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?

statisticallyChallenged I did it! Some of my seams are going to be in the selvedge but I didn’t have to reduce any pieces. My facings are probably going to have to be pieced though.

Selvedge seams are ace, no fraying!

I was very indulgent...there's a shiny Brother box sitting in my hallway

I've actually been quite busy with work this week, so I'm not managing to actually sew but I have a wee pile of cut up projects ready to go on Saturday morning. It's keeping me sane, just

Fat Sally has also been brought back out of hibernation and is currently standing in my kitchen. The Gertie's Ultimate dress book has a lovely surplice bodice in it (see photo, no that isn't me!) which is a shape which should be great on me but my attempts at following the FBA guide in the book was a total disaster - I've managed to get a really good princess bodice from it but this was a mess with a tonne of extra fabric and a huge dart. I needed to add nearly 4" to each side, plus extra length of course, and it was too big a change in a relatively small space.

So I decided to just grab a scrap bit of fabric and try draping/folding until I managed to replicate it from scratch which seemed to work. So Fat Sally is currently wearing half of a bodice until I get round to taking it off, tracing it and trying to turn it in to something useable.

I need to get my machine fixed (impossible at the moment) before I can get sewing. But am desperate to get going after watching the sewing bee!

I've treated myself to some personalised labels ready for when my machine is good to go. They are so cute! And I had a discount code which makes them even cuter!

Great skills StatisticallyChallenged

I've been crazy busy with work and kids the last couple of weeks, so no sewing. But DC are going to their Dad's for a week from Saturday, so perhaps soon.

I like the idea of getting the cutting done in advance - I wonder if I might get a couple of things cut out tonight, ready to sew tomorrow.

Loving lemons dress and Wilders snazzy pattern cutting

I think cutting in advance works if you're not blessed with a sewing room (ah the dream!) I'm working on my dining table and it just feels like cutting then sewing takes ages as I'm constantly rearranging!

There are FB groups for destashing etc and lots of people selling uncut sewing patterns - Vogue, Simplicity, and lots of others.

If you haven't done so already, have a look at purl soho. They have some free patterns, including a dress made purely from rectangles. How simple!

I did my dry run today (a toile? Is that the right term?). Took a few goes and a bit of adjustment - it’s a cocoon dress so it’s not meant to be figure hugging. But the first attempt was massive! Have taken it in by a good couple of cm on either side (with my mum advising on FaceTime) and now I think I’ve got it - and I reckon I can adapt the top half into a nice top too, though have to mock that up as some further adjustments will be needed. DS had got bored with CBeebies though, so I had to stop...

Samples of fabric now ordered - I think I’m going for linen and creases be damned!

It’s quite hard to imagine ever wanting to wear a summer dress again at the moment, mind you!

So I have finally learnt to sew (was stuck Ioockdown with my mum for 12 weeks ao it was something to do). Finally home now and mum conveniently left a sewing machine at my house a couple of years ago (she got it from a local secondary school when they upgraded!). Simple basic little Janome.

So I got trigger happy on eBay and pound a metre (thanks for that. They even had some nice voile and 100% cotton fabric) and also bought some nice white cotton Swiss dot and some beautiful grey cotton jersey. I am listing after some beautiful green double graze but resisting for now.

I got the machine set up tonight and went through all the stitches, testing right tension and widths which was very interesting. Also had to redo the bobbin. I like to understand the mechanics!

First aim is to make a cushion cover from some old fabric I have knocking around which I used to cover some dining chair pads. No real pattern and will just do an envelope opening but I want to try to make it as neat as possible.

Then either a tank dress for me or a nightie for DD. And then I think a skirt! I got an old burda magazine off eBay (as recommended)and it has a nice simple a line skirt pattern. 😬😬😬I hope I can actually do all this.

The purl soho free patterns are also lovely. I have plans for at least 10 of those! I really hope I am good enough to make this worth while. I am short and busty so some simple dresses that actually would literally be like magic. And TBH I have so many ideas of what I’d like for my DD which just don’t exist I would love to make them!

Will let you know how I get on!!

You can totally do it! If you are going to work with slippy fabrics then invest in either a knit foot (snaps on for my machine so very easy and cheap) or a walking foot (screws on, bit fiddlier, but supposedly better) and jersey ballpoint needles. It makes a massive difference.

Ellie and mac has a free pattern for a curved hem tank which you could easily lengthen to a summery nightie.

I set up my new overlocker tonight (after sewing a few dresses today) and I'm in love. I just whipped up a little dress for DD in jersey fabric and it just works so well. I only used my sewing machine to hem and to do a gathering stitch, everything else went straight on the overlocker.

I made a cushion cover! The revelation is it’s actually much better quality than the shops. I underlined the fabric as it’s quite a loose weave linen. And it is beautiful! Sorry but I love me now!

On FB there is a great group called The Great British Sewing Bee Fans to share and show off on .
I have just started dressmaking again and it is a great resource .

Has anyone sewn with softshell fabric? Not that I’ve made anything yet, but I’m considering trying to make myself a running jacket at some future point, for the winter, as I just can’t find one that I both like and can afford to buy. Is it very tricky to work with?

well done with the cushion FreeButton

I made my Cashmerette Webster wearable toile - finished it yesterday. The cotton fabric is too light so it is a bit puffy. But it will be a fine house/beach dress for hot days. I need to lower the darts by about an inch, but otherwise it is a loose fit dress so its OK. The next one I will make will be with a flippy cotton jacquard and I think that will work better. I did add pockets which affected the hang a bit I think, but frankly I'm really not interested in wearing dresses without pockets.

Tonight I am going to make up my first sleevless Turner - also a Cashmerette. I cut it out over the weekend. I've made winter versions of this dress but not summer version. I had to slim down the skirt a bit to be able to cut it out of the fabric I had but that is fine. I will make a matching mask.

I've always been weary of cutting things out in advance - confession I have a skirt that's not been sewn up that I cut out before my 9yo DC was born!! But it is lovely to be finishing work knowing I can now go and sew up a dress that is ready to go.

I have this lovely african wax print from ebay delivered today - thinking of making a skirt - gathered waist, pockets, just below knee. Or maybe a dress. I will put the fabric where I can see it and let it talk to me. The print is quite large - well the flowers are bread and butter plate size so I'm not sure it would go too well across my top half. Maybe an Upton would work?

I'd be tempted with a simple circle skirt with that pattern (as the bottom of a dress or stand alone). Maybe the top of an upton in a matching plain fabric?

Last week's makes for me - the two dresses have since been hemmed, and the maxi lost about 6" as I'm not actually a giantess!

@StatisticallyChallenged oh well done, how prolific! I love the little dress on the left in second pic. Did you have a pattern or was it self drafted? I've finished my second wilder and have just ordered some fabric to make the Roberts collection dungarees

I have to work on some pieces for me I've been making the children clothes during our shielded lockdown and I want to make a couple of dresses for me.
The last dress I made was a toille for a Camber dress from MM I loved it do much I wore it to death

That's super cute lemon50! Do you mean the one with the turquoise body and cat print skirt? If so it's a tweaked version of an ellie and mac schools cool dress, they're a super easy make. The yellow with the cartoon print skirt is the same design, it normally goes with a circle skirt but I didn't want upside down cats so I just made a gathered skirt instead.

Oh wow great makes everyone! I’m still no further forward because we’ve been having work done in the house and everything needs putting right again and actual work work has just got busy for me and DH coincidentally at the same time. I have had a look at those purl patterns though. I like the drawstring vest top. Interesting idea to use neon thread with the pale linen. I might keep hold of that thought...

I finished my second version of a Burda bias cut dress (the one with not enough fabric), and I’m pleased with it. I wear my first version a lot.

I have a conundrum, wonder if experts here can help please...

I've bought a PDF pattern online (Marilla Walker), and had it printed by an online printer. I specifically asked them to check the 10cm test rectangle at the front, but it's come to me printed measuring 11cm

The whole pack was 90 pages, so I'm loathe to get it printed elsewhere again. Do you think I can just go ahead with a slightly larger pattern, and just use a bigger seam allowance? It's meant to be a 1.5cm allowance throughout, so I guess I'd make it 2.5cm? Or should the extra cm be spread so that it's a 2cm allowance? Help!!!

I should add - another strange thing is that the test rectangle is in proportion, i.e. the length to breadth ratio is correct when compared with the PDF. Plus the page does not go over the margins if that makes sense - everything fits on the page. So not sure at all what's happened!

Sorry maths fail - think it should be a 10% reduction to size rather than an absolute cm amount. Is that workable or should I print again?

So your pattern pieces would be off by 1cm in every 10 - it's 10% bigger than it should be so you would need to reduce every dimension by just over 9% to get back to the correct measurements. But this will be an arse ache to do, think about elements like neckline, armsye etc.

I'd be demanding a reprint personally.

What's the pattern?

I'd be asking them to reprint
Which company did you use I'm tempted by Patternsy