• First Trap: Choosing a project that is too complex.

When starting sewing, you may dream of becoming the next Yves Saint Laurent, sewing your wedding dress, reproducing that magnificent blouse you noticed on Pinterest or Instagram… All this is of course possible after acquiring solid basics; however, to start it is better to select a simple project that you can succeed in and that will give you confidence in your learning abilities.
Indeed, it can be very discouraging to start with a project that is too complicated, that you will sew, unpick, redo… even tear and throw in the trash.
Also, start with an easy project with straight lines like: a cushion cover, a tote bag, a simple toiletry bag, a printed pouch… to move on to slightly more complex projects like a skirt, a sweatshirt, a blouse… with elastic, zipper, buttonholes…

Step by step, you will have more and more joy in showing and wearing your creations.

• Second trap: Buying a fabric crush without knowing its composition or without knowing what you will make with it.

Butterflies in your stomach, you discover a wonder of fabric, you must have it… You buy 1 meter. You go home with your find, super happy with your purchase. And then, bam… Here come the questions: what am I going to make with it? a dress? Darn, I bought too little… How do you wash it? Oops, it’s rather for dry cleaning… wow, it slips when I sew… you have to baste everything by hand… In short, a disaster.
Also, I advise you to avoid this kind of mishap and to build a reserve of beautiful fabrics that you will never use:
- to think each time about the project you will make with the chosen fabric. This will allow you to buy the right amount of fabric for your creation.
- to check the composition of the fabric. Is it cotton, silk, viscose,
wool,…? This will allow you to properly treat your fabric (pre-washing) but also the garment you will make with it.
On the other hand, knowing your material well will allow you to select the fabric well for your project. A pattern for a flowy blouse will not fall well if you buy a heavier fabric. Do not hesitate to ask the sellers questions if you hesitate.
- to choose fabrics easy to sew like cotton canvas, poplin, … that will not shift when you have pinned your pieces together. More silky fabrics like silk or viscose slip when sewn by machine. Also, given their price and difficulty to work with, it is better to reserve them for more noble pieces and when you have already gained a bit more confidence.

• Third trap: Forgetting to wash your fabric

Before starting your project, you should always wash your fabric. The only exceptions are textile materials that must go through go through dry cleaning: silk, cashmere for example.

The first reason for this mandatory washing is that the treatment of so-called "classic" fabrics uses materials that can be toxic to the skin such as heavy metals, formaldehydes, enzymes... Washing reduces the load of these products in the textile material. If you want to avoid treated fabrics in the usual way, quality labels exist such as: OEKO-TEX 100, GOTS, bioRe, Naturtextil... these certify the manufacturing processes textile according to different quality criteria.

The second reason, extremely practical, is that some fabrics will shrink in the wash and as the saying goes "prevention is better than heal". Imagine wearing your first "made by you" garment you", wash it and no longer fit into it. What frustration!

• Fourth trap: Choosing the pattern size based on the size you usually buy in stores.

Patterns are designed according to measurements defined by the designer. Often, it will choose the measurements of the average population... of the country in which it happens... This is how the patterns made for the "standard" size of the average American, of German, French, or Japanese will differ greatly. Thus, the the average size of a Japanese women's pattern is based on a height of 1.58m while that of an American pattern will be based on a height of 1.65m or even 1.68m. It will be the same for the other measurements: chest circumference bust, waist, hips... So do not rely on your commercial size but always take your measurements carefully before selecting the size to copy from your pattern. On the other hand, American and German patterns are known to run larger than the stated size. It is often recommended when you are between two sizes to take the smaller one.

What measurements should be taken depending on the type of garment?
For a blouse, you will need to focus on taking the bust and waist measurements.
For a skirt, the waist and hip measurements are essential, as well as for pants or shorts.
For a dress or a jumpsuit, the bust, waist, and hip measurements are necessary; it is also important to add the back length to be sure of the waist position. Indeed, the garment size and the actual size must correspond, otherwise the narrow part corresponding to the garment's waist may be positioned above or below your waist; which will certainly be unflattering.

When you are between two sizes, you can observe the model. If it is a fluid blouse, you can afford to take the size below. Indeed, the fluidity will somehow "absorb" the made the mistake of choosing the narrower size. However, if the blouse is very fitted, it is better to choose the larger size; otherwise you you risk not being able to button it.

For more experienced sewers, it is also possible to be able to mix two sizes. For example, when you are size 40 in bust bust and 36 waist, you can join the curves by helped by the shape of the model. When modifying a pattern this way, or when there is a big difference between two sizes, it is always recommended to make a toile. A toile is a model, a test that one will made in a "cheap" fabric if possible of the same type of fabric as the final model in order to appreciate the "drape".

• Fifth trap: Copying a pattern without taking note of the terms, symbols, and seam allowances…

Once the size is determined, we can copy the pattern. Copying a pattern may seem tedious. Some seamstresses prefer cut their pattern directly on the original sheet. Even if this method is much faster, I do not recommend it. Indeed, if you you chose the wrong size or if you want to redo the pattern for a another person not having the same size as you; you no longer have of your original.

To copy a pattern, you have a simple and effective method: tracing paper and pencil.
Take the time to carefully select your size on the measurement chart and to identify the type of line corresponding to your size. Often a size is represented by a color and/or a pattern in the outline (dotted, thick line, sequence of dots and dashes in a determined order…).

Warning, some pattern sheets like Burda magazines contain a lot of information and the pieces of different patterns overlap. It is therefore very important to check the number and type of pieces to trace. You will find this information on the documents accompanying the pattern sheet. For beginners, it is much easier to start by copying a single pattern, that is to say represented alone on a sheet. Printed or pdf patterns are preferred for beginners.

Don't forget to check if the seam allowances are included or if you must add them. The seam allowances consist of an excess of fabric allowing to sew the garment. These margins will therefore not be visible once the project is finished.
In case you need to add seam allowances to the pattern you you just copied, it is important to refer to the given instructions in the model information. Most of the time, the instructions will mention margins of 1 or 1.5cm for seams and 3cm and more for the hems. I advise you to use the good old Aristo ruler to add them.

Other signs must also be taken into account when copying your pattern, these must be noted on the paper piece. The first very important is the arrow sign. The arrow indicates the direction of the grainline threads. You can also spot a sign of a double arrow often used to indicate the side of the piece to cut on the fold. The assembly notches will be indicated by a line. Waves generally symbolize the front of gathers…

• Sixth trap: Cutting your fabric without considering the grainline, the pattern, the nap direction, the matching…

To avoid seeing your patterns upside down, it is necessary to clearly indicate the direction of the pieces (grainline arrow) on your pattern and to position it well on the fabric. Do not hesitate to look carefully your model and to distinguish where each piece will be sewn; this is a good exercise but it will prevent you from mispositioning a piece on the fabric to be cut. To help you, always mention the name of the pieces on your pattern.

In most cases, the fabric is composed of a weft thread and of a warp thread. The warp thread, parallel to the selvage, is called the grainline.
If you cannot distinguish the fabric direction, you can try stretching it in both directions. The fabric is slightly elastic in the weft direction and not in the direction of the warp. Unless otherwise stated (in the case of pieces to cut on the bias) most pieces will be cut in the direction of the grainline threads.

If your fabric is plain or contains a polka dot, floral pattern… no worries as long as you are on the grainline. But beware of fabrics with nap or patterns!
Indeed, velvet fabric and fur are all cut in the same direction of the nap. It is therefore essential to position your pieces well.
Similarly, it is important to watch the matching of the "large" patterns and checks. Matching patterns is a sign of good craftsmanship.
It can also be important to check the placement of the patterns on your anatomy. Indeed, the placement of large patterns can prove very unsightly.

• Seventh trap: Cutting the paper with your fabric scissors

It can never be said enough; even if if you are starting sewing, invest in three pairs of scissors: one for paper, one for cutting fabric and a pair of embroidery scissors.

The pair for the paper can be bought cheaply.

I advise you for the pair of scissors for cutting fabric to invest in a good pair quality with well-sharpened blades. Count at least 15 euros for your first purchase.

For the pair of so-called embroidery scissors, I advise you to choose small scissors with sharp blades whose circles fit well around your fingers. Some pairs are decorated or use animal patterns. The whole everyone has already seen the famous golden bird pattern; count about 10 euros for this type of scissors. For my part, I have a pair featuring the pattern the rabbit from Japan. And recently, I saw that you could get some get with unicorn, rooster, or even Eiffel Tower patterns… something to brighten up his sewing kit.

• Eighth trap: Avoid ironing your fabric during the project

I did some ironing ironing is one of my best friends in sewing, who would have thought!
I advise you to do the same ;-)

Iron your fabric before cutting your pattern pieces.
After washing your fabric, I advise you to iron your fabric. This way, you will find it easier to:

• to arrange your pieces,
• to fold your fabric on the grain,
• to align the patterns,
• to avoid creases when cutting your pieces.

During the project, it is important to open your seams. With the help of the iron, you will separate the two seam allowances on either side of it. In this way, the fabric allowances will be flattened on both sides of the seam line on the fabric pieces. This allows for a neat seam on the right side of the fabric.
On the other hand, the iron will allow you to "mark" your fabric, that is to say, allow it to be folded. For example, to make a hem, knife pleats, a button placket…

Moreover, the iron ironing will allow you to interface your pieces requiring reinforcement. Interfacing means using fusible fabric to hold, to stiffen, reinforce… a pattern piece or a part of a piece. The pieces most often requiring the use of fusible interfacing are the collar, the button plackets, shirt and blouse cuffs, and tabs… Warning, there are several kinds of fusible interfacing that will more or less to stiffen your fabric, always be careful to check the type of fusible interfacing to use. For this, refer to the instructions of the pattern.

Finally, when you reach the end of the project, I advise you to iron your work before put it on and take a nice souvenir photo of your work.

In short, the iron is an essential tool for both beginner and experienced seamstresses.
I advise you to invest in a good iron or even a steam generator. Check the weight and maneuverability of the device before making your choice.

• Ninth pitfall: Skipping fittings during the project

You found the model you like, the perfect fabric, you followed the instructions to the letter, sewn precisely but once the project is finished it’s the disaster! It is too big or worse you can’t get into it!

If we can to “take back” partly a project that is too big in the case of a project too small or tight, it will be more complicated. I therefore advise you trying on your garment in the middle of a project. Indeed, it is possible to adjust on the seam allowances, making a dart, shortening the length of a elastic… in the middle of a project. Which proves to be much more complicated on a project finished.

For those who understand…

• Tenth pitfall: Wanting to go too fast

Practice makes perfect and it is by starting with easy projects that you become an outstanding seamstress.
Too many people get discouraged by immediately choosing projects that are too complicated. Please, be patient and move step by step towards increasingly complex projects.
The risk of starting with a project that is too complicated is to complete a project that will not meet the expected quality level and to get discouraged. That would be a shame!

The other side of wanting to go too fast and rushing when you are in the middle of a project is to mess it up… How many seamstresses can tell you about the time they slipped up opening a buttonhole, cut a piece of their project, or sewed a piece inside out because they just wanted to “just” finish this or that.

When you get tired, or you have 5 minutes left while the task takes 10, stop.
You will be even happier to find your work again to finish it!

• Bonus: don’t be too hard on yourself

Be gentle with yourself!

Everyone starts one day from the beginner stage whatever the activity but what a pleasure to see progress. From project to project, from idea to idea, you will develop new skills, knowledge, desires… So be kind to yourself and savor the present moment.

Do you want to know more? Would you like to know how to avoid these pitfalls and improve your skills as a seamstress?
Leave me a comment with your article suggestions.