 Hey guys, it is week four of our beginner sewing series here on Inside the Hymn. I kind of can't believe we're at the end of this. It's been so much fun kind of going back in time for us and remembering what it was like to be a beginner sewist. But today we are going to talk about some online resources. Well, online and then also some books that you can buy, so they're not all digital. But just some resources that are really good for beginners that will help you learn new techniques, advance your sewing skills, be able to ask questions of the sewing community. It constantly still surprises me how helpful and nice and just wonderful everyone. We must have some certain type of personality. Maybe. They're just like, caring, helping, something because people love sharing the projects. They love looking at other people's projects and they love helping you when you're having an issue. Absolutely, 100%. So we're going to go through some of those resources now. The first one, Abby has subscribed to for a while. Yeah, so when I first started, I just started subscribing to pretty much everything. Looking at tutorials, kind of like what I want to try, what I want to sew. And the Sew Can She blog, they do a tutorial, a free tutorial every day. You subscribe to them, you get a free tutorial in your inbox every day. Sometimes very simple things, simple as a pill case. Some things are a little more advanced, might be a bag. And I just find that all the tutorials are really great. There's a lot of great kind of like gift options you might want to try on their site. So I really, really enjoy theirs. And you can even go on their website and find all the past tutorials. So now you've been subscribed for the four years that we've been sewing and do they repeat? No. I mean, there'll be different types of bags or different types of pillowcases, but no. I don't know how they find people that can think of, I can't think of tutorials. People have asked me before, you want to do a tutorial for this blog. I'm like, I can't do that. I rely on other people to give me tutorials. So yeah, I'm impressed. Wow, that's really cool. Probably for the experience. So it would even just be like a good way to inspire you to make something you wouldn't normally make. I mean, I don't make a lot of other stuff besides clothing, but I still will click on them every morning when I'm checking my email because I just like to see what people have made and the ideas and the fabrics they use. Yeah, that's really cool. Yeah, so good one. Try that one out. Another one that I really like is Craftsy. People in Craftsy, they have a lot of online courses. Yeah. I signed up for a few of theirs. They have like a sale. They were so ridiculously cheap. I feel like they do that sale a lot. They do it a lot. Don't buy a classic list of sales. Right. Right, yeah. They'll run deals. But they have classes for beginners all the way up to advanced stuff. Really advanced stuff. Yeah. So you could really kind of stay with Craftsy. And the classes that you buy, you own for life. So you can go back and watch them anytime you want. And also, I feel like they're kits. Yeah, they're kits. I haven't bought one just because I always, when a new pattern comes out, I'm like so quick to buy it. So excited about new patterns. So a lot of times I already own the pattern that comes with the kit. Oh, okay. We should have mentioned this in the fabric one. But I feel like when I bought the kit, for me, it was like peace of mind and knowing that I was going to get a fabric that an expert kit just for that pattern. It was maybe the first knit dress that I ever sewed came from a Craftsy kit. The reason why I bought it is because I knew there wouldn't be any question in terms of the quality of the knit. And that it was picked by the pattern designer for everyone to use. Yeah. So, I mean, not necessarily resource, more of a fabric thing, but still, you know, you can kind of learn and discern a lot from the different parts of Craftsy. Yeah, yeah, definitely a lot of information on there. The next one, I haven't gone on here as much just because I have a hard time keeping up with all the different social media. So I blog about things to make. Of course, we have our videos. So this is just another place people upload things they make. And I just, I can't keep up with it all. Yeah. Instagram too. But it's Collabora. It's just you upload your project. You can talk about your project. You include some pictures. So it's just a really good place to check out to see things that people have made. And they'll talk about like issues they had sizing. It's almost like a mini blog. But isn't it though that you can, the questions are already predetermined and you answer them. So everybody's Collabora Post is the same with the same information. They do have some, yeah, some requirements, but there's also places you can add in your own information. Okay. So the basic stuff are probably fit and sizing, the fabric you used, those kinds of things you will get in every single Collabora Post, which you might not get from Instagram for sure. You wouldn't get that there maybe. Yeah. Cool. Another one has this kind of similar option in Deso. Yeah. It's a place where you can buy fabric and patterns. Lots of patterns. There's like over 200 patterns. But within each pattern you click on, people can upload their creations. Yes. To the pattern. So it's another place you can go. Almost like a review. Click on the pattern. Yeah. You can, they review it. I've got a bunch of stuff on there. But it's like just another way to see the finished garment. See if you know you think you might like it for yourself. Yeah. So that's a good one too. Yeah. And Deso is good. Yeah. And then a lot, you know, Deso just supports the indie sewing community. Only sells indie patterns. And we've mentioned this before in our pattern video for beginners how wonderful the sew-alongs are that the pattern designers do. That's something that the indie community has that just completely sets them apart from the big four for sure. Major difference. And the sew-alongs are a good resource simply because you will not know how to do a certain technique and you will be committed to the sew-along. And then you kind of look at your thing and you're like, oh, I just did that. Yeah. And I've never knew how to do that before. Yeah. I did my first zipper or I did my first understitch or my first pocket or whatever your first anything is. And the sew-alongs are so broken down and so detailed you even realize you're kind of doing and learning something new. Yeah. Yeah. They're great. They put so much more information in the sew-along than they'll put even in their direction. So there will be a lot of little tidbits that you can pick up from there that you wouldn't have gotten if you just read the directions. I sewed up the grain line alder. Alder, yeah. Alder, completely from her sew-along. And I mean it's a button placket, a collar, and that was beyond helpful. Yeah. I love those. Yeah, the sew-alongs are really great. And gosh, I want to say just about every indie, can you think of anyone that doesn't do them? Not really. Maybe some super simple stuff. Like they're really basic. Well, I don't know. And then, yeah. I think they do them for all the patterns. Yeah. It's a lot of work. But it's really, I think you all do a really good job with this. Definitely. Some other blogs that we really like are? Well, if you want to know other blogs I like, I am on Blog Lovin'. Okay. Blog Lovin'. Yes. So I, Blog Lovin', is just a place where you can go on, you can search sewing blogs. And it pulls them all together for you. And you can follow everybody through there. And then you get a feed in your inbox every morning saying all the new post people wrote. I'm on there. So you can go and see me and see all the blogs I follow. So that's really nice. If I, like, there's somebody I really love and I have the same style, I'll go see who they follow. So I can find more, you know, people that I like that so similar things to me. So Blog Lovin' is a great resource. Yeah. Anytime I am sewing, especially an indie pattern, but even the big four, I Google the pattern. Yeah. And pop up Google Images. I just go right to Google Images and I look at all the things people have sewn. And then if I really like it, then I click on it and it takes me to their blogs. Yeah. And then I found somebody new to follow. Yeah. But when I can just think of indie sew offhand, they also do a blog. Mm-hmm. All of the pattern indie pattern designers have a blog. Yep. A lot of these. A lot of fabric. Yeah, the fabric studio. The fabric stores that we like. Cali fabrics. Style maker fabrics. I mean everybody has a blog base. Yeah. So you just have to find, yeah, like Abby said, someone that has the same similar vibe as you. Someone that you think are consistently pretty. Mm-hmm. And maybe someone who's even a little more advanced than you would be helpful because they will always kind of be a step ahead of you. Yeah. And can help inspire you to try new things. Yeah. So another really great resource that kind of ties back in to social media a little bit is blank slate patterns Facebook group. So she has a Facebook page and that's nice. But she also has a group that you can join. And I'm a member of this group. And I am always seeing beginners post to the group to ask, I mean, a multitude of questions, whether it's fitting questions, sizing questions. I mean, obviously they're always related to a blank slate pattern because it's her group. But in terms of making a pattern for the first time or using a woven for the first time or using a knit for the first time, that is usually what I see in her group. And then as people start their project, if something's kind of going awry, they will go back there and they will ask their question. And always I will see comments. People, I don't know that I've ever seen a post that just went ignored and no one responded to. Yeah. And I mean, there's some pretty wacky questions up there too. So you don't feel like, oh, I'm like so new with this. And my questions are going to be so dumb. There is already a dumber question up there. There have been some really entertaining ones that I have just had to follow along and seeing how people comment. How do you respond to a question like that is good. I'm thinking in my mind. But you know, if you want to start with a blank slate pattern, great beginner patterns, by the way, their Facebook group is really helpful. But even if you aren't selling a blank slate pattern, it's nice to be a part of that group because you can see some of the questions that other people have and get people's answers that you might be able to apply to a different pattern. Right. So I really like her Facebook group a lot. She also has that thing where you can sign up for the free patterns. There's a library of like a bunch of free patterns. Oh, because she releases a lot of free, like she's got free shorts patterns. Yeah, they're all in her size because she just dropped it for herself. Like must be nice to be a pattern designer. Make whatever you want for yourself. Make whatever you want. Yeah. But within that is a newsletter. And I don't know that we've talked too much about newsletters. Newsletters, yeah. Yeah. So sometimes for me, lots of newsletters kind of go hand in hand because they're just because they come to my email. Yeah. So I don't really differentiate between but so many of the people, I mean, and so you still got a newsletter. Well, I think they use the newsletter to promote the blog. I think that's like the most obvious marketing link. But it doesn't always that way. Like the Colette snippets newsletter, technically a newsletter, not a blog. It's a newsletter because you can only find it in your email. You can't find it online. That's right. Exactly. And the snippets blog is literally five sentences. Very super short and sweet. Super short. And it's just a really quick tip on how to make your life easier. How you're sewing. Yes. We're not going down that path. How to just do things better, do things smarter. Cheaper. Cheaper. Like I just saw they did a bobbin using the nail tip. Nail things that go through your toes. A bobbin holder with a pedicure, those spongy pedicure things. Yeah. A lot of times it's like, why didn't I think of that? Yeah. They have very clever stuff on there. So I think it has come out monthly or weekly. I don't remember. I think weekly. Okay. At least weekly. At least weekly. So yeah, if you find someone, a pattern designer or a fabric store or a blog or somebody that you really like, subscribe to their newsletter too. You might get some different kind of content there than you would get on the blog for sure. Right. And then one more thing before we leave the internet. I'm not big on Facebook. But on Instagram, I mean that's where I go along with Googling image things. I go onto Facebook and I do hashtags. Instagram. Sorry. Instagram and do hashtags. Hashtags have a real purpose. I'm sorry. I'm not one to speak in hashtags, but hashtags do have a real purpose. So you can just, you know, hashtag true bias patterns. And all the people that have tagged what they made with a true bias pattern will pop up and you can see and get inspiration. You can type in the specific pattern. People even do the specific pattern. So you can really pull together lots of different ideas and help you pick out a fabric if you're wanting to sew a particular pattern. Yeah. I really like that. If you're using a big four pattern, they don't name like, you know, Tate top. They're a letter and four numbers. You can put that key in a hashtag search and it will pull up that same thing. Right. People that have sewn that garment with, yeah. And posted it to Instagram, obviously. Yeah. So you can search the big four, which is hard to do because people don't post it. I don't know. I'm not sure. I think because Indie designers are blogging their patterns to get them out there that would be naturally when we make them want to blog them back. Yeah. Well, I think it's easier to search for, you know, Biscayne blouse because it has a name and it's, I don't know, but whenever you're sewing in 1667, it's like, is it McCall's 1667, McCall's patterns 1667? How do you put, so maybe they get lost that way. Maybe. I'm not sure. No, no. But we try and do it personally. I try and do it a couple different ways whenever I'm hashtagging things. Right. Yeah. Instagram, obviously, is really good. Yeah. And then once we kind of go offline, there are a couple of books that we really love. We already mentioned one of them in the series in the two videos ago. And that's the Tilly Sew What You Love. Love it first ditch. Love somewhere there. What's Sew What You Love? That's something. Definitely something. I'm going to say it's not. It's a different book. Our next book. Yeah. Okay. Love it first ditch. Great book. Yeah. We told you before how great that book is. Yeah. I highly recommend it. Yup. The Money. Another one for getting into sewing knits is the Colette Knit Book. They have a book just about sewing knits. It really takes you from the beginning. Lots of great tips. Troubleshooting. Different types of knits. That's a really great one to get your feet wet. And try to hit up a library. You can get a lot of these books for free. That's true. Obviously, you can't take the patterns out of them, but you could trace them if they're still in there. Can you? Is that okay? I mean, I guess. I don't know. I never really thought about that before. I don't know. They have to take the patterns out, or someone else would probably already stolen them. They probably have to take the patterns out. I don't know. I don't know either. But the book itself with the resources, with the tips, with the, you know, teaching, the tutorials, all of that information will still be in there. And there are a lot of really great sewing books that are just, that are just out there, even outside of these two that we mentioned. Yeah. Melly Sews. She did that. That's Blank Slate. She's Melly Sews. She did a book. I haven't gotten a chance to check that one out. Yeah, me either. I imagine if it's an indie pattern maker, like Colette or Blank Slate, the book is going to be full of tips on, and walking you through kind of like a sew-all. You kind of like a sew-along would be. But if it, but some of them are like actual study guides, you know, where you can learn about the fabric or you can learn how to do a fitting. Yeah. Colette has another book that's not a knit book. Yeah. I think she has a bunch. She has an original book. I had that one too. Colette's guide sewing handbook, something along that line. That's where I learned about different fabrics and what needles to use with those fabrics. Yeah. So some of them are purely resources, and other ones have patterns incorporated. So go to the library, see what they have. Go to your Barnes & Noble and just kind of browse the sewing area. I have so much fun in there. Looking through the books. Yeah. Anyways, that's it. I hope that we've helped you, you know, learn a little more about sewing. Take your beginner level to the next level. Help you grow a little more. Find some things that you want to sew and love to sew. So I hope we've been helpful. I feel like we have. I enjoy. I really have enjoyed kind of reminiscing on things that I love and things that I've learned. I hope you guys have enjoyed. Let us know if you have any questions. If any experts are out there watching and you have a resource that you really loved, please feel free to leave that in the comments. Otherwise, subscribe to our channel so you don't miss our next upload. Give this video a thumbs up if you liked it. And follow us on social media. We are at Inside the Ham, just about everywhere that you can think of. Bye.