What would your creative life look like if you finally could get that dusty sewing machine off the shelf and start stitching up projects you’ve been dreaming about?
You’ve always thought it’d be cool to
learn how to sew. “Do It Yourself” is practically your middle name, but when you opened up your shiny new sewing machine, intimidation crept in.
Do you find yourself:
Leaving your sewing machine on the shelf for “some day”?
Adding to your stash of beautiful fabrics that hop into your cart because the bright happy colors call your name even if you don’t have a project to use them for yet?
Spending more hours than you’d care to admit watching sewing videos but not actually sewing?
Table of Contents
Let me tell you, it's not just you...
How it started
Once upon a time, way back in junior high, my Mom bought me a sewing machine. She thought I’d love it given how much time I spent making my animals elaborate costumes from scraps of fabric.
The only problem? I didn’t know how to work that machine very well, and reading the manual on my own was like reading Latin backwards. Eventually I got so frustrated that I swore off sewing by machine for well over a decade.
Then one day when I was sewing curtains by HAND for my newlywed apartment, a light bulb went off: I could probably sew these curtains a dang lot faster than I am with a machine (Duh!).
It was intimidating plugging in a new machine for the first time, but I wanted this time to be different. What if I got just as frustrated as the first time? What if I ruined yards and yards of fabric? Despite the nagging doubts, this time I pushed through the growing pains. I had tapped into a secret that keeps on fueling my sewing to this day.
Real questions you're asking yourself:
How do I make this machine work?
Why does it always seem like I’m seam-ripping more than I’m sewing?
Why are sewing patterns so hard to understand?
What if you could finally start stitching up a storm, turning out projects like bags and garments? What if you could build up a sewing skill set that would set the foundation for you to conquer bigger projects that you've only imagined you could make?
Inside your sewing machine is the kind of creative potential you’ve always wanted to discover. It’s just waiting for you to press the on button.
- No more scrolling through Instagram daily, seeing people's fabulous sewing makes, thinking that could be me.
- No more hitting a frustration wall and dumping your sewing machine on a shelf of shame covered with old musty linens.
- No more begging your best friend to hem your pants.
- No more thinking that the “sewing gene” skipped your generation.
You'll finally just be able to:
tell people, “I made that!” when they notice your awesome sewing projects.
- wean yourself off of buying stuff that you don’t love because you’ll finally have the skills you need to make them yourself.
promote your sewing machine off the shelf of shame to its own dedicated space, available to you whenever inspiration strikes.
Introducing:
Self-Reliant Sewing
A course that will have you confidently navigating your sewing machine and stitching up your first projects (even if you’re just opening the box).
After stitching your way through Self-Reliant Sewing, you'll be able to:
Rattle off sewing lingo in casual conversations with such understanding your passion will shine through
Build a toolbox of sewing skills that’ll build a foundation for your whole sewing life
Be able to pick up a sewing pattern and know what the heck it’s talking about without the help of a Klingon-English dictionary.
Watch your sewing skills skyrocket as you stitch through the 4 projects inside the class
Peek inside the class...
You’ll learn what makes a good sewing machine, how to find the best machine for you and what tools and features are absolutely (or not) essential. After this, you’ll be able to thread your machine blindfolded.
Love em or hate em, sewing patterns are a part of our lives as people who sew. They’re part awesome shortcut to great projects, part major pain in the boot. Here we’ll demystify patterns so that you’ll stop frustration from happening even before you start to sew.
Here’s where we combine purposeful practice and I show you how to evaluate your work so that you can grow your sewing skillset every time you sit down to work. The muscle memory you build here will set the stage for all your sewing learning.
Find 103 pages worth of written directions, extra tips, cheat sheets you’ll want to hang right next to your sewing machine, and an essential roadmap that’ll help you track your progress through the class and get through everything in a realistic timeline.
4 Easy, Repeatable, Skill Building Projects
Encore Lace Bracelet
A quick sew that’ll have you combining free form stitching and gorgeous lace appliques.
Prelude Bag
A take-anywhere tote that’ll have you topstitching and discovering how to create 3D shapes in your sewing.
Matcha Latte Apron
A utility apron to fuel all your sewing sessions, complete with just the right amount of pockets.
Overture Skirt
A classic, no-pattern project that’ll get you comfortable gathering fabric and making twirl-worthy skirts for anyone.
Awesome bonuses you'll get
This is THE thing you need to get you comfortable identifying fabric and learning to evaluate it so that you make the best choices for your projects. The peace of mind you’ll gain from this masterclass is invaluable.
Portable, printable cards you can carry with you when you fabric shop that’ll give you all the stats you need to remember to help you pick the best fabric choices for the projects you’re working on.
We all get stuck in our projects. We lose motivation, technical problems happen, and we run into headaches that’ll make you want to throw things. Here you’ll get all the troubleshooting help you you, wrapped up with encouragement and practical advice that’ll keep you going on even the hairiest of sewing days.
Is this class going to be worth it?
If everything inside of Self-Reliant Sewing was sold separately:
- Sewing Basics + Practice: $49 value
- Encore Lace Bracelet class: $49 value
- Prelude Bag class: $49 value
- Matcha Latte Apron class: $49 value
- Overture Skirt class: $49 value
- Getting to Know Fabrics Masterclass: $69 value
- Sewing Help Toolbox: $49 value
- 103 pages of printable cheat sheets, patterns and guides: $29 value
- Fabric Fact Cards: $19 value
Get $411 worth of sewing tools inside the Self-Reliant Sewing bundle for only $79
What does a Self-Reliant Sewist look like?
Self-Reliant Sewists are a different lot. Different good. This could be you:
- You'll appreciate the joy of creating beauty with your own two hands at the helm of your sewing machine.
- You'll welcome mistakes knowing that you can troubleshoot your way through them to a deeper understanding of sewing.
- You'll tap into the knowledge and can-do attitude of generations of women before you. Grit and determination are your middle name.
- You'll no longer have to be completely dependent on buying stuff that makes you go, “Meh.” Finally you'll be able to have the skills that'll help you create stuff that's your own, 100% not at all generic style.
- You'll finally have a base of foundational sewing skills that'll let you go on to sewing for yourself and using your new found sewing talents to help others as well.
Self-Reliant Sewing is part joy, humor, encouragement and
clear step by step instructions
My Mom quit sewing because she had a home ec teacher who made fun of her in front of her class over a plaid skirt. Many more teachers have killed the joy of sewing for people by insisting that there’s only one way to do anything.
You won't find any of that here.
My teaching philosophy combines:
Giving you options, not saying that my way is the only way. You're a smart person, and I give you the tools to make your own sewing choices.
Encouragement: sewing is hard work, but I absolutely will not let you get down on yourself about it when things go south.
Easy, repeatable, skill-building projects: too often I think teachers either throw too much at beginning sewists or not enough. Too much, and you're on the Struggle Bus, frustrated, your head spinning, trying to understand what you're getting out of things. Too easy, and you won't be motivated to keep on going. All of the projects inside Self-Reliant Sewing are the kinds of projects you can make again and again. As you do, the muscle memory you'll build will become actual progress you can see. Expect your seams looking straighter, your gathers looking more even, and your topstitching sitting pretty.
My hope is that Self-Reliant Sewing will help you gain so much confidence in your new-found sewing skills that you’ll want to keep going and eventually tackle tougher projects.
At the end of this class, you’ll be well on the road to being able to sew what you want. I just bet you’ll be walking up to random people telling them about how much you love sewing.
Meet your teacher
What’s up! I’m Elizabeth, and learning to sew took a lot of grit and determination from me, but I will never regret any stitch I’ve had to unpick to become someone who can sew anything I want. Fabric is truly my love language.
I hang my hat at elizabethmadethis.com where it’s my mission to help you sew something creative. My work has been featured in Seamwork, Altered Couture and I developed a line of upcycled clothing for the boutique SEWN in Denver. I’ve also been a featured teacher at Rebecca Page’s Sewing Summit and Jennifer Maker’s Holiday Maker Fest.
I’m a Mom to 4, part time violin teacher and wife to one awesome guy. We live in Colorado in view of the majestic Rockies. We love geeky strategic board games and all things baseball.
What smart sewists are asking...
You’ll learn exactly what you need to look for as you go, plus lots of troubleshooting along the way that’ll help you avoid all the frustrating pitfalls that cause people to give up on sewing. The added Self-Reliant Sewing Club and Sew and Sip Zoom calls will give you added support and a place to Show and Tell about your work in the class.
Some specialty low cost tools are in the supply lists. Any functioning machine with a straight stitch, buttonhole, and zigzag stitch will do for this class.
Upon purchase you’ll get an email from Thinkific, the place where my courses are hosted. Inside that email, you’ll get your login details. Click on the link, type in your login info, and you’re all set. Inside the course, you’ll see each section of of the class and projects laid out for you along with video lessons, printable PDFs with written instructions and helpful info you can follow along as you work your way through the class.
You’ll have lifetime access to this content. Whether you’re a slow sewist or you love to binge sew, you’re free to work through this class at your own pace. Watch out for emails from me letting you know about any course updates.
Self-Reliant Sewing is a video-based class paired up with printable PDFs filled with the patterns, supply lists, and everything else you need to help you get to know your sewing machine and sewing up your first projects.
I like happy customers, but if you’re unhappy with your purchase of Self-Reliant Sewing we will give you a full refund if you meet both of the following requirements:
-1. You are asking for a refund within 30 days of purchase.
-2. You have not progressed in the class (clicked) past the Sewing Basics module.
If you meet both of the above criteria, please email elizabethmadethis@gmail.com and we will issue you a full refund.
If you have questions about the course refund policy or need help accessing your class materials, email elizabethmadethis@gmail.com
Stop letting a hunk of metal intimidate you. Finally learn how to turn your sewing machine into your creative best friend.
Where will Self-Reliant Sewing take you?
If you’re still here, you know that that sewing machine isn’t going to fire itself up.
Self-Reliant sewing will make sure you go from having a machine collecting dust because you’re dreading the beginner learning curve to confidently stitching up your first projects without a lick of fear.