The making your own clothes thread

[MulberryPeony]

Just because a few of us seem likely to get back in the habit with some spare time/wanting to look expensive/capsule wardrobe/consume less.

I made quite a lot of my own clothes as a teen and early twenties but I’m not sure I’ve completed a project for me since. Hand sewing wadding into padded curtains did me in!

I’d like to make a copy of some floaty shorts and duster coat I already own. Got a fair few basic patterns for tops and throw on dresses so might make something light for summer too. I’d like some comfy trousers but worry I’d end up with something resembling pjs! Thinking of repurposing a slub woven cotton smock from a few years ago as there is oodles of fabric to go at.

I’d class myself as a beginner level but happy to adapt patterns. Button holes scare me.

Would anyone like to join me? What is on your to-make list? Any more beautiful sites for me to browse expensive looking fabrics like the merchant and mills one mentioned the other day? Does anyone know of any sites where I can look through a pattern book like the catalogues they have inside fabric shops?

harlan

many thanks, will take a look.

Hello - can I join?
I used to sew a lot pre DC - and watching Kirsty Allsop always makes me hanker after her shirt dresses. I've made a couple in the past and after getting back in the groove making up some Scrubs last month, I'm going to have a go this weekend (assuming I can find the pattern)

I've also been doing a bit of refashioning - I've converted this H&M + Dempsey midi dress into a proper maxi. chopped it off at the top and then attached a thick band of elastic. I'm 5ft 9 so shop bought maxi skirts are never long enough

@Devlesko
In searching for fabric yesterday I came across someone posting directly form India, in larger lots, so you order 3 m at a time. Very good prices.
They have an ebay shop, here is the link

indian shop

steppemum

Wooh cheers.
It's for a stage costume to be worn often, almost every day, hence the need for robustness.
I'm not the sewer, my friend makes costumes for a local dance school. I'm giving her the job

Hello, Can I have some hand-holding please?
And I'm sorry for the rant!
I am experiencing really badly cut patterns and I feel like giving up entirely!
I realise I should make a toile each time and stop trusting patterns to fit. But I am feeing really down right now.

I bought a pattern from The Assembly Line: hoodie dress pattern and some fabric. I'm finding it difficult to get the fabric I'd like by online ordering and the loopback jersey I bought was slippery and difficult (made from modal instead of cotton grr). The pattern itself was terribly sized up. I made up the L as I am size 14(UK) and it turns out the bust dart was ~6cm too low. I checked all the pieces and it seems they have sized up as if women who are above standard size 10 expand in all directions- like balloon blowing up. As a size 14, it seems I am assumed to be at least 7' tall with shoulders a good 30% wider than the average female.
Anyone else finding this problem?
I eventually took 5cm off the shoulder seams and re-cut the neck at the front and back. I now have to do the sleeves and re-cut the sleeve holes. I'm nervous and wondering if it's worth it!

Then, this morning I decided to do something simple: Lyra top from Afternoon pattern company. Easy 4 pieces and I could run it up before the rest of the family woke up. Again, awful pattern sizing-up. The back bodice was weirdly 4cm wider from shoulder to shoulder than the front. I pinned the top and it had a flappy back with the shoulder seams sitting too far forward and the front neck sitting too high. I checked everything and it's the pattern. I ended up putting the fabric in the bin and crying. There was not enough fabric to salvage it.

I am amazed that people put such rubbish patterns out there. I'm also ashamed to fall for them!
I'm overwhelmed by the number of patterns out there and as a size 14(UK) am finding fit surprisingly difficult. I'm really distinctly average and 5'7" no strange physical features, honest!

Also: really sorry for the rant.
Also really really impressed with the photos of makes that people have posted!

Hi, I would like to dust off my sewing machine and make myself some clothes. I have bought a plus size pattern and would like to make a pencil skirt to start. Can anyone suggest which fabric I should buy please?

smallgreyelephant are you comparing your measurements to the pattern or just assuming the size? I ask because it took me a while to realise that whereas I am a size 12 in RTW, I am more like a 14 in most patterns, and actually my individual measurements vary from 10 to 16.

Also, I try to read as many reviews as I can before starting (I know it’s not always possible) to get a feel for where there may be problem areas.

The other issue may be that you need to do a small or full bust adjustment.

It is frustrating but don’t give up!

I guess like clothing manufacturers pattern makers have to try and standardise somehow, but all of our bodies are so different. We need to make adjustments.

Certarinly post children I've not been able to sew anything "out of the packet", and lerning how to make adjustments etc for fitting has been a slow process. I'd love a me sized dress form but I don't have that.

It can be so disheartening. I have thankfully found an indie pattern company where I have a similar body to the pattern developer. I have to make a few adjustments re height, but as she designs for curvy bodies they fit me very well as long as I check measurements etc.

Also making a toile especially re the fitted part can help. I will rarely try a new pattern if I can't see myself making it more than once. So getting the fit right really becomes worth it. I usually make wearable toile in a cheaper fabric. Plus if it has a fitted bodice for example, I might make up a rough bodice in calico to check the fit/dart placement etc.

TheClitterati I actually have a me sized dress form, although she needs adjusting since i had another baby. I got one which was adjustable and got as close as possible measurement wise, put a bra on it and stuffed it, added shaped wadding in erm, well padded areas...it was super useful and I need to get her out again.

I made up a few ellie and mac kids patterns and did a toile bodice for me for one of theirs. It was fairly obviously going to need an fba when I saw that the front and back were the same piece...still trying to find the perfect fba solution for knits but I think it worked quite well.

Also made trend patterns wide leg trousers which were quite straighteners. They look like I could camp under them but I like them on!

@Ofitck

Hello!

I make most of my kids clothes but this lockdown have done a few simple jersey bits for me.

I have put lots of weight on really so it's hard to tell if a pattern isn't flattering or if it's just my shape.

But, I'd like to recommend Ellie and max patterns - they do weekly dollar sales. I printed, cut and sewed this very comfy jumpsuit today. The patterns on sale at the moment.

There is also a curved hem tank top for free which I lengthened into a dress.

Looks great!

Thank you Wildernesstips, TheClitterati and StatisticallyChallenged for the encouragement.

I think that this time it really is a case of poor pattern sizing by small companies (who I'd love to support, really).

I never assume my size. I'm used to being 14 in TRW and 16, 18 or 20 in a dressmaking pattern. That's fine.

I did measure and choose the correct size based on the measurements. I'm average height 5'7" and I have breastfed 2 babies, in my 40's and yes some parts are heading south. My boobs are non-exceptional but I dig a decent bra. So I didn't expect the bust dart on the hoodie dress to be languishing around my waistline. Maybe it's because the pattern company is Swedish... but the Swedes I know are not all that tall!

The Lyra top pattern was also poor cutting. The back being way wider than the front.

Both companies have a minimalist style that I like, but I couldn't find any reviews for the patterns.

Lesson learned!
And I will make a toile next time.

I've made some howlers assuming I'm the standard size 12 on patterns and always check the measurements given. The Liberty one I last used starts at a standard size 2 not the 6 they normally are! The size 12 was equivalent to an 8 and I only realised after I had traced out the pattern but thankfully before I had cut it out. Many patterns will also provide the measurements of the finished garments and you can find out how much ease they have.

I think it's really hard taking your own measurements as well to adapt and make adjustments. Did anyone else get a Zozo suit a couple of years ago? Not flattering and not particularly accurate in my case.

I've also got a dress form but I forget to adjust it. It's a nice to have though.

I've got the legs on my Winslow culottes stitched up and need to make the waistband next. Sewing Bee on tomorrow and that usually spurs me on a bit.

Please can someone help me find a pattern for this dress... came up on Pinterest when I was looking at skirt pattern ideas but no way to find the dress - I can think of nothing else now...

Of course having spent an hour looking for it, as soon as I post for help, I find it's a finished dress for sale in the US...

Never mind I will now look for something similiar...

I have a daft question. Are you supposed to cut out the paper pattern piece completely and then pin it to the fabric and cut round it? The people on the sewing bee seem to use bean bags which looks quicker, but if I’m using my floor to cut on as don’t have a big enough table maybe that wouldn’t work.

@womanthatfelltoearth the Ellis pattern from Merchant & Mills is similar though doesn’t have the open neck. Might be possible to improvise though?

MaryLennoxsScowl you can either cut or trace your pattern from paper. Then it is a matter of how you like to work whether you pin this to the fabric or use bean bags or weights. I think the latter two options are preferable if you have a fabric where the pin pricks would mark.

womanthatfellfromearth What about a more fitted version of this one? www.tessuti-shop.com/collections/pattern-books/products/felicia-pinafore-dress-pattern

It almost looks like a Japanese pattern.

Womanthatfelltoearth I think it would be pretty easy to hack any princess seam dress to add pockets and a slashed neckline.

However, one of the views on Butterick pattern B6625 has a similar neckline and the dress as a whole is a similar shape. Could New Look 6341 or 6647 could also be adapted with a different neckline if you had the confidence?

Thanks for the suggestions, I've found a McCall's pattern on eBay that's very similar!

MaryLennoxsScowl I use small cans of food from the cupboards. Tuna, sweetcorn, jars of pesto etc work really well. If I think I will need to make many changes I might trace a pattern, or part of it, so I can work with it. But I'm lazy and it is a bit of a faff so I rarely do this. Sewing knit's can be more forgiving in the fit department, especially if your weight tends to fluctuate.

StatisticallyChallenged absolutely find her and reinstate her in full padded glory. Statistically Challenged might be a good name for her.

smallgrayelephant I've mentioned them before but take a look at Cashmerette patterns - she starts at size 12, so no good if you are smaller, but has 3 bust sizes, and she designs for 5'6''. the beauty of PDF patterns coming with all the sizes is its relatively easy to grade between sizes at bust/hip/waist etc

I bought an Assembly Line pattern recently and have been trying to find out what height they design for - with no luck.

I've not sewn for a while and I'm very busy this week. I'd like to make a couple of summer dresses soon. If this weeks weather is anything to go by I am going to need them.

So next makes will be this dress with added pockets - I've not made this dress before: www.cashmerette.com/products/webster-top-dress-pdf-pattern

And I have some cool jellyfish cotton knit fabric to make a version of this dress - I will make changes so it will have a v back, sleeveless & with pockets. I made a couple with sleeves over winter and once cut out they took me 1.5 hours to sew up - so quick and fast & I'm confident to make the changes:
www.cashmerette.com/products/turner-dress-pdf-pattern

Ideally I'd love to make this shirt dress too, but as its more fitted I will need to toile it, and I'm too pushed for time so not sure it will be done for this summer - I would ultimately like a few of these in funky bright fabrics: www.cashmerette.com/products/lenox-shirtdress-pdf-pattern

This has been pushed back a bit now - more of a late summer make for autumn: theassemblylineshop.com/products/cap-sleeve-dress-sewing-pattern

And I do want to make a warm weather version of this coat - I have some old gold brocade curtains to use - I've made an autumn/spring version of this that I love to wear and its an easy sew:
papercutpatterns.com/products/sapporo-coat-pdf

smallgrey would it be possible to un[pick the sides and the dart and move the dart up? Sounds like you have plenty of space to work with.

I made a black silk skirt to wear to work Xmas do a few years back that I self drafted.. Gorgeous silk taffetta, pleats frot and back, so it kind of puffed out, wide wasteband. Its gorgeous! But I put pockets in and they are way too low . I can barely get my hands in them and I sit on the pockets. also the wasteband is too big. So I need to unpick wasteband, side seams partly so I can raise pockets, reinstate correctly sized wasitsband. I just can't face all that unpicking black on black. I do have a bit of room to work with so maybe I will simply cut the seams off? It will be worth it as the fabric was ££££ and its a skirt I will wear lots once it fits. I did wear it to the Xmas party but had to pin the waistband. My jumper went over the top so covered it up.

WAISTBAND ffs

She's affectionately known as Fat Sally TheClitterati

I'm eyeing up the cashmerette upton, more because I could really do with a bodice of that design to adapt and I can't quite get my sloper right. I'm have a good princess cut but it would be nice to have a darted alternative

love Fat Sally!!

If you look on Instgram/Pinterest people have made many variations of the Upton! Its a great basic, with many options