What are your thoughts on homemade clothes?

[ClothingDilemma]

My mum has recently retired and taken up sewing. She’s absolutely brilliant at it and we’ve come to an agreement that if I pick patterns, she’ll buy them (as she can reuse them) and I will buy the fabric for her to make the clothes for me.

I am really keen as it seems such a sustainable and fabulous idea. Clothes that are made to measure (so they’re more flattering) and no waste or fast fashion. It also works out to be a lot cheaper than purchasing at a high street store!

My partner, however, thinks it’s a stupid idea and I’ll just look silly.

YABU - it’s a bad idea.

YANBU - it’s a fabulous idea

I had it custom made. Doesn't sound silly at all

Well, yes, obviously if you don't count the cost of time it's cheaper! It's even cheaper if you don't count the cost of fabric, which is my bad habit - I have so much stored up that when I use any I feel really good for stash-busting, but it did actually cost money once upon a time.

He's an idiot. Is he always this ridiculous!

My friends clothes are amazing. She bought a tailors dummy and makes incredible outfits that fit perfectly. I made my own maternity clothes because we didn't have anywhere locally back in 1980.

Blimey I’m jealous I would love someone to make something to my exact measurements instead of something being not quite right.
Your DH is nuts!

It also works out to be a lot cheaper than purchasing at a high street store!

Have you checked this point out? I find dressmaking really expensive!

But it's very satisfying to choose a perfect pattern & fabric combination, I agree and I bet your mum is really enjoying it too.

I grew up with a lot of creative design types and we all sewed and made and remade clothes for ourselves and ou friends. Something I make is going to be of a nice fabric, and the fit and make will be better than store bought. Because of fabric quality and technique, my handmades tend to last better than store bought. I also knit my winter sweaters and hats and socks and spin some of the yarn. No sweatshop labour involved.

My mom used to make gorgeous bed and pillow covers and sell them. My MIL did couture embroidery.

Your husband should educate himself how modern mass produced clothing is made before he makes pronouncements like that.

I'm quite jealous as well! Nothing wrong with handmade clothes, esp if the person knows what they are doing. And TBF things like handmade, recycled, thrifted clothes are very popular right now.
I would also be proud to tell people my clothes were made by my fabulously talented mother!😄

Patterns are about £3 on Etsy, and we’ve got a few cheap fabric stores nearby. She also uses a lot of cheap online fabric stores

I would really really love to be able to make clothes. Unfortunately most of my sewing efforts resulted in the un picker or sewing machine needles through my fingers.

Plus the cost of the pattern

I tgink he is being ridiculous. Everyone will be impressed and a bit envious that you get made to measure clothes!

I still wear some pieces my grandmother made me before she passed away. Whenever people compliment the clothing and ask where it is from and I tell them, they are always amazed and remark how talented she is. I don’t understand how anyone would view someone being able to make clothes as childish. Your DP is a twat.

Your partner is a simpleton. Clothes that are made to fit you will always look better than off the peg clothes! It isn't cheaper than buying clothes in shops, unless you habitually shop in very high-end shops, but you'll have nicer fabrics and more flattering cuts.

It definitely is, obviously it doesn’t cost any time (as she would be sewing anyway), but it’ll be about £15-20 an item v double that

I make clothes and I love it but it’s not cheaper. Good fabric is expensive and I was shocked at the price of patterns. I’m currently making a short playsuit, the pattern was £20 (expensive but it’s French and amazing) the fabric was £30 the zip was £5. Admittedly I can make it again and again but it’s more expensive than you think

Again, it’s not. Patterns are £2-3 on Etsy, and fabric can be sourced cheaply.

My late DM was a seamstress. She made all our clothes. She could make anything. Coats, dresses, jeans for my dads work. Feather filled quilts and sleeping bags. She also bought things from jumble sale and could pick apart and refashion garments. She had clients who wanted skirts, dresses etc. She made curtains. My dad used to tell her she wasnt charging her clients enough for professionally made garments. She taught me to sew and use a sewing machine. Oh how I wished I had kept on with it and studied for a diploma . Its great skill to have and one that seems to have died out somewhat over the years.(my mum grew up in WW2 when most women made their own clothes)

I bet you’d find it all came back as soon as you picked out a pattern and some fabric! It did for me - and whatever you’ve forgotten will be explained in multiple YouTube videos and blog posts.

Look for deadstock companies for cheaper fabric.
https://amothreads.com/

It's a great idea. I have a friend who is a fantastic dressmaker and she makes herself lovely clothes, I'm quite jealous. You wouldn't know they are home made, they just look like high quality well tailored dresses, skirts, trousers etc. so your husband is being ridiculous.

Tell your daft DH that you’ll just tell people they’re bespoke, instead of that your mum made them 😂.

You should look for some cheaper places to buy fabric. I pay £2.50 or £3 a metre for cotton fabric.

My partner makes his own trousers sometimes, and cool plushy teddybear bags.

He does it because he likes it, he gets the trousers he wants in the patterns he likes and he couldn't give a flying fuck what anyone else thinks.

I think your husband is a bit of a twat. If you like the clothing, wear it!

It's an expensive way but it's worth it if the clothes fit you better than buying in the shop why doesn't she give it and go and see if it would work... nothing ventured nothing gained..