Skip to content
  • New In
  • Jewellery
  • Collections
  • Personalised
  • Gift Guides
  • Tees & Jumpers
  • Events & Workshops
  • World Of
  • View All
  • Necklaces
  • Statement Necklaces
  • Personalised Necklaces
  • Brooches
  • Earrings
  • Rings
  • Jewellery Making Kits
  • Cufflinks & Keyrings
  • Best Sellers
  • Classic
  • Feminist Jewellery
  • Misshapes: The Birthday Collection
  • Destination Love
  • Cottagecore
  • Ma Chérie
  • Tatty Devine X Frida Kahlo
  • Tatty Devine X Royal Pavilion
  • Tatty Devine X Chawton House
  • Tatty Devine X Equality Now
  • Tatty Devine X BOWIE
  • Tatty Devine X Gemma Correll
  • Tatty Devine X Peanuts
  • Tatty Devine X Morag Myerscough
  • Tatty Devine X Fawcett Society
  • Tatty Devine X Not A Phase
  • Recycled Acrylic
  • Last Chance
  • Name Necklace
  • Speech Bubble Necklace
  • Charm Earrings
  • Personalised Name Necklace
  • Gifts under £35
  • Occasion Jewellery
  • Jewellery Making Kits
  • Gift Vouchers
  • Greeting Cards
  • Gift Wrap
  • Gifts for Feminist Friends
  • Gifts for Animal Lovers
  • Gifts for Sustainable Friends
  • Gifts for Music Lovers
  • Gifts for Rainbow Chasers
  • Gifts for Stargazers
  • Festival Jewellery
  • Please note: You'll be taken to a different website and cannot checkout with clothing and jewellery in the same cart.
  • Jewellery Making Kits
  • Workshops
  • Private Parties
  • Misshapes Exhibition
  • Collectors Coven
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Meet The Team
  • What We Stand For
  • Sustainability Statement
  • Our Jewellery
  • Our Community
  • Our Store
  • Work For Us
  • Misshapes Exhibition
  • Instashop
New In
Classic
Best Sellers
Follow Us On
Original, Playful Jewellery Handmade In Britain
  • New In
  • Jewellery
    • View All
    • Necklaces
    • Statement Necklaces
    • Personalised Necklaces
    • Brooches
    • Earrings
    • Rings
    • Jewellery Making Kits
    • Cufflinks & Keyrings
  • Collections
    • Best Sellers
    • Classic
    • Feminist Jewellery
    • Misshapes: The Birthday Collection
    • Destination Love
    • Cottagecore
    • Ma Chérie
    • Tatty Devine X Frida Kahlo
    • Tatty Devine X Royal Pavilion
    • Tatty Devine X Chawton House
    • Tatty Devine X Equality Now
    • Tatty Devine X BOWIE
    • Tatty Devine X Gemma Correll
    • Tatty Devine X Peanuts
    • Tatty Devine X Morag Myerscough
    • Tatty Devine X Fawcett Society
    • Tatty Devine X Not A Phase
    • Recycled Acrylic
    • Last Chance
  • Personalised
    • Name Necklace
    • Speech Bubble Necklace
    • Charm Earrings
  • Gift Guides
    • Personalised Name Necklace
    • Gifts under £35
    • Occasion Jewellery
    • Jewellery Making Kits
    • Gift Vouchers
    • Greeting Cards
    • Gift Wrap
    • Gifts for Feminist Friends
    • Gifts for Animal Lovers
    • Gifts for Sustainable Friends
    • Gifts for Music Lovers
    • Gifts for Rainbow Chasers
    • Gifts for Stargazers
    • Festival Jewellery
  • Tees & Jumpers
    • Please note: You'll be taken to a different website and cannot checkout with clothing and jewellery in the same cart.
  • Events & Workshops
    • Jewellery Making Kits
    • Workshops
    • Private Parties
    • Misshapes Exhibition
  • World Of
    • Collectors Coven
    • About Us
    • Blog
    • Meet The Team
    • What We Stand For
    • Sustainability Statement
    • Our Jewellery
    • Our Community
    • Our Store
    • Work For Us
    • Misshapes Exhibition
    • Instashop
Sign In
  • Delivery & Returns
  • FAQ
  • Stores
  • Work For Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Select Currency:
Original, Playful Jewellery Handmade In Britain
© Tatty Devine 2022
FREE UK STANDARD DELIVERY OVER £50
Tatty Devine
Search Account Wishlist Cart (0)
Collaborations
Competitions
Events
Jewellery
people
Team Tatty
We Love
Women We Watch
workshop
Added
Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
Yes I Like That: a beginner's guide to sewing

Yes I Like That: a beginner's guide to sewing

Charlotte Prichard, 24 April 2013

Inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee but not sure where to start? Following Team Tatty's very own take on the GBSB, we invited one of our favourite craft bloggers Kathryn of Yes I Like That to compile a beginner's guide to sewing. You’ll be whipping up your own spring capsule wardrobe in no time! Take it away, Kathryn: 1. First things first - you’ll need a sewing machine. Maybe a relative has an unwanted one stored in a dusty attic, or you can borrow a friend’s machine and have a go. Look out for second-hand models, most sewing machine shops will sell them and it’s a thrifty way to get started. Or if you’re the kind of gal or guy who needs to colour co-ordinate all their accessories to their outfits, how about these adorable mini machines from John Lewis? 2. Got the machine? Now you need to learn the basic skills. There are sewing cafes and workshops springing up all over the UK, like the Make Lounge in London, Super+Super in Brighton, or Make It Glasgow in Scotland. If there’s nowhere like that near you, don’t fret – Craftsy run online video workshops on everything from sewing an A-line skirt to re-creating a pair of your favourite jeans.  Or if you couldn’t get enough of Tilly’s retro style on the Sewing Bee, she’s got a whole series of beginner sewing tutorials on her blog. 3. Supplies are next on the list. Fell in love with a pattern, a fabric, or a trimming on the Great British Sewing Bee? The Thrifty Stitcher blog has put together a handy list for every episode, listing what each contestant used. Sadly, as yet there’s no pattern available to sew your own Patrick Grant complete with beard and three-piece suit. If you’re shopping online for fabric, check out Ditto Fabrics, a Brighton-based shop which sells ex-designer fabric. You could make your own catwalk recreation for a fraction of the price! For haberdashery, head over to Jaycotts. They’ve got everything you need from neon metal zips to dressmakers dummies. 4.  So now you want to make something. But where to start? The standard way to begin is with a paper pattern, but you might find these intimidating when you first start sewing. They can also be pretty frumpy, with illustrations straight out of the 80s. We’ve found a solution though. Take a peek at the DIY Couture site and join the patternless revolution. It’s full of picture-based instructions that are really easy to follow, with style that’s more haute couture than home economics. At the moment you can download a totally free tutorial for making a pleated tulip skirt.   5. Inspiration time! New independent sewing companies are popping up all over the world. Here in the UK, two super-stylish ladies recently set up By Hand London selling on-trend patterns like the Charlotte wiggle skirt, and the retro Elisalex dress. Craft blogs are a great way to get ideas on what to sew next. Check out our favourites – the hilarious Lladybird from Nashville, DIY queen Zoe of So, Zo, What Do You Know, and retro New Yorker Gretchen of Gertie’s New Blog For Better Sewing. What are you waiting for – it’s time to DIY! Thank you for creating an amazing starter guide, Kathryn! Looking for inspiring makes, the latest sewing gossip and hilarious reviews? Head over to her blog, Yes I Like That for all this and more. (Seriously, you have to read the David Bowie exhibition post!) 

Share This Article

Share Share on Facebook Tweet Tweet on Twitter Pin it Pin on Pinterest
Back to blog
Invalid password
Enter

Instashop #mytattydevine

Sign up to our newsletter for £5 off

WANNA CHAT?
ART JEWELLERY HANDMADE IN BRITAIN
Shop
  • Jewellery
  • Collections
  • Instashop
  • Gift Vouchers
  • Gift Wrap
  • Our Store
Customers
  • FAQS
  • Delivery & Returns
  • Jewellery Care & Repair
  • Klarna
  • Click & Collect
Links
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Work For Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
WANNA CHAT?
© Tatty Devine Original Art Jewellery London 2022
"Send as gift" — Fast checkout with no need for delivery address!
Instant delivery by messenger or email. Your recipient will fill in shipping address
Step 1
Buy real gift and we’ll wrap it into virtual giftbox
Step 2
Send gift in messenger, for instant delivery as easily as a sticker
Step 3
Recipient opens gift and fills in shipping address