Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Favorite Books, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials

Sewing machine image on a turquoise blue background with sewing accoutrements.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

I’m back with another question from Kim, a follower who reached out to me a few weeks ago with a series of questions that beginners sometimes have when they’re learning to sew.

In essence, Kim wanted to know if she could teach herself to sew, or whether or not an in-person instructor would be needed. I will address my answer to Kim’s question below the gingham illustration of three question marks, but I’d also like to hear the opinions of other experienced sewists out there. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section!

Before we dive into this topic, I do need to make my required disclaimer statement: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how affiliate marketing works on my website, please go to the Privacy Policy page. Thank you!

Three black question marks on a purple gingham background. Each question mark is turned at a slight angle, to create an arc of question marks. The image below the question marks is the Chelly Wood dot com logo. The purple gingham represents fabric.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.
Question #4 as asked by Kim: I was going to teach myself how to sew, using commercial patterns, but became a bit discouraged because people are saying there’s no way a beginner can complete a [sewing project] from a commercial pattern without an actual teacher there to guide them. If I learn the different terms and symbols on the pattern, will that work or [do you not] recommend doing this when learning how to sew?

My response:

Do not listen to the bogus nay-sayers! 😉
We live in the internet age. If you want to learn something — practically anything — you can always look online for guidance to teach yourself just about anything. Heck, my husband just replaced the fuel pump in his truck by watching YouTube tutorials and following the directions. That’s amazing!
The Chelly Wood doll stands with her left hand reaching toward a YouTube play button at the center of a YouTube computer screen. The text reads "learn on YouTube" and at the bottom of this text is the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.
If my husband can replace his fuel pump without a human guiding him, you can learn how to design and sew your own doll clothes by following directions you find online.
One of the best instructors for the most fundamental sewing basics is a lady who goes by “Professor Pincushion.” I highly recommend subscribing to her channel and buying her book, Beginner Guide to Sewing: Garment Making for Nervous Newbies.
On her YouTube channel, Professor Pincushion teaches you everything from the types of fabric available, to methods for sewing zippers. If you buy her book, you can keep it handy to help you quickly look up a basic concept (like grainline), to fill in the gaps in your sewing basics.
If you’re still learning the basics, though, you may not yet be ready for my course on doll clothes pattern design. Maybe put in a year’s worth of sewing practice first. Then go back and reconsider taking my course in 2026.
I’d like to get a few comments from my regular followers here too. Do you think beginners like Kim can learn to sew through online tutorials alone, or do you think she really needs an in-person instructor to learn how to sew? Please scroll down to the comments section and leave your opinion! Thanks!

This image of a turquoise blue sewing needle pulling purple thread away from a line of cross-stitching is used as a divider between sections of a blog post.

If you enjoyed this blog post, and you’d like to see my videos, you might want to navigate over to my YouTube channel, ChellyWood1 to look through my playlists.

If you would like to make a donation to this free doll clothes pattern website, please click here. There’s also a “Donate” button in the main menu.

For anyone who would like to expand their dolls’ wardrobes, you should really check out my “How to Alter Doll Clothes Patterns” course and my “Design Your Own Doll Pants Patterns from Scratch” classes on the Creative Spark online learning platform. Here’s my bio page on their website, where you can learn more.

This image shows four rows of artist's renderings of doll clothing items. The top row shows four different styles of pants. The second row shows four different styles of shirts. The third row shows four different styles of skirts. The fourth row shows four different styles of dresses, with skirts in long, short, and mid-length styles. The text reads at the top, "Classes in Doll Clothing Design" followed by this paragraph: "Have you ever wished you could create patterns of your own? Click on the links to Chelly's online courses below, to learn more about her paid courses in doll clothing pattern design techniques."

For any class on Creative Spark, you don’t have to follow a schedule. Just sign up when you’re ready.

It’s a one-time fee for the course, and there’s no specific time limit to finish your course. You can just take your time and learn at the pace that suits you. So go check out my paid courses on Creative Spark, using this link.

As always, feel free to pin, like, or tweet about my free patterns and tutorials.

To read more about my free sewing patterns and tutorials, please visit the “Helpful Tips” page.

Disclaimer/Credit/Affiliate Marketing Link:

*Please note: when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include Amazon, JoAnn Fabric, Etsy, and the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more about how my website uses affiliate marketing, please visit the website’s Privacy Policy page.

Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with any of the doll or toy companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly enjoys designing her doll clothes to fit a variety of dolls. To learn more about the doll companies mentioned in today’s post, please visit the doll or toy company’s website.

2 thoughts on “Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials”

  1. Of course you can learn to sew by reading, watching youtube, and talking with the sewists you know. We’re everywhere. I was taught in home ec class nearly 60 years ago and promptly forgot everything Mrs. Hinton taught me. I picked it up again a decade later from reading library books and have been at it ever since. So…read, watch, and GO!

    Reply

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