DIY Dresses Designed by you

If you’ve ever gazed at a beautiful dress wanting so desperately to wear it on your next Nightclub Cheltenham outing of which you can find the location on sites like latenightcoco.co.uk/  who offer a selection of delicious drinks. You probably don’t have the  the money to buy it or you’ve agonised for hours, trying dresses on but never finding quite the right fit – then dressmaking might be for you. Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive as there are easy patterns to begin with. Here are some important first steps to get you started:

•  Choosing the right fabric

You can make a dress from any fabric but the easiest fabric to begin with is cotton. Think about your colouring and choose an attractive texture or pattern that you won’t get sick of seeing while you work on it. To begin with, avoid heavy fabrics or silk as these require a little more skill and patience to deal with.

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• Clean

It’s a good idea to wash fabric to get rid of any marks or wrinkling. Once washed and dried, you need to iron the fabric in order to get it nice and smooth and ready for sewing.

• Pick a pattern

 When you’re starting out, a dress might seem like a daunting prospect so it’s a good idea to make use of a dress pattern. Patterns will contain the specific measurements and shapes for the various sections of your dress that will need to be cut in. You can find huge amounts of patterns online free of charge or in a craft store for a fairly cheap price. Make sure that you choose a style you know you will happy with and that suits your body shape.

•  Use a dress you already own

 Of course, you don’t have to use a dress pattern as it’s quite possible to make your own pattern using a dress you already have. Create your own pattern by tracing the outline of your favoured dress and you can copy the style. This is a great idea to create a dress you love in a variety of different colours or fabrics.

•  Measure up

 Using a soft tape measure, it’s important to take your measurements if you’re using a dress pattern. If you want to use a dress you already own as a guide then you need to fold it in half lengthwise. Next, you will need to put the dress on your fabric (also folded lengthwise) and trace around the outside. If you want to adapt the length of your new dress, take your measurements from your hips to where you want the dress to sit and make the appropriate adjustments.

Summer is the perfect time to take the leap and have a go at dressmaking. There are many easy summer dress patterns available online and being summer, the fabric choices will be light and easy to work with too. Airy clothing with bright, vibrant colours and patterns is the order of the day during the hotter months which offers the perfect opportunity to try a DIY dress. Some are so easy to make, you won’t even need a pattern!