Want to Learn to Sew? Here’s How to Get Started in Style
- Words by Peppermint
When it comes to kick-starting those good intentions, February is the new January. And if your New Year’s Resolution was to get on that sewing machine and learn to ride it like a bicycle, we’re here for you!
Learning to sew is scary. There are needles and sharp scissors and three-dimensional object work and more maths than anyone is expecting. To the uninitiated eye, it can seem hopelessly intimidating. Be not afraid, however. Once you hit your stride, you’ll realise it’s all just stabbing and knots and there’s nothing you can’t undo with your trusty seam ripper beside you. You just need to build up a bit of momentum in order to make the leap.
For those committed to undertaking this daring endeavour, we’ve put together some resources to help you transition from ultimate beginner to confident beginner or even, deep breath, an intermediate sewist! So, if you don’t have a clue and are looking to sew, pick any (or many) of these options and stay the course to ultimate sewing success!
TAKE A COURSE
If you want to learn to sew, there is always the great option of finding a class where a teacher will teach you what you need to know. Pretty route one, but interpersonal pedagogy is a classic for a reason. Check to see if your local sewing or fabric store offers classes (like Weft and Warp or Gardams do), as well as community centres like libraries (shoutout to our local – SLQ). You can also try online courses like…
MODULAR ME by Ministry of Handmade
Created by Julie Hillier, an experienced sewing teacher with decades of experience, Modular Me is designed to help people learn to sew – step by step, technique by technique – building confidence and skills along the way. Based on a simple pattern block that becomes the foundation of a multitude of different garments, Modular Me’s sewing system teaches you how to modify the pattern via a series of creative sewing modules that include easy-to-read patterns, comprehensive instructions and video tutorials. A fun and rewarding starting point for a felicitous sewing journey.
Topstitch Makers
Topstitch Makers is an online sewing course that doubles as a creative community – helping you find connection and engagement with other sewists as you learn. With virtual, instructor-guided sewing sessions, pattern sew-alongs, live talks and sewcial sessions, Topstitch combines the dissemination of information with accountability and support to keep the momentum of your sewing development barreling forwards. A great choice if you suspect yourself to be a Stitch ’n Bitch, Sip ’n Sew or gab-with-the-gals type sewist!
READ A BOOK
Books are another great way of imparting information on account of the fact that the facts stay still and you can flip back and forward between them. There are many, many books out there written to shepherd the prospective sewist but a couple of our favourites are…
Sew It Yourself with DIY Daisy
DIY Daisy’s book makes for an excellent introduction to sewing, filled with easy-to-understand instructions and projects that are simple enough to make, but desirable enough that you actually want to make them. Daisy uses measurement-based templates rather than traditional sewing patterns – a less intimidating and more intuitive introduction to sewing garments which helps develop a deeper understanding of how shapes fit together when sewing.
You Will Be Able to Sew Your Own Clothes by the End of This Book by Juliet Uzor
The name of this book makes some pretty big promises and those who remember Juliet Uzor’s star turn on the fifth season of The Great British Sewing Bee will trust her to deliver with absolute aplomb. Beginning with core skills like accurate measuring, sewing machine use and how to follow patterns, the book then guides you through 15 sewing projects, building in complexity to build your confidence – with special sections on upcycling vintage and thrifted clothes to create gorgeous, unique items.
SURF THE WEB
An incredible array of patternmakers offer sew-alongs – digital series where they go through the construction of their patterns with more detailed information about the techniques involved, in a step-by-step virtual sewing experience. Others offer all kinds of tutorials and tips to help starter sewists in general. Checking out patternmakers’ websites can be a great way to learn from a specific pattern or simply about the garments you’d like to make in the future. Some patternmaker pals whose sew-alongs we heart are…
WATCH THE TUBE
There is no skill in the universe, no matter how arcane or obscure, that you can’t find a tutorial on YouTube about. Sewing is no exception. If you are stymied by any specific technique, you can search and find a video by a kindly, middle-aged American woman – with less than 1000 views – walking you through exactly what you need to do with the expertise of an ancient master. For channels with more general learning content, here are a few we enjoy…
PLAY WITH PATTERNS
You can intake all the information in the world, but eventually, you’ve got to sit down and start sewing. A great way to beat the nerves (and save some cash; sewing ain’t exactly the cheapest hobby) would be to pick a nice, easy and free pattern to start with. We can reliably inform you that Peppermint has a huge selection of free, beginner-friendly patterns right here – and they’re super cute if we do say so ourselves. Happy sewing friends, get to it!
WANT MORE SEWING AND DIY CONTENT? RIGHT THIS WAY!
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight…
Hang out with us on Instagram
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
If your fingers are twitching for some crafting, take a peep at this massive list of marvellous makes that can be whipped up in a flash, put together by our Sewing Manager Laura. Ok yes, it was originally a roundup we created for easy Christmas gifts, but now it can be your blueprint for easy craft wins to go on your 2026 making must-do list!
If money and time are slim for you right now – as they are for many of us – these 22 projects will help you avoid the chaos and consumerism of the malls, scratch that creative itch and produce a fun me-made make that won’t break the bank.
Link in bio! 🪡🎨✂️
#PeppermintMagazine #MeMadeGifts #DIYs #EasyWins
"I, like so many of my fellow sewists, live a life of endless lists of ‘to-sew’ patterns, fabrics and garments. My stitchy to-do list is longer than my arm and it ain’t getting any shorter. There are just so many wonderful surface pattern designers, indie pattern-makers and small businesses who I want to support, that I am simply never short of inspiration for garments I’d like to sew. But you know what just does not seem to make its way to the top of the list? Pyjamas. Jimmy-jams, PJs, jarmies. They just don’t rate highly enough for me to commit time and fabric to them. I mean, barely anyone even gets to see them. The ratio of bang vs buck is low on the ‘thanks-I-made-it-ometer’."
You’ve probably heard it from your Nan: always wear nice undies, because you never know what might happen! (And who might catch a glimpse.) But just in case the unexpected happens while you’re slumming it at home in your washed out tracky dacks, Peppermint sewing manager Laura Jackson’s adding pretty PJs to her list of preferred ‘ghost outfits’… Because shuffling off this mortal coil can be perfectly stylish, too.
Read more of `Haunt Couture: Why Laura Jackson Decided To Up Her Pyjama Game` at the link in our bio!
Words and photos: @Laura_The_Maker 💤
#PJPatterns #MeMadePJs #Pyjamas #GhostOutfit
STAY SOFT ☁️
We love when some of our friends collide! And this collab between @SueChingLascelles and the legends at @DangerousFemales is a goodie.
From Sue-Ching:
New year, new mantra babes, because we tried being tough and it was exhausting. So now we’re going to lead with kindness and compassion and see what happens. We have nothing to lose! So let’s stay soft this year. Love ourselves and each other.
New limited edition tee designed by me for @DangerousFemales. 100% of the profits go to supporting DV services. Available NOW and did I mention limited edition? Such a cutie reminder for the year we’re going to have. The year we deserve to have.
BIG LOVE ya big SOFTIES 🤍
Sue-Ching x
Photos by @AMRPhotographer_
#DangerousFemales #DVAwareness #StaySoft
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all deserve to be cared for in ways guaranteed to keep them safe, healthy, and happy. Basically, to be loved – something most of us pet lovers go to great (often expensive) lengths to achieve! (Looking at you, ginger furball, claiming my just-washed bathrobe as today’s fave bed…)
But if you’re concerned about the environment, you might experience cognitive dissonance about the impact your favourite fluffy’s having on the planet. Our pets’ needs are complicated: food, toys, bedding, accessories, and… wait for it… poo patrol paraphernalia. Turns out pets have quite the carbon paw print! So, what to do?
Start by picking more sustainable pet products and eco-friendly pet accessories, and thinking outside of the (litter) box about waste disposal. We’ve gone digging to find some (by no means all!) of the brands that keep both pet welfare and planet front of mind.
Read more at the link in our bio!
🐶🐱🐍🐹🐤
#SustainablePets #AnimalPawPrint #CarbonFootprint #EcoPets
