Does anyone here make their own clothes?

[Malldelly]

It's something I've always wanted to do. Is it very difficult as in will it take years of practice before I can make anything I could possibly wear outside? Or will I be able to give Victoria Beckham a run for her money after a couple of you tube videos and a cheapish sewing machine. Help before I waste any more money on yet another hobby that lasts ten minutes.

I used to make a lot of clothes before I had a child and therefore less time and space!

It’s absolutely realistic to make something wearable without much experience. A cheap sewing machine is fine. Get a good brand with basic features. Start with cotton non-stretch fabric and aim to make something like a gathered summer skirt or loose fitting top. Vogue do a range of patterns called ‘very easy’ which are great.

YouTube is your friend. Cut your fabric accurately and make sure it is ‘on grain’. And always press each seam after you have sewn it. Makes a big difference!

I made lots of my own clothes in my student years, but I wouldn't say the finish was great. When I decided to have another go after a gap of many years I went to some sewing for beginners classes. The teacher was a lovely lady who showed our little group how to do things properly and some very complex looking techniques that made our creations look rather sophisticated. We did things like invisible zips, button holes and pockets that can be tricky if you don't know exactly how. I've made lots of bags and two dresses since then that both came out fine. I went to The sewing Shed in Stroud and can highly recommend them.

I have a basic Brother machine I bought pre-Covid (they doubled in price during STAY THE FUCK AT HOME)...

I hadn't sewn for 35+ years but it's so easy to follow instructions online and with helpful pictures and videos. Our mothers just had enormous tracing paper patterns which are unfathomable!

I've made a lot of stuff from here:- www.ellieandmac.com/ and not had a dud yet. Started off with one of their free patterns (the vest top) which is now one of my wardrobe staples.

My children are autistic and it's been a delight being able to make what they WANT to wear using the fabrics they can touch.

Thanks @cloudwire, time is something I do have at the moment as I'm only working part time. My preference is for simple looking clothes and also more ethical sustainable alternatives to what's on the high street. Also I think I'd get a huge kick out of wearing something I'd made myself.

@ExConstance @AlphabetAerobics that all sounds very positive, definitely tempted to give it a go now, thanks for the input x

I do and it's great being able to make something in exactly the fabric you want, exactly the length/size you want.

I've progressed from making basic skirts to being able to make tailored wool coats and my own jeans over the space of a couple of years.

You learn something new with every garment you make.

It's not a cheap hobby though.

Go and take a look at somewhere like the Minerva Crafts website. Its a fabric/haberdashery store but it also shows what other people have made (a bit like a dressmaking insta/facebook), it should give you a flavour of the types of thing others are making and also the cost of fabric and patterns

Thanks @pastabest I'll take a look x

I make skirts and alter a lot of other clothes to fit me properly. Bags too.

I was surprised to find that my husband is also quite skilled with a sewing machine.

I alter clothes. I buy second hand and upcycle them.

Sewing isn't cheap. You'll understand why brands like Toast are expensive when you are buying fabric by the yard and paying £10 for a pattern.

If you find a pattern you like you can make multiples.

Vogue Very Easy patterns are good.
Some of the 'easy' patterns like the ones free with magazines aren't all that flattering once the garment is made.

I used to when I lived at home, but I still can't get over the fear of seeing my hand.

I have 3 hobbies - I used to think they were one but they're not! I spend hours on Instagram (ace for sewing inspiration, sewing tips etc) - time I could be sewing, then a lot of time and money buying fabric, I then occasionally find the time to make something! I would also recommend classes - some techniques are very tricky and enough to put you off but often easy with practice and some expert help. I find it can easily become expensive. I'm getting better every time I make something. I still have failures but not enough to make me stop. I'm tall with long arms and a long torso so love being able to make things that fit but don't make half as many items of clothing as I buy for but it's a nice hobby to have and I love it! I found watching the Sewing Bee helpful in understanding lots about sewing. All the previous series are available to watch again if you're in the UK.

This is all so helpful. To be honest I was expecting to be told not to bother , that it's complicated and difficult and not worth the effort. I'm definitely going to see if there's an evening class near me and will be looking to get a sewing machine very soon. Thanks everyone for your honest input. I'm already inspired by some of the links you've sent me! Will strike while the enthusiasm is high lol

KristenBlest is right - it’s not cheap and it doesn’t make you look at the high street in a while nee light - even discounting the time spent at your machine.

It’s (IMO) a false economy to buy super cheap fabrics - anything under about £12/metre is good for nothing but stuffing! I’ve also taken brand new stuff from friends with a view to re-purposing it and the quality has been dire.

But, even though I’m an amateur - my homemade pants are outlasting sloggi - which I’d previously thought were well-made.

Jersey is very forgiving (cotton, not polyester) and my favourite shops are koalakreactions, flamingofabrics and rockstarfabrics- haven’t had a dud from any of those.

You will come to loathe the lithe women making 3 outfits from half a metre of fabric when it takes you 4 expensive metres to cover your gargantuan arse!

Does make you look at the high street ffs.

Also, buying fabric is addictive and there is no help for you once you go down that path.

It's worth doing a course where you can use their machine and overlocker to see how you get on. Sewing in the UK + county have facebook pages and you might find a local course there, or could ask.

Haha thanks @AlphabetAerobics, my ass isn't too gargantuan, I'm mostly boobs lol, that's another thing, I'm tired of clothes not fitting properly because my top is out of proportion with my waist, so hopefully once I graduate to making dresses I can solve this problem for myself :) Ps I used to be an avid cyclist so I'm very used to expensive hobbies unfortunately 😅

Thanks @wilma55, I'm in Ireland but will definitely take a look for an evening course!

If you have large boobs making your own clothes is fabulous. I learned how to do a Full Bust Adjustment from you tube, altered a few patterns so that they really fit and now have a wardrobe full of great blouses which don't gape

@AlphabetAerobics

Does make you look at the high street ffs.

Also, buying fabric is addictive and there is no help for you once you go down that path.

I'm in denial about how bad this has got for me.

My New Years resolution this year MUST be to only buy fabric when I have a specific project in mind.

However, Some examples of the things I've made recently OP are the Megan Nielsen 'Brumby Skirt' in a green linen, a closet core 'Kelly Anorak' in a heavy navy cotton with a liberty lawn lining, A Deer and Doe 'Azara' skirt in patterned needlecord and a Vogue wide legged jumpsuit in black sateen.

I do prefer the independent patterns but they do tend to be slightly more on the expensive side.

Definitely look for sewing classes and groups.

What an interesting thread OP. I've just started sewing classes in the evening; have only done one so far.

Like a couple of PPs, I sewed when I was young, but I think I am fussier now about the quality of the finish, so I wanted to improve my technique.

I was inspired by watching Sewing Bee, and as I have more time now the kids have grown up, I thought I'd give it another go.

I'm short-waisted - always hoicking up straps on dresses which then make them too tight under the arms - and what I'm really hoping to learn at my sewing class is how to fit my top half properly.

One tip .. rather than launch straight into making your garment with your lovely expensive fabric, think about making a toile (a practice piece) first using some cheap or old fabric, to get the fit right.

So, I am planning to make a toile of the top of this dress - I'm sure the skirt will be OK - using material from an old sheet. If I construct something that fits really well, I'll be able to refer to it again and again, hopefully.

Good luck .. we should all come back and share the results of our efforts!

This is what I’m going to make. I thought I’d try the sleeveless version first, and if that’s successful I’ll make a winter one in a warmer fabric.

I sew lots these days - I've taught myself over the last couple of years.

It's not a cheap hobby, you will end up with a fabric stash that seems to grow exponentially, and you will probably want an overlocker too if you like sewing stretch eventually. But the feeling of wearing, and being complemented on, something you made yourself is awesome. You can get the fit spot on, you can tweak and adapt and customise. When the shops decide everything is going to be grey and mustard- and both make you look dead - then you can make what you actually want.

Go for it

I make all my own clothes now - I haven't bought a thing in over 2 years! I started from being not a total beginner, but certainly not an expert.

I'd really recommend doing some form of workshop to start with. Lots of sewing shops will do a beginner-style session (usually making a basic skirt or a top). It will just help you work out one end of a sewing machine from the other, and will probably help with troubleshooting too (and cover a lot of the standard terminology).

I highly recommend Tilly and The Buttons as a first port of call. Her patterns are very beginner friendly, and come with lots of photos alongside the instructions, and are very step-by-step. Some of the more traditional pattern companies assume a level of knowledge/understanding, and often roll a couple of steps into the same instruction, which can be confusing.

Tilly's first book (I think it's called Love at First Stitch) might be a good place to start. Or Make It Simple. I've made everything in the latter (some of them several times over!) and it's all very wearable. Her standalone patterns are all good too - the Lotta dress is very easy, as are some of the others, but their names escape me as I know they're not styles that suit my shape).

Instagram is definitely a brilliant resource. Find a pattern you're interested in and then search for it there. You'll find real people of all shapes and sizes showing off their creations, and you can learn a lot about the way something looks on real people. And most people will pass comment on the pattern too, so you can see if there likely to be challenges or problems with it.

It's the most rewarding hobby - I was wearing a lovely dress I'd made in a nice independent boutique (was with a friend, not shopping for me!) and the owner commented and asked me where I'd bought it. She couldn't believe it when I said I'd made it, and it made me feel amazing (which I already did, just by wearing my lovely dress that I'm proud of!).

@highlandcoo that sleeveless dress is gorgeous and definitely something I'd aspire to making. Looking at fabrics is something I already love doing so I can see how that would be dangerous once I figure out how to use a sewing machine lol. Again, thanks everyone for all the lovely encouragement 😊

I hadn’t seen in ages but lockdown got me into the Sewing Bee and now I’m back at it.
The price if fabric is shocking, though