Sewing Dresses & Apparel Tips from Suzannah: National Sewing Month 2013

You can custom-make patterns for your size, by measuring the pattern pieces as you cut.

• The first thing you should do when cutting out a new pattern (when you don’t know how tightly or loosely it will fit) is measure the pieces and how large it will be when you sew them together. To do this, you need to lay them out taking into account the seam allowances (if you use 5/8″, overlap them 1 1/4″ at each seam) and measure across the bust and waist.

• Try on the garment before you assemble to fashion fabric to the lining–it’s way easier to take in seams before you have two layers and a join at the top edge, for example. Pin the bodice closed where the zipper will be and look in the mirror. Use pins and a fabric marker if you like to pinch in where it’s too big or mark where it’s too small.
• If all that fails and the garment is still too big, take it in some at the sides as well as the back—you don’t want your side seams to be so far off your sides. It’ll look kind of funky if anyone sees, and it may pull weirdly at the waist since the bodice is curved for the smallest part. You don’t have to take the bodice all the way apart, just 3-4″ or so on each side at the top, then go in and take it in.

It may sound like a lot, but once you get started with a muslin or simple pattern to start with, you’ll get more comfortable tailoring clothes for your shape and style!

Good Fabrics for Beginning Sewers

Some fabrics are better than others if you’re just getting comfortable with making your own clothes.

First, almost all clothing patterns will tell you on the back what the recommended fabrics are, although they’re not always helpful. Always read the back of the pattern if you’re concerned, and look at those types of fabrics while you’re in the fabric store.

The biggest differences in fabric are in weight — you can’t make a heavy coat out of a sheer chiffon. So think about fabrics in terms of the garment you’d make out of them, and stick to that. Some fabrics, like “shirtings,” are great for blouses and tops, but not great for pants or shorts. A nice linen with an embroidered pattern is good for a skirt or maybe a dress, but too heavy for a shirt. And, of course, a knit fabric is best for patterns that are meant for knits (they will tell you on the pattern). And alternatively, don’t make a pattern that’s meant for a woven fabric out of a stretchy one. It won’t work.

Quilting fabrics, often near the back of the store, come in super cute prints but are not meant for clothing. They can work for clothing, with a lining or appropriate finishing, but they are best for quilts or shower curtains or little home dec projects. I know, some of the prints are sooooo cute, but it is hard to make them durable and wearable. I don’t use them for clothing myself, although some people I know do.

The other very important thing to consider are the accessory fabrics that you’ll need to use: linings and interfacings. A very lightweight but crisp cotton is lovely for a lining, but poly/nylon linings are cheap and easy to find. I use lightweight fusible interfacing on pieces of the garment that need reinforcing. Don’t skip the lining and interfacing! As for my personal preference, I like natural fibers better than nylon, polyester, acrylic, fleece, etc. any day. I do use artificial fibers for many linings, and for some silk tops. But I love a good cotton dress!

How to Combine Patterns to Make Your Own Styles

Now that you’ve got the basics of cutting out your pattern and choosing the fabric, get creative! Some of my favorite dresses feature two different fabrics, one for the bodice and one for the skirt.

The basic idea is, combine two patterns of the same 1) size and 2) fit/shape. So, if your waist is 28″, you could combine the bodice for ANY dress that hits at the natural waistline and has a finished waist measurement of 28″ with ANY skirt pattern that also has a waist of 28″! Or, as I do, you don’t have to use a pattern for the skirt if you pleat or gather it into the waist. Or add a waistband — making sure you make the bodice above it shorter to accommodate it.  The tricky part comes when you use a skirt or bodice that has a scooped front, and you may need to adjust the skirt or bodice to match the skirt or bodice you’re pairing it with.

And, of course, you want to combine patterns of the same fit/shape. What I mean by that is: you can’t combine an empire waist bodice with a skirt that’s meant to hit at the natural waist, obviously (you’d get a weird baby-doll, and unless that’s the look you’re going for, it’s not going to work!). You can’t combine the bodice for a loose, flowy, knit dress with a pencil skirt dress pattern. So look at the finished garment measurements on the pattern package to guide you (if it has anything for the waist or wherever you’re combining) and just use common sense, and you’ll be fine. Here I combined a spaghetti strap fitted bodice with a pencil skirt (and added my own ruffle!) and got…

Sometimes with sleeves or even the waist, there’s a difference of 1/2″ or so, and you can normally stretch or pleat a little to make it fit (as long as you match your center front, back, and sides) or, try on the lining or unfinished bodice and see which pattern you want to cater to — if the armhole is too tight but the sleeve fits fine, cut the armhole a little deeper in the armpit, for example. If the waist is too big on the dress but fine on the skirt, take in the side seam on the dress a little.