learning to make my own clothes - anyone else?

[rabbitonthemoon]

So, bought the machine on New Years Day, have made bags, bibs, baby clothes and now ready to have a go at making clothes. The aim is this - to make something I really want to wear that doesn't look homemade.. Had a go at the Colette sorbetto yesterday but didn't get to bias binding it as it was too short. Today I'm on a dressmaking course. Anyone else just starting out and what patterns are you using?

try very easy vogue patterns, they are brilliant. Easy to understand and more importantly work out really well, detailed with complete instructions and even how to put the zip in etc. Have fun!

Thank you. I'm starting with a Colette sorbetto. The challenge is to make it look like not shoddy and something I actually want to wear...

Just realised I said that yesterday! Sewing has addled my brain! So, it's sorbetto no2...

I made a blouse from the sewing bee book. Might give the Colette sorbetto a go next. Was it hard? I spent most of my sewing lessons stood outside the door after disrupting the lesson. I wish I had listened.

Sorbetto is easy but having just sewn up my second I find it a it short and a bit big on the back... I'm going to fiddle with adjustments and see what happens. Is the book good?

Yes even I managed to follow the instructions. You get one pattern and all the rest are printable. Want to try a dress eventually but will try that Colette top. Are you tall? I am 5' 4" would I need to add a bit of length?

I'm 5'5 and I found it short. It comes above my jeans. I adapted the pattern today by adding to the middle as I didn't know how to extend the bottom..it's the right length but now is a bit big on the back, but I am a bit scrawny. Am thinking if cutting it up the middle of the back and adding buttons. I will report back!

I had my first sewing lesson in September last year and have made quite a few cushions, kindle covers etc.

However, inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee (and the photo gallery on the Burda website) I am now halfway through my first dressmaking project. It is the Burdastyle Anda dress www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/anda

I have also just bought this skirt pattern www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/miette.html
I really want to do the blouse too but I think I need more practice before I try that one.

This skirt pattern looks really lovely too ... www.thevillagehaberdashery.co.uk/colette-patterns-ginger-skirt

Finally, I think that I will probably have a go at this one www.shopwiksten.com/product/tank-top-sewing-pattern-downloadable-pdf

I think I might be addicted to searching for patterns and looking at photographs of clothes that other people have made . If I ever finish anything I'll let you know!

Toast all of those things are on my one day to do list! I think the tilly ones look a bt advanced for now.. I'm also eyeing up the grainline tee and tank from here grainlinestudio.com/

My second sorbetto is another non wearer. I lengthened it but bt very well and for some reason the gap is now quite gapey. It was too baggy really in version one but now it is worse. Fail. Not to be beaten I'm going to give it one more go. This is the trouble now, I have no idea how to make alterations. Maybe a book might help?

Rabbit, I am following this thread avidly. I, too, have a new sewing machine (actually its my 15 year old daughter's, still unused and in the box) and we both want to have a go at dressmaking. I need something simple to give me confidence and so i don't waste too much fabric, but something I would love to wear so I will persevere if I get stuck!

I would love to make a dress, something very simple with a squarish neckline. I have a week's holiday coming up and am determined to have a go so will keep checking your thread and let you know how we get on!

Have just found this which is apparently novice level!!! And it's free to download!

www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/danielle

Love that cat! And great that its free. I think I may be whatever comes before novice though - I'm not sure I'm ready for sleeves! Or zips.. I might be stuck on vest tops for a while determined to make the pattern I have work. I am using bargain fabric I get from a shop you buy by weight which works out super cheap. I've spent ages looking for how to adjust patterns on google but not sure if I can just shave a bit off both sides to get the back to fit better. I will report back on progress. I'd like to make an a kind skirt too to master The Zip. Wish dressmaking courses weren't so pricey. Good luck!

(A line skirt)

Rabbit - Thanks for directing me to the grainline studio; it's a lovely website and, like you, I now want to make the tank and tee from there.

I'm hoping to find time later today to do a bit more work on my Anda dress. If I can get it finished over the weekend I can go fabric shopping for my Miette skirt next week!

The miette looks lovely. I'm going to attempt the simplicity 2215 this summer. I saw it on a website made with lovely fabric and want to copy it, zip and waistband learning permitting, will find link later. The tee requires sleeves. Eek!

Anyone else reading this - sleeve tips?

Rabbit, I think I am being over-ambitious but I do love the dress I linked to. I wonder if it would work without sleeves, if sleeves should prove too tricky?

Hi all, I'm going to watch this thread, I potter about making stuff but want to get some ideas for tops and some trousers for my holiday later this year. Some fab patterns

I've made a Colette sorbetto today in black polka dot with plain black bias. I am rather chuffed. I noted your advice rabbitonthemoon and cut it a bit longer. Look forward to trying some more Colette patterns.

I am making a 1950s style dress from a set of purple moleskin curtains. I got as far as the skirt and have stalled at the bodice. The skirt now sits in the living room mocking my lack of time.
I made a simple dress from woollen fabric. That worked quite well, although I've not yet made anything from a pattern as I'm really short (5ft) and very curvy so most patterns would need adapting anyway.
I have practised adapting charity shop clothes to make them fit better, as if it all goes wrong I've only spent a couple of pounds, and at least helped a charity.

I'm not learning, I've recently started to teach others! I've been dressmaking for over 30 years and was lucky enough to have been taught the basics very well at school.
I'd recommend having a look for tutoring or classes locally, you're doing great learning by yourself, but even a couple of lessons spent learning about fitting etc would be very worthwhile and stop you becoming disheartened when things don't work out the way you'd hoped.

You can do 2 rows of basting or tacking stitches and then slightly gather the fabric. Sometimes patterns will give you little circles on the sleeves and this indicates where to do the stitching between. Then sew the head of the sleeve into the armhole. Once it is machine stitched in place you can take out the basting stitches and hopefully the excess fabric will be nicely and neatly eased into the armhole
.

I started, bought a pattern, some fabric, cut it out, then stalled. I'm waiting for a time when dd and I are together so that I can fit it onto her. I want to do this, because the sizes on the pattern make her top an 8, her waist a 14 and her hips a 12! I cut out the eight! She is teeny!

OMG! I have just checked out the Colette website! That could be one dangerous place to hang out!