learning to make clothes...

Former Member

I already knit, and i can (half heartedly) do repairs and some alterations, but i really want to actually make my own clothes from my own designs...

but whats the best way to go about learning how to do this? i can't really afford to go on a course right now, so are there any books that will show you how to make your own designs and patterns, and teach you the sewing techniques?

btw, i will also be buying a jenome sewing machine for my birthday, so i will be able to get the practice in!

Former Member

I'm halfway through making my first proper piece of clothing, I'm making a dorothy dress for a fancy dress party. I've made the basic skirt but its not hemmed yet or have a waistline

Skirts are the easiest to make. Just get a pattern and follow what it tells you to do. Some dresses are quite easy too. Trousers and shirts are hard. When you get your sewing machine try making a few cushion covers, you can experiment with putting in zips and buttons etc

Former Member

Just practice! Go to a charity shop, get some cheap plus size clothing, which you can rip up the seams and attempt to make a skirt or something out of.

Keep your eyes open in shops/magazines etc and see how things are put together, how many pieces of material, where the hems and seams are, how its tailored, it'll give you a good idea of how clothes 'work'.

Looking at patterns was helpful for me too, you can get them cheap in charity shops, even if they're the wrong size for you, you again get to see how the different shapes fit together and you can use it as a guide.

Perhaps get a sewing book out the library too? I've learnt the most from just buying cheap material and getting on with it, and yeah you make mistakes and have to undo some of it, but you learn from it. Good luck!