You folks are positively amazing. Thank you so much for your thoughts. It's an embarrassment of riches in here.
I've no one to borrow a machine from, sadly -- most friends and family are too far away, and those that are local don't sew at all. (Though I do have them looking out for relatives with machines hidden in closets or attics somewhere.)
If I'd known how to sew, I could've saved good chunk of change and a number of pieces of clothing over the years, so all your info is making me feel really good about looking to invest an easy/inexpensive machine of some kind and jump in. (Exciting, though scary.) I'm already all over YouTube, and thank you, Zinnie, for the book recommendation. (Next to the library.)
I have this kind of weird idea that learning to sew by hand might help me "get" sewing on a deeper level.
Similar to what I was thinking, Lizzie. And like 10dollarsatatime said, basics are always good to know.
(BTW, I'm relieved to hear someone else with similar issues/hesitations. Sewing machines are so damn fiddly!)
Follow the others advice in this thread, it is good. I bought an inexpesive machine about a month ago and my conclusion is, it is worth it. I have only ever sewn buttons back on by hand previously. I purchased mine to make a t-shirt quilt for my duaghters high schools graduation and it is going fine. That said, a week ago i powered the machine right through my thumb and had two threads coming out both ends. It hurt, alot! But after a week of eyeing the machine wearily and giving it a firm talking to, my thumb is pretty well healed and I am ready to get back at it.
ACK! Hearing it was worth it makes me feel good, forward -- even despite the thumb attack!
Better done by hand:
* 1 pair of pants that needs hemming
* 2 long-sleeve t-shirts that need to become short-sleeve t-shirts
Just as well done by hand and machine:
* 1 pair of dress pants that needs reinforcing in the thighs (where my pants always die; damn you, thighs!)
Easier by machine
* 2 turtle-neck shirts that need to become not-turtle-necks (preferably V-neck rather than crew)
May be very difficult depending on the cut:
* 1 cowl-neck sweater that needs to become a not-cowl-neck (again, preferably V-neck rather than crew)
If a machine is a good idea, I'd love any model recommendations. I'd forgotten how intimidating sewing machines are.
I've had a look at your list. There are some things I would do by hand because it takes less time and is more difficult to do by machine because they are more fiddly. Where does the cowl begin in the cowl neck (it may start lower down than where you want the V, which would cause the V to gape)? When changing any neckline, you need to work out how you are going to finish it before you start cutting (I presume you do not want a raw edge at the neckline). This can be quite difficult, because you won't have much fabric, and it may be the wrong shape.
Thanks so much for the recs, Deborah. I'm actually surprised that you recommend hemming pants by hand. Hand-sewing them is easier then?
BTW, the cowl neck starts right at the jugular notch, like a high crew neck. It's a nice (machine-made) sweater in a color that's really hard to get, but the cowl never thrilled me -- and then the cowl and body started separating at the seam. Gave me the thought to take the cowl off, but the crew neck left would be a bit high for me. I figure I could cut a decent V in there, but haven't figured out how to deal with the raw edge.
Thanks so much, everyone. I really appreciate it.
And Frankies Girl, what a great way to learn!