So what was your first sewing project? Was it easy or hard?
Well, I was 11, it was 17 years ago, so tricky to remember exactly what! My mum helped me through a top and shorts, btu my first solo project, at 12, was a Wondersuit for my Cabbage Patch Kid.

Do you backstitch to "close off" the thread?
Definitely. If it's something like a dart, though, I sew off the end of the fabric and then tie the tails together.

Do you use patterns or do you freestyle your projects?
I do both. Often I use both techniques within a single project. But I have been sewing for a LOOOONG time. I would recommend super simple patterns for your first few projects.

How do you decide what fabric to use?
I tend to buy the fabric first, and then fit it into a project later. This can be a bit tricky, but I'm sort of at a stage where I know roughly how much I will need to complete anything I want.
For a beginner, I recommend using medium weight fabrics, cotton or cotton/poly blend. Avoid satin, chiffon, georgette, crepe and tulle until you have a bit of experience under your belt.
Synthetic knit fabrics are great - you don't have to edge them, and they don't roll too much when you're cutting and sewing. There are some fairly specific techniques for working with knits, though, like using a ballpoint needle (easy enough) and certain stitches that will stretch with your fabric (a small zigzag in size 1 width, size 1 length is fine)

Happy sewing!