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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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ThisOrdinaryLife · 29/08/2023 21:57

I'd love to join in please - you all sound lovely and I'm impressed with everyone's makes.
I'm a total beginner with a question about viscose - is it easy or difficult to sew?
I have a Janome machine and have played about with it on scraps of fabric but never made an item of clothing.
The pattern I've bought is a Simplicity Vintage Kaftan and I'm looking for something wafty and flouncy. I have a 100 Stars Kaftan and it's made from Viscose and Cupro, so I want to use similar as it hangs really nicely and the pattern looks simple, but I imagine it's quite slippy to work with?
Any advice would be most welcome.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 29/08/2023 22:09

Viscose is quite variable imo. Sometimes it can be quite lineny, sometimes more slippy like silk.
If you have trouble with it slipping there are a number of things you can try as well as pins such as clips, or basting tape or glue which dissolve when it is washed.

ThisOrdinaryLife · 29/08/2023 22:29

Thank you @TheCountessofFitzdotterel that's great advice I'll look into those options as I think I'll need all the help I can get. 😊

PickAChew · 29/08/2023 23:33

If you choose something similar to your kaftan, it will be the devil to sew with!

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 30/08/2023 08:34

I agree a smooth viscose is not an obvious choice for a beginner.
Could you do it in a light cotton instead? You could think of it as a wearable toile and once you have practiced the pattern you could have another go in a more challenging fabric.

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 08:40

@PickAChew @TheCountessofFitzdotterel I thought I might have set myself a bit of a challenge, beginner's naivity! I'm wondering if I should try in with some cotton sheeting, that's probably cheap and it won't matter if I make lots of mistakes. I can only buy online at the moment, is there a good go to place for simple cotton that you'd recommend?
Thanks 🙂

Brieandbeetroot · 30/08/2023 09:20

@ThisOrdinaryLife it sounds like me, full of excellent ideas that I'm not quite ready to put into practice yet! 😆 If only I lived with my mother or mother in law I'd be whipping stuff up in no time!

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 09:38

Brieandbeetroot · 30/08/2023 09:20

@ThisOrdinaryLife it sounds like me, full of excellent ideas that I'm not quite ready to put into practice yet! 😆 If only I lived with my mother or mother in law I'd be whipping stuff up in no time!

Oh I'm pleased it's not just me then! 😁
This is the bit I like about learning a new skill though, it's that vision/idea you have in your head and working out how on earth you're going to accomplish it, I find that challenge such an uplifting distraction from the difficult stuff of life. You are so lucky to have two sewing guru's in your life - are you making something at the moment?
My next job is to work out how much fabric I need - no idea how to do that but I know I'll work it out somehow 🤔

InMySpareTime · 30/08/2023 10:06

Patterns usually tell you how much fabric you need, but if in doubt get too much then you can fuck it up with impunity.
I will always advocate for more fabric, that's why I have an enormous fabric stash and no clue what to make of it.

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 10:11

InMySpareTime · 30/08/2023 10:06

Patterns usually tell you how much fabric you need, but if in doubt get too much then you can fuck it up with impunity.
I will always advocate for more fabric, that's why I have an enormous fabric stash and no clue what to make of it.

😂'Fuck it up with impunity' - that's going to be my sewing motto right there!

Brieandbeetroot · 30/08/2023 11:08

@ThisOrdinaryLife I have set my grandmother's sewing machine table up in a spare room, and need to settle on a pattern. I'm struggling to find something I'd like to wear that isn't going to be totally out of my comfort zone. I thought perhaps something like an A-line skirt, which I would definitely wear. I'd like to use an autumn/winter friendly fabric though rather than cotton or linen, and not sure what's best. I definitely have visions of myself poring over a garment and creating something beautiful, but I suspect there will be some "fucking up with impunity" to get through first 😆

Brieandbeetroot · 30/08/2023 11:09

My DM made all my dancing costumes as a child and my MIL made her own wedding dress, so they definitely have skills!

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 30/08/2023 11:09

It’s a good motto. It’s easy otherwise to freeze especially with nice fabric.
My motto is ‘piecing is period’. Basically for the period I sew there’s a lot of evidence that even the most high status garments had sections pieced because cloth could be eye wateringly expensive and often woven in narrower strips than later. Then I decided that since my modern clothes are mostly just made for me and I can do them however I damn well like I should be relaxed about having to have a random extra seam somewhere because I’m trying to get away with less fabric to save money and avoid waste. So I tend to under rather than overbuy and it is generally fine particularly as patterns tend to overestimate and I am quite short. My favourite trouser pattern officially needs 2.7m. Actually it needs 2m. I have a 1.75m piece of wool and I reckon I can get a pair out of it if I put another panel of about 10cm on the bottom which will either be a different wool or pieces from the leftovers.
However if you are 1. not too experienced and 2. Using inexpensive cotton then I would echo the pp’s advice to overbuy. You can always make a top from the leftovers.

Rosenspants · 30/08/2023 11:54

@ThisOrdinaryLife might cotton lawn work? It’s one of my favourites for drape and waft but I’m also a beginner and find it lovely to sew with.

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 12:54

@Brieandbeetroot How lovely! Imagine all the history that sewing machine has witnessed. Weren’t women clever then in a way that was not visible like it is now with social media platforms - I so admire those generations just quietly making things that benefitted their families. I wish I had a fraction of their skills to get me going. An A line winter skirt sounds fab to me. 😊
@TheCountessofFitzdotterel That’s so true about freezing, I’ve always saved things for best and realised I’ll never get to use/ wear/enjoy things if I give them so much reverence and ultimately I’ll just be leaving a lot of stuff for my children to have to get rid of. So I’m diving in with this kaftan although I’m so inexperienced I’m taking on board making one with cheaper cotton to begin with. Something I loved watching on Sewing Bee was the way everyone just dived in with their scissors, they didn’t have time to be faffing about so I’m hoping to channel some of that lightheartedness otherwise I’ll never get going. 😁
But I totally understand that working with more expensive fabrics you have to be more careful and I’m sure that’s part of the excitement for an experienced sewer like yourself to be able to adapt the process through hard earned knowledge.
@Rosenspants Is cotton lawn like the Liberty fabrics? If so I have a tiny piece of one and I agree that it seems floaty and would hang well. It’s good to hear a fellow beginner finds it lovely to see with. I have to be careful to avoid the Demis Roussos look though so I’ll need to get a good fit - the 100 stars Kaftan I have is absolutely ginormous so I’m hoping one day to be able to take it in somehow but I’m scared to go near it with a pair of scissors until I’ve earnt my stripes making something first!

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 30/08/2023 13:05

Liberty Tana lawn is the absolute top end of lawn but there are plenty of cheaper ones that are not quite so crisp and closely woven.

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 14:22

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 30/08/2023 13:05

Liberty Tana lawn is the absolute top end of lawn but there are plenty of cheaper ones that are not quite so crisp and closely woven.

Cheaper is better for me to start with. Thanks for the advice - I can go high end later if it works out well.

PickAChew · 30/08/2023 15:17

The Pima lawn from Fabworks is a good shout. Half the price of the liberty. They also do have some of the tana lawn at a very good price.
https://fabworks.co.uk/collections/liberty-liberty-style-fabrics

Dalston mill have lots of cheaper cotton lawn in some lovely prints but the weave will definitely be looser.

LIBERTY & LIBERTY STYLE FABRICS

Fabworks Millshop - Online Fabric Store - specialist clothing fabric retailer based in West Yorkshire, UK.

https://fabworks.co.uk/collections/liberty-liberty-style-fabrics

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 15:45

PickAChew · 30/08/2023 15:17

The Pima lawn from Fabworks is a good shout. Half the price of the liberty. They also do have some of the tana lawn at a very good price.
https://fabworks.co.uk/collections/liberty-liberty-style-fabrics

Dalston mill have lots of cheaper cotton lawn in some lovely prints but the weave will definitely be looser.

Edited

Thanks for this, I’ll take a look as I’m not at all familiar with online fabric places, this will be a great start.
Really appreciate the generous advice on here, what a lovely corner of Mumsnet this is 😊

PickAChew · 30/08/2023 16:18

Just don't get caught out by the fact that most.online fabric stores sell by the half metre!

ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 16:27

Thanks @PickAChew I wouldn’t have spotted that!

Rosenspants · 30/08/2023 18:07

Yes agree… it doesn’t have to be Tana Lawn. There’s loads of other more reasonably priced, lovely cotton lawn fabrics around which feel floaty and would work for a lovely kimono or kaftan. I picked some of this up at a stitch show a while back. It’s so soft and made a favourite blouse out if it.
https://www.jennystitches.co.uk/products/cosmos-pima-cotton-lawn-white

Cosmos Pima Cotton Lawn - White

Where to begin with this stunning fabric?! Pima cotton is of the highest quality, it's structure of long cotton fibres and a high thread count make it closely comparable to Egyptian cotton. The finish is smooth and almost silky and it is super-soft to...

https://www.jennystitches.co.uk/products/cosmos-pima-cotton-lawn-white

Rosenspants · 30/08/2023 18:10

sorry if I’ve posted this before. Hopefully photo shows some idea of the drape

Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
ThisOrdinaryLife · 30/08/2023 20:28

That's gorgeous fabric @Rosenspants and I'm impressed with your sewing skills, what a lovely blouse 😍

ThisOrdinaryLife · 31/08/2023 08:44

Can anyone help me work out how much fabric I’m going to need please? I have no idea where to start 🤔
My pattern is the one on the right, Kaftan B.
Thank you 😁

Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome
Dressmaking - experienced and beginners welcome