What back-to-school sewing projects for beginners?
Have you decided to start sewing this fall? Great idea!
We’ve come up with some easy-to-make clothing ideas for beginners, so you can look fashionable in your 100% hand-sewn outfits!
A ruffled dress
This season, the bohemian, peace-and-love spirit is very much in vogue. So don’t hesitate to sew yourself some pretty ruffled dresses, with floral or paisley prints and warm, natural tones. And that’s just as well, since some ruffled dress patterns are very accessible to beginners.
This is the case with Miss Cactus’ Mirabelle pattern, a long-sleeved dress with ruffles and gathers, perfect for mid-season paired with thin tights. The elasticated waistband eliminates the need to sew a zipper. And you won’t have a complex collar to assemble.
An ideal pattern for beginners who want to learn how to read a pattern and find their way around the different pieces.
A sleeveless jacket
Still in the bohemian spirit, the sleeveless jacket, also known as the shepherd’s jacket, is very much on trend this season. Mondial Tissus‘ quilted version, which allows you to sew this piece for a child or an adult, is not very complicated to assemble, since it has no buttons, no sleeves, and no lining… You’ll simply need to learn how to apply bias tape to hide the cut edges. If you’re just starting out, avoid quilting your own fabric and buy one that’s already been quilted, which will be easier to work with!
If you like the more bohemian version in faux fur, you can follow the Patronnes pattern, also available for children and adults.
An elasticated skirt
The elasticated skirt is the ideal project for beginners. It allows you to learn how to cut a pattern and make simple assemblies. Above all, it’s a great way to get a pretty and satisfying result quickly, which is just what you need when you’re just starting out! To sew a flowing knee-length skirt, we use cotton voile or viscose, which is a little more difficult to work with but more supple. You can use the free pattern from l’atelier des gourdes, for example. If you want to stick as closely as possible to the trend, opt for a floral motif, polka dots or a tartan print.
If you prefer to sew a short, straight skirt, still with an elasticated waistband and easy finishing, prefer Coralie Bijasson’s Sandra pattern. In this case, choose a thicker fabric such as brocade or a soft woollen fabric.
A chasuble dress
The preppy look, inherited from the outfits fashionable in American universities in the 50s, has been very much in vogue since the beginning of the year. It’s back again in autumn, with the return of checked fabrics, tartan, preppy outfits… and chasuble dresses.
With its classic, angled shape and lack of zipper (it can be slipped on over the head), it’s a great way to start sewing. To help you, there’s this pattern from New Look, for example. You’ll need to be very careful to flatten the seams with an iron, mark the corners and take your time to finish as neatly as possible.
To make a chasuble dress, you need to choose a fabric with good hold, such as velvet or wool.
A T-shirt to personalize
The long-sleeved T-shirt is a wardrobe basic. Sewing it yourself allows you to personalize it from A to Z: from the choice of fabric to the choice of thread, from the color of the pocket to the patches or embroidery you can add… You can make it a very personal piece with very little effort.
For this project, you’ll need a soft cotton jersey, which is best machine-worked with a jersey needle and elastic stitch. Unlike warp-and-weft fabric (used in the above projects), jersey is stretchy, and you can see little V’s on the right side, just like on knitted sweaters.
You can use the marinière pattern from Ikatee. It suggests you sew a marinière, but you can easily adapt it to many other colors and patterns.
What pieces do you recommend for beginners? What was the first garment you sewed?
