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Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome

811 replies

AnnieSnap · 24/05/2023 11:40

Dressmaking has becoming a topic in the ‘No Buy, Low Buy’ thread. In order not to derail that and because it deserves its own thread, I invite anyone who would like to make some of their own clothes or those already doing so to post here about fears, joys, problems, successes etc.

Having binged watched several serious of The Great British Sewing Bee when was laid-up with Covid and because that corresponded with the woman who did my little alterations stopping doing it, I was inspired to get a cheap sewing machine to try to do my own. That was just 16-months-ago and, having no previous experience at all, I quickly fell in love with sewing. I am not usually very patient with tasks (I have great patience with people and animals, but not with much else). Surprisingly, I have endless patience with sewing even when things go wrong 🤷‍♀️ At the beginning, I never dreamed I would be able to make clothes, but it turns out I can. So far, I’ve made dresses, skirts, tops, trousers, a gilet, a couple of things for my husband and even a jacket and a coat 😮

I try to buy ‘deadstock’ fabric when possible in the interests of the environment. It is fabric that is overstock from designers or big companies like Boden, M&S, Nobody’s Child and all the rest, or even fabric they have had produced and have changed their minds about using. I was horrified to discover that up to recently, all of this, tons and tons every year, went into landfill. It still does if it isn’t sold.

Any sewists (as we’re called these days) or potential sewists, what’s your story? And don’t forget the new series of The Great British Sewing Bee starts tonight. BBC1 9pm.

@pigtailsandall @theatrical @Zipps @remuslupinsbiggestgroupie @daisywaisy

OP posts:
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clowniform · 14/08/2023 22:06

Oh well done @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie ! Both look definitely wearable out of the house but also very cheering even without the sun.

Commiserations @AnnaMagnani All that patchwork! Could you change the waistband and make it into a wrap style? Could then be cinched in as tight as you like. Alternatively, the beginnings of a quilt?

Adding my vote for overlocker > dummy. Also better iron > dummy. Rotary cutter and mat > dummy. Spare pins and needles > dummy. Can you tell I regret my dummy?

I am working on a new pair of Style Arc Bob pants (modified the pockets using this tutorial) in khaki twill. Unfortunately I found my note instructing future me to add length next time only AFTER cutting out while going to stuff the pattern pieces back in the envelope🙄Was wondering why I had so much fabric left over, but it will be used to trim a satchel for friend's DD (who chose the delightful cat canvas).

Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
Floisme · 14/08/2023 22:15

That's a shame about the Style Arc pants clowniform. I made some last year - the instructions, if I remember correctly, were rather sparse! Still they turned out well enough for me to intend making another pair this summer, but the weather's been so crap it hardly seems worth it now.

FrontEnd · 14/08/2023 22:51

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I want to make those they look fabulous! Congratulations! What pattern?

pastabest · 14/08/2023 22:57

Floisme · 14/08/2023 22:15

That's a shame about the Style Arc pants clowniform. I made some last year - the instructions, if I remember correctly, were rather sparse! Still they turned out well enough for me to intend making another pair this summer, but the weather's been so crap it hardly seems worth it now.

I love the brevity of StyleArc instructions - I'm a skim reader rather than a details person and so many times have missed crucial steps hidden in huge paragraphs of very detailed instructions from other pattern makers (Closet Core in particular - love the patterns but their instruction booklets send me into information overload).

i've reached a level of skill with sewing now where I just need the instructions to guide me through which order to do things in rather than how to do it - I'm happy with 'insert zip' rather than 3 pages of instructions on how to insert the zip. I definitely needed all the instructions for many years but it took so much longer to make stuff!

PickAChew · 14/08/2023 23:18

I don't use.my.dummy a lot but it was.iseful.when wrangling a heavy wool coat. I find that its bum sticks out rather awkwardly so clothes that fit me will never fit it properly.

ReviewingTheSituation · 14/08/2023 23:50

My dummy has been used this evening for working out how my dress will sit, and looking at button placement. And sorting out my pattern matching. Definitely couldn't have done that easily without one.

But I'd still favour an overlocker!

Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 15/08/2023 07:42

FrontEnd · 14/08/2023 22:51

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I want to make those they look fabulous! Congratulations! What pattern?

Tilly and the Buttons - Jaimie pjs. I found choosing what size to cut confusing and terrifying, but the actual making was really straightforward. I might try going down a size for the next pair, as they’re very baggy on the bum.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 15/08/2023 08:14

ReviewingTheSituation · 14/08/2023 23:50

My dummy has been used this evening for working out how my dress will sit, and looking at button placement. And sorting out my pattern matching. Definitely couldn't have done that easily without one.

But I'd still favour an overlocker!

My goodness, that’s beautiful.

AnnaMagnani · 15/08/2023 08:17

ReviewingTheSituation · 14/08/2023 23:50

My dummy has been used this evening for working out how my dress will sit, and looking at button placement. And sorting out my pattern matching. Definitely couldn't have done that easily without one.

But I'd still favour an overlocker!

The pattern matching! That is so stunning.

Sibilantseamstress · 15/08/2023 10:03

The pattern matching is swoon worthy! Can’t wait to see the finished garment.

Sibilantseamstress · 15/08/2023 10:05

Your mum’s shirt looks lovely @clowniform !

clowniform · 15/08/2023 10:40

@Floisme They will still technically fit, I just really wanted to bring it closer to the waist on my admittedly short-waisted figure! The Bobs work quite well in thicker fabrics (this is ~380gsm in preparation for autumn) but obviously leg shape will be exaggerated compared to a drapey linen. Should've written a note on the pattern pieces themselves!

@pastabest I'm not quite at your level of experience with sewing but absolutely agree when it comes to knitting patterns. With patterns these days I regularly need to condense 36 page PDFs to half an A4 of notes. Cutesy instructions put me off Friday Pattern Co. after sewing the Wilder gown: literally stuff like "Step 3. Give yourself a high five before because you're doing AWESOME, GIRL!!" style of pattern writing🙄

@Sibilantseamstress thank you! She was pleased and fed me well in return.

Lovely work, @ReviewingTheSituation I can see the point of dummies for this style of sewing!

pastabest · 15/08/2023 11:36

@ReviewingTheSituation lovely shirt - where is the fabric from?

Did you decide in the end if you were going to top stitch the placket or not?

ReviewingTheSituation · 15/08/2023 12:00

@pastabest Are you on the Foldline FB group? Small world!

Thanks for all the love for the dress. I haven't decided what to do about buttons, topstitching, or overall finish yet. I'm just surprised the pattern matches so well so it's put a bit of a spanner in the works. I knew it would match in terms of the rows of circles being lined up, but in terms of the circles matching vertically it's a happy accident!

Fabric is a chambray from Guthrie & Ghani
Pattern is Named Patterns Lempi dress

Rosenspants · 15/08/2023 12:22

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie the fit of those pjs looks brilliant. TATB pjs were also my first real garment and I love them.
I am in awe @ReviewingTheSituation
Have to admit I’ve been dropping hints hoping someone will buy me a dummy. Because I work in the dining room, I’d like somewhere to drape my semi finished projects instead of on a hanger in the doorway. It’s all a bit silly because we have spare rooms but neither are big enough for a cutting out table and they don’t have good light.
Am hoping to start sewing again after the holidays as have had a bit of an epic fail with a sundress and need to walk away from the sewing machine for a bit.
Thinking I might try the Sew Over It Jemima jumpsuit.

pastabest · 15/08/2023 13:05

@ReviewingTheSituation Haha yes I am but I don't think I had quite clicked that you had posted in two different places and that the top stitching chat was there not here. Ooops sorry! I blame summer holiday tiredness.

@Rosenspants I now have a teeny tiny box room as my sewing room - it just fits a dressing table with both my sewing machine and overlocker on, a tall thin shelving unit for my fabric, a stool and my dummy. I have an A0 cutting mat which takes up most of the floor - I do use it but for 'big' cutting out I still quite often use the dining room table.

It makes such a difference not having to tidy away every mealtime or before bedtime.

AnnaMagnani · 15/08/2023 18:06

@clowniform I had no idea Indie patterns could be like this.

I grew up on Big4 because that's all there was so have never really understood comments about their instructions not being clear, honestly because I've never seen anything else.

I have been intrigued by all the comments about amazingly clear instructions so tempted by Indie Patterns, but now thinking it'll just be 30 pages of too much detail.

I am very tempted by Itch to Stitch as she provides so so many cup sizes and I am fundamentally lazy and don't want to spend hours and hours doing adjustments. But other than that I'm a bit lost as I don't want to make a load of oversized baggy clothes.

NotMeNoNo · 15/08/2023 21:13

I print out my indie pattern instructions as "booklet" so 4 sheets per stage and sew through the middle into a little book . This then goes in the polyfile with the stuck together / printed out pattern sheets. I have a bit of a thing for Closet Core patterns as they are very well fitted IME.

clowniform · 15/08/2023 22:15

@AnnaMagnani to be fair that especially saccharine example stuck out because it isn't the norm, and I mostly sew indies (style preference). For the most part as long as the drafting is solid, I'm not too particular about instructions as I can always look up any techniques I don't know (often in a book -- now how's that for old school?)

Quick fit check on the Bobs before stitching the elastic in place which also shows the curved pocket modification. I managed to eke out 1cm at the hem by doing a facing, and 0.5cm at the waist band by eating into the seam allowances. Still would have preferred another 2cm or so on both rise and leg but otherwise everything's hanging straight-ish (if not pressed).

Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 16/08/2023 07:43

@clowniform They’re fab. A distinct Land Girl vibe. What do you plan to wear them with?

@AnnieSnap I looked at the Skye pattern yesterday, but got a bit overwhelmed! Any tips to get over the terror before cutting? My measurements are coming up as an 8, the same as the Jaimie PJs, although I’m generally a size 14 in UK sizing and the 8 says it’s an 18!

Also, does anybody think the Jaimie pattern could possibly work as daywear, if full length and in a nice, soft viscose? I’m planning a trip to Guthrie and Ghani for fabric.

AuntieJune · 16/08/2023 08:04

Ooh, this is an exciting thread!

I did a sewing course a couple of years ago, was disheartened to find that tho I'm a 16-18 size in clothes shops I'm more of a 24 in old fashioned sizes and many patterns don't go that far.

The ones I got that were that size turned out like tents. I'm busty and anything that fit the bust was huge on the armpits and shoulders.

I recently got the cashmerette ahead of the curve book that shows how to adjust patterns, especially for larger bust. So I'm working my way through that. Plus loads of Tilly PJ's and pants.

ReviewingTheSituation · 16/08/2023 08:52

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I find TATB patterns come up on the large side. Are you measuring an 8 at all points? For the Skye, I'd go by your bust measurement as there's no fitting over the hips (or waist IIRC). As the bodice is only small, I'd be tempted to toile it using an old sheet or something. Then you can see how it fits.

On the question about the Jamie trousers... personally, I think they'll always look like PJs, whatever you sew them in. Something like the Safiya trousers would be better (from the Make it Simple book, which is well worth having). Or maybe the new Esti trousers (although I think Safiya are much nicer). They're all TATB so will be familiar in terms of instructions etc.

Have fun at G&G - fabric heaven!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 16/08/2023 09:07

Thanks @ReviewingTheSituation Yes, I’ve got my old sheet all ready but was still too scared!

I think I’ll try the Jaimie in a viscose anyway. They can always be lounge pants if they look too pyjama-ish. Will also have a look at her other patterns.

AnnieSnap · 16/08/2023 10:46

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie high street sizes and patterns sizes are not usually the same. Always go off your measurements. That said, I often go off the ‘finished garment measurements’ because I know how much ease I want. It would be best for you to make a toile (practice one) of the bodice to check for fit. I used an old sheet for that. I still make them if I’m uncertain how a new pattern will fit.

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 16/08/2023 21:42

Thanks, @AnnieSnap The sheet is poised, waiting for me to be brave.

My trip to Guthrie and Ghani was lovely. The staff were fabulous.

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