Plain, flowery, long, short, with or without sleeves… Can we imagine women’s wardrobe without dresses? What if you try to sew your own clothes by yourself? You don’t need to have sewing skills like a tailor. All you need is a sewing machine, sewing pattern, scissors, some marking tools and… you! Go read our tips for sewing and start creating your own style!
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Why you should love sewing…
Why is sewing on your own so extra? Firstly, you don’t need to go shopping and waste your time looking for the best dress. Can you remember THESE days when the shopping mall was so crowded, you had to go from shop to shop and none of those beautiful clothes fitted you? In the end, you abandoned your dreamed-of dress and chose the one which didn’t fit the bill at all.
What is more, you can create your own fashion, based on what you really like. There are a lot of dresses sewing patterns (e.g. HERE) which let you establish clothes for every day and every special event like wedding, birthday party and others! And what if you can work in the fashion industry? Can you imagine making clothing for other people? Today you read a beginner’s guide, but who knows what the future will be? 😉
The next benefit is that you can save money when you start sewing clothes by yourself. All you need to buy are sewing patterns, fabrics, and threads. Even if you won’t use all of the material, you can reuse the fabric scraps for other clothes, e.g., a t-shirt.
Last but not least, when you sew a dress by yourself, you can fit every part of the clothing to your body shape. You just need to thoroughly measure your height, waist, shoulders, and legs, and you can sew every dress or skirt you want!
Go sew your first garment!
To sew your dress you will need:
- Sewing pattern, instructions,
- Chosen fabric,
- Sewing machine,
- Scissors,
- Marker,
- Measuring tape,
- Ornaments, such as pebbles, gems etc., (if you want).
Step 1 — Choose the sewing pattern and fabric
Firstly you need to imagine your dress and choose a dress pattern which will be the best for you. Most patterns are very easy, even for someone without experience in sewing. In retail shops, you will find a lot of pattern pieces, which will help you while making your own dress. Following the expert advice, measure your body with the measuring tape to choose the best size of the pattern. You need to do it very carefully, especially if you want to sew a sheath dress.
The next stage is to choose the dress fabric. You just need to find something which will meet your color, texture, and pattern needs. You can choose plain color, without any additional printing, or find a flowery, colorful material with a crazy print. Fabric choice is very significant because it will decide how you will feel in your new dress. While looking for the best option, you can consult your choice with a sales assistant in the shop, who will help you with selecting fabric and maybe propose better and inexpensive fabric suggestions. You should buy approximately 2-3 yards of material (it depends on the final length of your dress).
Step 2 — Prepare the fabrics
After your purchase, wash the fabric, and after drying, do the ironing. It will help to remove any wrinkles or stains. Your material needs to be prepared securely to let you begin sewing your own clothes.
Step 3 — Do the cutting
Firstly, lay flat your fabric and put the chosen pattern over the top. Following the traced lines, slowly do the small cuts to make straight edges. While cutting, remember to add ½ inch of extra fabric to make the seam allowance later. You can use the marker to outline the best shape. If your outfit has sleeves, you should cut them out as separate pieces. While cutting, remember about shoulder seam — add some extra fabrics. Repeat those actions to cut out the back of your dress.
Step 4 — Time for sewing machine
Sewing patterns should include tips about sewing action. But if they don’t, you should start from the sides of the dress. Remember to turn the material inside-out and fold ¼ of an inch over on either side. You can use the iron to flatten the fabrics out. Then sew alongs front and back by using the zigzag stitch on your machine. Use the top stitch to unite the formed seam with the rest of the outfit.
Now, time to sew the neckline. Fold ¼ of an inch of fabrics and help yourself by ironing the edge. Then use straight stitch to make the simple collar. You can measure the distance from your neck to desired bust and sew as deep cleavage as you want. If you want to sew a V-neck dress, just cut out the fabrics in the middle of the neckline and, after folding the fabrics, sew it.
Step 5 — Remember about hem
To avoid fraying, you have to sew the hem. After folding ¼ of an inch of fabrics on the bottom of the cloth, use a straight stitch to unite the folded edge.
Step 6 — Add the zipper and ornaments
If you want to put on your new dress easier, you can add a zipper on the side or the back of the garment. You can also add ornaments which will truly express your style. Don’t be shy with using blings, sew-on badges or other accessories. Everything’s ready? Then just start wearing your new clothes sewn by yourself!
Dressmaking — it’s easy!
Making your own clothes can be a really thrilling activity. Even if you think that it is difficult, don’t worry! As we all know — practice makes perfect. At the start, you can find an easy pattern (try sewing patterns made by Ministry of Patterns) and try to sew something small. You can also watch a lot of YouTube tutorials and try to sew a garment by following the video. Maybe you will find groups on Facebook with people who work on the same pattern as you, so you will be able to exchange opinions and more tips with them. Good luck!
Read Also: How To Dress If You Are A Petite Woman