My mom bought me a brand new 25 stitch Brother sewing machine and I'm elated to start practicing with it, but I have no idea where to begin. I've never sewn a thing in my life before, excepting my recent cross-stitching efforts which are going very well. So what do I do now?
I live right near a Britex so I can buy whatever fabric is easier to experiment on, but what do I get?
I would like to get to the point where I am able to make all my family's clothes and home textiles.
Thanks!

You might want to post in the Sewing Forum! They are some great mamas who are always more than willing to help out a newbie! But then again, the Crafy Mamas are cool too, and I think most of them sew as well, LOL.

When I first started sewing, I bought unbleached muslim b/c it was cheap, and some bright thread, so I could see my stitches. Then I just sat down and practiced. I sewed straight lines, I played with the different stitches. I figured out the zig zag, and which buttons and dials did what. I never did figure out the buttonhole function on that old machine however, LOL. I didn't make my first buttonhole till I got a model with a one step b.h.!

My first big project was ragged quilts, and I think it was a perfect first project. You get lots of practice cutting (definitely get a rotary cutter and a small mat) and sewing straight lines. It isn't that difficult to do, and the practice is perfect!

For clothes, I would definitely start with Kwik Sew patterns. They are by far the easiest to follow. I started by making pajamas b/c I figured if I messed them up then no one would have to see them anyway, LOL.

Good luck, and watch out! Before you know it you'll have a closet full of fabric and you'll be convinced you can't live another day without a serger. (Well, at least that is what happened to me anyway :D )

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I put an ad up on a local classifieds website asking for any spare fabric anyone wants me to haul off for them so I can work on little projects and I will be buying some muslin for myself Saturday. Once I get a feel for what I'm doing with this beautiful machine I'll make a post in the Sewing mamas section.
Thanks again!