The Importance of Planning
Know Your Project
Before you begin, it's pretty important to know what you're going to sew. Maybe you know you want to make a dress, but you can't decide between Sahara or Alice. They are vastly different projects which require different tools or notions, so deciding on a pattern first is crucial to your planning.
Get Measurements
I can not stress enough how important it is to take current measurements of the intended wearer. Especially with kids. They grow SO fast. I know my daughter has changed measurements by quite a bit within a week's time, so taking new measurements before you decide on a size to print is never a bad idea! This holds true with a lot of adults too, so always measure before you print to be safe!
Gathering tools
We'll pretend that we landed on Alice to sew. Looking at the pattern, we will see we need woven fabric, thread, cutting tools, measuring tools, a fabric marker of some sort interfacing, an invisible zipper foot for the sewing machine, and a zipper. That's a lot! And if you want the added details, you'll also need bias tape and a belt slider. But if you know what you need and have it all together, you won't be surprised later by needing something you don't have on hand.
I will typically gather everything in one or two places. Like, I'll put my uncut fabric near my cutting tools and fabric marker. I'll set the zipper and trim to the side (near my machine with the zipper foot) and set my cut pieces with it as I cut them. This keeps everything organized and in one place.
Read the instructions first
It's also a really good idea to read through a pattern before ever sewing a stitch. Having a general idea of the order of construction can save you a LOT of heartache and seam ripping down the road. The designers have a reason for the order they want things sewn and sometimes taking your own path can end in disaster.Put all of these things together, and you will have a MUCH easier and more enjoyable sewing experience with everything you need right at your fingertips. And you can always use our Facebook group to get advice or help you to plan everything out!