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?

I used to make a lot of m own clothes in my teens. I didn't used to use patterns but as I was straight up and straight down then it wasn't difficult.
I started again a couple of years ago, went to some sewing (not dressmaking) classes and discovered I'd lost all my impetuous sloppiness and was actually quite meticulous in learning m new skills. I've discovered getting the right fabric is very important. I've used some liberty cotton, Merchant and Mills Chambray and now I'm making a turquoise linen factory dress - pattern and fabric both M&M, I just love getting their brown paper parcels! I've got a dress form and although i need to pad it up to look like me I think I'll try a vintage pattern and go slowly next time.
I find I'm very slow, and forget how to do things if I don't practice, but I am getting enormous satisfaction out of this and will certainly contine.

For those who've had issues with fit / poor patterns, I'd recommend reading the following blog:

winmichele.com/

She has some excellent articles on how to measure flat patterns before you start cutting out your fabric, and how to identify common issues with patterns.

It really will save you a lot of heartache and if you have a good idea of your regular adjustments, can help skip having to do a toil.

She also has a few saved stories on Instagram that show you how to draft a few simple items like shorts from your measurements with no pattern.

Mei is also great for how to spot poorly drafted patterns and make adjustments:

www.sewinglikemad.com/?m=1

The pattern companies will all be working from their own blocks, which can vary wildly. Some draft for pears, some giants (Named, I'm looking at you!) Etc. The Foldline have done a great size comparison chart, which can help find indie companies which fit you better:

thefoldline.com/2019/03/09/the-sewing-pattern-tutorials-10-choosing-a-sewing-pattern-for-your-body-shape/

I think about the most useful thing I've read recently was to use your high bust measurement to chose the right top size to start from. That seems to work far better as a baseline for me.

Did a very quick toile of the top half of the Ellie and Mac Tres Belle dress (pattern reduced to $1!) this evening which somehow came out absolutely bang on. It's a wrap over style which I love on me when they fit well but the basic pattern is quite flat although a few of the pictures showed it gathered at the sides. Ended up doing a just over 2" FBA on each side of the bodice, then rotating all the excess back out - treated the extra at the waist as a dart, cut it out and rotated it in to the opposite side of the bodice so I had more gathers there, and did the same with the bust dart which I sent up as gathers at the shoulder.

I think gathers rather than darts are possibly my preference for FBA on knit fabrics. I end up with a fricking huge dart which never looks right and I feel spoils the look of jersey stuff, and if I leave the extra in the waist it sort of hangs off me but if I try to adjust it out the side seams they distort. Gathers seem to be a much softer option.

I’m late to this, but may I tag along too? I got a sewing machine for Christmas and have started to get to grips with it a bit during the lockdown, making scrub bags and hats for local GPs and care homes and so on. Feeling a lot more confident with it now and musing trying to make a dress 😱

Got my eye on this if it comes back into stock... www.simplesewpatterns.com/products/the-cocoon-dress

Has anyone made it? Is it relatively straightforward? 😬

It says beginner and looks straightforward, no darts or zips so go for it. A nice looking dress too. Very Japanese inspired. Have you thought about material?

Well, I've seen pictures of it made up in linen, and it looks really nice... the creasing puts me off though! A linen mix, perhaps? Not patterned, I prefer fairly plain fabrics anyway and I don't want to do pattern matching either, eek.

Quite excited about trying it, actually!

Spudlet the dress looks great and am for making it if it ever comes back into stock.

I have made two pairs of these shorts. I am just waiting for the elastic to arrive. One pair are in some love fabric I bought from Libertys years ago and never used. Easy to make apart from the waistband which didn’t have clear instructions but I asked the designer and there was a blog to explain it all.

I'd love to join...i have only made a circle skirt so far out if african wax print...i love the way it swishes around.
Will try a shift dress next.

malificent I have some African wax fabric sitting in my stash waiting to be turned into a circle skirt!

Where are your favourite online fabric shops? I’m really gutted that only half my latest fabric order is in stock and I feel I need to branch out a bit. I’m half tempted to get some Storrs cotton lawn from Shaukat.

malificent7 I think we need a picture - it sounds lovely.

Well, I was too impatient to wait for that pattern to come back into stock, so I bought a similar one on Etsy. It says it’s for beginners, although it does have darts on the hem of the skirt... hoping they’ll not be too much of a challenge, but I’m going to have a dry run with some cheapo fabric first. If the charity shops were open, I lid use an old duvet cover!

Got my eye on this fabric for the actual dress - in navy. www.minervacrafts.com/shop/fabric/dress-fabrics/salsoplain-m-john-kaldor-plain-linen-cotton-blend-dress-fabric?colour=Black

Eep! Excited and also a little bit alarmed

@Spudlet here’s a blog about the simple sew pattern www.starttostitch.com/blog

My favourite is probably fabworks mill online, they have lovely wools and cottons especially. Just making up a top in their peony chinoise fabric.

Just got some from caboodle which has nice prints

Ordered a few from pound a metre which haven't arrived yet but one is identical to a fabric I bought a few weeks ago at half the price

I also use ebay lots

I just got fabric from Merchant & Mills and it’s so beautiful - it’s a cotton/linen blend, soft and completely opaque, medium weight but feels so light and floaty! First time I’ve ordered from them but I see why people make a fuss about their stock!

I love looking at the fabric from Merchant & Mills but I always wonder how it will wash/fade (the block fabric), but it is beautiful.

I’ve ordered some fabric from Pound a Metre this morning. At least at that price you can be a bit experimental.

Just ordered some cheap fabric from eBay for my trial run...! I’m hoping I might be able to just make the top half of the pattern as a top as well as making the whole thing as a dress. Quite excited now.

Thank you for that link @WhataCant, still hoping that pattern may come back into stock at some point so I can give it a go!

Hi everybody. I've been lurking for a while and am inspired. Thanks for the thread OP.
I've used Blank Slate patterns from pdf (first time user of pdf patterns) and found them great. I've been looking at the Merchant and Mills site and am thrilled to what appears to be good quality fabrics. Has anybody had any experience in using their fabrics and pdf patterns. I live in France and am having trouble obtaining patterns and cloth. (Apologies if this has already been covered).

I posted a little while ago about fabric and got some good advice. I've finished my Friday Pattern Co dress now, thought I'd share- it's a great one for beginners (myself included!) out there, I'm really pleased with how it's turned out!

Is that the Wilder gown? It looks lovely Lemon50

One lot of fabric arrived but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to squeeze the dress I want from it after all because I didn’t check the width 🙈!

How far off is it Wilderness? I rarely seem to need as much as the pattern says!

It is the wilder gown indeed!

StatisticallyChallenged 35cm off the width. I may be able to adjust the fullness of the skirt. I’m certainly going to try.

You might well manage that if you spend some time on layout