Dress for £2.05

sb88_2

Hello!

Just wanted to share my joy, after taking up a part time sewing class (2 hours every thursday) I've become proficent enough to be able to make my own dress!

So today I sat down at my sewing machine and made my first dress from start to finish, I have never had something test my patients so much before!

The dress is made from a piece of sheer indian fabric (embroided aswell) I bought in a charity shop for £1, and satin bias binding for £1.05, (took the pattern from a dress I already owned)

The cotton was free, so that was a total of £2.05 to make a brand new dress!!

Very old school and feeling very proud that I made it myself

alisean221

Sounds great!!!! Can you manage to show us a photo.

sb88_2

I'm going to ask my OH to take a photo tomorrow! He's already gone to bed and I need his help!

anyone else made themselves an item of clothing on the cheap?

meritaten

Well done you! I worked as a sewing machinist in a factory which made clothes for M&S (in the good old days) and ever since have had an aversion to sewing machines! But, I do admire those who make thier own clothes - so I congratulate you - I think Sari fabrics are gorgeous, and if you have made clothes out of them, they must be exceptional!

Emm-in-a-pickle

Well done SB - I learned to sew on my mum`s old treadle when I was about 10 years old, `helping` with using up scraps, making pillowcases out of old sheets, and doll`s blankets & stuff. In my teens made most of my own stuff, (minis didn`t take so much fabric!) and then there wasw no stopping me, made most of the kids` clothes, ragdolls/teddies etc, till about 15 years ago, working full-time, needing specs/someone else to thread a needle, a pair of arthritic thumbs that I have to mollycoddle (they don`t like scissors!).
I rarely even sew a button on now, haven`t sewed for the grandchildren, but I STILL love to hear of someone like you discovering what you CAN do and remember that delicious buzz from making your own clothes.

PasturesNew

Plus £300 + materials for the evening class....

Florenceem

meritaten wrote: »

Well done you! I worked as a sewing machinist in a factory which made clothes for M&S (in the good old days) and ever since have had an aversion to sewing machines! But, I do admire those who make thier own clothes - so I congratulate you - I think Sari fabrics are gorgeous, and if you have made clothes out of them, they must be exceptional!

Opposite for me - I too worked as a machinist for M&S - just love sewing!

Florenceem

Emm-in-a-pickle wrote: »

Well done SB - I learned to sew on my mum`s old treadle when I was about 10 years old, `helping` with using up scraps, making pillowcases out of old sheets, and doll`s blankets & stuff. In my teens made most of my own stuff, (minis didn`t take so much fabric!) and then there wasw no stopping me, made most of the kids` clothes, ragdolls/teddies etc, till about 15 years ago, working full-time, needing specs/someone else to thread a needle, a pair of arthritic thumbs that I have to mollycoddle (they don`t like scissors!).
I rarely even sew a button on now, haven`t sewed for the grandchildren, but I STILL love to hear of someone like you discovering what you CAN do and remember that delicious buzz from making your own clothes.

Ouch! I dread not being able to sew/knit/craft. I am going to do it as long as I can.

wifefaefife

Well done, I really wish I could sew......maybe one day. Looking forward to a photo of your dress xx

westcoastscot

PasturesNew wrote: »

Plus £300 + materials for the evening class....

Surely that's an investment though - OP will have many years of using this skill.

OP well done, sari material is difficult to sew for a beginner, quite slipppery. Looking forward to seeing the pics

WCS

Ballymackeonan

Congratulations! I've done something similar - I made a 70s style skirt for this winter with a skirt length I'd bought for £2 at a CB and using a pattern that was in a bundle I got for £1 at a CS! The zip came off something else - if you're putting stuff out to a CS that is only fit for salvage, take off zips and buttons first.. a tip from my granny. This one came out of my mum's sewing basket.


I'm old enough to have done basic sewing at junior school, only did one year of domestic science (as it was called then) after that (I switched to Latin instead, a whole other story..) so never learnt to use a machine. So on the basis that if I made a total mess of things it wouldn't cost much, I spent a wet Sunday making it, and really enjoyed it (and it fits - as well as being on trend and really cosy!) I did need to refer to the sewing machine manual a lot at first, but luckily it was still there - the machine was my mother's too...

Since then I've got some more fabric lengths at CSs and CBs - last Saturday 3 lengths of vintage tweed (each 54" x 60") for £10 at a CS! I've got my eye on a lush length of green velvet at the moment...