I apologize for the title-pun, I couldn't resist. I just picked up my first sewing machine, a Dressmaker model 101, from a local thrift store for $25. I spent the afternoon playing with it and have it up and finally have it up and running. My first project was to bring-in a shirt that was a bit too large. Apparently, I have a large neck, so most shirts that fit my neck are super baggy in the body. This one, the worst fitting one in my closet, required me to remove almost 8" of material from the body I'm sure there are other people here who sew, any tips for a newbie? I learned the hard way to iron the material first...
Well, my sewing teacher told me that it's always a good idea to wash your fabric the way you normally wash it before using it. That way it can get all the shrink-age (is that a word?) out. As for my experiences... There are some thread I think that are much more suited to sewing machines, and alternatively, there are some that are more suited for hand-sewing. Also, invest in rolling cutters, like the type you use to cut pizza? there's stuff like that for fabric. It makes cutting out patterns boat loads easier. Having fabric markers or chalk helps a lot too. Ahahahahah, I'm pretty much a beginner myself and mostly self-taught. So that's about all I can think of at the moment... Err, if you have any questions perhaps? I'll see what I can do to answer them
