When did you initially take a seat at your sewing machine? The thrill of the unknown, the build-up to something, and the realization that you don’t know what you’re doing? I’m here to reassure you that feeling a little overwhelmed is normal—we’ve all been there. But hey, what do you know? That’s when the good times really start!
Sewing is a process rather than a final product. It’s all about having fun while discovering and trying new things, above all else. And what better way to accomplish that than by jumping right into some quick, enjoyable, and incredibly satisfying sewing projects?
I’ve got a great selection of 10 beginner-friendly projects that are just waiting for you to make them if you recently purchased your first sewing machine and are unsure of where to begin. Every project, from a stylish throw pillow to a practical fabric basket, is a step closer to your goal of becoming a self-assured seamstress.
1. Fabric Basket
Now, my needlework novices, let’s begin our needlework journey with a piece that is both useful and adorable: the Fabric Basket. I guarantee that this little treasure is as simple as pie! It’s a project from the wonderful people at Beginner Sewing Projects!
Envision possessing a charming, personalized basket to hold all of your small items. These fabric baskets hold anything from pencils and remote controls to cotton balls and Q-tips, making them ideal for stylishly cleaning your room. What’s the best thing, then? They can be made into any desired size. For your sewing clips, do you need a small basket? You understand! Perhaps a bigger one for your leftover fabric? No issues at all!
Even a sewing novice can follow the tutorial’s step-by-step directions, which are as plain as a bell. To begin, cut out your cloth, then sew the pieces together to create the shape of a basket. Just a little top-stitching and ironing here and there, and presto! You’ve created a handcrafted fabric basket for yourself.
2. Hair Scrunchies
We’re going on a nostalgic trip with the Hair Scrunchie, a vintage piece that’s making a huge resurgence. The clever people at The Spruce Crafts came up with this idea, and I have to say, making it is just as much fun as wearing it!
Not only are scrunchies nostalgic, but they’re also a great way to hone your sewing abilities. They also match any clothing and are incredibly soft on your hair. What a win-win situation!
Everything about the process is as simple as it gets. First, cut out an elastic band and a strip of cloth. After that, sew the fabric into a tube, insert the elastic, and finish sewing everything together. You’ve got yourself a DIY scrunchie in no time!
Here’s a quick Kazz tip for you right now. I used a brightly colored piece of floral fabric that I had leftover from making a sundress when I made my first scrunchie. It was quite popular! I now make scrunchies to go with anything I wear. My niece loves them, so I even made her a few!
3. The Simple Lined Tote Bag
Next up on our sewing trip is the Simple Lined Tote Bag, a project that’s as enjoyable and adaptable as it is flexible. The gifted Leslie from The Seasoned Homemaker is sharing this project with you, and it’s a great opportunity to learn a little bit more about your sewing machine.
For every event, a tote bag is an essential piece of clothing. This tote bag is perfect for any occasion, whether you’re going to the farmer’s market, the beach, or you just need a chic way to carry your daily necessities. What’s the best thing, then? It can be altered to fit your personal style!
The lesson walks you through every stage of the procedure in great detail. Leslie is your guide for cutting out your fabric, sewing the bag’s body, making the handles, and adding the lining. And be assured, you can make this purse if you know how to sew a straight thread!
Check out this tutorial on creating a leather tote bag once you’re comfortable enough to work with high duty sewing machines and difficult materials.
4. Pocket Potholder
With the Pocket Pot holder, it’s time to crank up the heat. The wonderful Shannon @ Very Shannon created this helpful instructional, which is not only easy to produce and enjoyable to do, but also useful.
Any kitchen needs a potholder, and what could be more useful than one you’ve created yourself? It’s easy to create, a fantastic way to use up leftover fabric, and an excellent opportunity to practice sewing.
Detailed directions for creating your own pocket pot holder are included in the tutorial. Shannon walks you through every step of the process, from cutting out your fabric and making the pockets to adding the cotton and thermal batting for heat resistance. What’s the best thing, then? Your pot holder can be made uniquely by using any fabric of your choice.
You must use caution when handling hot objects with this item, therefore follow these guidelines. Using thermal batting is crucial to creating a potholder that is safe. It guards against burns and is heat-resistant. Make sure to include a layer of thermal batting in addition to quilt batting. Use only cotton for your layer of ordinary batting.
What made me select this project? All right, so a potholder is a useful tool that we all use. It’s ideal for novices as it’s little and doesn’t require a lot of fabric. It’s also a fantastic method to practice various sewing skills, such as bias binding and quilting. Whether it’s for a housewarming party, a birthday, or just because, a handcrafted potholder is the ideal present. Who doesn’t adore a chic and useful gift that was thoughtfully created?
Also Read: Tips for Achieving Professional Looking Topstitching
5. 10-Minute Apron
Going on to our next project, we’re going to create the 10-minute Apron, which will be both fashionable and useful. The talented Brittni at Paper and Stitch created this quick and simple tutorial, which is ideal for people with limited time but lots of imagination.
In my opinion, an apron makes a stylish statement in the kitchen or craft room in addition to serving as a protective item. This apron will come in handy whether you’re painting a masterpiece or kneading cookies. What’s the best thing, then? It will only take ten minutes to complete!
Using the instructions, you may make your own aprons by following the steps of cutting out your cloth and sewing everything together. Even how to add straps for the ideal fit will be covered. If you don’t have a pattern, that’s okay too; Brittni demonstrates how to create one with just a few measurements.
Oh, this apron craft reminds me of my beloved Grandma Millie in such a wonderful way. There once was a woman who appreciated a well-fitting apron. I mean, she had an apron for every possible situation. Making dinner? Her go-to cotton apron with the large front pocket was with her. horticulture? The heavy-duty denim apron was removed. Organizing her renowned tea parties? She would put on her most elegant apron, which had embroidered flowers and a lace border.
But more than their practicality, Grandma Millie’s aprons stuck with me because of the way she incorporated them into her ensemble. She would coordinate her apron with her shoes, clothing, and even her earrings. She used to wear her red lipstick, matching red heels, and red polka dot apron. I must say, she was quite the sight. Thus, every time I fasten an apron, Grandma Millie comes to mind. She inspires me with her creative spirit, her love of cooking, and her fearless sense of style. And every apron I sew, I hope, has a little piece of her personality in it.
6. Easy Skirt
Next up on our sewing journey, we’re going to make the Easy Skirt, a simple yet beautiful article of apparel. This is a great way to get your feet wet in the realm of garment sewing, and it comes from the lovely Melissa @ Melly Sews.
Now, try not to be intimidated by the thought of stitching a piece of clothes. The focus of this project is speed and simplicity. It’s true that you can get a brand-new, personalized skirt manufactured faster than it takes to watch an episode of your preferred television program!
Taking measurements, cutting fabric, and putting the entire thing together are all covered in this lesson on how to make your own skirt. Melissa even demonstrates how to make your own patterns, which is a useful ability for anyone starting to sew.
The true allure of this project lies in the fact that once you’ve mastered the basic skirt, the possibilities are endless. You can begin experimenting with various materials, trimmings, hems, and even pocket additions. There are countless options!
Consider this basic skirt as a piece of blank art. It’s an opportunity for you to use your imagination and create something genuinely original. You can also start incorporating additional intricacies and intricacy into your works as your confidence and ability level grow.
7. Fabric Pumpkin
This craft, the Fabric Pumpkin, is both adorable and adaptable. This adorable craft is ideal for bringing a little whimsy into your house or place of business, and it comes from the creative Aneka Truman of Made to Sew.
I understand your thoughts at this point. “A pumpkin made of fabric? With that, how will I use it? This isn’t just any fabric pumpkin, my friends. This small pumpkin can be used as a pin cushion, a pattern weight, a door stopper (if you fill it with sand), or it might just be a cute little decoration. There are countless options!
From designing your own pattern and cutting out your fabric to gathering the fabric and stuffing your pumpkin, the tutorial offers comprehensive directions on how to construct your own fabric pumpkin. To add even more realism, Aneka even demonstrates how to make the stem out of felt. I promise that if you follow her instructions, you will make multiple of these. I’m positive that I did!
8. Hanging drawstring laundry bag
This project is ideal for maintaining your area neat and your laundry organized, and it comes from the talented team of Jane and Sonja at Sustain My Craft Habit. Creating your own pattern, sewing the bag, and adding the drawstring are all covered in detail in this tutorial on how to construct a hanging washing bag. Even better, Jane and Sonja demonstrate how to add shoulder straps, which make it simple to carry your laundry to the laundromat or laundry facility.
The 7 ounce, 100% cotton canvas material in a natural color that they utilized is incredibly affordable and simple to work with. However, because it tends to fray, make sure you finish the edges using a serger or a zigzag stitch.
My friends, a hanging laundry bag is very revolutionary. It keeps your soiled things off the ground and tucked away nicely, giving the impression that your room is cleaner and more ordered. To save time on laundry day, it’s also a fantastic method to sort your stuff as you go. Labels like “DARKS,” “WHITES,” and “DELICATES” can be added to help you sort and arrange your laundry. Moreover, you can customize your laundry bag to match your personal style by selecting any fabric you choose.
Laundry day is much easier when you have separate bags. Eliminate the need to go through a pile of clothing, attempting to distinguish between dark and white items. It’s also a fantastic way to teach organizing and sorting laundry skills to children and adults alike.
9. Zipper Pouch
My friends, a zipper pencil pouch comes in rather handy. Pens, pencils, and other tiny things are kept neatly tucked away, giving the appearance of a cleaner, more organized workspace. It’s also an excellent method to practice zipping zippers and use all those fabric remnants.
This project is ideal for easily organizing your belongings, and it comes with a PDF pattern and tutorial from Monica, the creative force behind All Sew Petite. Creating your own pattern, sewing the pouch, and installing the zipper are all covered in detail in this lesson on making your own zipper pencil bag. You can select the size of the pouch that best fits your needs from the three sizes included in the pattern: small, medium, and big.
The true beauty of this idea, though, lies in the fact that a basic zipper pouch can be used for much more than just a pencil case. Consider a travel organizer, makeup bag, or perhaps a clutch for a special occasion. There are countless options!
Not to mention, these zipper pouches make wonderful presents. A personalized zipper pouch is a gift that is guaranteed to be appreciated, whether it is for a teacher, friend, or coworker.
10. Throw Pillow from Fabric Scraps
Sewing-related fabric remnants appear to proliferate more quickly than bunnies in the spring. But have no fear—this craft will transform those leftover materials into something elegant and useful. The eco-aware Julia Russ of The Flora Modiste provides a throw pillow from fabric scraps tutorial that is ideal for anyone who has ever wondered, “What am I going to do with all this fabric?” in front of an ever-growing mound of leftover fabric. which, let’s face it, is all of us.
Using fabric scraps, Julia walks you through the process of making a patchwork pillow. She covers everything, from making your own pattern and cutting out your fabric to sewing everything together and stuffing your cushion. What’s the best thing, then? In addition to being a sweet touch to your interior design, this pillow is a great way to repurpose fabric remnants that might have otherwise ended up in the garbage.
And don’t worry if you make a mistake! We’re working with leftovers, so perfection isn’t expected. You’re merely giving some scraps a second chance at life rather than damaging a brand-new piece of fabric. So go on and try new things, fail, and learn from your failures.
Final Thoughts
We’ve made it to the finish of this sewing adventure, my sewing superstars. We’ve traveled through a world filled with toss pillows, laundry bags, skirts, pumpkins, hair scrunchies, tote bags, pot holders, and fabric baskets.
I understand your thoughts at this point. “Kazz, even though I’m new to sewing, you’ve already inspired me to make a whole wardrobe and decorate my home!” That’s the beauty of sewing, my friends. It’s a talent that develops with you. You can start with a basic scrunchie and soon enough you’ll be assembling entire ensembles like an expert!
But keep in mind that the journey is more significant than the final outcome. It’s all about the satisfaction of using your own two hands to create something. It all comes down to the excitement of witnessing a piece of cloth become something lovely and functional. Additionally, it’s about the fulfillment that comes from creating something oneself.
I’m hoping you’ll take these ideas and turn them into something unique. Try various materials, dabble with designs, and most of all, enjoy yourself while doing it. Because your imagination is the only limit when it comes to stitching. And by the way, don’t be afraid to get in touch if you need help with a project or if you have a fantastic work to offer. I’m always willing to talk about anything related to sewing.