Any seamstresses or dressmakers?

Basically, I really enjoy sewing, as it was one of my Mums big hobbies when she was younger, and she wanted to go to college to be a fashion designer but my Gran wouldn't let her....

So I tend to do a little bit of sewing, I'm not brilliant. I have a crappy little machine my Great Aunt bought me about 5 years ago, and it was possibly already 20 years old then. It does the trick.

Anyway, I'd really love to make some nice clothes. I've never done anything like that before. I tend to stick to pillowcases, bags and sock monkeys (and rabbits!).

I went into a charity shop yesterday (I think you call them goodwill stores?) and bought a cotton A line skirt in this big black and white bold print. It was really nice, and only £4 (new!) but its calf length and unbelievably unflattering on me. I intended to shorten it to above knee length for me but then I realised I already have a flowery black mini skirt! So I pulled it up to above my bust, put a waist cincher belt around the waist/empire line, added some elastic to the top (it was a bit loose) and sewed some ribbon straps on. Voila! A little printed prom style dress, for probably less than a fiver!

So I got thinking, how difficult would it be to make one of these? I always wear dresses (I hate my stomach so I don't like wearing trousers or skirts much). It wouldnt need to be shaped around the waist or hips as it could be a-line from the empire line. I would just want to top to be a little shaped and maybe have a sweetheart neckline or similar.

How difficult would this be for a sort-of beginner and how would I go about it? What materials work best (I'd like a little jersey one, but isn't jersey quite hard to work with?) I will ask my Mum later but she doesn't have much time for things like this any more, hence why we have a big blanket box full of patterns and bags of material!

Hoping there are some keen seamstresses out there!

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

I've been making dance costume's for year's. Mainly panto costume's though, we just shot them together as they only have to last a week. lol Im not the best sewer in the world and ive picked up loads of bad habits! Best take advice from someone else. lol

Talk about bad habits, when I was at school we had to pin everything, tack everything, sew everything, then untack everything. Now I just sew over the pins. Way too lazy!

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

try looking for a sewing forum. my mom and grandma sew 'all the time' which for mom means when she has time. but they're both really good at it. so i know enough at the moment to be a danger. one thing i can tell you is that the jersey is going to be hard and might come out really bad. if you like dresses try finding a tee shirt you really like and cutting the bottom of(empire waist area) and putting some calico on to form a skirt. mom made a swing top for me like that when i was a little and i loved it! but i'd really encourage you to find a sewing forum. there's a 'community' on Jo-Annes.i know it's american, but it's all i can give you right now, i gotta go get dinner:biggrin2:

hope that helps a bit!

Most of the time i don't even bother pinning! lol The only time i do is if i REALLY have too

I am too lazy to tack also, I tend to have my daughter help me cut out the patterns and she usually forgets to cut out the notches. They write pattern instructions that are so difficult to understand I usually end up improvising. I did find a line of patterns called "sewing for dummies" They actually have simple instructions...I found this one on Simplicity. I don't know if its exactally what your looking for.



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Thanks for the link. I'm going to to sewing shop on Thursday before work, I just realised I've lost the thing the bobbin sits in from my machine so I need to get a new one! I'm going to check out the patterns there. I haven't looked at their patterns for years, they were always really outdated, I hope they've improved!

Also found a great site which has patterns for free, and some better patterns for very very cheap.

I spoke to my Mum and one Saturday we are going to go to her friends house, who used to be a.... I can't remember what its called! The people that change and rework the patterns. She used to own a wedding dress shop so she should be able to help me, as my Mum hasn't made anything for years.

Wish me luck!

Fran :hearts :brownbunny