Making shirts

DullGreyGuy

Not exactly money saving but... I've bought bespoke shirts before and they fit way better than anything else but are expensive and I dont fully appreciate all the handwork.

Ive collected some interesting fabrics I want to have made into shirts but with my previous guy charges full price even though I provide the fabric which make them worse value than his normal shirts. 

Have found eastern companies that will recreate a pattern but then you have the faff of international postage and taxes which could add a lot on the first couple. 

So the long shot... anyone know any shirtmakers who'll remake shirts in supplied fabric?

theoretica

Ask around your area for tailors/seamstresses.  It isn't an uncommon skill or home business.  Or learn to sew yourself...

DullGreyGuy

theoretica said:

Ask around your area for tailors/seamstresses.  It isn't an uncommon skill or home business.  Or learn to sew yourself...

Living in central London you get pushed to one of two types... expensive bespoke places in St James that charge more than my previous tailor or digital start ups that wont consider using customer supplied fabrics.  

BdetteNoDebt

there is a lot more to making a decent shirt than some people realise and it is very time consuming. a pattern will need to be made from an existing shirt, also other materials are required - buttons, threads,  stiffener, interface ,etc. people aren't always aware of those things. I trained as a pattern cutter and seamstress and people always assumed it was cheaper to have things made 'at home' than buying from a store but that's not always the case. It might be work taking a one off hit and getting a pattern made bespoke.

DullGreyGuy

BdetteNoDebt said:

there is a lot more to making a decent shirt than some people realise and it is very time consuming. a pattern will need to be made from an existing shirt, also other materials are required - buttons, threads,  stiffener, interface ,etc. people aren't always aware of those things. I trained as a pattern cutter and seamstress and people always assumed it was cheaper to have things made 'at home' than buying from a store but that's not always the case. It might be work taking a one off hit and getting a pattern made bespoke.

I am not expecting it to be cheaper, very much the opposite @BdetteNoDebt, my desire is driven by wanting a shirt that fits well out of the fabrics I own. 

The big names tailors in London, or travelling ones from Naples, will do it but the costs are very high even if I provide the material and those offering a digital lower cost model wont deal with customer supplied fabric.

I've had bespoke shirts before (a travelling tailor from Naples) but in recent years his costs have gone up massively, he's really got too much work on now so commissions take an age and he always wants to do everything in person so there is just 2 days every six weeks you can see him and often he's fullybooked. Hence hoping to find someone more local that doest have to cover the premium of having a shop on Jermny St etc.

moonreader

I have been thinking to customize some T-shirts for my co-workers. 

DullGreyGuy

Using a heat press to apply transfers presumably @moonreader? 

Have done that before for fun but no way is my sewing ever going to get me to be able to make smart shirts