Sewing?

meep13

How hard is it to learn to use a sewing machine?  I'm considering buying a cheap one.  my mom and sister sew.  I know how to do the very basics but don't know any of the technical stuff about the machine.  They always set it up for me and I've only sewn VERY basic stuff. Is is something you can learn on your own or do you need someone to teach you?

drpayne

A class is a good idea. I have a sewing machine but I don't read patterns or make clothing. I hem pants, etc. I have to refamiliarize myself with it almost every time. You Tube has great video tutorials on threading, winding a bobbin, etc.

VitaLuna

In my experience, the non-chain sewings stores (like a "sew and vac" place vs. Joanns) will offer free 1:1 session to orient you to your machine and basics. Otherwise, you can take a class at Joanns like others mentioned. I've also found youtube helpful for specific stuff, but you have to have a basic understanding of how the machine works, first.

FairyDuster003

The newer ones are super easy. If you just want to do simple things, it's really not hard to watch a YouTube video and learn a technique! Plus, they make really simple patterns. I say get a cheap machine and see how it goes. There are tons of videos on YouTube to get you started!