would love attend sewing classic but there are only very basic one here, and i already can make tote bags😂 no sewing clubs here, i couldn’t find anything.
😅 yeah, I totally get the frustration that sewing classes produce tote bags and maybe next year a pillow case. Just added it for the completeness
I watch a lot of sewing people on YouTube. Bernadette banner is a cool example, she does historically themed sewing and patterning using (where possible) historic methods. She taught me a lot about hand sewing methods, and a little about drafting. A lot of people recommend skillshare classes too, because you have access to multiple people's classes under one subscription.
I will check out skillshare ! Thanks a lot ☺️
I was in blue birds or maybe campfire age and we had to make an apron. We embroidered something on it by hand first (it was gingham material) then sewed it on one of the girls mother's old sewing machine that ran off a treadel not electric. It was fun but crazy at the same time. After that I just started teaching myself with small barbie doll clothes and work my way up from there. Since that time home ect was a thing in my Jr high so we made a dress in 7th grade. I took home ect all 3 Jr high years and we got to pretty much sew whatever we wanted to Ive work most of my adult life in some sewing capacity. The one thing that helped me in sewing confidently was watch others around me and telling myself I can do anything in sewing. Believe in yourself I know you can sew anything you want. Training will come from within more that schooling will
Middle school home ec class followed by lots of YouTube tutorials.
Facebook is a good place to look for old books!
Thank you everyone for your input😍
Edit: I’m male 28 years old btw :)
I learned basics from my mother and grandmother, but I learned more much later mostly from books and YouTube. I can also recommend Evelyn Wood.
Readers digest - Complete guide to sewing is a great book.
I have to ask! Where did you find that gorgeous lace for that skirt? :O
That lace is actually from temu, I couldn’t find anything at my local fabric shop.
I got my first book that taught you to sew really simple things without patterns.
I got patterns and learned from those.
I had a big bust so learned about pattern manipulations pretty early on to be able to fit stuff with me, so because of that i just picked up pattern manipulations quick.
watched a lot of youtube videos- and followed projects that other people did- the looser the better for instructions and winging it.
I started getting really nitty gritty with my detail work. Like. i cant even wear my own stuff, because now its just about the craftsmenship than the end result.
so pretty much. now im in school at 35
i did all of that in 10 years though. it wasnt like one year in. it was 10 years of having fun figuring it out, then biting the bullet and going to school for it.
so i did go to school, but not everything i know is from formal education. in fact, most of my favorite sewing techniques i use now i learned by CAREFULLY taking apart clothes i like and documenting my findings in how they were put together. having to put them back together myself in some way is part of the learning process, too, haha.
My grandma and mom taught me the basics and then I just did a lot of trial and error on low-stakes cosplay projects. Now I'm making actual everyday pieces. Youtube helps a lot for pretty much any specific technique