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?

That fabric just looks like hard work!! Lovely though.

Just finished doing a toile of the hepburn top in some shit cheap jersey I picked up for 1 a metre. Fairly easy pattern, needed to whack several inches out of it though - fitted at overbust and hips but too big at the waist and because it's an attached sleeve it looked too big around the bust. About 6" out the waist and it's much better!

Yesterday's projects for littlest dd - made a small mistake with the neckline band but it's not visible when it's on so no way was i unpicking!

Does anyone have advice for a beginner sewer with regards to ease in Vogue patterns? Everything says go by body measurements, not by modern sizes. I’m a modern size 8-10, but using the measurements on the Vogue pattern I’m between 12 and 14. I cut out the skirt yoke according to the pattern size and it looks awfully big. It’s pattern V9090.

I don’t want to cut the pattern too small, but I don’t want to have to do it again if it’s too big.

If you look at the tissue for the pattern it might have finished measurements marked on it at the relevant part of the pattern.

If not - it looks like the waist/yoke size is the only fitted measurements so I'd be tempted to baste the yoke and actually try it on. If it's inches out I'd recut it (you shoud be able to reuse) and downsize the rest of the pattern.

I quite often find that sometimes the true size I need is somewhere between by high street size and the pattern size.

Actually, I think I’ve just answered my own question. The pattern says 1.5cm seam allowance, and there are 4 pieces in the yoke. So each pattern piece is going to shrink by 3cm, as it has two seams, one on each side. So for 4 pieces, the total waist band size is going to be 12 cm shorter than the pattern length.

Statistically thanks - sadly no finished measurements. I think I’ll baste it first, as you suggested.

Actually, I tell a lie - the finished waistline measurements are on a pattern piece!

One thing I am having problems with, and this had cropped up with bought dresses as well. I've a few that are sleeveless and they gape round the arm at the front. I assume as my boobs stick out a bit

I had thought of putting a dart in here but not sure

I suppose I ought to do a sample of the Casmery (sp) dress as it is designed for the bigger boobed

I get that if I don't do a full bust adjustment - the buggers have to take the fabric from somewhere

This is what I finished at the weekend - a top from the May Burda magazine. Reused fabric from a dress. Not perfect but wearable.

Love your makes for DD StatisticallyChallenged

Can I join please? I have in the past made kids clothes and even a dress for me. I am most of the way through a massive quilt.....

I have bought myself a shorts pdf pattern and thought I would make a pair to match the pj bottoms I made. Now I have written it down I am going to have to make them....

Like the PJs @HalleLouja I've been very into quilts recently and would love to see your quilt once completed!

I have a question about the Merchant & Mills Camber dress and top pattern. I made the size 8 dress, I’m not size 8 but a previous M&M size 10 dress I made was huge - I had to cut off 1.5” from each side!

I had to alter the size 8, by reducing the seam allowance to 1 cm instead of 1.5 cm. I like the dress, but it’s not the A line shape it’s supposed to me, it’s straighter. The dress fits well in the yoke and the top part.

Should I make the second dress (in linen) to the size 10, or make a size 9 version by reducing the size 10 pattern? Advice welcome!

To the person who commented on the skill needed for these patterns - I agree, definitely not advanced beginners!

This is what I'm working on at the moment, a dress with pockets!

I've lost about 2 stone and stopped breastfeeding since I started making it last autumn so it needs taking in a little now as well as finishing off (still needs a zip and some tweaks to make it fit better.

It's a combination of my own skirt and bodice block - for me this is the difference with pattern and shop bought clothes fit wise. I have DD/ E cup breasts so usually I don't get a good fit round my waist if I buy/make something to fit round my boobs, and I'm on the short side so the waist never quite sits right unless I use my own block. I've used the same block through a 2 stone weight loss and gain, and just cut a bit extra wider round the usual seam allowance when I've been bigger.

has anyone bought the Sew House Severn patterns?

dd has just seen the tea dress and asked if I could make it for her in black and short.
I am size 20 and she is a 10. if you buy the pattern, do you get it in all sizes? She's just told me she wants a top in it too.

If I get all the sizes it would be worth buying. I don't want to pay twice!

@steppemum I have that pattern and yes you get all the sizes. So it will be good value for you.

I haven't made it yet but it is nearing top of my list.

I just dug my pattern out @steppemum and there are lengthen lines above the waist tie so you should be able to make that alteration easily. I add an inch or to to the bodice part of most dresses

Oh I am getting excited. And I think I have foudn some fabric for both of us!!

@RoomR0613 that's lovely fabric, where did you get it?

right, did a little fabric hunt with dd and she has gone for camoflague dress (which I think is a good idea as it is less formal, and so she is much more likely to wear it)

Just ordered her fabric and the pattern.

I've now got to find fabirc I like. the ones I like are all £10 a metre, I do wish there was a market open somewhere.
I have just found a shop in Southall selling cotton sari fabric for £5 a metre, I think I might get some of that and try it. (some of it has amazing borders too - now there is a cutting out and pattern matching challenge!)

The fabric I really want is Indonesian batik. I used to live there and I love it so much. It is amazing as it doesn't fade either. The lovely stuff is £15 per metre though

I love the dragon flies on this one, but the colours are a bit too orange/yellow

these 2 would make lovely dresses

Have you looked at Amazon, @steppemum ? It's a bit of a gamble but they have some good stuff...

I'm not sure if anyone can help, but I'm looking for a supplier of Indian fabric. It has to be the real thing, not a cheap imitation, as will be used quite a lot, so needs to be robust.

Devlesko, Cloth House in Soho has beautiful Indian block prints - not sure if that's what you're looking for? They have an online shop and they're still shipping.

It's just cheap polycotton @Magpiecomplex, I imagine there will be a similar pattern in most of the cheapy online fabric stores. That one was from Boyes I think but ages and ages ago.