Step-by-Step Guide to Start Sewing Clothes
Learning how to make your own clothes isn’t as hard as it seems.
But you definitely need to have a really good roadmap + guide if you don’t want to get overwhelmed or confused!
Which is why below you will find the exact checklist I wish I had when I first started making my own clothes. It’s going to show you exactly what you need to do to go from “I don’t even have a machine!” to actually wearing your first piece of clothing 🙂
If at any point you get lost, need help, or just don’t want to do this alone,
come join my DIY Fashion Rebel Sewciety!
Step 1: Get a Sewing Machine
It’s SO common for people to get overwhelmed about picking the RIGHT sewing machine.
And sometimes they will spend weeks or months digging through all the options out there and never actually make a decision.
But that’s not going to happen to you!
Tune into this video now so you can pick your first machine quickly and easily!
Already have a sewing machine?
Then you’re ready for the next step!
Step 2: 10 Must Have Sewing Tools
There are a million and one sewing tools out there but there are really only 10 that you need to have.
And to be honest, I’ve used just these 10 to sew MOST of my clothes.
So you really don’t need to add many other tools unless they make your sewing easier or more fun for you.
Step 3: Body Measurements
Now that you have all of your tools together, we need to start using them!
First, we’ll use our flexible tape measure to find out your three most important measurements when it comes to sewing your own clothes.
Need to Know Measurements:
- Hips
- Bust
- Waist
Step 4: How to Pick the Right fabric
Fabric is another topic that can feel really overwhelming for beginners.
But don’t worry, inside this video I’m going to show your the basics and then share with you a super easy trick you can use to pick the perfect beginner friendly fabric every time!
Step 5: Pick your first project!
OMG, look at you! You’ve got everything ready to go — your machine, your tools, your fabric — you’re officially a sewer in the making!
So don’t stop here! This is exactly the moment to keep your momentum going.
Let’s keep going with my top 3 tips for picking the perfect first project!
Tip #1:
Watch/read the entire project from beginner to end
I cannot tell you how many times people see a TikTok or Reel and think, “Oh that’s cute, I’ll make that!” Only to start the project and realize half the steps are missing and they have no idea how to actually finish the project.
Once you find a project you like, watch or read through every step and make sure you understand what’s happening.
Tip #2:
Pick something loose fitting
The tighter something is the more precise and accurate your sewing has to be. Since we’re just starting out, let’s pick loose, flowy projects that won’t care if your lines aren’t quite straight 😉
Tip #3:
Don’t use sewing pattern!
I don’t care how beginner friendly the patterns says it is. Your sewing machine is already going to be a brand new piece of equipment you need to learn how to use. Adding sewing patterns on top of this is going to make your first project SO overwhelming.
Instead, look for projects that don’t need a pattern. There are a ton out there and I actually put together something special to help you pick the perfect project below!
OMG, yay! You did it!
You now have all the tools + knowledge you need to confidently start your first sewing project!
I’ve even put together an entire playlist of Beginner Friendly projects you can choose from below
But…
What happens if you have questions or get stuck?
Your stitches look messy and uneven, and you can’t figure out why.
You finally finish your project — but it doesn’t look anything like the picture.
Trying to figure out what went wrong on your own can take weeks or even months (and a lot of frustration). Which is exactly why I created my beginner sewing class — to make your first project easy, fun, and actually wearable – all in just a few short hours!
You’ll get even more of the step-by-step guidance you loved in this guide — including detailed how-to videos for every part of your project — plus live support from me inside our private sewing community.
You’ll learn faster, feel more confident, and actually finish something you’re proud to wear.
Here are some of the amazing projects my students have already made!
And what they had to say about the class!
I had never used a sewing machine myself and it seemed like a complex monster. After the first class my fear of using it went away, Abbie is great at explaining every detail in a fun and easy way.
She’s a fantastic teacher with contagious energy. After the second class I felt so proud and accomplished as I left with a beautiful skirt that I made 🤩. I’ll definitely return to learn some more!!!
I felt the most confident with my sewing machine afterwards. And most importantly, when I made mistakes I felt that it wasn’t the end of the world, which made me less frustrated.
Your approach was the best part of it, because it made learning much easier. Especially the fact that you used some memnotic devices like the feeddogs and the little stories behind them.