newbie dress making questions

[Adasmommy]

I don't sew, but I'd like to. I want to combine my sudden desire to have stunning hippie dresses with my upcoming need to have maternity clothes.

So, I found some stunning(ly expensive) hippie dresses that look like they would work for pregnancy, and I'm hoping someone with experience can tell me
a) whether these look like something a relative beginner could make (the shape and style, not so much the beautiful details) and
b) how to make the shapes of these dresses since I don't have patterns . . .?

First one: http://www.hip-threads.com/soul.asp

And these: http://www.agapethreads.com/handmade...s/dresses.html

Thanks!

[mystic~mama]

I LOVE the halter dress!!!!!!!!!!!! going to try and make one......


I have/there is a tutorial online for a v neck similar dress w/panels, I will try and find it, I made one and I was just learning/still am : )

[sapphire_chan]

Check out craftster.com those sorts of dresses are made all the time by complete beginners.

[jennifercp8]

If you want to learn to read patterns and really learn to make clothes, this month's Sew Style has some pretty good articles. My mom just picked it up the other day from JoAnn's.

[orangefoot]

http://indietutes.blogspot.com/

has two tutes for dreses like this which you could scale up for adults. One is called the corset dress and the other one is the halter dress.

[mystic~mama]

here's the dress I was talking about, the tutorial page isnt coming up, I would click on Alicia and ask her, she sent it to me once...

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/20..._tutorial.html

[Faliciagayle]

Originally Posted by orangefoot

http://indietutes.blogspot.com/

Yeah that!

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by faliciagayle

yeah that!

nice!

[Adasmommy]

Thanks for the responses--I feel able to tackle one of these now! And I absolutely love that blog with the tutorials. Thanks for that!

I'm still happy for any more suggestions as the more I find, the more I take from each project!

[Faliciagayle]

there are SO many good tutorials online. Seriously.

Basically, you google whatever thing you want to make and follow it with tutorial, e.g. draw string bag tutorial, and you'll get many responses. You Tube is also a great resource if you're stuck on a specific technique.

And mystic~mama, I've made maybe a half a dozen things from the inditutes blog. She's a great teacher!


this is another one I quite like: http://madquilter.blogspot.com/

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle

And mystic~mama, I've made maybe a half a dozen things from the inditutes blog. She's a great teacher!

great suggestions and thanks! I'm ready to get sewing again

[mamavegan]

I LOVE the halter dress! I wonder if there are any paper patterns for something similar? I'm not good at figuring this kind of stuff out and I love the extra little panel on top!

[Faliciagayle]

Vegbee, the woman behind indietutes, sells her patterns on Etsy. Unfortunately, they are only available in toddler/child size.

[Timmie]

Have you tried www.burdastyle.com or www.sewingpatterns.com ? Both have downloadable patterns & the Burda site is mostly free. The sewing patterns site also has a few free but the downloadable ones are very affordable.

[mystic~mama]

from the indietutes blog:

Pt 2: button down shirts to circle skirt (stripwork)

This is part 2 of making a circle skirt from men's button down shirts (otherwise known as: Men, lock up your closets).

[mamavegan]

Diana, have you figured it out? I'm curious and can't wait to see what you come up with!

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by mamavegan

Diana, have you figured it out? I'm curious and can't wait to see what you come up with!

- yes, me too

[Adasmommy]

Thanks so much all! I'm excited to start but I need to come up with a new sewing machine first, as I found out mine needed $150 of repairs before I could sew with it!

So, I'll have to get back to you once the budget shows up. But I'm saving all the advice on this thread, and have really enjoyed looking at the links, and sincerely hope to get a machine in time to make some maternity clothes because I would love to have some of these dresses!

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by Adasmommy

Thanks so much all! I'm excited to start but I need to come up with a new sewing machine first, as I found out mine needed $150 of repairs before I could sew with it!

So, I'll have to get back to you once the budget shows up. But I'm saving all the advice on this thread, and have really enjoyed looking at the links, and sincerely hope to get a machine in time to make some maternity clothes because I would love to have some of these dresses!

hope you get your machine going soon Adasmommy

[rainbowmoon]

oh I am totally going to make the second one! :