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If you are just learning how to sew you want to start off with simple patterns and material that is easy to work with. You don't want to work with materials such as satin, silk, or other slippery material until you have at least the basics down. Also you want to stay away from anything that stretches or has large prints like plaids or diagonal patterns, which have to be lined up at seams and can be confusing and frustrating for those just beginning to sew.
You should avoid very lightweight fabrics which tend to pucker easy. Heavyweight fabrics don't pucker but they are more difficult to work with as well; your sewing machine might not like them when it comes to finishing seams because the material is so thick. It's also very easy to break your needles when using heavyweights, so it's best not to learn on these fabrics.
Easy to sew fabrics are usually plain weave fabrics and medium weight. They do not require special seam finishes or other special handling. Plain weave such as poplin, or cotton broadcloth are great fabrics to learn with. Cotton broadcloth is a sturdy, yet soft material and can be found in many different colors and is suitable for a lot of different projects as well.
Natural fabrics like cotton and lightweight wools are great for the beginner because the stitches tend to easily blend into the fabrics, hiding stitch imperfections.
When shopping for easy to sew fabrics, look for darker prints because they will help to hide imperfect stitches. Small prints, overall prints and narrow stripes are also great because they don't have to be matched at seams.
Fold the fabric over in the manner that you would to create a seam, if it's bulky or slippery then it will be more difficult to work with.
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