Sewing to save money – make your own clothes

People use to wear the same clothing piece over and over again because it feels comfortable. So you will often feel the temptation to reach for the same dress every time you have no idea what to wear. You want to make sure that you will be able to wear your favourite clothing item as often as you like. The most obvious option would be to go back to the shop and purchase multiple items from the same model. But there is another way you can feel comfortable and don’t break the bank. Everyone is looking for ways to save money and one of the simplest ones is to create your own clothes. In the beginning, you may have to make some investments because you may not have all the supplies you need for it. You will need fabrics, a sewing machine, threads and some accessories. Here are some tips you should check.

You should find your favourite sewing pattern

A budget friendly option is to buy your perfect sewing pattern. If you prefer the same model of dress then you probably have a favourite style of dress and you should check a store to see if they have that sewing pattern. You can find online stores that sell fabrics, accessories, patterns, tools, and other things you may need to create your own clothes. Some online stores sell sewing patterns promoted by magazines like Vogue, so you will definitely find something fashionable.

It’s recommended to choose a pattern that allows you to use multiple types of fabrics to create the same clothing item. For example, if you buy a sewing pattern for a dress you can use wool in the winter, and taffeta for a spring dress.

Compare the price

Keep in mind that you have started making your own clothes because you want to save money, so you should always compare the prices. You should make the clothes by yourself only if they cost a fraction of the price they are sold in the store. You can spend a lot of money on fabrics because some of them are quite expensive. You should search for bargains at the local shops, now you have a pattern you can recreate repeatedly, there’s no reason to waste money on fabrics.

Don’t get discouraged if you make mistakes at the beginning

It’s advisable to repurpose some of your old clothes at the beginning because you make mistakes when sewing the clothing items, and you don’t want to destroy pieces of fabric you paid for. Cut and sew the ones you no longer use. If you manage to create something you like great if not, you don’t regret that you spent money on fabric.

Do not get discouraged if the first items do not look exactly like the ones from magazines, it takes time and dedication. As soon as you acquire the needed sewing skills, you can use your creativity to make any type of clothing items you want. Allow yourself to make mistakes, especially at the beginning. Keep in mind you can always start over, just because your first project didn’t succeed it doesn’t mean that you should not give it a second chance.

Take it to the next level, apply for an internship

If you discover that sewing clothes is your passion, you can take it to the next level and make extra money. The sewing bug may’ve bitten you so you should consider the option of applying for a fashion internship, it will allow you to get up close with the fashion world. If you will check, you will notice that some of the greatest fashion brands are looking for interns, so you can choose the program you want to get involved in. If you will get an internship with a local fashion designer, you can improve your sewing techniques and learn how to create new patterns.

If you want to get a job in the industry you should check for internships offered by designers who are newly expanding, their brands will definitely grow and they will want to hire someone they know and trust. The smaller the designer, the more things they will be willing to teach you, and the more pertinent your tasks will be. Keep in mind you want to learn to sew to make your own clothing items, you don’t want to be the coffee fetcher.

Do your own alterations

Hemming your dresses and shirts is no-brainer. It’s a good start. You will slowly learn to take in, let out and make darts. You can search online tutorials on how to make these alterations, they will help you save a lot of money. You can check the local thrift shops and buy cheaper clothes in larger sizes. You can make them look like a million bucks if you know what alterations they need. some of them may seem a bit intimidating at the beginning but once you complete one you will no longer have doubts.

You should follow an expert blog because they constantly post updates on how to use certain sewing techniques and how to alter different pieces of clothing. If you need an elegant dress for an upcoming event you should buy a little black one, even if it’s a size large you’ll make it fit, and you can accessorise it with a piece of sash ribbon in the waist to make it look more stylish.

Sew your basic needs

Don’t visit the tailor every time you need a new piece of clothing or a new accessory, you can do it at home, especially if we’re talking about the basic needs. Every one of us has basic accessories like towels, hats scarves and warm blankets. They are the type of items cheaper to make than buy. You can buy a scarf for $5, wear it for 3 months and throw it, but you wouldn’t be able to save money. You can buy the fabric at a cheaper price and create multiple scarves. Take advantage of the clearance fabrics, and the thrift store fabrics, and you will be able to save more than you’ve imagined.

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