Introduction to Textile Hobbies
When you think of knitting, embroidery, crochet, sewing or quilting, you probably picture a grandmother working away in her arm chair. Most of our grandmothers would have been able to master at least one of the above. But these days home economics classes aren’t always everyone’s favourite. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t too late to give one of these a go!
With the explosion of DIY sites like Etsy and Pinterest, many are deciding to give the yarn arts a go!
If you’ve ever thought about making your own quilt or knitting a jumper from scratch, why not take up the challenge. Learning a new yarn art might seem daunting or complicated, but really they are all pretty easy once you’ve had a few goes! Even just having some basic sewing skills so that you can mend old or worn out clothes is not a bad idea!
You can save a lot of money by making or fixing things yourself. Instead of chucking those jeans away and buying a new pair, how about sewing the hole yourself?! You can unleash your creative side too. The options are pretty much limitless with what you can make. From knitted hats for hard boiled eggs to a flamingo dress for your toilet roll!
To get you inspired, I am going to give you an introduction to knitting, embroidery, crochet, sewing and quilting. I’ll explain what you need to get started as well as how you can make some money once you’ve mastered these new skills. You’ll be surprised to find out how easy it is to learn and you may want to give one or all of these a go! There’s also money that can be made from your newly acquired skills. With online retailing will look into later.
Knitting for beginners
Are you keen to start knitting? Knitting is becoming increasingly popular. You may even say it’s even a bit of a trendy thing right now! Would you like to make a jumper for your niece, a scarf for your friend or a cute tea cosy for your teapot? Read on to see what you need and see some ideas to get you started.
What you need to start knitting:
- Ball of yarn: When you start knitting for the first time it is best to use a material that is easy to knit with. Wool is the preferred choice compared to cotton, because it has more stretch and elasticity. The thickness of the wool should be medium, as it is less fiddly than thin wool.
- 2 medium sized knitting needles: Medium sized needles are the recommended size for beginners as they are easiest and most comfortable to use. Start off with size 6 (4mm), 7 (4.5mm) or 8 (5mmm), and you can always change needle sizes once you are a bit more confident.
Getting started with knitting:
The first stitch to begin knitting is the simple slip knot. It’s the easiest one to start off with and the most useful knot when it comes to knitting. There are other styles of knitting, but learn this one first and then give the others a go! Some items that are good for knitting for beginners are:
- Scarf
- Hat
- Socks
- Fingerless gloves
Embroidery for beginners
As a hobby, embroidery is a great way to complete little creative projects. You can follow embroidery designs, or design your own and usually each piece doesn’t take too long to finish. It’s not as tough as you might think and they make really nice gifts or decorative pieces for your home.
What you need to start embroidery:
- Embroidery floss: These come in all the colours of the rainbow and they are really cheap too! I recommend starting off with stranded cotton floss as it is easiest to use.
- Embroidery hoop: This is the ring which holds your fabric. The ring makes your fabric taut, which makes embroidering easier. The hoop comes in two parts, and the fabric goes between the two hoops. Embroidery hoops come in plastic and wood. I recommend using a plastic hoop for doing the embroidering, and a wooden one for displaying your embroidering.
- Embroidery needles: Compared to normal needles, these ones have larger eyes. This is because the embroidery floss is thicker than normal thread you use for sewing. Make sure you get the right needles and that the floss you have bought fits through the eye of the needle.
- Embroidery scissors: These small, sharp scissors are perfect for cutting fabric or embroidery floss. The curved blades are ideal for making close cuts. They come in different sizes, so to start off with I would recommend getting a medium sized one.
- Fabric to embroider on
- Water soluble marker
Getting started with embroidery:
Whilst you’re still learning, I’d recommend following some basic embroidery designs. Once you’ve gotten used embroidering, then you can start getting creative and designing your own patterns. This is the exciting part! Other than embroidery to be displayed in an embroidery loop, here are some other ideas that you could have a go at embroidering:
- A purse
- Magnets
- Embroidered patches for your clothes
Crochet for beginners
Ever fancied a go at crochet? It’s a hobby that’s making a serious comeback. You can make anything from quilts, to coasters to beanies. Why not give it a try and see if you like it? I’ll explain what you need to get started in crochet along with a simple crochet pattern you can have a go at. There are loads of easy crochet patterns available online too, so you’ll definitely have plenty ideas to get you started!
What you need to start crochet:
- Crochet hook: For people new to crochet, I recommend starting off with a H-8 crochet hook. This is a good size for beginners as it is easy to use.
- Ball of yarn: There are tonnes of different yarns available, but when starting off it is best to use a material that’s easy to work with. Wool is recommended for beginners because it is resilient and it’s easy to fix mistakes. Wool yarns can be unravelled pretty easily, which we call frogging in the crochet world.
- Pair of scissors: Use a pair of sharp scissors that aren’t too big. You’ll find these types of scissors pretty easily in most craft shops. You need the scissors in crochet to cut the yarn. Yarn can sometimes be a bit tricky to cut, that’s why the scissors need to be sharp.
Getting started with crochet:
When you are starting out, it is best to start off with easy crochet pattern. You can find easy patterns, like the crochet granny square. Here are a few popular items that people crochet to get you inspired:
- Crochet granny square
- Slipper socks
- Beanies
- Blankets
- Baby clothes
Sewing for beginners
Want to make something for yourself, fix an item of clothing or make someone a gift? The possibilities and amount of sewing ideas are endless. Keep on top of fashion trends by making adjustments to your existing clothes. Why not get creative and make your own curtains just as you like them! Compared with the other yarn arts, sewing does involve a bit more of an investment. You will need to get yourself a sewing machine, but they’re not very expensive. Start off with a low to mid-range one, and you can always upgrade later down the line!
What you need to start sewing:
- Sewing machine: The first thing you are going to really need to get started with sewing is a sewing machine. You’ll find there are a lot to choose from. I recommend buying the best one that you can afford. Avoid buying a cheap machine, unless you only plan to use it to make basic repairs, hemming or light crafts. If you want to get a serious about sewing, buy a machine that can take the challenge!
- Extra sewing machine needles: When you are learning to sew, you’ll find that it is really easy to break the needles. This is done by sewing to fast, sewing over pins, sewing over too many layers or not threading the machine properly. The main frustration that will come from this is when you’ve run out of needles for the sewing machine. So make sure you’ve got a spare supply close by!
- Thread: Threads come in all colours and shades that you can imagine. For beginners it’s best to start off your collection with a few black, white, grey and beige threads. Avoid buying the cheap threads in the $1 bin. These will only break and cause you problems! I recommend using either 100% polyester thread, or a blend of cotton and polyester, because these ones break the least.
- Pins: Grab yourself plenty of pins. You’ll be surprised how many you’ll need, so get more than you think! I recommend getting the pins with the plastic beads on top. This way when they fall on the floor you’ll be able to find them much easier! Use lots of pins when matching up seams because this will ensure that your seams are straight.
- Hand sewing needles: Even though you’ll mostly be using your sewing machine, there will still be some hand work involved! You’ll need to hand sew buttons on and other small fiddly bits that the machine can’t do. Grab yourself a set of hand sewing needles in different sizes, so that you’re able to work with different fabric types.
- Scissors: Get yourself a good pair of scissors and just use them for cutting fabric. If you use them for anything else, like cutting paper or your hair you run the risk of blunting them. Keep them for sewing only and you’ll always be able to cut smoothly, and they’ll last you longer.
- Cutting board: Save ruining your dining table with scratches from pins or scissors and get yourself a good cutting board. I recommend getting yourself a plastic cutting board that’s made especially for fabric cutting. These ones come with rulers printed on them so you can cut in straight lines.
- Fabric marking pens or pencils: Get yourself pens or pencils made especially for marking fabric. These ones wash out with water so there are no nasty stains or lines marked on your fabric.
- Measuring tape: You’ll need measuring tape to help you cut straight as well cutting out patterns from fabric. Measuring tape isn’t expensive and it will help make sure that you cut out the right sizes and shapes. I recommend measuring everything a couple of times when you’re starting out to make sure you make the right cut!
- Seam ripper: This little thing will be your best friend. A seam ripper lets you fix mistakes, like when you accidently sew the bottom of your pants together! You can also use a seam ripper to rip out zippers or take out buttons that you want to use for another project.
- Iron and Ironing board: If you don’t have these already, you’re going to need them if you’re going to start sewing. From pressing fabrics to pressing hems and seams, these will help set the shape of your fabrics. Get yourself a good steam iron as these set seams best and help iron out any creases.
Getting started with sewing:
When you are getting to grips with sewing it is best to just practice, practice, practice! Perfect the art of sewing in a straight line and learning all the basics on using your machine. Here are some sewing ideas to get you started:
- Pillow cases
- Drawstring bags
- Dresses
- Table clothes
Quilting for beginners
Once you’ve got the hang of sewing and can sew in a straight line, you might want to give quilting a go! There’s something really special about making a quilt, with the hand-made element giving an heirloom quality to it.
For beginners I’d recommend starting off small, maybe making a quilt for a friend’s baby. Don’t go crazy with designs to begin with. Start off with a simple design made up of squares and straight lines. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can then start unleashing your creative side!
What you need to start quilting:
- Sewing machine
- Pins
- Seam ripper
- Measuring tape
- Cutting board
- Rotary scissors
- Thread
- Fabric
- Batting
How to make a quilt:
- Find a simple quilt design made up mainly of squares.
- Draw up a plan: Decide how you want your quilt to look and where you want your pattern blocks to go.
- Buy the fabrics that you would like to use for the quilt: I recommend buying fabrics that have similar colour tones, but don’t be afraid to get creative here!
- Make measurements on your fabric: Use a fabric pen to help you mark the measurements of your squares. You’ll need to make sure that you remember to add ¼ inch seam allowance to each side of your fabric. So let’s say you want each piece to be a 4 inch square, you will need to cut each square to 4 ½ x 4 ½ inches. This extra ½ inch is what will be sewn as the seam allowance.
- Cut out the fabric for the quilt top: This process takes time, but make sure that you cut every piece accurately! Use a cutting board and a rotary blade to help achieve a precise cut.
- Cut the batting for your quilt to size
- Lay out the quilt: This bit is fun! Lay out all your freshly cut fabric squares how you would like them to look. This is best done on the floor where you have lots of space to move them around. Use this chance to perfect your quilt design before you sew it altogether!
- Stack up your patterns: Going left to right, horizontally across, stack up each piece of fabric. Mark the top square of each row with a fabric pen so you know which order each row should go in.
- Sew the rows: Start at one end of the row by sewing together two pieces of fabric to begin with. Place them pattern facing inwards and sew a ¼ seam using straight stitch on your sewing machine. Next, you just add the square in the row to the one before it and repeat the process. Do this for each row.
- Press the rows: Set the shape of the rows by going over them with a steam iron and iron the seams flat. This will ensure a tidy finish!
- Sew the rows together: Start off by taking two completed rows and turn them so that the patterns are facing inwards. Using a ¼ seam, sew the two rows together. Repeat this for all the other rows until you have a finished quilt front.
- Press the quilt front: Flip the quilt so that you can see the backside. Use a steam iron to flatten out seams and press the fabric so that it is all even.
- Cut the batting and backing fabric: Cut the batting and backing fabric so that it is about 2-3 inches bigger than your front piece. This extra fabric is to allow for any scrunching that might happen during the sewing process.
- Piece the quilt together: You can use pins or a basting spray to layer your quilt prior to sewing it altogether. Backing pattern goes side down, then the batting, and lay the quilt front, pattern side up. Line it all up and make sure there are no wrinkles.
- Sew quilt layers together: It’s best to start in the middle of the quilt so that any excess fabric gets pushed towards the edges than the middle. This will give you a smoother finish.
- Cut and sew the binding: Now that your quilt is nearly finished, you just need to add the binding. This is what goes around the edge of the quilt to protect the seams and give it a finished look. Make sure you cut the fabric wide and long enough for the quilt. Pin it to the quilt and then sew it on.
The benefits of knitting, embroidery, crochet, sewing and quilting
These textile hobbies are pretty much limitless in the potential for what you can design or make. They’re not expensive hobbies and it’s never too late to learn a new skill. Aside from being able to fix your own clothes, or make lovely presents for your friends or family. There are also some other great benefits that come with these hobbies which may convince you to head straight over to your local arts and crafts store!
Makes you happy
There are studies that show that these hobbies can improve your cognitive, emotional and social well-being. All that hand-eye coordination does wonders for your brain, and your self-esteem increases when you feel that you’re able to make and mend things. There’s something special about making something yourself and being proud of your creation, and being able to say ‘’I made that!’’.
It’s relaxing and de-stressing
These textile hobbies can be easily done at home whilst either in front of the TV or just with some relaxing music playing in the background. By focusing on what you are making and immersing yourself in the process, you can forget about the stresses of your day.
You can give thoughtful presents
Your friends and families will love receiving your newly made creations! There’s something very special about gifting someone something that you made. And how cool is that you can design and make a quilt for someone that could become an heirloom in their family!?
You can make money from it
Not only can you save yourself money by mending and making your own clothes and textile based home items, but you can also sell your creations! You will find a lot of people making money these days from these hobbies as they gain popularity. We will look into this a bit more next.
Allows you to be creative
Once you’ve gotten the hang of the basics of these different textile hobbies. You can start getting more creative in your designs. Why not design that dress you’ve always dreamed of owning or re-tailoring and accessorizing that old vintage jacket?
Making money from knitting, embroidery, crochet, sewing and quilting
Maybe you’ve found yourself completely immersed in your new hobby and making more quilts, beanies or crochet blankets than your house can handle. How about thinking about making some money from it? If your skills are up to par, there is definitely demand out there, so set up a business and get yourself out there!
Although it’s not impossible, learning all of these textile making skills would be a pretty big challenge. You have to remember that making each piece usually takes a long time, as well as mastering each skill to perfection. So maybe try and master one at a time and see how you go. You might find that you really have the knack at crotchet and decide that’s the one you want to focus on.
Decide what you want to sell. Do you want to focus on just selling beanies, or do you want to focus on just selling baby clothes? Make sure that whatever you start selling, that there is demand for it. Be creative, promote yourself where you can, and you will begin attracting customers to buy your products!
Think of a name for your business and a logo to go with it. Try and make it reflect the image you want to project of your business. Decide what kind of business you want it to be. Will it be an online shop where you sell your products, or will you mostly sell at markets? It’s super easy these days to sell online. There are loads of websites that you can sell through like eBay or Etsy.
Make yourself stand out from the crowd by setting up a killer Instagram account. Show off that unique bespoke quilt you’ve made, or you looking all cosy in your scarf, and start to build up a following. Use hashtags and feature a link to your website so people can see what else you are selling. Having an online shop instead of setting up a physical shop allows you to save a ton of money! It also means that any fans you have across the world can buy from you.
Encourage your customers to share photos of what they’ve just bought on social media. Being shared and popular online gives you massive exposure, and this is great for marketing your business and making sales!
Some textile hobbyists have made some serious buck when they started to sell their work online! With hand-made pieces, people know that a lot of time and effort has been put in. Also every item is unique when it is made that way and there are people willing to pay for something specially made for them!
Before you start selling you’ll need to make sure that your business is legal. When starting out make sure you read up on all the legalities of trading. It might be worth hiring a lawyer to make sure that you’ve done all the correct paperwork and have all the correct licenses.
Generally it is all very straight forward. Design and create products that your customers will love, market yourself so the world knows about you and see the money roll in!
References:
http://www.crochetguru.com/crochet-supplies.html
http://sewdelicious.com.au/2012/09/quilting-for-beginners.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Quilt
