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 think it’s amazing… properly tailored bespoke clothing would cost hundreds if purchased from a seamstress. I’d also be thrilled to have exactly
what I wanted at a bargain price.

It's something that I want to take up when I have more time.
Get your mum some sew in labels which are embroidered with "Handmade by @ClothingDilemma 's Mum".

I aspire to be good enough to make homemade clothes one day! Come to think of it, I have some homemade clothes that were made for me... and they always get approving comments, so if your mum is good at sewing, then you will look fabulous, OP!

I make lots of my own clothes, last winter was all about workwear and I made a couple of pairs of trousers, one out of merino wool felt and another out of a lightweight wool suiting.

Absolutely no way could I afford to buy clothes are of these type of fabrics and both were made after adapting the patterns to my measurements.

These clothes are not “home made” they’re hand made

A lot of the clothes I make last me YEARS! Far longer than high street clothes would last.

this year I’ve started making my own bras and have discovered that underwired bras can actually be comfortable!

next up jeans. Perfectly fitted jeans!

sounds like your mum is an excellent dressmaker , I’m on some fb sewing groups and some attempts look so homemade , that I’d never go out in , but don’t think you’ll have that issue.

Sorry, but I can sew and it's very rare these days it works out cheaper. I know have given an example of a pair of pants being £18 and costing £28 to buy... But add your mums time into that.. If you would be paying minimum wage, that's well over your £28. Material isn't cheap any more.. If you can find some bargains/lengths from a charity shop, it's worth it, but otherwise it isn't. Sorry. If that was the case, don't you think people making home made clothes would be swimming in it... Its the tim overheadse you have to pay for.... I get your mum wants to do it/do you a favour, but still... £18 cost IS A LOT. Not forgetting the cost of the pattern as well. Most businesses work on 3x3x3 - initial out lay, overheads, profit... Your £18 pants should effectively cost £54. It is definitely nice to have home made clothes though.

Well I’ve been convinced to start myself, and she’s going to give me a lesson. For £32.25 I’ve found 12 meters of fabric I like - the aim is to make at least two pairs of pyjamas and two dresses. That would cost £80-£90 at M&S.

Yes but the entire point is there’s no wages being paid as it’s a hobby, not a job. She is happy to do it unpaid and, eventually, I’ll be doing it unpaid too. If it was a business that would be different.

And as others have pointed out, you can get cotton for £1 a metre.

i have an Aunt who knits and I love being able to say that she made it for me when I’m complimented on one of her jumpers. It makes me feel proud of her and it’s nice! Your DP is being a knob.

Sounds amazing OP, I would love to be able to sew well. I sew and knit clothes for my dc teddies because teddies don't mind if the hems are wonky!

My mam does this for herself. She regularly makes top and short sets for holidays. I've also got about a dozen aran cardigans and jumpers for the winter which we both knit.

My friend makes some of her own clothes and they’re truly stunning. Just simple things to start with but we went to a black tie do and she made her own dress it was possibly the nicest fitting dress I’ve ever seen. Such a talent

A fashionista friend once commented on a top I was wearing. I said, proudly, “It’s handmade.” “Oh,” he sneered, “Do you know the name of the person who made it?” He, quite rightly, had a thing about sweatshops, but went about it in a very snobbish way. Imagine his expression when I smiled and replied, “Yes,” and gave my DM’s name. He was so astounded that it took a long time for him to twig that our very unusual surnames were the same.

I've been making my own clothes and doing alterations since I was a teenager and got my first sewing machine. I love having unique pieces.

I am very impressed by people who can make clothes. I watch a few people on YouTube who are self taught and they make nice stuff.

I think just as well she’s making them for you and not him, as such, it’s none of his business. Where does he think other clothes are made? In a fairy factory?

It depends how talented your mum is. You can’t compete with fast fashion on price. But you can compete with made to measure on price. Picking the right weight and drape of fabric for a particular pattern makes a huge difference.

If your mums creations are flattering, and people ask where you got it from, and you tell them your mum sewed them. They will be dead impressed, and jealous.

Those £1 a metre fabrics won’t be worth wearing. They’ll be horrible to work with and even worse to wear.

He's an idiot. I'd be impressed, especially as I have three left thumbs and can barely manage hemming...

I hope you enjoy learning to sew op , once you are able to make things that fit and are good quality you won't go back to ready to wear.

I've been sewing seriously for about 5 years and most of my wardrobe is handmade now. Everything from coats and dresses to bags and t shirts.

My mum knits and has kindly made me a couple of jumpers so I think your husband is being ridiculous. I tell people with pride that she makes me things. It's such a skill that she has.

Make sure you refuse to do your husband's hemming op , he doesn't deserve your sewing time after what he's been saying!

If she's good at it, go for it!!!

Frame it as not 'home-made' but 'hand-made' - or even 'made to measure ' or 'custom-made'.

Nothing wrong with saying homemade, or made by your mum. No need to ponce around saying bespoke, handmade, couture. Home sewing is ace!

Ltb 🫣

Your OH is a twat.

Ah, there's the nub of it. He wants you/him to be able to boast about your clothes, as he only feels validated by labels. What a sad shallow little man. Anyone with any experience of a good dressmaker would choose that over off the peg any day.