Here's Something I Made Earlier

I was sorting through some sacks of clothes from my loft the other day, when I came across some homemade clothes that I made after completing a course in fashion and dressmaking about 5 years ago. I designed and made the clothes using a shop bought pattern that I adapted to fit my designs. I made and wore the dress to a friends wedding. The skirt is a sort of moleskin material with panels of black lace over beige material and a row of buttons at the side covered in lace over black material. At the time after many hour of pinning and cutting, sewing hems etc, I was sick of the sight of these garments hence why they were discarded in the loft along with many other clothes that no longer fitted or I was just plain fed up with. After staring at them and labouring over them for so long, I became convinced that the quality was appalling and that I could not wear them as everyone would instantly recognise my shoddy workmanship. On reflection now, the quality is no bad at all in fact, I think it is of a far higher standard than a lot of the clothes in the high street shops whats more these are the only made to measure clothes I have ever owned (except for my wedding dress). I have decided to put them back in my wardrobe and wear the the next time I get the opportunity.

Front

Side

Back

I also made a waistcoat which I cannot find anywear and fear it may have found its way into the charity shop bag. I found the folder that I had to make about it and the drawing of it. It was gold satin with the bottom section made of pink and brown ribbon stitched onto cream net.

I have got lots of ideas for some gorgeous clothes that I could make for myself and keep finding myself daydreaming about clothes I could make. But I keep having to remind myself that my sewing machine has been retired to the top of my wardrobe for 5 years for a very good reason.


I found it really difficult to find the sorts of materials that i wanted to make clothes with.

When I did find a material I really liked it was usually exccessively expensive.

It was so mush easier to just go out and buy clothes

I just never seemed to be able to find the time to finish making the clothes and it just got me stressed- I have a lot less time now then I had then

It was almost impossible to keep the half made clothes/ pinned out material away from young children or cats that wanted to walk all over it.

Perhaps dressmaking would be a great hobby for me once I have more time on my hands. In the mean time, I may dust off my sewing machine once in a while to customise my clothes and do a few alterations. I might even start having a little browse around haberdashery shops when I see them.