Intro to Sewing Machines

A a fun and simple beginner’s guide to understanding and using sewing machines.

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What are you going to learn?

To introduce the sewing machine in a fun and simple way, helping beginners understand how it works, how to use it safely, and how to get started with basic sewing techniques.

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What?

Didactics

• Competence: Sewing machine operation
• Theme: Sewing
• Learning objective:
  • Learn sewing machine parts and how they work
  • Learn how to thread and set up the machine
  • Practice sewing on paper
  • Try sewing two fabrics together

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Who, where, how long

• Number of students: between 5 and 30 students
• Location: anywhere with electricity
• Time: 75 minutes
  (10 – 15 minutes per step)

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Prepare and bring

• what to bring
  • sewing machines, thread, paperprintouts, fabric, pins, and tools

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Want to know more about this topic?

Book

• The Sewing Book by Alison Smith - a complete guide with photos

Articles

• “Sewing Machine Basics” - Threads Magazine
• “Beginner’s Guide to Sewing Machines” - Tilly and the Buttons Blog

Other

• YouTube: Made to Sew channel
• TikTok/Instagram: @coolstitches, @beginnersewing
• Burda magazine

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How?

Step 1: Introduction & Safety (10 min)

• Welcome, overview, and basic safety tips
  
  
  
  
• Show parts of the sewing machine (IMG + machine)
  
  

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Step 2: How It Works (15 min)

• Explain the sewing mechanism with video/GIF
  
  
• Demonstrate threading the top thread and bobbin
  
  

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Step 3: First stitches on paper (20 min)

• Let participants work with the machine and explore
  
  
• Use given stencil to teach basic movements
  
  
• Warning: set stitch length to atleast 3 when using paper

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Step 4: Sewing fabric together (20 min)

• Use fabric | Teach backstitch
  
  
• See Troubleshooting when problems arise
  
  

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Step 5: The End (5 min)

• Clean up and close the workshop
  
  

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