It's always a bit of a bummer when someone gets excited about what I'm wearing only for me to tell them I made the dress myself and therefore can't tell them where to get one for themselves! Well, a let down for them, and equally a slight ego boost and bummer for me I guess. I wish I could tell everyone where they could pick up a similar dress, or skirt, or blouse, but really what I want to tell everyone is-- learn to sew! It is 100% the best way to get the vintage inspired wardrobe of your dreams.
Then of course seamstresses will ask me which pattern I used and then I have to let people down again because I make my own patterns and can't recommend any of those either! I can recommend learning to pattern draft though. Honestly, I'm no help at all am I?
Well, while I hope to have a fashion label one day so anyone can buy my designs should they like to, and I'm also hoping to grade my patterns so that everyone can at least make a copy of my dresses if they'd like to do that, I'm just not there yet sadly. So here are my tips for starting to sew vintage style clothing yourself. It's a journey to get to the point where you can see a 1950's dress on Pinterest and can immediately make a copy for yourself that weekend, but I'd love to help as many people as I can reach that point someday!
Remember, no one can play a perfect sonata on day one, and no one can create a flawless couture garment on day one either. Practice and patience make progress, and perfection is irrelevant ;) Happy sewing!
Thankyou for this. I was one of the sewists who asked you about pattern information. I have been researching on Pinterest. One of the things I found was lots of (mostly Russion) dresses with patterns that consist of a finished photo or illustration plus a diagram of the basic top and bottom block showing the changes made to the blocks to achieve the pattern. I would find it super helpful if you showed us your line drawing, but it would be even better if you superimposed the changes you made on your foundation block(s), if yhat was not too much trouble. It would also encourage us to fit and modify our own blocks to get the look we want.
ReplyDeleteI hope to put together a whole booklet of simple pattern modifications soon! More pattern drafting content in general coming soon I promise :)
DeleteLove your work (and I know it's work, I'm a seamstress.)I'm in the Denver area and recommend for your local seekers, www.sewingreferralnetwork.com for seamstresses or teachers. I happen to be on the list, I was trained to do theatre costumes (UNC School of the Arts), and I'm in the Victorian Society of Colo. too, but also love 20th century. Happy re-creating, all! Marci P.S. how can I change my email on your list?
ReplyDeleteThank you Marci! Sadly, I don't actually know how to change the emails, as it's all done through blogger and I don't do anything on my end. Sorry! I'll look into it!
DeleteWow. I love sawing vintage style clothing too.
ReplyDelete