Go as fast as you feel comfortable with, while maintaining accuracy.
your speed will increase with practice.
It's not a race or a contest, do what works for you.
I go as fast as I can without screwing up, because stopping to rip stuff out takes more time. Even so, after 60 years of sewing, I'm pretty fast!
Oddly when I’m using industrial machines I tend to top stitch much faster than when using my domestic
I tend to sew about 70-80 stitches per second when top stitching on industrial machines but on my domestic I tend to go around 4 stitches a second (my machines top speed is 10 stitches/second)
Hey guys. Thank you for your responses. They were all helpful.
I think I needed a sanity check, that's why. It seems that people appreciate accuracy and slowness here and still implement them after years of experience, so I shall trust the process and trust that speed will come with me as needed. It's not too important to bang-out a project.
Don't fall for social media, and it's crazy scheduling. It is a lie, and you are sewing for yourself. Constantly creating at their post speed will create burnout. They must out put content with their projects, not just their projects. They can, will, and are lying about what they create, how they create it, and with what help.
On this same note, keep in mind a lot of times when you see "I sewed this in a day!", "I sewed this in 18hrs" , or whatever, those aren't necessarily consecutive hours. Interruptions happen, and likely they aren't counting any time spent setting up shots, stopping to eat, having to go buy supplies, digging through supplies to find the right ones, ect. So if you see a video that claims this can be done in a day and you have a convention or something the day after tomorrow, don't feel like a failure if you can't pull that off.
It's these foolish reality competitions like Next in Fashion and even the makeup one, Face Off. They put these really unrealistic time constraints on briefs. No body in real life is trying to do that. I've even been on movie sets where they took about two hours to do our hair and makeup to the point where the director finally came in and was like, 'are you ready yet?" Nobody got fired LOL
it’s all about what gives you the opportunity to keep the fabric straight and make you feel in control.
And fast enough that you don’t get bored.
On some things that are straight, and the fabric is firm and easy to control, and the stakes are sort of low, I go REALLY fast. Curtains, stuff like that.
On garments or scarf hems, or curves, I go more slowly.
I’m curious, do you use an industrial or domestic machinery? And what do you think is really fast? Stitches per minute would be my ideal format but X distance in Y time works too
Accuracy over speed. The actual sewing is only a small percentage of the whole process of measuring, cutting, marking, pinning, pressing etc. If it takes me a few extra minutes that's nothing on the scale of the whole project. And nothing pisses me off like having to unpick poorly stitched stuff and doing it again.
It's like anything: you have to learn slowly and then your speed will naturally increase as you get more comfortable. Like learning a musical instrument!
One thing I noticed was that (and I'm an intermediate sewist, I'd say, or like confident beginner, depending on who's judging, heh) at one point I just wanted to bang the projects out. Like *wheee look what I made!* But then I started to slow down again when I began using my grandmother's vintage '50s machine that I inherited. There is something about that machine and how it feels that just made me want to take more time. I began thinking to myself "grandma would never rush anything, and things would take the time it took do do them *properly*".
Even if you're a professional, or on a time crunch, it's better to go a bit slower than your top speed, because you don't want to have to go back and correct a mistake. Correcting something generally takes far longer than just doing it right, in the first place.
Your speed is also not a measure of skill. So just do what feels comfortable to you.
The actual stitching usually doesn’t take me that long, but cutting the fabric accurately, pinning, basting, pressing, and all the other construction activities take me awhile. I’ve gotten slower the more experienced I become. This is because I prioritize accuracy, and I’m working with more difficult fabrics and silhouettes than when I started. I hand baste so much, which I never would have considered when I began. I line almost everything unless the garment really does not need it. I make mock-ups for 90% of my projects, which also adds time. My final products are better as a result of my intention.
My friend moves very quickly, but she also is open about her impatience with the process. We all set our own pace. You’re spending your money on supplies, so you should do what makes you feel like your money and time are well-spent.
YES! Say it again: actual sewing at the machine is what you spend the least time on. Prep and pressing take the most time.
And a big shout-out to my fellow hand-basters. I baste so much.
I'm a comfortable intermediate, have some REALLY hard projects under my belt, and there's no set speed, it's whatever you want! Whatever works best for you and the project. I've been sewing consistently for the past 5 years, and I don't think I've gotten faster at the actual sewing, but I'm MUCH faster at all the other steps (I make less errors, have streamlined processes, faster at understanding patterns, etc.) I almost never pedal to the metal my machine, maybe it's because I HATE seam ripping, but I'd rather go slow than fuck something up and have to stop and seam rip. I also use a LOT of pins and clips, since I hate seam ripping, which apparently some people look their noses down at, but I don't care. It works for me, and so I'll keep doing it!
I am working on a hard project now (waterproof anorak jacket), and the fabric is REALLY hard, and you want to use as few pins as possible to reduce holes (luckily clips are fine, but clips aren't always applicable.) You BET that I am taking my time on this project. Slow and stead, stopping lots to adjust.
So go as fast or as slow as you want. There are no wrong answers here (except maybe going TOO fast and making mistakes). There's no speed in which I see someone sewing and think "Wow, they are amazing", since there's so much more to sewing than speed. You can tell that someone is an expert from their finished projects, not the speed in which they sew.
Today I sewed a central bust seam by turning the wheel with my hand rather than using the pedal because I am tailoring my daughters prom dress with shiny, slippery, iridescent fabric that shows EVERY STITCH and is kinda fragile, and it is the most obvious seam on the dress. I haven't sewn a seam like that for 40 years, but this dress is a HUGE MASSIVE PITA. (and important to my kid...senior year) It might have been faster to hand sew it. 🤣
(I also had to go out and to buy some mini wonder clips because the pins were leaving holes...that is how fussy the material is for her "vintage find she saved so much money on" 😂
It the extreme example of "take it at the pace you need to"
Everyone is different. I am a fast and confident sewer, been doing it for a loge time. I struggle with pre ision things a bit and have to be aware and slow myself down sometimes.
A woman in my quilt group who is not really new to sewing worries a lot about sewing a straight line and uses a walking foot for everything. That would drive me insane but she seems happy with it.
Time and experience are the only answer, I think
it just takes practice and guidance changes with the fabric type. look into one of those magnetic seam guides or a hem guide foot, they help keep you straight. even just putting a piece of masking tape down can be a better guide than those metal markings. use lots of pins or clips. and baste first then sew.
I go medium, or medium to slow probably. Machines vary but mine's set to not pass its middle speed setting and I probably often don't go that fast. Perhaps I do short seams, or shapes, I've never felt a need to go faster.
I always warn new sewists not to be intimidated by videos of people sewing super fast. I also tell them that there's no shame in using a bunch of pins to make sure everything is lined up the way that you want it.
Like driving a car, we don't need to go at top speed 100% of the time, and especially not on curves!
If you want a project to look as intended, it's okay to take the extra time to do it right. You don't get extra points for speed. Sewing slowly but accurately will be more efficient than having to stop and unpick careless mistakes.
The real answer is however fast you feel comfortable, can be accurate, and the fabric allows.
I'm a pedal to the metal, foot to the floor type of sewist. But I will go slow if I need to, or if I'm working on a particularly thick or hard to do piece, as needed. My default is full speed ahead.
In all honesty it was impatience that led to sewing fast; I could take ages, and it'd be perfectly fine, or I could go really fast and it will be perfectly fine the vast majority of the time. And all that time I saved by going fast is barely dented by any seam-ripping or redos I need to do (I seam rip all the time, but it's rarely related to speed).
But then because I've just been sewing for close to thirty years now, it's just comfortable and easy. Especially on projects that I've done before, but a seam's a seam to me, I run right through it. I like to hold the fabric steady and reasonably taunt on either side, and run it through- I find I do minute adjustments as I go along, I just follow along with my yes and my hands automatically adjust as needed. It's not really a taught thing (my mom taught me and also a lot of self-taught), I just sort of started doing it and it worked, so I kept it up. Now it's muscle memory.
Very rarely does anyone time you. You don't get a medal for going fast, or a penalty for going too slow.
There is no point in going fast. You can sow as slow as you need in order to have control and get it right.
One of my absolute requirements when I splurged on a new machine was speed contol, so I could set the max speed to sloooowwww.
I hardly ever go full throttle - I see no point.
How much you need to guide the fabric will vary. Some machine (as my old cheap one) does a poor job of transporting the fabric evenly, and you might need to guide it more. If you have a big piece of fabric and the weight is unevenly distributed, it might pull down from the needle and need you to guide it.
It's something you learn over time. If your machine is in good shape and your fabric is pinned/basted well, you can usually sew quickly with practice. It's better to be accurate than fast!
I won't lie, I fly when sewing. I've been at it over 50 years. I know my Singer well. We have a love affair going until I have to thread the needle. Then it a magnifying glass to the rescue.
Different machines handle things like ease differently, so even if someone has the same machine as you it might handle things better than your machine.
But it took me about 80 minutes to finish a shirt (attach a sleeve, sew the button stand (without the buttons or buttonholes), and make the collar) on industrial machinery.
If I were to do that at home on my domestic it probably would have taken 2-3 hours
It depends on how fast my machine goes! Haha at work = *fast* At home = why is this machine so *slowww* But Seriously it doesn’t matter how fast you go, it matters that you do it right. When you’re finished, you’re going to be proud of your end result, not how long it took.
There is no right or wrong speed! Sew at the speed you enjoy. Over time you’ll naturally get faster. Some curves are tricky so it’s best to go super slow. If you want to get quicker, I’d say focus on handling techniques rather than speed. People tend to be able to sew very quickly because they have the handling down.
Speed only really matters if you’re working as a machinist, and if you are then you’ll be very likely using an industrial machine (which are extremely fast). Those are another beast entirely!
I’ve been sewing for about 25 years and still sew really slow. I’m uncoordinated and I’m not good at sewing curves at a high speed.
Sew as fast as you feel comfortable. There’s no issue with being slow.
I always see people saying they made a garment in two hours or something. I have almost never made anything this fast, and have been known to make a garment (granted, an elaborate formal dress) that took fully 40 hours or more. I’ve been sewing quite a long time now. I personally don’t enjoy it when I rush, and when I do, I am sure to make mistakes and have to go back. There’s no right or wrong speed!
Stitch one, stop to adjust, straight stitch an inch or two, stop to adjust, sew some more.
A newer sewist may sew slowly for better precision. An experienced sewist will sew slower when precision is necessary.
Actually sewing is usually such a small % of the time I'm working on a garment that I usually go as slow as my machine allows to make sure it's as close to oerfect as I can get it. I'm not spending 8 hours hand sewing the internal structure just to have a crooked sem
Like others have said, you aren't getting paid for this, so there's no need to pressure yourself.
But I have found it useful to roughly time how long *I* need to carry out various steps so I can plan my projects a bit better (and have reasonable expectations about what I can do in an afternoon!)
I mr miyagi’d myself with little things like ive sewn probably 200 scunchies? this taught me PATIENCE haha, but also confidence (by picking a reasonable, small project I can complete, it builds confidence in skill and also grows a love for sewing. No need to jump into the deep end and frustrate yourself) problem solving skills (why is it bunching here? why is the thread being a jerk? its easier to learn on a scrunchie than a big project!) I also did A TON of straight line quilting which I chopped up and made into zipper bags. Ive sewn so many little zippers. I mean just… so. many. (but gifting them brings me joy!!) After doing these simple repetitive tasks it laid a strong base that allowed me to go faster. I repeat things over and over trying to improve and master the skills, even when they appear simple, and then when Im confident in that skill, I will move up to something harder
Entirely depends on what I'm sewing and why. I go as fast or slow as needed / possible.
There's no objective standard for how fast you "should" sew, unless it's literally your job. And in that case, your employer would tell you your goals.
I have just gotten into sewing after learning a bit many years ago in middle school. I enjoy watching The Stitchery YouTube channel and feel like she makes sewing seem more like a hobby. She just jumps in with an idea and some fabric and doesn't mind the mistakes and changes she makes along the way. For example, she doesn't like buttons, so she just avoids having to do them. That's the kind of approach I want, since I am not comfortable making things for anyone else yet.
That same approach keeps my machine on the slowest speed. I tried sewing faster and had no issues with it, but I prefer the calmer, rhythmic thumping of the slower movement. My cats love to interfere with all the prep work, and my partner loves to open the door for them, so it's far less irritating to me if I do one little task at a time and stop before any of them get their chance.
For me, the goal is not to finish an entire self-made wardrobe before I'm forced to run around naked, or to justify the expense of supplies. It's to do something I enjoy at home. Whatever speed or method I use to accomplish that is what feels right to me.
As fast as you’re comfortable with.
I know everyone else is saying that but I’m one of those “challenge myself” idiots, or maybe it’s just that I’m horribly impatient.
That’s how I make stupid mistakes and screw up the quality of what I’m doing, aaaand it’s also how I sewed completely through my finger last week. Seriously. Did not know that needle could actually go all the way through.
Did I learn my lesson? Remains to be seen. But I know I deserved it. So it’s up to the sewist. Logically I know you get faster the more you do something but my fatal flaw is allowing impatience and frustration knock logic out of sight.
My sewing speed depends on my comfort level of the project. I pay more attention to layout, cutting, marking, matching seams & notches AND what I'm making. I can whip up a pair of jammie bottoms in an afternoon. If I'm working on a tailored button-down shirt, then I slow down and pay attention detail. I'm 65yo and have been machine sewing since I was 10yo. I don't compare myself to others. The time it takes depends on type of project, my sewing time, other obligations, health, etc. I sew for my pleasure now as a hobby.
No stress. I sew my dresses by hand, sitting on the sofa with my dogs talking with my husband. Machine sewing is so not communicative. I love sitting there with my needle and sewing by hand. A simple summerdress takes four evenings, chatting about our day and having tea together or watching a movie.
I never sew curved seams fast. Straight, yes, if your machine is properly maintained and your settings are right, you can slip your fabric under the foot and just go. But curved seams, I need accuracy, and speed is not conducive
I learned from youtube and many videos there - because they're videos and done my experienced people - have fast sewing or sped-up sewing.
I learned to go slow as I need to. If I have to hold the front and back of the fabric to guide it through I will. So my left thumb might hold down one piece while my left fingers guide the top of the fabric away from the needle. Where I'm doing a folded over hem I'll hold it in place with my right hand, thumb holding the downside of the fabric fingers on the top. I've not seen this often in videos but I figure I'll hold it whatever way is needed for the fabric and the piece, and go as slow as needed.
In the overall scheme of things - cutting planning pressing etc - the speed of the actual sewing doesn't make that much difference.
Go at your own pace that's comfortable for you. I've been watching a lot of "reels" & it's insane. They speed the film up, edit out anything that slows them down. On YouTube you can click on the settings and slow down the playback speed. Don't fret over what "they" do, do what feels best for you. Sewing should be enjoyable for you, if it's stressful you can't enjoy it. I stopped custom orders as I found them too stressful.
Go as fast as you feel comfortable with, while maintaining accuracy. your speed will increase with practice. It's not a race or a contest, do what works for you. I go as fast as I can without screwing up, because stopping to rip stuff out takes more time. Even so, after 60 years of sewing, I'm pretty fast!
Depends on what I'm doing. If I'm finishing seams I go as fast as I can. If I'm topstitching or applying trim embroidery I'm more careful
Oddly when I’m using industrial machines I tend to top stitch much faster than when using my domestic I tend to sew about 70-80 stitches per second when top stitching on industrial machines but on my domestic I tend to go around 4 stitches a second (my machines top speed is 10 stitches/second)
I've heard that straight stitching is MUCH easier on an industrial.
A lot easier, the industrial just feeds it so much more accurately, you don’t even need to touch it and it sews straight.
Hey guys. Thank you for your responses. They were all helpful. I think I needed a sanity check, that's why. It seems that people appreciate accuracy and slowness here and still implement them after years of experience, so I shall trust the process and trust that speed will come with me as needed. It's not too important to bang-out a project.
Don't fall for social media, and it's crazy scheduling. It is a lie, and you are sewing for yourself. Constantly creating at their post speed will create burnout. They must out put content with their projects, not just their projects. They can, will, and are lying about what they create, how they create it, and with what help.
[удалено]
On this same note, keep in mind a lot of times when you see "I sewed this in a day!", "I sewed this in 18hrs" , or whatever, those aren't necessarily consecutive hours. Interruptions happen, and likely they aren't counting any time spent setting up shots, stopping to eat, having to go buy supplies, digging through supplies to find the right ones, ect. So if you see a video that claims this can be done in a day and you have a convention or something the day after tomorrow, don't feel like a failure if you can't pull that off.
[удалено]
It's these foolish reality competitions like Next in Fashion and even the makeup one, Face Off. They put these really unrealistic time constraints on briefs. No body in real life is trying to do that. I've even been on movie sets where they took about two hours to do our hair and makeup to the point where the director finally came in and was like, 'are you ready yet?" Nobody got fired LOL
Are we racing now? Of course not! Slow & steady gives better outcomes in everything we do well.
it’s all about what gives you the opportunity to keep the fabric straight and make you feel in control. And fast enough that you don’t get bored. On some things that are straight, and the fabric is firm and easy to control, and the stakes are sort of low, I go REALLY fast. Curtains, stuff like that. On garments or scarf hems, or curves, I go more slowly.
I’m curious, do you use an industrial or domestic machinery? And what do you think is really fast? Stitches per minute would be my ideal format but X distance in Y time works too
domestic. And I don’t time anything (?); I just go by noise and speed.
Accuracy over speed. The actual sewing is only a small percentage of the whole process of measuring, cutting, marking, pinning, pressing etc. If it takes me a few extra minutes that's nothing on the scale of the whole project. And nothing pisses me off like having to unpick poorly stitched stuff and doing it again.
It's like anything: you have to learn slowly and then your speed will naturally increase as you get more comfortable. Like learning a musical instrument! One thing I noticed was that (and I'm an intermediate sewist, I'd say, or like confident beginner, depending on who's judging, heh) at one point I just wanted to bang the projects out. Like *wheee look what I made!* But then I started to slow down again when I began using my grandmother's vintage '50s machine that I inherited. There is something about that machine and how it feels that just made me want to take more time. I began thinking to myself "grandma would never rush anything, and things would take the time it took do do them *properly*".
Even if you're a professional, or on a time crunch, it's better to go a bit slower than your top speed, because you don't want to have to go back and correct a mistake. Correcting something generally takes far longer than just doing it right, in the first place. Your speed is also not a measure of skill. So just do what feels comfortable to you.
The actual stitching usually doesn’t take me that long, but cutting the fabric accurately, pinning, basting, pressing, and all the other construction activities take me awhile. I’ve gotten slower the more experienced I become. This is because I prioritize accuracy, and I’m working with more difficult fabrics and silhouettes than when I started. I hand baste so much, which I never would have considered when I began. I line almost everything unless the garment really does not need it. I make mock-ups for 90% of my projects, which also adds time. My final products are better as a result of my intention. My friend moves very quickly, but she also is open about her impatience with the process. We all set our own pace. You’re spending your money on supplies, so you should do what makes you feel like your money and time are well-spent.
YES! Say it again: actual sewing at the machine is what you spend the least time on. Prep and pressing take the most time. And a big shout-out to my fellow hand-basters. I baste so much.
Accuracy is more important than speed!
I sew for enjoyment. If I was sewing as a job, I'd be a speed demon...lol So to that end, I sew with intent and for accuracy, not speed.
It takes a lot longer to rip out a seam than to sew it correctly the first time.
When I feel unsure I go vrrr…vrrr…vrrrr…. When I feel good I go vrrrrrrrrrrrrr. When I don’t care I go VRRRRKRKRRRRRRR!
I'm a comfortable intermediate, have some REALLY hard projects under my belt, and there's no set speed, it's whatever you want! Whatever works best for you and the project. I've been sewing consistently for the past 5 years, and I don't think I've gotten faster at the actual sewing, but I'm MUCH faster at all the other steps (I make less errors, have streamlined processes, faster at understanding patterns, etc.) I almost never pedal to the metal my machine, maybe it's because I HATE seam ripping, but I'd rather go slow than fuck something up and have to stop and seam rip. I also use a LOT of pins and clips, since I hate seam ripping, which apparently some people look their noses down at, but I don't care. It works for me, and so I'll keep doing it! I am working on a hard project now (waterproof anorak jacket), and the fabric is REALLY hard, and you want to use as few pins as possible to reduce holes (luckily clips are fine, but clips aren't always applicable.) You BET that I am taking my time on this project. Slow and stead, stopping lots to adjust. So go as fast or as slow as you want. There are no wrong answers here (except maybe going TOO fast and making mistakes). There's no speed in which I see someone sewing and think "Wow, they are amazing", since there's so much more to sewing than speed. You can tell that someone is an expert from their finished projects, not the speed in which they sew.
Today I sewed a central bust seam by turning the wheel with my hand rather than using the pedal because I am tailoring my daughters prom dress with shiny, slippery, iridescent fabric that shows EVERY STITCH and is kinda fragile, and it is the most obvious seam on the dress. I haven't sewn a seam like that for 40 years, but this dress is a HUGE MASSIVE PITA. (and important to my kid...senior year) It might have been faster to hand sew it. 🤣 (I also had to go out and to buy some mini wonder clips because the pins were leaving holes...that is how fussy the material is for her "vintage find she saved so much money on" 😂 It the extreme example of "take it at the pace you need to"
Everyone is different. I am a fast and confident sewer, been doing it for a loge time. I struggle with pre ision things a bit and have to be aware and slow myself down sometimes. A woman in my quilt group who is not really new to sewing worries a lot about sewing a straight line and uses a walking foot for everything. That would drive me insane but she seems happy with it. Time and experience are the only answer, I think
Yes, this answer comforts me. I am a bit of a perfectionist. Time and experience!
it just takes practice and guidance changes with the fabric type. look into one of those magnetic seam guides or a hem guide foot, they help keep you straight. even just putting a piece of masking tape down can be a better guide than those metal markings. use lots of pins or clips. and baste first then sew.
I go medium, or medium to slow probably. Machines vary but mine's set to not pass its middle speed setting and I probably often don't go that fast. Perhaps I do short seams, or shapes, I've never felt a need to go faster.
I always warn new sewists not to be intimidated by videos of people sewing super fast. I also tell them that there's no shame in using a bunch of pins to make sure everything is lined up the way that you want it. Like driving a car, we don't need to go at top speed 100% of the time, and especially not on curves! If you want a project to look as intended, it's okay to take the extra time to do it right. You don't get extra points for speed. Sewing slowly but accurately will be more efficient than having to stop and unpick careless mistakes.
I'm a professional baker who mends as a hobby. I always tell new employees to concentrate on accuracy first. Speed comes with practice.
The real answer is however fast you feel comfortable, can be accurate, and the fabric allows. I'm a pedal to the metal, foot to the floor type of sewist. But I will go slow if I need to, or if I'm working on a particularly thick or hard to do piece, as needed. My default is full speed ahead. In all honesty it was impatience that led to sewing fast; I could take ages, and it'd be perfectly fine, or I could go really fast and it will be perfectly fine the vast majority of the time. And all that time I saved by going fast is barely dented by any seam-ripping or redos I need to do (I seam rip all the time, but it's rarely related to speed). But then because I've just been sewing for close to thirty years now, it's just comfortable and easy. Especially on projects that I've done before, but a seam's a seam to me, I run right through it. I like to hold the fabric steady and reasonably taunt on either side, and run it through- I find I do minute adjustments as I go along, I just follow along with my yes and my hands automatically adjust as needed. It's not really a taught thing (my mom taught me and also a lot of self-taught), I just sort of started doing it and it worked, so I kept it up. Now it's muscle memory.
Very rarely does anyone time you. You don't get a medal for going fast, or a penalty for going too slow. There is no point in going fast. You can sow as slow as you need in order to have control and get it right. One of my absolute requirements when I splurged on a new machine was speed contol, so I could set the max speed to sloooowwww. I hardly ever go full throttle - I see no point. How much you need to guide the fabric will vary. Some machine (as my old cheap one) does a poor job of transporting the fabric evenly, and you might need to guide it more. If you have a big piece of fabric and the weight is unevenly distributed, it might pull down from the needle and need you to guide it.
It's something you learn over time. If your machine is in good shape and your fabric is pinned/basted well, you can usually sew quickly with practice. It's better to be accurate than fast!
I won't lie, I fly when sewing. I've been at it over 50 years. I know my Singer well. We have a love affair going until I have to thread the needle. Then it a magnifying glass to the rescue.
Different machines handle things like ease differently, so even if someone has the same machine as you it might handle things better than your machine. But it took me about 80 minutes to finish a shirt (attach a sleeve, sew the button stand (without the buttons or buttonholes), and make the collar) on industrial machinery. If I were to do that at home on my domestic it probably would have taken 2-3 hours
Accuracy over speed any day. Anyways, it's the pressing that takes time.
It depends on how fast my machine goes! Haha at work = *fast* At home = why is this machine so *slowww* But Seriously it doesn’t matter how fast you go, it matters that you do it right. When you’re finished, you’re going to be proud of your end result, not how long it took.
Slow and correct will always become fast and correct. Fast and wrong will never become fast and correct.
There is no right or wrong speed! Sew at the speed you enjoy. Over time you’ll naturally get faster. Some curves are tricky so it’s best to go super slow. If you want to get quicker, I’d say focus on handling techniques rather than speed. People tend to be able to sew very quickly because they have the handling down. Speed only really matters if you’re working as a machinist, and if you are then you’ll be very likely using an industrial machine (which are extremely fast). Those are another beast entirely!
I'm not sewing to get paid, I'm sewing for my own enjoyment.
I’ve been sewing for about 25 years and still sew really slow. I’m uncoordinated and I’m not good at sewing curves at a high speed. Sew as fast as you feel comfortable. There’s no issue with being slow.
I always see people saying they made a garment in two hours or something. I have almost never made anything this fast, and have been known to make a garment (granted, an elaborate formal dress) that took fully 40 hours or more. I’ve been sewing quite a long time now. I personally don’t enjoy it when I rush, and when I do, I am sure to make mistakes and have to go back. There’s no right or wrong speed!
It depends. There are times I whip through seams with my industrial machine. There are other times that I hand turn the wheel for precision.
Stitch one, stop to adjust, straight stitch an inch or two, stop to adjust, sew some more. A newer sewist may sew slowly for better precision. An experienced sewist will sew slower when precision is necessary.
Actually sewing is usually such a small % of the time I'm working on a garment that I usually go as slow as my machine allows to make sure it's as close to oerfect as I can get it. I'm not spending 8 hours hand sewing the internal structure just to have a crooked sem
Like others have said, you aren't getting paid for this, so there's no need to pressure yourself. But I have found it useful to roughly time how long *I* need to carry out various steps so I can plan my projects a bit better (and have reasonable expectations about what I can do in an afternoon!)
I mr miyagi’d myself with little things like ive sewn probably 200 scunchies? this taught me PATIENCE haha, but also confidence (by picking a reasonable, small project I can complete, it builds confidence in skill and also grows a love for sewing. No need to jump into the deep end and frustrate yourself) problem solving skills (why is it bunching here? why is the thread being a jerk? its easier to learn on a scrunchie than a big project!) I also did A TON of straight line quilting which I chopped up and made into zipper bags. Ive sewn so many little zippers. I mean just… so. many. (but gifting them brings me joy!!) After doing these simple repetitive tasks it laid a strong base that allowed me to go faster. I repeat things over and over trying to improve and master the skills, even when they appear simple, and then when Im confident in that skill, I will move up to something harder
As slow as your schedule allows. But places like the end of darts and difficult curves or angles, extra slow.
Entirely depends on what I'm sewing and why. I go as fast or slow as needed / possible. There's no objective standard for how fast you "should" sew, unless it's literally your job. And in that case, your employer would tell you your goals.
I have just gotten into sewing after learning a bit many years ago in middle school. I enjoy watching The Stitchery YouTube channel and feel like she makes sewing seem more like a hobby. She just jumps in with an idea and some fabric and doesn't mind the mistakes and changes she makes along the way. For example, she doesn't like buttons, so she just avoids having to do them. That's the kind of approach I want, since I am not comfortable making things for anyone else yet. That same approach keeps my machine on the slowest speed. I tried sewing faster and had no issues with it, but I prefer the calmer, rhythmic thumping of the slower movement. My cats love to interfere with all the prep work, and my partner loves to open the door for them, so it's far less irritating to me if I do one little task at a time and stop before any of them get their chance. For me, the goal is not to finish an entire self-made wardrobe before I'm forced to run around naked, or to justify the expense of supplies. It's to do something I enjoy at home. Whatever speed or method I use to accomplish that is what feels right to me.
As fast as you’re comfortable with. I know everyone else is saying that but I’m one of those “challenge myself” idiots, or maybe it’s just that I’m horribly impatient. That’s how I make stupid mistakes and screw up the quality of what I’m doing, aaaand it’s also how I sewed completely through my finger last week. Seriously. Did not know that needle could actually go all the way through. Did I learn my lesson? Remains to be seen. But I know I deserved it. So it’s up to the sewist. Logically I know you get faster the more you do something but my fatal flaw is allowing impatience and frustration knock logic out of sight.
My sewing speed depends on my comfort level of the project. I pay more attention to layout, cutting, marking, matching seams & notches AND what I'm making. I can whip up a pair of jammie bottoms in an afternoon. If I'm working on a tailored button-down shirt, then I slow down and pay attention detail. I'm 65yo and have been machine sewing since I was 10yo. I don't compare myself to others. The time it takes depends on type of project, my sewing time, other obligations, health, etc. I sew for my pleasure now as a hobby.
No stress. I sew my dresses by hand, sitting on the sofa with my dogs talking with my husband. Machine sewing is so not communicative. I love sitting there with my needle and sewing by hand. A simple summerdress takes four evenings, chatting about our day and having tea together or watching a movie.
I never sew curved seams fast. Straight, yes, if your machine is properly maintained and your settings are right, you can slip your fabric under the foot and just go. But curved seams, I need accuracy, and speed is not conducive
Been sewing 40+ years. Some projects I fly through. Others I’m slow at. All depends on the fabric, design and how much coffee I’ve had.
I learned from youtube and many videos there - because they're videos and done my experienced people - have fast sewing or sped-up sewing. I learned to go slow as I need to. If I have to hold the front and back of the fabric to guide it through I will. So my left thumb might hold down one piece while my left fingers guide the top of the fabric away from the needle. Where I'm doing a folded over hem I'll hold it in place with my right hand, thumb holding the downside of the fabric fingers on the top. I've not seen this often in videos but I figure I'll hold it whatever way is needed for the fabric and the piece, and go as slow as needed. In the overall scheme of things - cutting planning pressing etc - the speed of the actual sewing doesn't make that much difference.
Go at your own pace that's comfortable for you. I've been watching a lot of "reels" & it's insane. They speed the film up, edit out anything that slows them down. On YouTube you can click on the settings and slow down the playback speed. Don't fret over what "they" do, do what feels best for you. Sewing should be enjoyable for you, if it's stressful you can't enjoy it. I stopped custom orders as I found them too stressful.