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Best Dressed
I have a secret. Since I was a little itty bitty girl I have wanted to be a fashion designer. Since I started dancing I have been whipping up great outfit ideas in my imagination, I can sketch till the cows come home but I do not know how to sew. It's almost tragic. I was wondering if anyone had some experience making errr... work clothes. I looked through my local fabric stores patterns but they look frumpy and completely un-sexy (think sun dresses and baggy blazers). Do you know of any pattern companies that specialize in slinky gowns? Or maybe websites that may have tips on making your own patterns? ;D
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Re: Best Dressed
go to your local uni...go to the uni store - and buy their basic dressmaking textbooks! i studied fashion design at uni for a bit,and i found out it wasnt me after all (an expensive lesson $5K in fees!!) but thye have the best books on how to make clothing with knit. basically, anything with a strecth is called knit.even lycra :) so look for knit patterns.
otherwise pull apart old dress that fit your basic shape. change the hemline,neckline etc...then just cut a new pattern,make it and adjust as necessary.
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Re: Best Dressed
i wanted to design clothes but i couldnt get the ideas to the paper cause i couldnt draw at all well i can but it would look like a little kid drew it but i can sew tho. but only simply patterns i can tho not too experience in sewing.
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Re: Best Dressed
This is where I get my ideas.
Sort of real flashy, but if you can wade through most of the BS,,
it is inspirational.
http://www.iconique.com/flash/
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Re: Best Dressed
I suggest getting some Barbie patterns. It will give you the idea of how to put the patterns together, and in practice, you will NOT need to buy patterns, you will make your own(from sketches, of course). The Barbie patterns will also give you expierience working with difficult fabricks, and using the different stitches on machean, and wich stitch goes with the fabric.
My man picked up my machean for about $150 from walmart. You won't need super fancy at first. Joanne fabrics offers sewing courses as do other fabric stores(you just have to lusten through the sales lines).
Get a simplicity for your first pattern, or else you will not be able to understand it, and make it non stretch fabric..like mabe a denim skirt, skirts are easy to shorten.
Good luck, it's totally worth it..helps you be able to buy better quality clothing, because you know how it's put together. Not to mention the season before fashions :D
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Re: Best Dressed
You want to buy lycra which is good for stretching. I think Ebay sells fabrics. You probably can take a class at your local college and learn to sew. Then the profit is all yours instead of having to split it with a seamtress.
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Re: Best Dressed
Thank you so much for the advice!
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Re: Best Dressed
I too always wanted to be a fashion designer. I will be starting school next year to do it.
I have no formal training so far, and I have made lots of things.
Start with your idea. Draw it out. You don't have to be good to do this. If you know what it is. then that is all that matters.
Say you want a gown. Your gown will have two parts. The basic style and the details.
Look through the patterns books for what you want. I find the formal and halloween sections the best.
Ok so the basic style will be the body and fit of the dress. the details the neck line, sleaves, hem,any cut outs or add ons.(like rhinstones)
So you have three or four patterns. cut out the peices you want in your size.
Lay out the body of your dress. take the neckline you cut out and lay the corasponding( matching, like the front on the other, front the front side on the front side ect) peices overtop. Make a middle line down each peice and match it up tape it togeter. then work the outer lines together . by drawing a line to blend the two patterns. Cut off what you don't need.
I could show you but i'm not sure if this makes sence.
Well you do the same thing with the other peices. Remember it is the middle of the pattern pecies that matter. the edge to cut can be reworked.
I always pin the pattern on to work the seams and the fit. you will need help with that part. hopefuly someone your size.