I was going to make this a meme, but image uploads are broken.

So after spending way too much money and buying All The Things on Amazon, I’ve noticed a pattern.

  1. Browse clothes
  2. “Oooh, that’s pretty!”
  3. Check size
  4. Shucks, too small
  5. Buy it anyway
  • @[email protected]
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    45 months ago

    Any resources you found helpful for moving from basics of stitches to actually making a piece of clothing? I can hand-sew and I have used a sewing machine doing very basic stitches to make handkerchiefs. Was interested in learning to make & modify my clothes, but I feel a bit stuck and not sure where to start. (For example, a common beginner knitting project is making a scarf, then moving on to a cap, etc.)

    • @[email protected]
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      55 months ago

      i’d say a pretty common starter project would be a circle skirt. It’s basically a circle (or half circle, for less drape, but who want less spin, right?). Inner diameter matches your waist, and length is what you want. You can cut 2 half-circles (don’t forget seam allowance! And add like 4cm seam allowance at the bottom), and a waistband of 6cm * your waist (+ seam allowance also). You’ll need an invisible zip (and know how to sew it), and you can find instructions basically everywhere, like on Freesewing (you can ignore some things, like everything related to lining, here)

      • @[email protected]
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        35 months ago

        wow, you are amazing - thank you!

        OK, so I am not familiar with some of the terminology, but I looked up “seam” and I am wondering if you would suggest a “plain seam” for a beginner project like this?

        Is the invisible zip like sewing on a little zipper on the inside of the band? I have some leftover elastic band from a project, maybe that could be used.

        • @[email protected]
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          5 months ago

          you have the choice, when making a circle skirt, between having an elastic waist (in that case, the inner diameter, and the waistband length, would need to be larger, like a little bit larger than your seat, aka the largest diameter around your butt). It would need more fabric, the circles being bigger.

          The other solution is the zip one. It would specifically need an invisible zip, because those are made to “finish” a seam line, by allowing to open it (without it, you wouldn’t be able to put the garment on).

          And yes, by “seam”, i mean the stitch line between two pieces of fabric to attach them together. A plain/straight stitch is the way to go, it’s what you need 90% of the time, 9% of the rest would be some kind of zigzag stitch needed for example in stretch fabrics.