I want to make my own dress!

wilykit

Hi everyone,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place..

I really want to have a go at making my own dress, but I am a bit unsure of where to start as I have never done anything like this before!

Anyone have any tips/advice/pointers etc. I have my sister on hand with the sewing machine!

miss_scrooge

Could get a book out the library about pattern cutting think that's what it's called or they might even have a book how to make dresses.

yazzine

I like to take patterns from the following site as ideas http://www.sewdirect.com/

Plenty of helpful videos on youtube - how to make your body form (dummy)/ How to cut a pattern / How to sew without a pattern.

You could also try simplicity patterns on youtube for guides.

tyllwyd

I'm a bit confused - why have you decided that you want to make your own dress if you have no experience? Is it to teach yourself how to do it? Do you just want to make a dress from a pattern or do you want to design it as well? Have you got a material in mind?

My mum taught me the basics of dress making when I was a teenager, but it is something where it helps to have a teacher - if you've never done it at all, and you go out to buy a pattern it is going to be pretty confusing to start with. Have you tried any dress making classes at your local college?

wilykit

I have seen a particular material I like and wanted to have a go at making one - I have no experience but my sister offered to help. I have found some tutorials online we are going to try.

aggypanthus

It can be complicated for a novice. so many steps to learn . Must have- sharp scissors to cut out fabric, dont use the same ones to trim the paper pattern as paper cutting blunts fabric scissors. Start with a simple shift style dress is poss. Will it need a zip, thats tricky for a learner .
Its all second nature to me , been sewing for years, good luck, shall watch this thread, pardon the pun lol

JoolzS

https://www.patternreview.com is a great (albeit dated looking) resource. If you find a pattern you like the look of, you can check to see if people have posted reviews of it on there, and there is also a very useful forum. I found it after I'd been sewing for about six months and found it incredibly useful for quite a long time. I now tend to read sewing blogs more than forums, but I still look there for pattern reviews before buying.

If you do find a pattern you like, then the best thing to do is make a muslin (also known as a toile) of the dress in a cheap fabric first. I use second hand quilt covers for this part. A lot of the sewing bloggers have great tutorials for things such as installing zips - Tasia at https://www.sewaholic.net has posted some very good tutorials.

I am completely self-taught and since I started sewing, about seven years ago, have bought virtually no clothing. I make about 90% of all my clothes now.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy it.

wilykit

Its more of a ittle project for now, and if all goes well I will carry it on and make more dresses and clothing for myself!

I have replaced a zip on a dress one - by hand, and it turned out really well so at least I can do that haha.

I have some spare fabric I was going to use as a practice piece first

I enjoy making things, I know its a bit different but I recently bought a pair of plain black dolly pumps and stitched my own design onto them (took me hours!) x