Simple sewing ideas

Start off with a few simple projects until you build up confidence and end up on the Great British Sewing Bee.

Customise your clothes

Swap the standard buttons on a jacket or cardigan with your own buttons and create something stylish and unique
Add interesting or colourful buttons as decorations to T-shirts, hats, scarves, bags
Add elbow or knee patches, ribbons, trims, pockets…

See some ideas here and buy buttons, beads and other decorations here or here

Adapt your clothes to give them new life

Take the sleeves off a top or a jacket
Change the length of a skirt or dress
Turn jeans into shorts

See some more ideas here

Make new objects out of old

Try making a laptop or a cushion out of an old jumper

Try a simple kit

Kits are expensive, but a good place to start until you build up confidence. Good kits contain clear instructions and all the equipment you need. Try:

A skirt or dress from legendary 1970s brand clothkits (the pattern pieces are printed directly onto the fabric which makes dressmaking easier)
A simple but stylish tote bag from Alice Caroline
An apron or a pair of knickers from Flo-Jo

Find further inspiration on the The Makery You Tube Channel

You might also be interested in our other sewing pages: