Sewing is more than just stitches and seams—it’s about growing your confidence with every project. Whether you’re brand new to sewing or looking to refine your technique, building confidence at the sewing machine is a journey worth taking.
In the latest episode of the Designers, Plants and Coffee podcast, we’re diving deep into what it means to sew with confidence, especially for beginners. From embracing mistakes to teaching others, here are some real-life lessons to inspire your sewing journey.
Sewing with confidence means giving yourself permission to try, mess up, and try again. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. Every skipped stitch or misaligned seam is a chance to learn.
In the episode, LaTisha from Keeping You in Stitches shared how teaching beginners helps her improve her own skills:
“The more times I teach it, the better I get at it… when you teach it, you learn it better.”
Teaching reinforces knowledge, and watching students succeed—like a child who squealed with joy after sewing her first pant leg—reminds us how powerful those early wins can be.
If you’re just starting out, here are a few mindset shifts and practical tips to help you sew with confidence:
Understanding simple things like notches, grainlines, and sewing terminology will set the foundation for future success. Don’t skip the glossary!
If the written instructions confuse you, look at the pictures. And if those don’t help—pause and think through what the image is really showing. Most of us are visual learners.
As Zahiyya shared, learning a faster way to install a zipper or discovering a new presser foot can change your whole workflow. Sewing confidence comes from testing and tweaking until it feels natural.
Still afraid to cut your fabric? You’re not alone. Many beginners hesitate. Our tip? Buy inexpensive fabric like muslin to test your pattern first—and don’t be afraid to just cut it!
Roller feet, walking feet, and other helpful tools can make sewing smoother. Start simple, but don’t be afraid to explore as your skills grow.
Something beautiful happens when we teach others to sew. We’re reminded of our own journey—and we grow even more. Whether it’s a child realizing she’s just made pants for the first time, or an adult returning to sewing after years away, confidence is contagious.
“You realize the excitement of them getting it… It’s not just the student learning, it’s you learning as well.”
Another truth we touched on in the episode: sewing today isn’t necessarily cheaper than buying clothes. But when you sew your own garments, they last longer, fit better, and carry personal meaning.
Whether you’re sewing pajama pants with your niece or teaching high school students how to use commercial patterns, confidence is something you build over time. It’s not about being fearless—it’s about doing it anyway.
If you’re looking for a Beginners Guide to Sewing With Confidence, this episode is the perfect companion for your next project.
🎧 LISTEN + LEARN
Tag us @CoverMeChic and let us know: what was your biggest confidence-building moment as a beginner?
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Welcome to the Designers Plants and Coffee podcast, where we’re sewing, sipping, and staying rooted.
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We’re three creative women building handmade businesses and sharing real conversations about
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design, growth and what it really takes to make things that matter.
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So grab your coffee, pull up a project, and let’s grow together.
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So today we’re going to be talking about sewing lessons and growing confidence.
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Whether you are a new sew, a new learner, or you’re sewing someone who’s been in business for
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a minute, but you’re learning new techniques.
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So let’s start out with learning new techniques.
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I guess I’ll start. It’s exciting. Learning new techniques. Of.
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Of course, sometimes it’s a little frustrating because, you know, you don’t get it right the
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first time, but once you get it, it makes your workflow so much easier.
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So I always look for quicker ways to do things that I already know how to do.
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So like saying, for example, like a fly zipper.
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I just saw like a you.
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I think it was a short.
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Just somebody did it, like, in five seconds, you know, But I saw away.
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I was like, oh, that’s a quicker way of doing it, you know?
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And then I geek out over press a feet because it makes your job so much easier.
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So I just did a tutorial, honestly, on my YouTube channel on cover Me Chic, and someone mentioned,
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you know, how easy it was because I used to use a roller foot and they didn’t know about it.
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So they, you know, that gives me, like, I’m happy about, you know, sharing what I know, and
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it makes their job easier.
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But it’s just like, that is my go to.
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I mean, I do every.
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If I can do everything like that, that’s what I do.
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It’s so funny because in my classes, we always joke about how much I love gadgets, and I’m always
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getting the latest gadget, and they’re so excited when they find something.
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I’m like, oh, I’m going to buy one.
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As an educator, too, I also have to sometimes stop myself from doing shortcuts that I know that
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help me work because I want them to learn.
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You know, I want them to go through the trenches before they start adding these shortcuts.
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But every now and then, I’ll slip a little shortcut in there.
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And my favorite one is teaching them how to put their pocket on the quarter inch so it’ll go down inside their garment. They love that one.
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But we haven’t really gotten into the feet.
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I did explain to them, like, what a walking foot was, what a Roller foot does, but they are
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not really working with, like, denim and the heavier fabric.
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But I don’t know, over the summer they might get a rolled hem or something.
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It’s really interesting because when you learn a quick technique, it’s one thing, but when you’re
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teaching someone, when you actually are a sewing educator, you realize just how much you know,
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but also you realize the excitement of them getting it and sharing that.
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It’s like, yes, they got it, they got it.
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It’s one thing to do a demonstration, but when your student actually comes over and they’re ex.
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Ecstatic about they finally got that invisible zipper foot correct, it’s really beneficial.
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It really helps and encourages us educators that we’re making a difference with that.
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And I also realized the more times I teach it, the better I get at it.
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Because when I was teaching, let’s say, the flat pattern, and I’m teaching them dark manipulations and having to re.
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Explain it over and over and over again, when I actually did it, I can literally hear myself.
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And it’s one of the things of when you become an educator and you’re having to actually do this,
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you learn it, you learn it so much more.
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So just to tag on to what you said, Tish is just like, when you teach it, you learn it better.
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You know what I’m saying?
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Because you have to explain it in such like a step by step, and you get better at it.
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So it’s not just the student learning as you learning as well. So it’s like.
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And you find quicker ways of doing it when you are teaching, you know, so you have to be very
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concise and very, you know, as simple as possible.
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Most people are visual learners, so.
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So even, even just as quick as my last class, I was telling them, you know, if the words don’t
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make sense, look at the picture.
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And if the picture doesn’t make sense, you know, think about it a little bit.
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Think about what the picture is looking like and what the words are telling you.
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Because they did tell me, you know, sometimes the words don’t make sense.
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And I said, well, let me introduce you to this little thing on your sewing pattern called the glossary.
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The students that I have now weren’t really taught on commercial patterns.
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And so they don’t know that these things exist.
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I was like, it tells you what all of these notches and darts and grain lines that all of that is for.
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But since they didn’t get their previous lesson through me, they didn’t get it the way I teach it.
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So when you come to my advanced sewing class.
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I don’t expect to have to teach you what a notch is.
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You know, you should have learned that in the class before mine.
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But, you know, once they get it.
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Once they get it, they get it because I told them that I.
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The way I explain it is I tell them, you are putting together a puzzle, and those notches are
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your puzzle pieces, and if they don’t fit, your puzzle is not going to lay flat and be pretty,
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and you’ll have wasted your time.
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So it’s a 3D puzzle.
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It’s a 3D puzzle. So, getting back to the sewing lessons, and since you’re talking about the
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students, what’s a heartwarming student story?
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I have so many, because I’ve done kids and adults.
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I think for me, one of the best stories I have is when one of my kids, you know what pants look
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like as a flat piece.
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And she was just so confused.
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She was probably about 8 or 9, and she just couldn’t figure out how this piece, this giant piece
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of thing was going to make pants.
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And when she put the first leg together, she squealed. And I mean, screeched. Squealed.
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Because she was like, oh, my God, I can see it. I can see it.
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I’m going to have pants.
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I’m going to have pants.
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I want it, you know.
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And that, to you, is just like that heartwarming moment.
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And then for my adult, I had one of them send me an email, and she says, hey, I’m working on
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my project at home, and I’m a little bit nervous and blah, blah, blah.
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And I said, well, you know, here’s what you do. Read the pattern.
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She came to class wearing her garment.
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She said, I finished it. I got my zipper. And she wears everything.
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So we try to complete a garment a week.
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And she comes in and whatever she made the previous week, she’s gonna wear the class the next week. And it just.
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It just warms my heart that she’s so excited about these things that she’s made herself.
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And, you know, I like that. That aspect of it. Those are my two.
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I have a myriad of heartwarming stories, but those are two that first jump into mind.
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I think it’s more personal. When I was.
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I did a teaching thing for my nieces and nephews.
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They were all I was at the time, all under the age of 10.
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You know, it’s like, once they finished every.
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You know, everybody’s like, oh, look.
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You know, is this like the pride that everybody has after they finish it?
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So it was just Like, I love when they finished everything.
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It’s just like I did. This is.
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You know, and they take.
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They take ownership and they take pride, and they, you know, they want to share and they want to do more.
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You know, it’s like, okay, what’s next?
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I want to make clothes now.
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You know, I think we made a bag the first time.
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So I did promise them I was going to do something, so I have to hold my.
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My end of the bargain. But that was.
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That’s the first thing that came to mind. Well, you know what? I did take my.
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My niece was really, really into it, and she came over and we made a skirt.
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I mean, she wore the skirt home, you know.
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Great. That’s great. So my heartwarming SK story would be, I’ll say, one that has to deal with notches.
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So I was teaching a product development class.
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Now, in the class, there are maybe juniors, some seniors, and I had brought in a factory owner to make their samples.
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It’s like, hey, they’re going to make your samples.
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Hope you and your tech packs and your patterns.
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You need to have a consultation, talk to her.
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We’re going to pay her, and she’s going to bring it back.
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So I told her, don’t ask no questions.
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Follow the patterns they gave you in the tech bag.
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Some of it came back in pieces.
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Guess why it didn’t have notches.
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She was like, I didn’t know what it went to.
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I say, it’s okay, because now they’re going to learn why I keep saying notches.
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So that’s for those students, for the.
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The sewing students, seeing them.
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Because it’s one thing to see a student really struggle with sewing straight.
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And I have to tell them, don’t look down at your sewing or at your hands because they’re.
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They’re like looking at the needle.
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I’m like, no, look at the edge of the fabric.
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Don’t look at the needle because you’re going to sew your finger.
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And one of them did, but her stitch was straight.
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I tell them it’s battle scars. It’s just battle scars.
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It’s the art of war with your sewing machine, you know, can you call yourself a true sewist
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if you haven’t sewn your finger at least one time?
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I’ve stuck myself. I haven’t sewn my finger.
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I did. And it’s weird. It doesn’t hurt.
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So you take it out.
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When you take it out, you’re like, wow, that really hurt. I forgot.
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See, that kind of stuff doesn’t bother Me, but we won’t go into further details about it. It doesn’t bother me.
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I will say there’s one thing about is it wasn’t a sewing lesson, but it was tambor beading.
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And I took a class with my professor from grad and when I learned the technique, I was like,
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wait, this is like crochet.
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Oh my goodness. It’s the same stitch.
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But how about adapting the teaching for kids versus adults?
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People really look at me funny when I say that I prefer teaching kids.
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And it is nothing against adults.
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The biggest different is difference is you get adults and sometimes they are set in a way they think they know more.
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I’ve sewn back in the year one and now I’m just refreshing so I can do it, so I can do it my
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way, you know, and that’s the difference.
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But I think for me, the biggest thing I like about teaching kids is once you find out that there
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is a kid that you have that’s really into it and you start to nurture them and watch them develop,
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you think about it, you can be like, oh my God, one day I’m going to be seeing that kid on a
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project Runway or something like that, and I’m like, oh my God, I taught that kid how to sew.
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They probably don’t remember me, but I taught that kid how to sew.
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But I think the big biggest difference also is projects like I’m teaching kids, like basics. They making pajama pants.
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These adults are doing buttons and zippers and lining and you know, we’re doing raggling sleeves on the. On a bomber jacket.
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And I’m introducing knits and stuff like that.
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And you don’t really get that with kids a because, you know, you gotta, you gotta spend a half
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hour just getting them to settle.
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But it’s funny because a lot of my adults are not as far as fearless as the kids either.
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The kids will cut into a piece of fabric.
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Them adults gotta come, can you look at it?
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Can you make sure I laid it out right? Oh my God.
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I didn’t cut it at home because I was so nervous.
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I’m like, you’re a grown up. Just cut it. Just cut it.
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I tell them all the time, use cheap fabric and cut it.
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If you’re uncomfortable, buy muslin and cut it.
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You don’t have to cut into your fabric. Just, just do it.
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Like, you waste so much time coming into class to cut something out.
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It’s a waste of time.
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But I’m working on them.
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I’m kind of the Opposite.
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I enjoy doing teaching my nieces and nephews because, you know, it’s like a relationship.
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And it’s like, oh, auntie.
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But I prefer teaching adults because it’s just like, okay, we know why we’re here.
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You know, I don’t have to settle you.
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If you don’t want to learn, you can leave.
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I like efficiency, so everything that I do is, like, very efficient.
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And I’ve trained my mind to teach efficiently, you know, so it saves time.
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We don’t have to fiddle with stuff.
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We don’t have to, you know, second guess everything.
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So it’s just like, you can be very direct with adults. They understand the assignment.
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I will tell you as a client, this is not your ministry.
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Perhaps maybe you should try knitting or something, because sewing is not your ministry.
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And I would rather do that.
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That I feel bad if I’m keep to keep taking your money.
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And I know that it’s something you’re not going to excel at.
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You know, we all have our strengths.
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If someone is not your strength, I will gently let you know.
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I’ve even told parents that this ain’t for her.
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They also have to get over this myth that sewing is cheaper. Sewing is not cheaper.
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I mean, at a time it was because fabric was less expensive.
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With all the stuff that’s going on now, it really isn’t, you know, because sourcing the. The.
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The raw goods is not cheap at all, you know, and the time it takes to do it, it’s not.
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But I mean, they will last longer.
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Your clothes will definitely last longer when you make.
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I teach high school and some. Most.
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Some high school students, but mostly college students that are actually in a program for fashion design.
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So they want to be there and they want to learn. Is it easy?
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No, because they are still kids, though technically, you know, the law says, oh, they’re adults, but no, they’re teens. They’re kids.
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I’m able to begin to set them up on, hey, do it this way, because I’m doing the demonstration
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like that, and I’ve broken it up where I’m showing the demonstration.
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They have pieces of it. So they’re learning.
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They’re literally learning this the way that I’m teaching.
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They don’t have any bad habits just yet, but I have also told them I have my degree.
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I’m trying to teach you how to get yours, so you might want to listen. Plus, I’m grading it.
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So on that note, we’re going to end with, I’m Letitia from keeping you in stitches along with Zaheea from COVID.
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Me Chic and Naima from Fearless Threads.
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Thanks for hanging out with us on the Designers Plants and Coffee podcast.
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If you love this episode, please leave a review, share it with your creative friend, or tag us on Instagram.
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Until next time, keep dreaming big and growing slow.
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