Sew your own clothes!
This is a guide of everything I wish I knew when sewing my first garment. It does not teach you how to sew, rather it gives guidance on everything except the actual sewing. There are so many blog posts and youtube tutorials for particular sewing techniques but I couldn’t find one that concisely (I tried!) explained all the other steps.
This guide contains many opinions and skips over some details in the hope of not over complicating things, so use it as a starting point for googling further questions.
The prices of indie patterns can be rather high but there is a decent selection of high quality patterns available for free so you can test out a particular designer’s style.
If you’d prefer to start slow try sewing a tote bag before your first garment.
This is a whole list of free sewing patterns, but be aware the quality may vary. For your first pattern, stick to one that asks for a woven (non-stretch) fabric rather than knit (stretchy) fabric.
The best way to decide if you’re going to like the pattern is by looking at variations of it on Instagram. Every pattern will have a hashtag - the pattern designer might specify something specific but usually it is just the name of the pattern. e.g #orladress
If you’re happy to spend some money, then here is a list of good beginner patterns.
First you must figure out your size. The pattern will have a size chart and I strongly recommend measuring your chest/bust, waist and hips so that you can make use of it. The size that you buy from stores is likely not the same as your pattern size. If you don’t fit one size exactly, there are fitting adjustments that can be made, but for your first garment it is easier to just go with the bigger size.
The pattern you have might be a PDF download or a physical paper pattern, the next steps are different for each option.
PDF
A PDF pattern will generally be a file of A4 pages that you need to print and assemble3.
The important thing to know about printing a pattern is that you must choose ‘actual size’ or set page scaling to ‘none’ in order for the pattern to end up being the correct size. Most patterns have a square on the first page that should be a specific height and width, which lets you test your print is at the correct scale.
Once you have the printed pages, you will need to cut off the top and left border of the page and begin sticking the pages together (sticky tape is easiest). Once all the pages are stuck together you should be able to see your pattern pieces. Now you can find the line that corresponds to your size and cut all the pieces out on that line.
If I have spent money on the pattern, I usually prefer to avoid cutting into it directly and instead trace the pattern pieces onto some other paper which I then cut out. You can use any paper, but something slightly transparent makes the tracing process easier4. Trace just the size you need, and remember to copy any extra lines or markings on the pattern piece because you will need those later. Write the name of the pattern, pattern piece and size on the traced piece too.
Fabric can be made out of various fibres e.g cotton, linen, viscose, silk, wool, polyester and these fibres can be either woven or knitted together in different ways. When a fibre is woven together it will have very little or no stretch and when it is knitted it will be stretchy. We will focus on woven fabrics here. Different thicknesses/weights and methods of weaving the fibres result in different fabrics.
I think one of the most important questions when choosing a fabric is: Do you want the garment to hold its shape or drape and float down around your body?
Cotton and linen fabrics tend to hold their shape better, though there is plenty of variation within this. Viscose fabric tends to drape more. A stiffer fabric will be easier to work with for your first garment but you'll want to make sure it is appropriate for the pattern you've chosen. Avoid any fabric labeled heavyweight, furnishing or quilting cotton as you'll likely find these options stiff and uncomfortable to wear.
Patterns will list the suggested fabrics but don't worry too much if you find something that doesn't exactly match. The important thing is to try to understand how the fabric will appear in the final garment. Ideally you can go to a brick and mortar store and touch all the fabrics to get a true understanding.
How much fabric you need to buy should be listed on the pattern. However it depends on the width of the roll so there are usually two lengths listed. Patterns tend to overestimate the amount of fabric needed so you can sometimes round down a bit. However, do buy the listed amount if you want to be sure.
IMPORTANT: Prewash your fabric
Before cutting out your pattern pieces you must prewash your fabric. Many fabrics shrink after the first wash and you don't want to end up with a garment that is too small. Put it in the washing machine on whatever setting you intend to wash your final garment with. After you dry your fabric, you will likely have to iron it. Don't skip this step as it's important that your fabric is cut accurately and creases prevent this.
The grainline of the fabric is parallel to the selvage edge5, this is usually the line you want to be aligning your pattern pieces to. You will want to fold your fabric in half lengthways to join these two selvage edges together. This means you can cut two patterns pieces at once, or align a pattern piece on the fold and cut a symmetrical piece.
Your pattern will likely contain a cutting layout and while you don’t have to follow it exactly, you do have to ensure the marked grainline6 is parallel to the selvage or the marked fold line7 is on the fold. If you do not have enough fabric to do this, or you want the pattern on your fabric to go the other way - you can sometimes align the pattern pieces on the crossgrain (perpendicular to the grainline), but don’t do this unless you must.
Once you have laid your pattern pieces out on the fabric, begin pinning them to the fabric. You may want to draw around the pattern pieces with your chalk/marker at this point for more accuracy or you can just go ahead and cut around them8.
Be sure to transfer any extra markings from your pattern pieces onto your fabric too. The most common of these are notches - little triangles on the edge of the pattern piece that are used to line up your pieces when constructing the garment. You can mark them with your chalk/marker or just cut a tiny snip into the edge of the fabric. Be very careful that your snip is only about 0.5cm because you don’t want to risk cutting past the seam allowance and into your garment.
This guide contains many opinions and skips over some details in the hope of not over complicating things, so use it as a starting point for googling further questions.
Tools needed
- A sewing machine1
- Fabric scissors
- Pins
- Tailor’s chalk/water erasable marker
- Seam ripper (mistakes will happen!)
- Iron + Ironing board
Choose a first pattern
When choosing a pattern I think the best option is to go for an independent2 pattern designer as the instructions are often clearer, with more steps fully explained - especially if you choose one marked as ‘Beginner’.The prices of indie patterns can be rather high but there is a decent selection of high quality patterns available for free so you can test out a particular designer’s style.
If you’d prefer to start slow try sewing a tote bag before your first garment.
- Peppermint Mag has the best collection of high quality free patterns I’ve seen. I especially like the Ruffle sleeve top and Peplum top.
- Orla dress
- Drop Sleeve Top
- Lily + June Wrap Skirt
This is a whole list of free sewing patterns, but be aware the quality may vary. For your first pattern, stick to one that asks for a woven (non-stretch) fabric rather than knit (stretchy) fabric.
The best way to decide if you’re going to like the pattern is by looking at variations of it on Instagram. Every pattern will have a hashtag - the pattern designer might specify something specific but usually it is just the name of the pattern. e.g #orladress
If you’re happy to spend some money, then here is a list of good beginner patterns.
Preparing the pattern pieces
You’ve bought/downloaded the pattern, what is the next step?First you must figure out your size. The pattern will have a size chart and I strongly recommend measuring your chest/bust, waist and hips so that you can make use of it. The size that you buy from stores is likely not the same as your pattern size. If you don’t fit one size exactly, there are fitting adjustments that can be made, but for your first garment it is easier to just go with the bigger size.
The pattern you have might be a PDF download or a physical paper pattern, the next steps are different for each option.
The important thing to know about printing a pattern is that you must choose ‘actual size’ or set page scaling to ‘none’ in order for the pattern to end up being the correct size. Most patterns have a square on the first page that should be a specific height and width, which lets you test your print is at the correct scale.
Once you have the printed pages, you will need to cut off the top and left border of the page and begin sticking the pages together (sticky tape is easiest). Once all the pages are stuck together you should be able to see your pattern pieces. Now you can find the line that corresponds to your size and cut all the pieces out on that line.
Paper
A paper pattern can definitely be faster than using a PDF and assembling it, but you have a decision to make. Do you want to have that option of using this pattern again at a different size?If I have spent money on the pattern, I usually prefer to avoid cutting into it directly and instead trace the pattern pieces onto some other paper which I then cut out. You can use any paper, but something slightly transparent makes the tracing process easier4. Trace just the size you need, and remember to copy any extra lines or markings on the pattern piece because you will need those later. Write the name of the pattern, pattern piece and size on the traced piece too.
Choosing fabric
Understanding all the different fabrics that are available takes a long time, so this will be a brief overview to get you started.Fabric can be made out of various fibres e.g cotton, linen, viscose, silk, wool, polyester and these fibres can be either woven or knitted together in different ways. When a fibre is woven together it will have very little or no stretch and when it is knitted it will be stretchy. We will focus on woven fabrics here. Different thicknesses/weights and methods of weaving the fibres result in different fabrics.
I think one of the most important questions when choosing a fabric is: Do you want the garment to hold its shape or drape and float down around your body?
Cotton and linen fabrics tend to hold their shape better, though there is plenty of variation within this. Viscose fabric tends to drape more. A stiffer fabric will be easier to work with for your first garment but you'll want to make sure it is appropriate for the pattern you've chosen. Avoid any fabric labeled heavyweight, furnishing or quilting cotton as you'll likely find these options stiff and uncomfortable to wear.
Patterns will list the suggested fabrics but don't worry too much if you find something that doesn't exactly match. The important thing is to try to understand how the fabric will appear in the final garment. Ideally you can go to a brick and mortar store and touch all the fabrics to get a true understanding.
How much fabric you need to buy should be listed on the pattern. However it depends on the width of the roll so there are usually two lengths listed. Patterns tend to overestimate the amount of fabric needed so you can sometimes round down a bit. However, do buy the listed amount if you want to be sure.
IMPORTANT: Prewash your fabric
Before cutting out your pattern pieces you must prewash your fabric. Many fabrics shrink after the first wash and you don't want to end up with a garment that is too small. Put it in the washing machine on whatever setting you intend to wash your final garment with. After you dry your fabric, you will likely have to iron it. Don't skip this step as it's important that your fabric is cut accurately and creases prevent this.
Cutting your pattern pieces from the fabric
The most important thing to know is that fabric has directions, you can’t just cut the pattern pieces out from anywhere on your fabric. If you do this your final garment might warp strangely and will not hang as you expect.The grainline of the fabric is parallel to the selvage edge5, this is usually the line you want to be aligning your pattern pieces to. You will want to fold your fabric in half lengthways to join these two selvage edges together. This means you can cut two patterns pieces at once, or align a pattern piece on the fold and cut a symmetrical piece.
Your pattern will likely contain a cutting layout and while you don’t have to follow it exactly, you do have to ensure the marked grainline6 is parallel to the selvage or the marked fold line7 is on the fold. If you do not have enough fabric to do this, or you want the pattern on your fabric to go the other way - you can sometimes align the pattern pieces on the crossgrain (perpendicular to the grainline), but don’t do this unless you must.
Once you have laid your pattern pieces out on the fabric, begin pinning them to the fabric. You may want to draw around the pattern pieces with your chalk/marker at this point for more accuracy or you can just go ahead and cut around them8.
Be sure to transfer any extra markings from your pattern pieces onto your fabric too. The most common of these are notches - little triangles on the edge of the pattern piece that are used to line up your pieces when constructing the garment. You can mark them with your chalk/marker or just cut a tiny snip into the edge of the fabric. Be very careful that your snip is only about 0.5cm because you don’t want to risk cutting past the seam allowance and into your garment.
Sew it together!
You’re finally ready to make your garment. This is where this guide ends, but I will give a few tips.- Your sewing machine instruction manual should be your best friend. If you don’t have it, you should be able to find it online.
- Lots of patterns have ‘sew along’ blog posts or videos that give extra guidance, these are especially helpful for beginners so be sure to Google for that.
- Pay attention to the seam allowance listing for your pattern, this ensures your garment will be the size you intended.
- Each new technique you come across, Google it and you’ll find many blog posts and videos, keep watching them and practicing until it makes sense.
- Make ample use of your iron. Press each seam after you sew it and press the seam allowances open or in the direction specified in the pattern.
- There are many methods for finishing raw edges to stop them fraying but sewing a zig-zag is fine to begin with. Once you’re feeling more confident, look up ‘french seams’ - that’s my favourite way on lightweight fabrics!
Extra links:
- Annika Victoria’s channel - contains many tutorials + made me realise it was actually possible to sew my own clothes.
- The Foldline - Search the pattern database to find patterns.
- Tilly and the Buttons - Beginner friendly pattern designer. I have the Stretch! book and it’s a fantastic beginner’s guide to sewing with knit fabrics.
- Love To Sew podcast - I have learnt so much from listening to this! I recommend the Fabrics 101 episode and any of their beginner episodes.
[1] Any sewing machine that can do a straight and a zig-zag stitch should be fine to get started with. If you’re buying a machine the advice I was given was that if it can do automatic buttonholes, it will likely be able to do everything else you need too.
[2] The major pattern designers are often called the ‘Big Four’ and while their patterns are usually cheaper and easy to come by, I have found the instructions much more confusing to follow than many patterns from independent designers.
[3] Some patterns also include an A0 version which you can get printed at a print shop to skip the assembly step.
[4] You can buy speciality tracing paper, or try just using baking paper.
[5] The selvage edges are the the ‘self-finished’ edges of the fabric - they won’t fray. The other edges are where your length of fabric was cut from the roll.
[6] The grainline will be shown on your pattern piece as a long straight line with an arrow head on each end. If there is no grainline there will likely be a fold line.
[7] A double headed arrow pointing towards the edge of the pattern piece indicates a fold line. This pattern piece should be aligned with the fold of the fabric to make a symmetrical fabric piece.
[8] The lighter the fabric, the more difficult this can be to do accurately. My recommendation after you have made a couple of garments is to invest in a cutting mat and rotary cutter, it changed my life.
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