Sewing is one of the oldest professions in the world. These days there are many reasons to become interested in sewing: because you want to make new creations, because you want to make clothes that are unique and that fit you, or because you want to learn a useful skill that can extend the life of your existing possessions. Whatever your reason, sewing in its many forms can be an incredibly fulfilling hobby.
The Alachua County Library District has a ton of needlecraft programs coming up in the near future:
Craft Classes:
- Every Friday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Micanopy Branch: Craft and Quilt: For crafters and quilters! Combines classes with community-building.
- Every Second Tuesday, 4-6:30 p.m., Headquarters Branch: Come learn at MakerSpace Presents: Stitch Craft for Adults, supplies, projects and sewing machines are provided for those wanting to dip their toes into making objects with a sewing machine. Patrons are also welcome to bring their own projects. This program is intended for anyone who can operate a sewing machine independently once taught.
- Thursdays, October 3rd and November 7th, 4-6 p.m., Headquarters Branch: Crocheting for Adults is an ongoing class for beginners looking to break into the world of crochet.
- Saturdays, October 19th and November 16th, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Archer Branch: EPP-English Paper Piecing: Join us for a class on the English Paper Piecing quilting method.
- Wednesday, October 23rd, 4-5 p.m., Headquarters Branch: TeenTober Plushies: Learn how to make special spooky plushies! All supplies provided.
- Wednesday, October 30th, 4-5 p.m., Cone Park Branch: Spooky Embroidery: All supplies and patterns provided for this spooky embroidery program for adults. Registration Required.
- Wednesday, October 30th, 4-6 p.m., Tower Road Branch: Teen CreateSpace: Spooky Mini Cross-Stitch: All supplies provided for teens looking to create an awesomely chilling cross-stitch!
- Wednesday, November 6th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Tower Road Branch: Tower Crafts: Stained Glass Embroidery: This adult program is all about doing a stained-glass-inspired embroidery design! Registration required.
Social Groups:
- Every Thursday, 5-6 p.m., Tower Road Branch: Come out for Stitch and Dish. Chat and work on your latest fiber arts project.
- Every Friday, 2-3:30 p.m., Alachua Branch: Alachua has Stitch and Chat for those looking for companionship while they work on their project.
- Every Sunday, 1-3 p.m., Alachua Branch: For the weekenders, Marvelous Makers is a community-building program for all kinds of makers to bring their projects and chat.
- Every 4th Saturday, 2 p.m., Library Partnership Branch: The Crafting Collective is for those looking to build community, craft, and chat. Some supplies and patterns are provided, although you're welcome to bring your own. Upcoming dates: October 26th, November 23rd.
- Select Mondays, 1 p.m., Hawthorne Branch: the Fiber Fun Fellowship is a group for chatting and working on your latest project.
What if you want even more resources on sewing? First, make sure to check out Creativebug, our completely free online resource for learning all things crafty. Creativebug has projects, lessons, and month-long practice exercises, as well as video series on topics like inspiration for projects. It's perfect for any kind of learner, and there are several free projects from prominent designers and artisans, so it's good for beginners as well as full-fledged sewists.
That's not all! We have all sorts of eBooks, eMagazines, books, and DVDs that can help you learn the many and varied arts of the needle. All of these items are available through the library. Click on the title to be brought to the item's listing in the catalog to place a hold for pickup at your nearest location or download right away.
The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing
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When you're starting out it's good to start with a basic guide, and we're a big fan of photo-friendly guides like this one. That said, there are a ton of beginner guides to sewing. Some are structured around increasingly difficult projects, and some offer a wide range of beginner-friendly projects with easy instruction, while others will explain the process of sewing without projects. Pick a book based on your own learning style and have at it!
The Sewtionary: an A to Z guide to 101 Sewing Techniques + Definitions
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Do you know how to fold under? What stitching in the ditch is? Or how to interface a back yoke?
Sewing has a lot of unique terms that can be confusing at first. While you can always Google these terms, we find it very helpful to have an A to Z reference at your table. It makes it really easy to double-check the definition of a term and see instructions on how it's meant to be done. These references will often explain things that a sewing pattern won't, so they're especially good if you're teaching yourself.
Another book in our collection that fits this bill is A to Z of Sewing by Search Press Classics.
Embroidered Animals: Wild and Wooly Creatures to Stitch and Sew
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Japanese needlecraft techniques have exploded in popularity in recent years. This book, translated from Japanese, gives you an insight into Japanese embroidery methods for creating 25 different beautiful animals.
Embroidery can both be a decoration for a larger project, as well as an art object in and of itself, so if you're a maximalist, give this book a try! If you're more into minimalist or geometric designs, you could try sashiko, a Japanese embroidery technique that creates repeating patterns on cloth. We have sashiko classes available through Creativebug.
Ahead of the Curve: Learn to Fit and Sew Amazing Clothes for Your Curves
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Many people gravitate towards sewing their own clothes because their own bodies do not fit neatly into the "standard" clothing sizes provided by the grand majority of the fashion industry. The ability to create whatever clothes you want, that fit you correctly, is awesome! Ahead of the Curve is a guide for curvy and plus-sized sewists, with size-friendly sewing patterns and tons of advice for achieving the perfect fit for every curve of your body.