Claire you look younger and glowing with each video. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you so much. xxx

This is all great, basic information. When I began sewing in the 60’s, there was a huge difference in the cost between homemade garments and ready to wear. The development of fast fashion made sewing your own clothes much less appealing from  a financial point of view. Now, I sew because I enjoy it and I absolutely hate shopping 😂!

Great sewing advice here! I began sewing as a teenager because money was tight. I can see how much more expensive it has become in present day. ☹️

Lovely to see you looking so well Claire, thanks for the advice,

Tools you NEED:  good sheers, seam ripper, 6” ruler.  I also love having a good sewing machine and a wonderful Babylock Victory serger.

You make the best videos, it's always so clear that you do your research on things and really share yourself with your viewers/friends.  I know we all love what you do. Thank you Clare!

Great video…I’m getting better but boy did I find myself hitting roadblocks at the beginning and wanted to give up. First, reading commercial patterns made me feel like an ignorant fool. I learned to put down the instructions…take a fifteen minute break, and come back to it with fresh eyes.  Also, while capable of sewing quickly now, I find I enjoy going slow and deliberately while at my sewing machine.  Each garment comes out much nicer when taking my time.  Thank you for all you do for us Claire to help us become better sewists ♥️♥️♥️

Oh Claire, I hear you on the self 😢. I became a phlebotomist, for 6 months I was terrible, uncertain, incompetent. One day I realised I had been criticising, bad mouthing and destroying mySelf, there is NO such thing as 'constructive' criticism.  Well, I started using Louise Hayes, You Can Heal Your Life. It helped me to support, encourage and inspire myself. The improvement was overnight, I became a very good phlebo. Thanks for the reminder, your help in all matters, as well as sewing is pretty vital, valuable and appreciated

You do save money if you compare your garments to high end garments. If you are comparing to cheaply made garments that use low quality fabric you are not only comparing apples to oranges, you are comparing apples to dragon fruit ( that was the most expensive exotic fruit that I could think of).
If money is tight, then you are better off buying second hand quality clothes.
You really save money sewing home dec items, for example decorative pillow covers. Even using expensive fabric, you can get at  2 pillowcovers or more depending on what you back them with compared to pillow covers that start at $20 each.

Thank you so much for this video…….just made my first dress in 40 years! …..it took me a whole day just to cut the pattern out 🙈😂 so glad I took my time with it though. You’re an inspiration 🙏

That story you told about being utterly defeated by altering a sewing pattern resonated so much. I recently went through something like that before I realised that gaping pockets was the nature of the pattern I was using. So many factors come into play when using a pattern!

With respect to cutting nd sewing on grain, it is important to make sure that the design was printed on grain.

Right on, sweet Claire!  You nailed it.  
Sewing is a skill to master -- I have been sewing for many years and still have not mastered the art . . . but I keep plugging away at it.
Basting will make life easier -- Amen!
A pattern is a template -- You said it!
Sewing is not the cheaper option -- RTW doesn't fit well so I am now a me-made gal.
Using the right needle -- Yes!
Changing the needle after every project -- Good grief, no!
Following your tips -- No more big fat tears!!
Fun and informative video -- Yes!
Subscribe, like, share, and comment -- Yes, yes, yes!
Bye for now.

I love listening to you Claire. You are so "real" thank you.

Almost everything i need to sew fits into a cigar box. I have a sewing machine but i seldom use it and only for tedious things like curtains and tote bags. Clothing i sew completely by hand because i can sew anywhere, take it with me anywhere. Just throw it in a bag with the cigar box and I'm all set. It's great to have something to do with my hands when I'm visiting or having to sit and wait. (And much healthier than smoking. 😂) I also like to sew in bed with my feet propped up watching a movie. Hand sewing is very precise and very forgiving. I don't change the needles on my machine because it's 142 years old and i have very few needles 😂, but i don't really find that it's a problem. I thrift all of my material, thread etc. i save buttons from old clothes. If i had to buy new, i couldn't sew. Money is very tight, as in, i use a clothesline, tight. But no, I'm not sewing with bedsheets! Heaven forbid! I find beautiful, quality fabric at local yard sales and flea markets. I recently bought a whole box of 40 year old fabric for $5, still in new condition. I love every bit of it. Some beautiful Cranston prints in gorgeous colors. I also bought some homemade curtains and reused the material in my (now favorite) dress. I can get whole bags of partially used thread for as little as $1. Money should never be a deterrent from sewing. If you have no money at all, you can put the word out that you're looking for free sewing supplies. Lots of people collect fabric and then lose interest in sewing and they're happy to see someone else get use from it. No it's not the same as picking it out at the store because you never know what you're going to find, but that's part of the fun, finding curtains in a nice fabric and thinking, this would make a nice dress! (I paid $1).

Thank you Claire for your excellent presentations. I’ve been sewing since I was about 15 and am 75 now. I’m still making mistakes but I haven’t given up. I’m glad you are so honest.

Great information … as a +size lady myself I have also found that there are pattern  Co’s that provide measurements other than the basic bust, waist, hip, such as calf, thigh, upper arm etc and for me, they are a massive aid when fitting to your own shape.

Also, I found the sewing jargon confusing, especially on YouTube when the  vloggers cross continents … that is also a great asset too, but sometimes the terminology varies

When batch sewing and pressing, handling is also critical. I carefully lay pieces on a plastic tray for transporting between work areas, carefully lifting and placing each piece. Beginners are often not yet aware that picking up and pulling cut pieces by a point or an edge will stretch the edges that are on the bias. I often add stay stitching one thread width into then steam allowance while checking against te paper pattern to help prevent stretching. Typically, bias doesn’t fray, but it does stretch and isn’t easily returned to the original shape it had before cutting. I sometimes mark the stitching line with chalk, add stay stitching,and then cut the shape.

Great video Claire.  Lots of very useful information.  You look wonderful❤️

Thank you so much for your time in making this video. I have learnt so much from it, and I have been sewing for years. X