I'm wanting to try out dress making.... basic questions and tips please ladies

[tobytomcat88]

I'm wanting to give dress making a go and I have a few questions ...

1. patterns dies anyone know where I can get trendy up to date patterns
2. where do people buy their fabrics?
3. any good tips?

Thank you xx

I go to my local fabricwarehouse or soho or the Indian market for fabric depending on what I'm after. You can get patterns online or your local shop will have pattern books and be able to order for you. The majority of dresses look like they will be a bit old fashioned/ off qvc but they come out lovely and it's very easy to customise them once you have the basic shape- swap sleeves/change length etc. Try vogue patterns, they are great for staple shapes.

Start with something really basic, like a skirt. The pattern will let you know what type of fabric is suitable for the style. Most things can be undone, if you sew something the wrong way around, take a deep breathe and start unpicking. The end product is always worth it :)

When you get a bit more competent it is easy to adjust patterns to fit you before cutting but this can be confusing at first.

I go to Fabrics Galore in Battersea, The Cloth House in Berwick Street, W1, there are some good places in Shephards Bush, Walthamstow Market and Bromley Market. Pattern wise try very easy vogue, Colette patterns & Gather Kits, these are all really well written and easy to follow.

Tips, take your time cutting and make to your measurments and not dress size. Have fun!

I did this about a year ago and just bought some fabric I really liked and a pattern that claimed to be simple, and went for it. I still wear the skirt a lot and get compliments (pick a stunning fabric and it hides some really wonky seams somehow) . At first I had to google a lot of the terms but there's a lot of advice freely available from experts out there. It's a generous community! More recently I've been trying done patterns by smaller cos. Tilly and the buttons' patterns are lovely and easy to follow. I'd say her book is good value too if you're starting out. I wish I'd had it then! Good luck - but most importantly give it a go. If I can do it ...

This thread has some good links to fabric shops

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/arts_and_crafts/2293650-calling-all-dressmakers

I have been sewing for much too long and seem to have missed the rise of all the new independent pattern makers. I have bought one Tilly and the Buttons pattern recently but have always bought paper patterns from pattern books.

There is a lot of online help these days which has also passed me by . If you buy from one of the smaller pattern makers they are likely to have video instruction/tips - if you don't you tube is probably your friend (although I haven't looked). The independents are more expensive though - I bought a New Look pattern for £2.95 a couple of weeks ago, whereas T&TB's pattern was £14.25.

I would probably go for a slightly a line skirt in a patterned fabric - too busy to worry about matching - with an elastic waistband as an easy first project.

Measuring yourself is really important, pattern sizes bear no relation to ready to wear sizes and are a reflection of 'old' like me clothes sizing - pre vanity sizing.

In fact on sizing, when I used to sew as a 16-19 year old 30 years ago I made the size on the back of the pattern, not two sizes up from ready to wear which is what I do now so it shows you how things have changed.

I agree Lavender. My poor DH bought me a dressmakers dummy for Christmas but bought it for the clothes size I buy. I'd have had to be about 2 stones lighter to get it to fit! Had to trade for a more realistic size. ?? (I do love it though!)

You can pad out a dummy eatmum rather than buying a new one. Padding it out gives the advantage of getting a dummy exactly to your measurements. When you have padded it out just add a Lycra tube layer over the top.

Interesting you say about making two sizes up lavender, I last sewed from a pattern approx 15 years ago & bought myself a top pattern last week.

I've been dithering over whether to cut it for the size I buy or not. Will get dp's mum to measure me at the weekend before I do any cutting.

I measure up a size bigger than my usual size on the pattern guidelines but if I make the size up as recommended on the pattern the finished item is always too big. If I am making something fitted I always make a toile first now.

Yes, I'd always make a toile first too. Am currently on the hunt for things to destroy in the process of making dd's WBD costume so that fits her

Commercial patterns are sized for 1930's/40's women's dress sizes so you need to measure yourself, and disregard your current ready to wear size. :-)