DIY Dressmaking

Have you ever sewn your own clothes before? I’ve knitted a few things, but until I started quilting last year, I hadn’t touched a sewing machine in about a decade. Then, last week, this happened:

That’s my sister, by the way. My first thought (that I didn’t voice), was why she hadn’t asked our Mum to do it, who is a wonderful sewer, and has made many items of clothing over the years (I, on the other hand, have made none!).

The answer? She had. My mother, the veteran sewer, had ruled that there was not enough time. What had I got myself in to?

We went straight to spotlight to get supplies (I was eager to get started A.S.A.P.). We picked lightweight velveteen for the main fabric, and just a standard lining fabric for the lining. All of the fabric, plus the zip, came to around $50 – much cheaper than if you had gone out to buy a dress! The pattern itself cost about $20.

By some miracle, the pattern she picked out was “fast and easy”. Well, supposedly, anyway.

It took me about 3/4 of Iron Man 3 to cut out the pattern, pin it to the fabric, and cut out the pieces. Then I had to say a sad goodbye to Robert Downey Jr and head up to the room that was to become my sewing dungeon for the next three days.

I should add that the first time I looked at the pattern, I was like…

Whaaaaaaaaat.

Luckily, Mum was around to interpret, and once I could actually understand what those ridiculously complicated instructions were telling me, I was able to get underway.

My first zipper (I had to redo this 3 times! Once it was wonky, once I sewed the zipper shut, and the third time, I realised we’d bought the wrong length by about a foot!). By the way, can you tell that we have a cat??

Front and back… Looking a bit like a tent!

Then I had to repeat the whole process with the lining!

Dress and lining coming together, WITH the correct zip this time!

I had to try it on to get the split the right height, seeing as my model had flitted off somewhere! Not bad, huh ;) It was the first time I had been out of my pyjamas all day (shhhh!!). In fact, you can see them on the floor there…

The proper model, fitting in the dress somewhat better! All I had left to do at this point was finish the edges and hems.

Aaaand finished! I’m kind of like a Fairy God Sister! You go, Cinderella!

So, what did I learn from making my first dress? Well, first I learned how to interpret the stupid complicated pattern. Then, I learned that there is in fact a little ruler on the sewing machine, so you know exactly how much seam allowance you are leaving! Genius! I wish I had noticed that when I was quilting… Finally, don’t make a dress in one weekend, unless you enjoy being a hermit. Lucky for me, I do!

Have any of you sewn your own clothes? Leave a comment below, and include a photo if you have one!!

Tamara <3