Now that you have begun to know your machine a little better and that you have made a simple square and a simple pattern, you can move up to making a simple clothing item.  Keep it simple, like a simple skirt (NOT and "A"-line) or an apron.

To do this you will need to study the pattern at the right. On the back of the pattern you will find lots of information.

Notice at the top of the pattern it tells you about notions and the kinds of fabrics that are suitable for the piece of clothing you want to make. It is best to purchase these at the same time that you purchase the pattern. Notions are thibgs like elastic, Bias Tape or piping or anything else used to make the garment.

Below that are numbers and measurements and that type of information. **For beginning sewing do not get a pattern that uses knits or sheers.** When purchasing your fabric make sure that you get enough to allow for shrinkage. I usually will buy the next whole number up of fabric. For instance a pattern will call for 3 3/8 yards. I will purchase 4 yards. I will also make something out of the extra fabric to match the garment, like a headband or a purse.

The next items you see are the basic measurements for the garment in categories. Each category is by the size of the garment that you are making.

There are three basic measurements to a garment. They are: Bust, Waist and Hips. You will want to take your clothes off except for your underwear. That is the way to get your true measurements.

Look at the picture on the right and it shows you how and where to take your measurements. To take your bust measurement you would take a measuring tape (found at the sewing center of your choice) and put it around the fullest part of your bust. That is your Bust measurement.

Then take the measuring tape and put it around your waist and that is your waist measurement.

Your hips are about 7-9 inches below your waist. Take the measurement at the fullest part of your hips.

There are advanced measurements that you will want to take when you get to the more advanced garments such as Jackets, Pants and the like. Those measurements include:

Shoulder to Shoulder, Shoulder to Elbow, Elbow to Wrist (bend your arm about 45 degrees when you take this measurement, Shoulder to Bust Point and Wrist. These are used for Jackets, Long Sleeved Dresses and Blouses and anything that you will need to put a dart in..

The next set of measurements would be: Waist to Seat (this gets your crotch measurement for pants to fit correctly and so that they are not too baggy in the crotch or too tight) and Inseam (from the inside top of your leg to where you would like for your pants to fall). While I was doing some alterations in my home I had a man call me and I told him the measurements that I would have to take. He got all weird on me and kept asking me if I got a rush when I measured for the Inseams of men's pant's. I kept telling him that I was a very professional seamstress and that didn't even enter my mind. Needless to say I did not do any work for him.

If you are going to be making pants that have elastic around the ankles you will want to take the measurement around your ankles and so the same for wrists.

On the pattern it tells you what fabric is suitable for the garment that you are making. I am a touchy-feely type of person and will go to the fabric and feel it to see what it will feel like against my body--or that of whom will be wearing it. Read the labels on the top of the cardboard that the fabric is wrapped on. If you have any questions a sales associate will be more than happy to help you with that part of your shopping. Check for shrinkage, color fastness and durability and for children's clothing the flammability.

Most fabric that is made of 50% or more cotton will shrink some. Fabric that is all cotton will shrink lots.

After you purchase your fabric you may wash it. Some doesn't need washing, but fabric with lots of cotton in it will need washed and dried in the hottest temps possible and possibly many times before you lay to cut the pattern on it.

A lesson learned from a past experience. I got some pure white all cotton material to make a man who was going to wear this to his re-enactments. I washed that fabric 4 times and dried it that many times to make sure that it shrunk as much as it was going to. I laid the pattern on it and cut it to fit his size. He came and tried it on and ---yep it had shrunk and was tight on him. If this is going to be a possible problem for you I suggest making the garment a size larger then what you wear. You can always take in but you can never add fabric that isn't there. This is also why I do not cut off most hems in sleeves or length as in pants until I am totally sure that is where it need to be cut off at. I also make sleeves and bottom of pants, skirts and what-nots about an inch longer. That way I make sure that there is enough material to play with.