If you can sew, tell me honestly...

[snickersnack]

...what are the chances of me being able to make something like this?

I have used a sewing machine before when I was at school, but I've never used a pattern before, so I'll be learning as I go.

I have a very clear image in my head of the kind of clothes I'd like dd to wear, and I can't find them anywhere. So have decided to turn to sewing them myself. But just want to check before I launch into fabric buying etc that I'm not deluded.

The shape/skirt is fairly easy getting the gathers to look right on the sleeves & neckline could be tricky & realistically I struggle setting sleeve in (but that could just me me) & zips are OK if you are taught properly

Do you have sewing machine? Dress looks lovely and quite easy. If you don't have overlocker (to finish off fabric edges) then invest in a pair of pinking shears (tickory scissors) to prevent fraying.

No you're not deluded. I think if you can find a pattern like that, it will be fairly straighforward to follow. Remember to keep the grain direction of the fabric in mind. Love the dress btw

That pattern would be dead easy - the raglan style sleeves mean no setting in, and the neck and sleeves look like they have elastic, so no gathering or fastenings.

If you go to a fabric shop and look in the pattern books, they are graded by difficulty, and the ladies are always happy to advise

This dress shouldn't need a zip, the gathered neck should stretch enough to go over head.

I think it's lovely. Does it (or should i be saying look for a pattern which does) ...have elastic around the neck rather than gathering and so on. It really really shouldn't be difficult. Good on ya for giving it a go.

Tis easy - not too hard at all.

The gathering should be a doddle and it doesn't look like there is a zip, it looks like a "pull over the head" sort of dress.

Go for it, it's a good one to start on.

Quite often fabric shops know where sewing classes / groups are

take a look here, I get patterns from them

It's two triangles and some elastic on the sleeves... Just assume you'll be fine and you will be

If you find it difficult to machine stitch the sleeve edges you could always use small tacking stitches - the elastic gathers would hide them.

Lovely dress btw!

look at top right

Yep - if you're losing confidence at any point, go for hand-stitching for built-in forgiveness

Thanks everyone. I just need a sewing machine! Am thinking of asking to borrow MILs, and then am going to go for it. I've got a few months until summer, so I should be fine. The "assume you'll be fine" advise is good - that's what I did when I learned to knit, and now I'm fine with most patterns.

it looks ok for a beginner

good luck

it is ages since I had any time to make anything
I am quite envious

you could also try a pillowcase dress

Easy - and a very sweet little dress. Looking forward to seeing it when you've finished.

I'm going to John Lewis on Wednesday to check out sewing machines. Quite excited. DH thinks I've lost the plot.

Where do you buy fabric? I want pretty cotton, I think...

I'm going to John Lewis on Wednesday to check out sewing machines. Quite excited. DH thinks I've lost the plot.

Where do you buy fabric? I want pretty cotton, I think...

Hi Snickersnack, I know nothing about sewing but I can recommend some lovely fabric. The Amy Butler prints are beautiful and quite like the little dress in the picture which is lovely btw. I'm a knitter so I have seen the fabrics on the Get Knitted website here but I also saw them in John Lewis the other day. Have absolutely no idea whether they are expensive or not but they are so lovely - they make me want to be able to sew.

They are beautiful!!! Think I might have to get some cheapy stuff from the market to start with - but if they have some in JL on Wednesday, I'll get some for when I've got the hang of it . dd would look lovely in some of those!

if you are just starting out, what about getting some nice bedsheets from a charity shop. that way , youwont be paying a fortune for material.