What are cute ideas to sew clothes that look awesome without it being too hard?
I’m 12 and am amazing at sewing (not to brag) but I’ve sewn mostly without patterns or I make my own. I’ve sewn pants, curtains,tote bags, sweatshirts, hats, shawls, doll clothes, aprons, organizers, etc. I was wondering how i could make it easier to actually get my ideas to paper, not like a pattern but like a pad of paper, or a model, also…what ideas do you have for me that i could make? I don’t need a lot of details or anything just like an answer like “try a sundress” or such and also if you have any tips on how to sew, sewing tricks, or anything else, even if it is little tools that make sewing a lot easier, that would be great!
THANKS
God bless
<3 nicole
Sounds like you could use a croquis, which is the figure many designers sketch over:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3719/meet-the-threads-croquis-family-your-tool-for-fashion-sketching
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00216.asp
http://www.fashion-era.com/fashion_tutorials.htm
Have you played theme and variations with a basic pattern? For instance, with a simple long sleeved blouse pattern, you could make any of several dozen collars, at least half a dozen different cuffs, a dozen front opening variations (single breasted, double breasted, concealed placket, zippered, exposed zipper, neckline placket, etc.etc.) Then there are the 11 million types of pockets that could be made. I find it useful to make up muslins of my basic patterns — out of plain light colored fabric, and stand in front of the mirror with one on and draw in new style lines, different types of pockets, pin on paper collars, etc.
To see some of this in action, you might visit Pam Erny’s blog — she’s a custom men’s shirtmaker, and you wouldn’t think men’s shirts would be all that amenable to different looks — but poke around and see:
http://off-the-cuff-style.blogspot.com/ (you can learn some good shirtmaking techniques there, too).
Here’s another good website for ideas: http://www.costumes,org (warning, some of the sites linked to are pretty R rated, so check with your folks before exploring much there. The patterns section, free stuff, and the historical and ethnic sections are pretty benign).
See if your library has a copy of any of these books:
Don McCunn: How to Make Sewing Patterns
Connie Crawford: Art of Fashion Draping
Dorothy Burnham: Cut My Cote
Sue Thompson: Decorative Dressmaking
Those should give you some ideas to start working with, though the styles illustrated will all be “old”… your challenge… to make them look young and you. Bet you can do it!
