Let’s start at the very beginning…

If you enjoy fashion and creativity or just sew for fun and a means destressing, here’s a simple way to choose the one that’s just right to get you started

Mr Parveen Sahni, The author is the Senior Vice President – Sewing Machines at Usha International

You are often left marveling at your friend/cousin who regularly churns out great outfits and home projects and posts them on social media platforms. And while you have the time now with the lockdown, you find it rather daunting as you have no clue as to how you can go about it. Gone are the days when learning sewing was an integral part of childhood either in their art and craft classes or then from a senior member in the family. Today, most people find it much easier to buy stuff off the racks. However, there are a few discerning amongst the crowds who want to add that individualistic touch to make a personalized style statement and that is where sewing machines come into play.

Whether you want to learn it as a hobby that is a proven stress buster or then to take it up professionally, sewing is a skill that lasts you forever. Sewing is an enjoyable hobby, and a great way to flex one’s creative muscles or even just a means of relaxing and rejuvenating one’s self from the daily humdrum of life.

While creativity in sewing can seem totally overwhelming it’s actually a matter of understanding the basics to be able to work your magic. Once you learn the stitches, cutting patterns with precision, drawing, or then making new designs to stitch or embroider it’s an empowering and creatively satiating skill. You are fortunate in that today there is no dearth of online tutorials that can actually take you through the first baby steps in getting to know your machine and making friends with it!

So, if you are a creative sewist and hesitating due to any reason, don’t hesitate any more. For here’s all the information you need to dive into the beautiful world of learn and create, of unleashing your creativity and wowing yourself and the world with your creations.

Let’s start at the very beginning – Choosing a Sewing Machine

To get started on your new skill building mission you will need a sewing machine. But which one? Trying to choose between the multiple options available can be quite mindboggling. Here are some options you can check out to help you get started on this fabulous journey depending upon your proficiency in sewing: If you are a beginner and are going to start at the very beginning, what you need is a simple machine that is automatic and has a few features that you can play around with to give wings to your creativity. Our recommended machines would be the Usha Janome range i.e. the Allure plus or the Dream Stitch. These machines are extremely simple to use and offer applications including lace fixing, quilting, smocking, and rolled hemming, as well as in-built stitches including the buttonhole stitch, each of which just needs an adjustment of the dial to select. So go on then and get started with a few simple projects like book covers, mobile covers, a bookmark, or a pouch using a mix of the patterns available and start gifting these personalized gift to friends and loved one, and soon you will be graduating to the next level. (Check for some really cool DIY tutorials on Ushasew.com)

If you already know the basics of sewing and have added your personality to your outfits with patterns or patches or then dressed up your dolls in your original creations when you were younger, and now want to revive and take your skills up a notch there are some super sewing choices perfect for you. You should be looking for a sewing machine to help you further enhance these skills, one that typically offers an array of in-built patterns and stitches that helps you explore the designer in you i.e. machines with features that allow you to select patterns, circular stitching, blind hemming, as well as a huge variety of inbuilt stitch functions you can choose from. Here we could recommend the Dream Maker series that really help you up your game in terms of creativity.

Sewing Lessons and DIY Projects:  Once you have chosen and got home your machine, there are lots of ways to begin your journey without feeling overwhelmed – one of them is www.ushasew.com where you’ll find lessons and projects that are designed to give you a solid foundation in sewing.  Whether you are new to sewing or you are an expert, ushasew.com has something for everyone. You may find lessons and projects that teach you basics and show you how to use your skills in the most interesting ways. You will also find a step by step guide along with the video tutorials of creations that you have always wanted to create. All the videos are available in nine different languages.

So what are you waiting for, Start sewing! Learn and create, and don’t forget to share your journey and creations with others/loved ones to spread the joy of creating!