Help needed for wannabe dressmaker

[IronyFreeAnnie]

DSD is 13 and, having learnt a little bit about sewing with a machine this year at school, has decided that she wants to make a prom- style dress.

We have bought this pattern for her, but I can't help thinking that it will be awfully difficult for her.

As far as I can tell she has done things like making a bag from one piece of fabric, a bit of hemming and not much else.

I can do the basics to help her out if she asks, but I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any online tutorials,books or, more usefully patterns for clothes she can wear that she might find easier to follow? She isn't the most patient person in the world so something where she could see results quickly would be good.

does your local fabric shop advertise sewing classes? Ours has loads of cards on the door. Also, our local adult education college runs them, where you buy your own pattern and fabric and go along and they help you make it. Would this be useful?

okay, it's not hard as long as she follows the instructions.

i'm being serious.

buy some cheap, cheap fabric from the market or ebay that feels the same as the fabric she wants to make it in.
(ie, falls the same, is a similar weight etc)
then get her to make the dress from the pattern.

any parts of it she struggles with on this trial, she should do a few more times until she understands the process and it looks neat and tidy.

then she can make the dress in the proper fabric.

it doesn't matter if she makes the dress a couple of times with the practice fabric (although, might be worth getting fabric that she would consider wearing if it goes well enough!)

I would suggest getting a book on sewing that will go into more detail on each step of the construction e.g. here . Maybe get from the library if you don't want to splash out.

A skirt is a good project to start with: practice cutting out, trying on, putting in a zip, and a bit more manageable than a dress.

Then maybe a shift-type dress with similar princess seams and a lining

Then you would be well placed to do the dress with the boned bodice etc.

I made loads of awful dresses during my teen years (but then it was the 1980s ).

Thanks Ernest - I will keep an eye out for classes, probably more for me than her, as being 13 she knows everything there is to know anyway .

Nickel- great idea. I can see us going off to buy a whole heap of fabric to practice with. Fingers crossed I can convince her that we can practice in a cheaper fabric than the one she wants to make the dress in!

I'd start her with a skirt.

Then make a top in the same or contrasting material so that she has a two piece prom dress.

something like this

www.ebay.com/itm/Prom-Wedding-Homecoming-Evening-Formal-Top-Skirt-Dress-18-22-McCall-3259-Pattern-/330770839866?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d037a793a

probably with a different top - I realise the top is quite dated

If you look on the back of the patern they will tell you how hard it is to make. The pattern she has picked looks like it has boning in - not great for a first project.

It's not too difficult if you follow the pattern carefully. It will give detailed instructions of how to do it. She would need to be able to insert a zip, sew a facing, make gathers, and sew curved seams (the seam bust seam). I looked at the pattern online and the bodice is not boned. Make a practice garment to see how it goes. Avoid satin or anything slippery as it is very difficult to work with especially for a beginner. Always tack and take the pins out before you sew and press seams as you go. Good luck. Shout if you need help.

And join up for a Mum and DD 'girlie' sewing class.

tell her i said she should.

i did an hnd in fashion technology and we call the practice-runs "toiles" (pronounced the french way - twol/s), and all professional dressmakers do it when they're designing new patterns.

and if you need some boning, i've got a job lot, tell me how much you need and i can send you some. (cheaper than buying it) :)

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Fossil- I have ordered that book from the library - hopefully if I leave it lying around she will pick it up and have a read!

I looked at the pattern for the dress last night, & it seemed quite hard to me! So I have ordered this one, which says it is easy to make. Hopefully if I say I want to make that one myself she will want to take over. I really don't want her to get discouraged if the first thing she tries to make doesn't turn out perfectly, which she has a tendency to do.

Nickel - I have let her know that a proper dressmaker has adviced a practice run,and she is delighted with that, cos we get to buy more fabric now. (The fabric shop is becoming to her what stationery shops were to me!).

I suspect I will be back on this thread on Monday when work starts .

good luck :)

There is a dressmaker in my area that also teaches 1:1 or in small groups. You might be able to find someone local to you.

There are also plenty of blogs to help with the basics.

Sewaholic is a pattern designer, whenever she releases a new pattern, she always runs a sew-along with step by step tutorials. You can buy her patterns in the UK from Backstitch The patterns are much dearer than mcalls etc but the support available online makes them worthwhile. The cambie dress is quite versatile and the sew-along will explain every bit step by step. (although I am not sure if you are prepared to buy yet another pattern lol)

I know own 3 of her patterns but I am waiting to have a whole day to myself to get started on one. (hmm think I may have a long wait!)

You need to go and see Thelma!

even if you dont use a sewaholic pattern, the sewtionary section is full of useful tutorials to help on the way.

Hi
I am a seconder of having a trial run of the dress in cheap fabric - I do this even now if it's a pattern I've not used before as until you have it cut out and tacked up - you can't really tell whether the fit will be right.
Nothing is more frustrating than realising you've wasted £££ material cutting something out too small/short that you can't then alter, or too big/wide and you've wasted loads of material.

Plus you get a trial run at the tricky bits - which then reminds you that it is important to take the time to measure up and mark up, and to iron & tack everything. Shortcuts always lead to mistakes for me!

You can also take the real prom dress to a local dress maker to put in the zip - when it's something you want to look perfect, especially if you start to run out of time :)