For those of you who make your own clothes...

[Harley Lacquer]

My question for you is, in your opinion, is it better than buying already made pin-up clothing and pieces? Do you think its cheaper to make your own clothes?

I don't know how to sew or make any clothing, but I do own a fairly new sewing machine. I am wondering because my budget is so tight, if making my own clothing is financially more wise than buying pin up clothing from online stores and such. Do you think a person with no knowledge of sewing or dressmaking can learn how to make pin up clothing?

[lola]

Hi harley ,

yeah pin up clothing IS quite expensivAs a fashion design graduate ....i've found that to make just one outfit is a long process and quite costly here's the process and a few tips :

1. first you need to design your piece and how you would construct it (take into consideration what you would need to make that shape and if it would actually sit nicely on the body )

2. Then you would need to make a pattern of the design ....you can make your own with your own measurements or you can buy an allready made pattern from a fabric store ....(however you would need to alter it quite a bit to suit what you want). Be mind full to include 1cm for zips , seams and darts.

3. once you finish your pattern , measure how much fabric you would need ....(be mindful, for a 1950's full circle skirt you will need to cut fabric on the bias for a more precise circle look .....this means cutting the fabric across the grain ...so it will take more fabric ) 

4. then i would advise you to buy cheap calico fabric (or cheap fabric that has the same weight and style of the fabric you are going to use on the end product) and make a sample of the garment....this way you can add alterations to you pattern if something doesn't work out.

5. After that you need to buy the fabric ....which can sometimes be really expensive depending on what fabric you want ....(for example alot of 1950's skirts had meters of gathered fabric to give it that full look ....plus even more meters of gathered tulle underneath !!  )

6. Also you need to take in consideration the other costs other then fabric ......thread, buttons, zips, bows etc

7. then after all that is done you can do your final design.

 

....altho this is the typical process , you can always take shortcuts here and there ...it all depends on what you are making , your creativity and what you are happy with ...you would probably save a little bit on making your own clothes ..(potencially alot if your cost are very minimal).....but timewise , it takes a long time ...but with the right determination you can do it ....and once you do , you will feel soooo happy that you did it yourself and everybody else will be impressed !!

 

hope this helps- good luck  

[Carla Cee]

I make all of my retro pin up clothes.  I sew from vintage patterns and my clothes are exactly what I want, authentic, perfect fit, and bargin prices.  You need to have some sewing experience under you belt before sewing from vintage patterns because they often have limited instructions and are sold by size.  You usually don't (make that NEVER) find the size you need in the pattern you want.  You buy what you love and then alter and resize to fit you.   For someone starting out, I would suggest some of the great repinted vintage/retro patterns.  Most pattern companies now have reprints of patterns they used to make back in the day.  Try Vouge, Simplicity, and McCalls.  These new patterns have great instructions.  Even new sewers can follow along carefully and be able to make something wonderful.  Also, new patterns are multi-sized which makes fitting so much easier.  You can make some great custom fit vintage looking clothes for a bargin price, if you watch your fabric choices.  You can make a wiggle dress with only a couple of yards of fabric, so if I am going to splurge, it will be there.  For a full skirted new look dress, you can easily use 6+ yards and it can get pricey quickly.  Now for the hidden cost of making it yourself.  If you buy ready made, you can try it on in a store or return it if you don't like it.  However, I have several projects that just didn't pan out.  Either, it wasn't what I envisioned or it looked horrible on.  Now, you have spent time and money that is hard to get back.  I have listed things on ebay that were meant for myself, but didn't work out for me.  That way someone else can enjoy it and I recoup some of my lost $.  I say, give it a try.  You may find that you love making and wearing your designs.

[MissWanderlustless]

Seeing as I run a DIY site, encouraging people to you know... do it themselves, I'm always for people making their own stuff! I find people freak out too much when it comes to the idea of sewing things, especially with a machine. It's less skill and more slowing down and following directions on the pattern. Often times, especially with clothing directly marketed towards the pin up aesthetic things are super expensive, and not always the most long lasting. So if you feel like you have the time and want to make your own by all means have at it girl!

A great way to start is with beginner patterns you'll find at Jo-Annes, Simplicity often has patterns that aren't vintage but they will have the aesthetic you're looking for which paired with the right fabric will be perfect. As always, measure twice, cut once, start simple and take your time! Don't expect the first thing you do to be perfect, that takes practice. Skirts would be a great place to start, or even something like a tote bag just to get a feel for things.

Our boards are generally helpful, although they've been dead since I've been busy with my contract work and Megan started up a derby league, but check it out for some inspiration: http://BitchesSewStitches.com/

[Acid Pain]

You should deffinatly have ago at makeing your own clothes.

Fabric can be exspencive, so find the cheapest thing you can to start with.

Take insperation from Gone with the wind and The sound of music and use some old curtains! Try old bed sheets, a double flat sheet is more then enough to make a full circule skirt. It may sound stupid but at the end of the day why buy fabric, even cheap stuff when you prob have a cupbord full of old stuff you could cut up!

Alternativly charity/thrift shops are an excelllent place to go for fabric. There is one in the UK called Help the aged, they get donations from fabric stores, i once got 5 mtrs of curtain lining for £3 which i got three full dresses out of plus some left over.

This is an excellent way of starting out. Yes you will make mistakes and it will possibly take a full day to make one thing but bear with it because the end result will be worth it.

Patterns can also be bought from charity/thrift stores, again these can be exspencive but will last years and be used alongside other similar pattens. Alternativly ask you mum/gran/friends and neighboughs you'll be suprised who will have something you could borrow.

Once you feel a little more confident, get creative. I have two favourite patterns, one i use for the top of the dress the other i use for the skirt, an excellent way of making your outfit more unique.

 

I hope iv been of some encouragment, making your own clothes is an amazing way to bust your uniqueness, and when someone asks "i love your dress, where did you get it?" youll know that its all yours and no one els will have one :)

[Harley Avenue]

Hi Harley,like your i.d.!!

  Anyone can learn to sew and manufacture clothing,however it will not happen overnight,takes time tears and not a little blood to get to a stage where you can have an idea in your head and know that you can turn it into a perfect product.
Then teach your staff how to make  that perfect product over and over again.

  I think you have to ask yourself some questions before making decisions.

  Do you want to have total control of the designs you sell,do you want the fashion you sell to be totally personal to you.The financial side of your business running second to the personal satisfaction you gain.

 Or are you happy to just be involved in the selling side of fashion,cherry picking other peoples designs and selling them to customers as your own choice.

If you want short term financial reward then you should buy and sell product lines.

If you want long term reward and get your personal satisfaction from creativity then get that sewing machine warmed up.

Probably the best advice i can give is to follow the path i did,start in retailing,learn the ropes,it is not an easy thing to do but once you have a succesfull retailing business then you will be in a position to know if you could be a designer/manufacturer in your own right and you can run the two aspects side by side.

       Linda x x x

                         www.harleyavenue.com

[Harley Lacquer]

Wow, thank you all for the replies! I think its an understatement to say that the advice is helpful lol All of you are awesome :)))))

 

I still havent started to make anything yet. The past few months I have been moving, but I think I will start sometime soon in the future. Just havent had the time or energy.
One thing that I think about is machines. I thought that a sewing machine was the only thing I would need to start this hobby/skill, but a sales person in a fabric store told me that I would need to buy a few other tools and/or machines and such in order to make "quality" pieces, is what she said. This sometimes makes me feel less interested in starting to learn how to make my own clothes because I am a student and I not only lack the space for a production line but I have no financial budget at all that could afford to buy the whole sewing section in Jo-ann's or Michael's.
So I guess my question is what would I need in order to start learning? What are the essentials? I already have a sewing machine and special fabric cutting scissors, but thats it.

[Acid Pain]

I found that you dont really need that much to get started, you already have a sewing machine, scisssors and im assuming some fabric.

You dont need lots of fandangled gadgets, a cutting tables, chalks or silly pattern paper

Depending on how well you want to make you garment an Overlocker is a key peice of equipment, this is another sewing machine which trims ruff edges and creats a locking stitch so it doesnt fray, plus gives extra strength to seams.

They can be exspencive around £200 ($300) for a decent one, however if your just starting out making clothes for yourself you dont need one.

My tip: you just need to put a little more effort into makeing sure you work is tidy, and potentialy stitch each seam twice 1/4 inch aprt.

Id say my second peice of essential kit is a dressform/manquine. I treid for ages to make clothes for myself without one of these and it can be very difficult (have you ever tried to pin a back dart into a shirt on yourself...impossible to do)

My tip: again they can be expencive around £100 ($150) for an adjustable one, so instead you could, depending on your dress size buy a shop disply dummy for around £50 ($75) usualy they are either a size uk 8/us 4 or a uk 14/us 10. It wont be your exact shape but its a really good start. atlernatively if you have a friend who is a similar size, use them.

But seriously you could start now, you might not even need a pattern.

If you have an old dress/skirt/top that no longer fits or is a abit worse for wear, unpick it and use that as a pattern to make a newer version.

Seriously, iv been making clothes for a few years now and all i use are some basic patterns, my sewing machine and a cheap pair of fabric scissors. I do have an overlocker but its broken, however i get by without it so although its key to have one for garments which your looking to sell, its not essential if its just clothes for you, no one sees the inside ;)

Ultimatly id say all you need in addtion to what you already have is, a fabric tapemeasure, lots of pins and veriouse coloured cotton treads.

You will end up buying the rest as you go along, such as zips, bias binding, buttons ect

I think your best starting point would be a full circle skirt, cheap and really easy to make, you dont even need a pattern!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQOPfZJZHh0

 

 

 

[ms.awesome.girl]

Hello Again!

The only essential items that you absolutely need to start out are:

1. Good fabric Scissors - They have a special shape so they don't lift the fabric as much while cutting.
2. Sewing machine
3. Thread
4. Pins to hold your fabric to your pattern pieces
5. An iron - Ironing pattern pieces and fabric is absolutely essential
6. A fabric marker to transfer placement marks from your pattern to your fabric
7. Measuring tape -  Taking accurate measurements of your body decreases the amount of alterations you will have to make to your finished pattern pieces.
8. Seam ripper - even though I have been sewing since I was 5 years old, I still have to rip a seam out every now and then.  So much easier than trying to use scissors.
9. Muslin - cheap cotton fabric that you use to make a mock up to test the fit of your pattern (about $1/yard or cheaper with a coupon) I know it sounds like a ton of extra work, but you dont want to cut up your $10/ yard fabric only to find out that the pattern doesn't fit. I swear it will save you time and money. 

You said you already have a sewing machine and fabric scissors so you can get the rest of this stuff for about $50 bucks If you can find the iron at a thrift store, you can get it all for far less.  

 

You do not need a serger (overlocker) to make garments with are well finished on the inside.  They make finishing garments incredibly easy and fast, but are NOT necessary. You can use your sewing machine to overcast the edges. You can get a special overcasting foot that will make this very easy. There are also various different types of seams that encase the raw edges so you dont even need to worry about finishing them. You can also encase raw edge in bias tape. If you don't really care what the inside of your clothing looks like, you can just get pinking shears and cut the edges. A good pair will probably be about $20. There are probably a ton more ways to neatly finish the insides of garments without a huge monetary investment.

[Trixie the Titian Tease]

I think ms.awesome.girl listed all of the basics, and Acid Pain had some good feedback too. As for a dress makers dummy - there are tutorials out there on how to make one, fitted to you, out of an old t-shirt, duct tape and stuffing. 

Start making things out of muslin ... or old sheets from a thrift store. One of my favorite things to do when making something custom is to use something I already have as a pattern. One of my favorite bras had lived a good life and then the underwire broke ... so I took it apart with a seam ripper and figured out how to make my own custom fitted bra ... I'm not going to sell them, but it works for me and will be part of my burlesque costume. I cut the pieces out of muslin so that I could adjust as I figured out what worked and what needed adjustment ... it took time, but I am so proud of saying that I made it myself! (and there are more to come!) This past summer I used a shirt, without taking it apart, and a skirt from another dress and created my own dress by building my own pattern out of first news print, then a sheet. Use your imagination and have fun! 

[Leeloo Loren]

I've just started making my own clothing and what motivated me was that I could design a garment to be exactly what I wanted and to fit me perfectly. Any colour, pattern, fabric and style.

I find that most pinup clothing is quite synthetic and doesn't always sit properly (like most clothes that you buy in stores!). I also found that they are not always that well made. I've had a couple pinup garments where their seams come completely undone as well as their zippers breaking on the first time wearing the garment. Some pinup brands seem to be cheaply made but then they charge so much for them. 

I also find that when searching on the web or when shopping in stores that sell pinup clothing a lot of the styles are quite similar from brand to brand and the patterns used are quite simple. Halter necks, for example, are often associated with the pinup look when there are so many other amazing and flattering styles that were worn in the 40's and 50's that I never see reproduced. By making my own clothing I can make these styles and alter them (eg. collars, sleves, hemlines) in any way I like, along with adding any aditional trims, buttons, etc.

 

The one thing that might cost you a bit is if you get a dressmakers mannequin. It allows you to make your garment way more accurately than doing it on the floor or using yourself as a mannequin. I couldn't live without mine and it's definitely worth it ;)

Since you're just starting off I also recommend using a cheap fabric like calico (often around $3 a meter) to create mock ups of your garments so you can fit them on yourself perfectly before you go to the fabric you want to use. Once you've fitted yourself with the mock up, you take it apart and use the pieces as a pattern. Although you may spend a little on that, at least it prevents you from making any big mistakes on your actual fabric which would end up costing you more to redo it anyway.

 

In the end, if you're smart about where to find cheap fabrics (I always use Etsy or buy from stores when things are on sale) and you don't mind taking the extra time to make the garment then in the end making your own clothes can be a lot less expensive and/or will be better quality and therefore last longer. Even if it costs the same or a little more than some ready made garments, you have the freedom to create whatever you want so it's often worth that little bit extra ;)

[lil miss prissy]

I sew almost everything I wear. I find the clothes fit a great deal better since they are made for my by me. It is also cheaper in the long run but I have been sewing since I was 7 so for me it nothing to whip a dress or shirt and capris together. A dress sewn by yourself generally will run $25 for everything if you are making it out of cotton material.

[Cotton Candy Gonsalves]

If you find a good fabric store you can find much better quality materials than what most pin-up shops sell.  

Not to mention you can customize the look of it and the fit!  You can also find vintage patterns in thrift shops and online stores, most pattern companies also sell gorgeous reproduction patterns!

 

Here's a few helpful links:

http://www.dressingvintage.com/vintage-other-items/patterns/pattern...

http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/vintage-vogue-pages-850.php

http://butterick.mccall.com/retro-pages-371.php

 

Also try browsing Google fashion by decade to get inspiration!