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17-01-2019, 10:53 AM
1

Making/altering clothes.

Prompted by a post from Julie in another thread. Do any of you make/alter your own clothes?

I do - but not as often as I used to. If I need a special outfit I like to design and make my own.

Is there anything you would never attempt to make?
I once made a bra - but it was so 'labour intensive' and had so many pieces - a bit like a fabric jigsaw - that I have never made another one. It was quite comfortable to wear though.

The worst thing I have ever had to make - men's ties! I was dressing a wedding - bridal gown and two bridesmaids dresses. The groom, father of the bride, and best man all planned to wear 'York Grey' suits and wanted pale pink ties to go with them. Foolishly - I said I could make them with left over fabric from the bridesmaids dresses. What a nightmare. Made from slippery silk, cut on the bias and having to be lined - eek! They looked good when finished - but I vowed I would never make another one.
Julie1962
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17-01-2019, 11:20 AM
2

Re: Making/altering clothes.

I have been making my own and altering second hand (repurposing I call it) clothing for many years, started because it was a cheap way to get clothes but ended up because I like to be different and don't want to wear what everyone else does. Fashions come and go but I buck the trend all the time.

I too found a bra impossible to make twice although I do now make a wrap because I feel I need something even though I have lost my boobs.

I wrote about my big bloomers in another thread I think people saw it as a jokey way to describe my knickers but I really do make big bloomers. Cotton cover me from waist to knee with a bit of lace around the cuffs. Very old fashioned but so very comfortable.

I enjoy using second hand materials unpicking things and making something new out of them most. When I have to buy new fabric I always worry about wasting it by making mistakes but if I unpick something I feel more confident I'm just recycling. Daft I know as I have only ever made one mistake meant I wasted fabric but that stayed with me.

Most of it I taught myself, my nan taught me to knit I have pictures of me at 3 sat on her lap with her helping guide my knitting needles, but the sewing I picked up myself. Taught myself last year to make lace using you tube videos and pininterest tutorials. Takes a while to make but is far cheaper than buying it.

Something I am making at the moment is a coat, I don't often change my coats as they are not the easiest to make but I decided I need a new one. I have cut out the fabric and am quilting it with a soft padding at the moment before I sew it all together. My sewing machine is in for repair so I'm tacking it all in preparation to get the machine going on it.
My husband reckons if he can't hear clicking needles or the sewing machine going when he comes home I must be ill and unable to be making.

Only thing I really would like to learn to do and probably never will is make shoes, I make slippers and ballet pump type but proper shoes that must be fabulous to be able to do.
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17-01-2019, 11:31 AM
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Re: Making/altering clothes.

I also love to unpick and remake. My cousin lived in the far East for many years and, when she returned, she gave me several dresses made from Horrock's cotton. I unpicked the lovely full skirts and made them into 'shift' dresses. Used the left overs to lengthen the tops to use as blouses. She was quite envious!
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17-01-2019, 11:36 AM
4

Re: Making/altering clothes.

I used to make lots of my kids clothes and sometimes mine.
My favourite things to make were costumes for school plays. I once made about 30, a whole Nativity's worth.

Don't do much now unless it's alterations or knitting/crochet, but only small stuff which doesn't get heavy to work on.
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17-01-2019, 11:38 AM
5

Re: Making/altering clothes.

Horrocks made lovely cotton, I have a couple of skirts started out as dresses I bought from ebay for pennies and remade into lovely summer skirts.

People make a fuss about Egyptian cotton but some English cotton was far superior IMO
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17-01-2019, 01:14 PM
6

Re: Making/altering clothes.

Originally Posted by Julie1962 ->
I have been making my own and altering second hand (repurposing I call it) clothing for many years, started because it was a cheap way to get clothes but ended up because I like to be different and don't want to wear what everyone else does. Fashions come and go but I buck the trend all the time.

I too found a bra impossible to make twice although I do now make a wrap because I feel I need something even though I have lost my boobs.

I wrote about my big bloomers in another thread I think people saw it as a jokey way to describe my knickers but I really do make big bloomers. Cotton cover me from waist to knee with a bit of lace around the cuffs. Very old fashioned but so very comfortable.

I enjoy using second hand materials unpicking things and making something new out of them most. When I have to buy new fabric I always worry about wasting it by making mistakes but if I unpick something I feel more confident I'm just recycling. Daft I know as I have only ever made one mistake meant I wasted fabric but that stayed with me.

Most of it I taught myself, my nan taught me to knit I have pictures of me at 3 sat on her lap with her helping guide my knitting needles, but the sewing I picked up myself. Taught myself last year to make lace using you tube videos and pininterest tutorials. Takes a while to make but is far cheaper than buying it.

Something I am making at the moment is a coat, I don't often change my coats as they are not the easiest to make but I decided I need a new one. I have cut out the fabric and am quilting it with a soft padding at the moment before I sew it all together. My sewing machine is in for repair so I'm tacking it all in preparation to get the machine going on it.
My husband reckons if he can't hear clicking needles or the sewing machine going when he comes home I must be ill and unable to be making.

Only thing I really would like to learn to do and probably never will is make shoes, I make slippers and ballet pump type but proper shoes that must be fabulous to be able to do.
Julie, you are one talented lady.
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17-01-2019, 02:15 PM
7

Re: Making/altering clothes.

I'm not sure it's a talent more I needed to be thrifty and when I started it was hard to find plus sized clothing so I had to make them. I just found not only did it make life cheaper it was a hobby I enjoyed too.
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17-01-2019, 03:44 PM
8

Re: Making/altering clothes.

Hi

I am very good at making clothes smaller.

I do it every time I wash them.
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17-01-2019, 04:09 PM
9

Re: Making/altering clothes.

I alter clothes all the time, it used to be a standing joke in the family that nothing I buy survives my needle

I used to make a lot of clothes too but my eyesight and stiff fingers make it difficult these days.

I still make curtains and have made all the curtains in the house.
Julie1962
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17-01-2019, 04:12 PM
10

Re: Making/altering clothes.

Only thing so far I have had to give up is re upholstery, turning sofa etc upside down and that sort of labour has become too much for me but curtains etc yes I like making them still.
 
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