Stitch

Growing up with a mother who knew her way around a Janome, I was introduced to the craft of sewing early on. (If I had fifty cents for every time she uttered the phrase, 'I could make it for less than that' I'd be living in palatial luxury with my own posse of personal seamstresses, and a pack of Labradors trained to fetch my etsy purchases from the letterbox.) I would choose the fabric and the pattern, carefully cutting out and assembling the pieces, and she would help me with the tricky parts like buttonholing. Buried somewhere in her sewing pile, she probably still has a dress I began in my teenage years, still in need of hemming!

Over the years, it's been the craft I've most consistently returned to. Skirts, dresses, tops, bags and even curtains have been attempted, with some triumphant victories and some lost battles. Wrap skirts are taking my fancy at the moment. They're dead easy to make (a buttonhole is the most complicated part) and it doesn't matter if you're having a skinny or large day – the fit is always perfect.

To make your own clothes you'll need a sewing machine, some inspiration, fabric, and a pattern. If you're reluctant to spend $200–$2000 on a new machine, they can often be picked up cheaply from garage sales (anywhere between $5-$30). It's worthwhile getting the machine serviced, which will set you back about $60. Finding inspiration and fabric are the easy bits, it's patterns which have far too often been my downfall. (I'm unsure whether I, or the pattern manufacturer, should wear the blame for this.) To avoid losing your beautiful fabric to the scrap bag, consider testing out your new pattern on some cheap calico first, before cutting up your purpose-bought fabric. (If your purpose-bought fabric is cheap and plentiful, you may wish to forego this step.) Some of my most successful pattern outcomes have been the result of pulling apart existing items, determining how the piece is constructed and creating a corresponding pattern. (I'm not advocating pulling apart your wardrobe here, but if you own a well-fitting, but somewhat worn, piece you may wish to consider making a pattern from it before consigning it to the op-shop bag.) BurdaStyle is a good source of open source, copyright-free downloadable patterns for all skill levels (and plenty of helpful tutorials).

The other item you'll need is patience. As with most things in life, trial and error are all part of the process. The time I've spent unpicking and restitching seams: pulling seams in, pulling hems up, letting seams out. As I sew more and my techniques improve, less time is devoted to these activities. Stepping out in something you've sewn yourself is very satisfying!