Luckily for me my lovely husband (henceforth to be known as Mr Fancy) bought me my machine just after we were married as a sort of 'Yey Marriage!' type of gift. The only trouble was that it had been about 12 years since I last touched a sewing machine!
I bought some vintage patterns online so that I could start getting back into things. They were mostly cheap between 2 and 5 pounds and from varying eras one is quite 40s, another is 50s and the last is 70s which is not my usual era but I just can't resist a sailor collar!
I even got a little bit excitable and began designing cosplay costumes to wear at events next year - can you guess who it is yet?
However I needed some serious practice and since nice fabric is so expensive I decided to use a cheap white sheet and have a go at making a dress.
The style I picked was a 50s style dress with a small collar and a pleated skirt and I had hoped that one day it would make a nice nurses dress. I am still working on the design as it proved a little more complicated than its brand name of 'simplicity' but oh well, a few it of the other patterns I have look easier.
During its construction I've made a few mistakes and some unpicking and unravelling mean that it is on its way, if I am only making very slow progress. However it is something I am proud of. After all it's always nice to learn a new skill!
If you have any vintage patterns or designs you'd recommend to a novice then I'd love to hear about them!
I've got quite a few Vintage Vogue patterns, which I got cheaply on ebay. I've only used one of them, a full skirted apron, but I have the best of intentions to get started on others! Also, I highle recomend www.makethislook.com which suggests sewing patterns to use to creat lookalikes of modcloth dresses.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you create with your new machine. There's definitely a knack to sewing your own clothes. I've had to remake a few skirts that didn't sit right, but it's great having something so unique.
Also, not to be *that* person, but did you really mean 'Coldplay costumes'? I don't recall Chris Martin rocking the Star Sapphire look :P
Oooh thank you! I'm going to keep looking on eBay but I'll check out makethislook too :)
ReplyDeleteI'm desperately trying to sort out my thesis at the moment so I've had to put the sewing on the back burner a little but but it should be okay soon.
I would love to see Chris Martin dressed as Stap Sapphire, but I'm sure fans of Coldplay wouldn't...