So, ever since one of my friends took Textiles class at school and can now make and alter clothes to fit her, I've been envious and wanted to be able to sew. I never got round to it, what with work and everything else in my life, but after finally convincing myself I should have a go (and thanks to Esther who also inspired me - http://esther-fromthesticks.blogspot.com/) I bought a pattern online and braced myself for the unknown....
I bought simplicity pattern 4055 because I absolutely adore regency styled dresses with the empire waistlines and puffed sleeves. Probably not the most simple place to start off with, but I've always been a bit to confident and ambitious - oops! The material I used was.... (drum roll).... curtain lining. Yep. So what? It was the cheapest I could find and I didn't want to spend a fortune on something I didn't know would work.
But, just 4 days of tedious hand sewing, my dress is almost finished, fits AND looks presentable!!! I had a few sizing issues (a bit to big in places, a bit too small in other places) but other than that, it's great!! Not sure where I'll wear it but it was an experiment and I'm so pleased with the results. I only know basic stitching (everyone knows how to!) and I used internet and mum for bits I wasn't sure about. So, basically, if I can make a dress like that, anyone can!
Pictures will be up in the next few days so check back if you want to see my attempt!
Yay! Learning to sew (or I should say... being forced to learn to sew) was definitely one of the best things I've ever done. I just recently got a reference book (The Art of Dressmaking) at an antique store that was really helpful with tips on how to adjust patterns for unique measurements. I'd recommend looking for a book like that, since God knows none of us are the exact measurements of a pattern.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the dress!