Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Arts and crafts

How easy is dressmaking?

19 replies

CaulkheadNorth · 16/04/2017 16:37

Im going to Kenya soon and need skirts of a certain length. I'm thinking it would be easier to make them...
I have a sewing machine and can have made basic dressing up costumes before. Will skirts/dresses be easy to pick up?

I already knit and crochet a lot, so I'm pretty used to making stuff and I'm pretty creative usually...

OP posts:

Report

Mysterycat23 · 16/04/2017 16:38

A skirt is the easiest item to make! Especially an a line or circle skirt. Go for it!

CaulkheadNorth · 16/04/2017 16:41

Great. It needs to be below my knee, so I'm thinking something straight with either a tie waist or an elastic waist. Will that work?

OP posts:

alianangel · 16/04/2017 17:08

I use so-sew-easy.com/ loads of free patterns and tutorials. There is also a Facebook Group that I am a member of, great for help and advice on all things sewing related.

I've given up trying to get the link to work - sorry!

alianangel · 16/04/2017 17:09

Ha! I see it worked after all ....

CaulkheadNorth · 16/04/2017 17:10

Thank you :)

OP posts:

Niminy · 16/04/2017 21:02

The beginners guide to skirts is an excellent book. It has patterns for various styles of skirt (including a line, circle and pencil skirts) together with incredibly full and clear instructions. Very good value and highly recommended!

Semaphorically · 16/04/2017 21:12

I'm still very new to dressmaking but muddling along ok. If you're crafty then you will be fine, especially something like crochet/knitting - you'll be used to figuring out how to map a pattern to what you see in front of you and working out what to do when it doesn't exactly work as planned.

my beginners tip: It's worthwhile doing a practice run in some cheap fabric to get the hang of it (don't do what I did and start with a lined jacket in stretchy fabric!), then when you get proper fabric try to avoid lightweight, stretchy or shiny - all are harder to sew.

CaulkheadNorth · 16/04/2017 22:33

Brilliant, thanks.
I've made a make up bag this evening to try and get used to the sewing machine so surely it's just like that, but larger (and with more holes)

OP posts:

Semaphorically · 17/04/2017 06:25

I'm using paper patterns - it makes it a lot easier to have something to follow step by step, particularly for cutting the pieces of fabric.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 17/04/2017 22:24

Once you get the hang on it, you'll been fine, I got bought a sewing machine but it's ratings weren't good, so cheekily returned it and paid a bit more for a highly rated one.

If you need fabrics let me know.

IDismyname · 17/04/2017 22:31

Fairtales Oh please tell me where you get fabrics from. I'm searching for the holy grail of fabric stores and have yet to find it.

OP - if you're getting a pattern, I can recommend Kwik Sew who do very sturdy paper patterns. Not those tissue ones that fly all over the place!

elephantoverthehill · 17/04/2017 22:32

My advice is to start with an elasticated waist pattern. If you buy the pattern and fabric together usually someone in the shop will advise you. The only thing to get right is the straight of grain. Otherwise it is easy from a pattern, but make sure you use an 'easy' pattern to start off with. Any problems, post again and we will help you through it if I can get a class of 30 year 9s making pyjama bottoms, you can make a skirt.

IDismyname · 17/04/2017 22:32

D'oh! Fairytales

CaulkheadNorth · 18/04/2017 08:03

I've got an elastic waist pattern, and I made a make up bag a few days ago to check i could sew straight. The pattern I've got is a Tilly and the Buttons one, and it was the only beginner skirt with that kind of waist that wasnt going to cost the earth.

How important is the grain? I'm knitting I fudge things a bit...

OP posts:

elephantoverthehill · 18/04/2017 08:12

The grain is very important. Pin you pattern pieces onto the fabric, take a photo, post it and we can tell you whether to start cutting or not . I'm the other way around, I started sewing and then taught myself how to knit and crochet. I've just finished my first pair of socks. Yay me.

CaulkheadNorth · 18/04/2017 08:18

Yay! Well done on the socks. I love knitting socks.

I'll pin it this morning.

OP posts:

CaulkheadNorth · 18/04/2017 13:13

I've just opened the packet and the pattern isn't on tissue, which I had planned to cut out, but quite thick paper. It's suggesting I use carbon or a cutting wheel, neither of which I have. Is it still okay to cut it out anyway or should I try one of those options?

OP posts:

elephantoverthehill · 18/04/2017 14:07

I think it would be ok to cut around the shapes. I have not used that type of pattern before, but the pattern pieces will still be the same shape whatever you use to cut them.

CaulkheadNorth · 18/04/2017 14:22

thank you.

I found a cutting wheel which o didn't realise I had, and as it's basically just two rectangles it was easy to do. I'm now about to sew. Hurrah!

OP posts:

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.