Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: libby1 on July 30, 2015, 09:01:31 PM
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Hi girls
I'd love to be able to do this and follow a pattern :). Is it easy, or should I try and find a course?
Libby
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Lots of YouTube help if you get stuck.
What are you thinking of making ?
Honeyb
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I've done a lot of dress making in the past - I grew up with my mother and grandmother dressmaking and they taught me the basics - I am certainly not that good as I'm a bit lazy and never finish things off well but it was useful for making costumes for my kids. I would definitely try and find a beginners course as this will give you some simple techniques that you can build on. Maybe a local evening class or ad] weekend course somewhere?
I think having someone to demonstrate and guide you at the beginning is a good way to start anything practical like dressmaking. DG x
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Start with something fairly simple. I used to make my own clothes, but eventually got fed up with it. It's a good thing to be able to do though, so give it a try.
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I don't make clothes now....did costumes for kids years ago. I have done curtains too.
It's handy to be able to make something if you want. The extent of my sewing now is doing minor alterations.
Honeyb
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A dress or skirt would be nice but haven't got a clue how to start ;D
Libby
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You can buy patterns online. Not that many shops left that do them.
My daughter does dress design as part of her degree. They draw their own patterns and are not even allowed to use pins when cutting out. :o
Now that is well beyond me.
Honeyb
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Is there an Adult Learning Course this Autumn in your area?
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I'm looking into a course nearby :). But I'm wondering whether to give it a try on my own first :o
Libby
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:-X …….. I wouldn't ……….
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depends how confident you are. If it doesn't work you could lose your motivation. Do you know anyone who could give you some guidance?
I remember the first thing I made at school in needlework was an apron :) I sewed and knitted most of my children's clothes when they were young and even made husband a pair of summer trousers once.
Do you know anyone with a young child. Children's clothes are a good starting point because they are small, but you wouldn't want it so small as to be too fiddly.
I wish I still had a sewing machine
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Sewing machines sell for pennies at auction.
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mum had a Singer, I wish I had kept it now :(
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they turn up in auction ………. or antique fairs ……..
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A new machine is not that expensive and it's better than an old fashioned one any day.
A Xmas present maybe.
Honeyb
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Do you have a friend who could come across one afternoon for a few hours and guide you through a simple pattern? Do you know the basics like threading the bobbin and threading the needle etc?
Bramble
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What? No pins HB. Heavens that's a bit risky surely?
There are basic modern machines in one of the big high Street stores. My daughter thought of getting one to do some crafts, except she's never found the time.
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I was given a sewing machine for my birthday and did manage to make a lined shopping bag :banana:
But that's as far as I've got :-\
Libby
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I did a lot of dress designing and sewing in my teens and 20s. I learned how to draft the patterns at high school and I actually enjoyed that part more than the actual sewing, but I used to make up the design just to see what it looked like in reality. Back then I made most of my own clothing, and being quite a fashionable little miss, I always felt quite smug that all my clothes were original designs and I wouldn't see half a dozen of me at the "discos"..lol...
I did consider studying fashion design, but life got in the way, and over the years I got a bit tired of it. Now I can't be bothered. I don't have any interest in fashion anymore, and I'm quite happy to buy off the rack from my local shops. I'm now retired and I thought about taking up my old hobby, but I just don't have the interest anymore, plus I don't have the skinny bitch figure I used to have, so I don't get the same joy out of clothes now..lol...
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Some sewing machine shops or material shops run 1 day courses for beginners. May be worth a try?
Bramble
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my seamstress who alters my clothes is also a trained tailoress and she trained at saville row in london. She makes patterns from scratch by holding the paper against the client and drawing round it. She never ceases to amaze me how she does it but it works every time.
She makes such a difference to the fit of my clothes as jeans and trousers are always too big on the waist (size 10 to my waist then size 12 below waist)
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HobbyCraft often run 'work shops'