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[HelloKittyQueen]

Many of us were blessed with crafty mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and family friends of the like. While others were left to their own devices when it came to learning how to sew. I am one of those people. We don't even OWN a sewing machine in my home. I really want to get into making my own costumes, but I get so discouraged when I see how difficult it is to make them and how much money and time goes into them. I like for things to be perfect, so I feel that if it doesn't come out like I want it, I'll be pretty much screwed

Never the less, I am going to try, just to say that I did. My question is: How did you all get started? What was it that taught you how to sew and actually make cosplays? I'm curious to know since I want to be just like you guys!

[touchmon]

Pretty much self taught. I did know a little from the home ec. class in middle school but not enough to make anything. I saw my friend sew on my machine and I copied her at first. I also read up on every tutorial I could find.

[Xanarcah]

Trial and error, mostly error.

And a lot of cheap mockup fabric to practice on.


I'm entirely self-taught, with the exception of my mom teaching me how to thread/run her sewing machine.

[HelloKittyQueen]

Originally Posted by Xanarcah

Trial and error, mostly error.

And a lot of cheap mockup fabric to practice on.


I'm entirely self-taught, with the exception of my mom teaching me how to thread/run her sewing machine.

WOW. I'm envious. I'm buying my first sewing machine soon. Hopefully I can get the hang of it.

[Xanarcah]

Originally Posted by HelloKittyQueen

WOW. I'm envious. I'm buying my first sewing machine soon. Hopefully I can get the hang of it.

Not sure if it's something to be envious of, really, since I made my first three costumes entirely by hand (handsewing, no machine stitching on my part at all) while I was at home and then when I moved into the dorms. I found it a lot easier to learn that way because I could get more precise stitches in, as opposed to using my mom's machine, which I thought moved WAY too fast.

Just remember to read up on all the reviews you can find for the sewing machine models you're interested in buying. I hear a lot of the new/low priced machines on the market nowadays don't have good performance and/or break easily. I upgraded to a new machine last year because of these same problems with my first machine.

[Ineedaname9]

One stitch at a time.

But really trial and error. I'm horrible at arts and crafts, so sewing patterns are a god send for me. Then using man figure out what to do...lol

[Clockwork_Ducky]

My mom taught me some very basic stuff, basically just how to thread a sewing machine and how to cut fabric out in a pattern.

I had free time and a scholarship in college, and took a theatrical costuming class which covered more advanced basics, like pattern markings, fabric choices, and types of seams/hems. I still consult my sewing notes for it, on occasion. I really regret not taking the second and third in the series now, which were pattern drafting and theatrical make up.

I'm actually looking into taking some classes at my local community college along the same theme, just to hone my skills a bit further.

[Ilafatyu]

When I expressed the interest in learning how, my grandmother brought me sewing machine shopping. I learned how to thread and run the machine by the manual that came with it. Pattern reading came from a combination of trial and error, and internet searches to figure out what the symbols meant.

A few of my high school friends knew how to sew, but I had too much pride to ask for help.

I'm not sure how I picked it up quickly. Maybe osmosis from my grandmother and her treadle sewing machine in the background of my youth, when I was busy playing with Batman action figures or the SNES.

[shindousgal]

My Mom made me join 4H in High school. And the only program I found interesting was sewing. And I'd always been interested. But I didn't know about patterns. And at the time Naruto had been on TV for about a year so I wanted to do Sakura's outfit. My grandma helped me to come up with a pattern and she taught me how to sew on her sewing machine. And although the machine is probably 40 or 50 years old it was really helpful. And the year after that I made a kimono. And it's started my sewing obsession. I'm even thinking of doing it professionally.

[PurpleDuckie]

My mom, and then the internet

My mom likes to make curtains but she is an all-around sewer and used to DIY stuff around the house too. So she taught me a lot of stuff I used for cosplay. She showed me how to use a saw, the electric sander, how to purchase patterns and read them, she showed me how to hand sew, knit and use the sewing machine. I'd be so screwed without her <3

She doesn't know how to draft anything but curtains though, so after a certain point I had to go to the internet to continue my skills.

[HelloKittyQueen]

Originally Posted by PurpleDuckie

My mom, and then the internet

My mom likes to make curtains but she is an all-around sewer and used to DIY stuff around the house too. So she taught me a lot of stuff I used for cosplay. She showed me how to use a saw, the electric sander, how to purchase patterns and read them, she showed me how to hand sew, knit and use the sewing machine. I'd be so screwed without her <3

She doesn't know how to draft anything but curtains though, so after a certain point I had to go to the internet to continue my skills.

I'm jealous of everyone's crafting Mamas! My mother, God bless that fantastic woman, never was into sewing, baking, arts and crafts or anything like that. So I'm basically going to wing it. I took a sewing and textiles class in high school but that was over 4 years ago and I can't remember anything, really.

[KyokoTsukiko]

i went to a 4day sewing macine class, the first thing i made was a pillow case now i'm up to shirts and pants now

[Talossa]

When I was a kid I wanted to make doll clothes, and my grandma had doll clothing patterns from when all my aunts were kids and piles of scrap fabric, so she showed me the basics and let me have at it. That's how I learned to hand-sew.

Then when I was 10 I wanted to make myself a skirt, so she taught me how to use the machine. After a week of, "No, that seam's not straight enough, rip it out and re-sew it!" and "No, it's too wrinkly, press it some more," I decided sewing was horrible and I never wanted to do it ever again.

Then I discovered cosplay. Turns out all that repeated seam-ripping paid off. XD

[magnum-desu]

I asked my grandmother to teach me...and that failed miserably. She basically kept kicking me out and telling me she'd just do it herself lol. After that, I taught myself (looking at the construction of clothes I have, trial and error, lots of guides from the school library, and lots of internet resources) and practiced with the sewing machine while she was asleep.

[HelloKittyQueen]

Originally Posted by magnum-desu

I asked my grandmother to teach me...and that failed miserably. She basically kept kicking me out and telling me she'd just do it herself lol. After that, I taught myself (looking at the construction of clothes I have, trial and error, lots of guides from the school library, and lots of internet resources) and practiced with the sewing machine while she was asleep.

LOL! That's exactly how my grandmother sounds. She knows how to sew, but I prefer to not be yelled at every 5 minutes.