DIY is something that many people are embracing these days, for so many reasons. This could be because of how empowering it can feel to learn a new skill or out of a desire to cut costs and save money. Whatever the reason, there are so many everyday things you can learn to do, and one of them is learning to make your own clothes. If you’re fashion-forward and enjoy throwing different looks together, you may be curious about what it takes to make a few pieces of your own. On that note, here are some beginner tips that may help you in your venture to make your own clothes.
GET A BEGINNERS SEWING MACHINE
To make your clothes, one of the most important items that you’re going to need is a sewing machine. There are many different kinds of machines, so it’s best you start with something that’s suitable for beginners. Some worth considering are the Janome 725S sewing machine which you can find online, which should also be effective. Along with the machine, you’re going to need thread for stitching as well as needles too.
DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE
Before you can make any of your own clothes, you need to think about what you want to make. There are so many clothing items to choose from, so start with something basic. Perhaps look in your closet and select one of your favourite tops or dresses that you can copy. Once you’ve chosen what item of clothing you want to make, you can go on to look for the items you need to put it together.
USE CLOTHING PATTERNS
For people who are at the incipient stages of learning how to sew, it’s usually best to use clothing patterns to help you get the shape of the item you want to make correct. There are usually patterns for just about any clothing item such as blouses, dresses or skirts and you can follow the silhouette of the pattern when cutting your material. As you get better, you may find that you don’t need a pattern to help you anymore. To find clothing patterns, simply google them online or pop to your local sewing shop.
GET THE RIGHT MATERIALS
After deciding what you want to wear, you need to move on to get the materials that you’ll use to make the clothes. For some people, this is their favourite part as there’s such a wide range of materials to choose from. Decide on how you want your clothing item to feel and look and choose a material based on that. If you’re making a t-shirt, for instance, you’d most likely choose cotton as that’s what most t-shirts are made from, but feel free to try something different. You can go to your local material shop and take your time exploring different ones.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
The last tip in this article for making your own clothes is to be easy on yourself. As with every new skill you learn, it takes time and practice to perfect. Have fun and enjoy the process remembering that you’ll get more creative as you go along. You can also use YouTube video tutorials to help you if you get stuck in the DIY process.
Learning to make your own clothes can be exciting. It’s an opportunity to be creative as well as expand your skillset. Remember not to be too hard on yourself to begin with, as the more work you put in, the better results you’re likely to see.