[Coda]

So the previous discussion on the subject was scattered across a couple threads... Time to centralize it!

Right now I'm working on making a replica of Breath of the Wild's Champion's Tunic to give to my son as a birthday present. I'm making the pattern from scratch using a t-shirt and some game screenshots as reference.

[Awen Moonshine]

That sounds awesome Coda! I'd love to see pictures of it <3

I'm working on 3 baby Murloc costumes (from World of Warcraft), one in orange and 2 in standard blue, to go to various places around the world at the moment then I'm going to be taking some time off from them to make myself an Espeon fleece hoodie ^_^

[Coda]

I'm getting kinda excited for this project. It's the first time I'll have made a project from scratch that has sleeves. I can't wait to try out the technique.

[Kaderin Triste]

I, too, want to see pics when it's finished! Sounds awesome, Coda!

And your projects also sound really cool Awen!

I don't have the money for sewing supplies currently, but once I do, I really want to learn to sew. Then I can make my own clothes. And tailor the ones I have already purchased to fit better. Because literally EVERY clothing company seems to think that anyone buying a size 14 and up (or lg/xl) MUST have a big chest, so there's always too much fabric up top and it gaps weird.
XP

Uh..sorry, didn't meant to rant there. ANYWAY...I really think it's cool that you guys know how to sew and can do custom/costume stuff.

[Coda]

Good luck with the alterations. It takes a lot of practice to get the tailoring right on women's tops. Totally a worthwhile avenue of experimentation! But don't start off trying to alter a top you actually like. :P

[Kaderin Triste]

Haha...thanks.
And yeah, I probably will start by learning to actually make items and THEN try altering. I already have a dress that I tried to alter by hand, but it didn't really work, so I'd probably use that one as my first/trial one. It fit WAY too badly for as much as it cost. XP

[Tiva]

I am…. drowning in things.

I just finished a Link Commission, and have my Burlesque Rey and Glinka Teddiursa to finish up before memorial day weekend.

[Awen Moonshine]

Thank you Kaderin <3

Those sound awesome Tiva <3 Are you going to a convention?

I used to really be into cosplay when I first started going to anime conventions and that helped me with learning to sew. I'm completely self taught ^_^ Now I'm kind of lazier about cosplaying and just wear one of my vast kimono collection instead ^_^;;

[Kaderin Triste]

I would love to see pics when you're finished. Especially the Espeon hoodie, Awen!
Was it hard to learn sewing on your own? What was your first project?
I'll probably be mostly self-taught as well once I start learning, though I definitely will use as many patterns as I can to start off.
But would love to eventually make my own patterns/sew without patterns.

[Tiva]

I found sewing without patterns is typically easier than sewing with!

And yeah Awen, I am going to Animazement (Raleigh NC)

[Awen Moonshine]

Will do ^_^ I love taking photos <3

For me it wasn't hard, but I don't/can't use conventional patterns as I never learned how to so I either make my own or do it by eye ^_^;; I'm lucky that just by looking at things I can picture how they are put together.

I think my first project was making the yellow summer dress that Asuka wears in Neon Genesis Evangelion. I may have made other things like ribbon chokers and other such stuff before that, but my memory is terrible ^_^;;

That sounds awesome Tiva ^_^

[Coda]

The main thing that makes working from a pattern harder is that you have to follow someone else's instructions for someone else's design. That design is often more complicated than what you would have done on your own, as well.

[Kaderin Triste]

That's a pretty impressive. Dress making intimidates me.
My mom always tried teaching me to sew using patterns, so I would probably be okay using them. I'm just afraid that if I don't use a pattern (at least to start), that I'll mess up and make it tok small.

[Coda]

You deal with that by doing lots of measurements, making sure to add enough seam allowance (traditionally 3/8", some patterns use 1/4"), and cutting it too big and checking the size before trimming it down to size. Marking the fabric with a fabric pencil when you're planning can help -- I've been known to drape the fabric over my body and mark it up with a pencil or pins to get a rough shape and then laying it out to draw out some cleaner lines. Pinning the pieces together and trying them on is helpful too.

I've made a habit lately of drawing my designs out on newsprint before I start cutting fabric.

[Kaderin Triste]

That sounds intimidating. But after a time or two, probably isn't actually that hard.

[Coda]

I didn't find it particularly hard even the first time, although to be fair I did start off with projects that didn't need a whole lot of effort. I think the first thing I made completely pattern-free was a cloth armor shirt. I laid down on the ground on top of a sheet of the fabric and marked the fabric under my armpits, at the corners of my shoulders, at the base of my neck, and at my hips to define the length. Then I just drew straight lines between the points, then drew another set of lines 3/8" outside of that for a seam allowance. I took a guess on how deep to cut the back side of the neck hole, and cut it out. Then I used that as a template to cut seven more (I used four layers of cloth on each side to give it some stiffness and weight since it was supposed to be armor). Then I took the four layers for the front and took a guess at how deep to cut the front of the neck hole. I pinned it all together and tried it on to make sure it fit (I needed to cut the neck hole a bit bigger), then I stitched the seams and hems and turned it right-side-out. Hemming the neckline was hard and it was the least attractive part of the final product, but for learning practice it wasn't bad.