Pillows

• Pillows are a common first project for people learning to sew. Pillows can be made from any fabric and slight imperfections just give the finished product more personality. Pillows give the beginner seamstress a chance to practice sewing straight lines and turning corners. Once you've mastered the basics, you can add trim like cording, lace or ruffles.
  
  

Tote-bags

• Tote-bags are another common project for beginners. The seams are still mostly straight and the fabrics typically used are easy to work with, but the open edge of the bag needs to be hemmed.
  
  

Charity Bears

• Charity bears are similar to a pillow shaped like a bear. These work up very fast and can be made with scraps of fabric you have on hand. This gives the beginner seamstress a chance to practice sewing curves, and the finished product can be donated to hospitals or fire stations to be given out to children experiencing an emergency.
  
  

Cosmetic Bags

• Zippers can be intimidating but, if you're going to sew, you're going to need to deal with them at some point. Cosmetic bags, which can be a simple rectangular shape or a three-dimensional creation, are a good basic project for learning to use a zipper foot.
  
  

Hats

• Many hat patterns are suitable for beginners. You begin to see how the different shapes and pieces of fabric come together to make a finished garment, and you can continue working on straight and curved seams and hems.
  
  

Skirts

• When you're ready to start working with patterns, skirts are a good first step. Choose a simple design to practice reading the pattern, cutting and sewing the fabric to size, and working with elastic and hems.