Does anyone else make their own clothes

mollymunchkin

I'm very much a beginner and have made roman blinds, tab top curtains, normal pencil pleat curtains (massive floor length bay window jobbies!), nappy stacker, baby patchwork quilt, tote bags, child's apron, etc.

My latest "creation" is a laundry bag made from some vintage cotton with the word 'laundry' hand embroidered on the front with a washing line with tiny clothes appliqued on it. I was wanting to make one but was giving myself brainache trying to work out the casing for the drawstring bit and there is a pattern in this month's Prima magazine :j It looks nice I just hope the recipient doesn't notice the mistakes

I've not tried dressmaking and quite frankly, it scares me a bit. I'm hanging onto my Prima patterns just in case I fancy having a go. My next project is a baby's bib, just as soon as I find some terry towelling.

Edited to add: This blog http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/ has some great ideas for all sorts of projects

noonesperfect

I've looked at the Prima patterns (get my subscripton with clubcard points), but their sizings are in cm which puts me off immediately and they are also rather mean. Since I don't know how to adapt patterns properly it puts me off, plus I've no way of knowing whether it's going to fit till it's finished!
Even though I've kept trying at each stage. Plus fabric is so expensive now :eek: .
I made a summer kimono type dressing gown for my Mother not long before she died and the fabric alone was over £30.

No I'm afraid I don't bother now, but have made pencil skirts successfully in the past - I'm not stock shape now :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: .

Hardup_Hester

I will do simple alterations for people, replacing pockets & shortening trousers, skirts or curtains, but I find most people don't want to pay a reasonable amount. I charge £3 to £5 to shorten a pair of trousers & that is considered too much if someone only paid £10 for the trousers to begin with.

Mrs_Flittersnoop

I made some money last year from altering bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses but I have to say I will never do it again. The brides were just not willing to pay for my time and expertise, some of the alterations were quite complicated involving extra beading or completely remodelling bodices etc and they seemed to think that the alterations should come free with their dresses :mad:

I never did get the outstanding £85 back from one of them who kindly wrote me a rubber cheque.

Nowadays I will just sew for myself, and for those close to me who appreciate it.

Mrs F

wannabe_a_mum

I learnt to sew by watching my grandmother who used ot make ALL our indian clothes from when we were little (we never bought readymade indian clothes when we were little!)

At first I made outfits for my barbie and Sindy dolls, then for the 3ft doll my sister had. Eventually when I was 11/12 I decided to take the plunge and make clothes for me. I thought I'd go to a class run in the school holidays......when I got there though I found it way too slow! After the first lesson, I went home and completed sewing an outfit, for which we'd only been taught how to make the paper pattern. I went back the next week, and was told to go home as I'd gone too far ahead and clearly didn't need to be at the class (this was said in the most patronising way!)

So, I carried on making outfits for me and my sister. I put to gether a design portfolio of my designss (I was insistent I wanted to be a fashion designer when I grew up!). In the break following my GCSE's my mum was taken very ill, by this time, my grandma had died (9 months earlier) and it was just me, mum and my sister. My mum was confined to bed for around 3 months, and after this time, we thought we needed a break, so we decided to visit relatives "up north" for a few weeks. For this, we'd need new clothes. Mum had never really taken to dressmaki she's more of a kitchen person!......my grandma always used to dread any new sewing project mum started as she'd leave it halfway through!

So anyway, at the age of 16 I decided to make a whole new indian clothes wardrobe for us 3.......
In the space of 2 weeks I made us all enough casual and formal wear outfits for our holidays..................
Each outfit was uniquely designed - I took ideas from my design portfolio.

My designs and outfits were a huge hit with our relatives and we had to do a fashion show style parade of all the outfits I'd made. They wanted me to do some tailoring for them too - mum ws having none of it.....

I gave up sewign for a few years through 6th form and uni (occasionally sewing in the summer breaks)

After I married, I was all into my career, then when I fell pregnant in 2001, I struggled to find asian/indian clothes in maternity wear....so decided to make my own. Before I got started though unfortunately, I miscarried - I'd had such good design ideas too.
Then came health problems, failing eyesight (all before the aged of 24!) and I didn't touch my sewing machine for a few years.

Recently, my eyesight has been corrected and I can now "see to sew" again - I make my own patterns, my own designs and have 4 sewing machines at my disposal.....................only to find, that asian and western clothes are so affordable, you can buy designer asian clothes, in all sizes at such good prices!

BUT I am intent on carrying on sewing, if only to satusfy my creative side!
I'll rebuild a portfolio and one day hopefully want to start dressmaking tuition classes.

I'd never be a dressmaker/tailor professionally though, as it's backbreaking work.

Sorry for the long post, I just really wanted to share, as nobody in my generation (I'm 28) in my acquaintances has any interest, knowledge or experience in dressmaking.

I haven't seen any propoer dressmaking shops recently though - something like "Gordon Thoday's" of the 1980's does anyone remember them? Used to go there as a child!
And the original Bull Ring Market in Birmingham with all the various stalls....I used to love going there with grandma!

NemoToad

I really want to start making my own clothes. I love customising and I think it would be a good next step. I ordered a sewing machine a few weeks ago, but I think the site I ordered it from is dodge. The money went out my account but I haven't heard anything from them, or received the sewing machine. Emails I send keep bouncing

Olliebeak

NemoToad wrote: »

I really want to start making my own clothes. I love customising and I think it would be a good next step. I ordered a sewing machine a few weeks ago, but I think the site I ordered it from is dodge. The money went out my account but I haven't heard anything from them, or received the sewing machine. Emails I send keep bouncing

Is their web-site still up and running and looking as though it's advertising their products?

Maybe somebody could 'pretend' to be an interested customer and see what their reaction is to another possible sale. Could be worth a try .

NemoToad

Olliebeak wrote: »

Is their web-site still up and running and looking as though it's advertising their products?

Maybe somebody could 'pretend' to be an interested customer and see what their reaction is to another possible sale. Could be worth a try .

I used this website http://www.singerdirect.co.uk/site/?&gcid=S16738x005&keyword=Singer

It keeps advertising that it has a sale and changing the date that it ends, which makes me think it's more and more suspect.

caleo

Sexy_Em wrote: »

I jus wanted to let people know that Abakhan has an online shop

http://www.abakhan-onlineshop.co.uk/

Does anyone have any advice for buying a sewing machine?

I have recdently taken up sewing again, and found http://www.thesewingforum.co.uk forums great to read through and find out about various machines.

I ended up buying the Janome 4618, and have found it to be a nice machine with enough details for me.

Hope you find something that will suit you.

caleo

NemoToad wrote: »

I used this website http://www.singerdirect.co.uk/site/?&gcid=S16738x005&keyword=Singer

It keeps advertising that it has a sale and changing the date that it ends, which makes me think it's more and more suspect.

Have you tried calling to find out the status of your order? It seems strange that you have not had any conact from them.