‘Not that pattern again!’

Dress making to me has given me a platform for self-expression. Before I began sewing I lived predominantly in the uniform of jeans and t-shirt. Wearing a dress felt like I was dressing up, only used when I had somewhere special to go to. Now wearing a handmade outfit gives me a secret confidence and what I find now is that I will grab a dress over a pair of jeans any day.

When I discovered what a sewing pattern were, I first found the Big 4 patterns. I have to admit that the cover photos on the patterns and within the catalogue were very uninspiring. I’ve never been a big follower of fashion, but I felt that I didn’t want to look like I had stepped out of the 80/90’s home shopping catalogue. The I discovered independent patterns!! Now I felt I could have a modern self- made wardrobe, still not necessarily following the main fashion trends, but one that I could use to exp{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“37b80620-0a36-47a3-9150-a6358a435206″],”srcRootClientId”:””}ress my individuality.

Dressmaking is not often easy. Trying to make all the pieces fit together at times has had me wanting to scream. Even having beautifully drawn illustrations taking me through every step can still make my mind boggle. But the satisfaction when snipping the last thread and holding up my new make, I soon forget all the pain that came before.

When I look through my sewing journey I have noticed that I have made patterns, over and over, sometimes going into double figures. Each one slightly different, different fabric, a different variation of the pattern. I would never by the same pattern from the shops so why is this happening in my handmade wardrobe?

Independent dress patterns can be expensive and home dressmaking is never a way to save money. Even the introduction of PDF patterns still entails the cost of printing. Reusing a pattern over and over makes me feel that I have value for money. Now I haven’t used every pattern more than once but I most definitely have my go to patterns.

Another reason is that I do not make toiles! ! I don’t see the point. It’s a waste of fabric and time in my eyes. If I know a pattern is going to be tricky, I use a fabric that is cheaper and maybe redo it again in a more precious fabric. I’m also not a huge fan of making fitting adjustments. If there is a slight fold or wrinkle in a place where it shouldn’t be… I just leave it.

The third reason is because sewing is my escape. It’s my time away from the hustle of daily life, life as a Mum. I have a dedicated sewing space and I use this space to unwind and relax. Sometimes, I want to sew just using taking the time to refocus. Reusing a pattern helps to bring that calm, because I don’t have to think about every step with a lot of brain power. I can simply just sew.

I will continue to get excited when the latest patterns drop into my Instagram feed, I’m not immune from buying patterns and never using them. But, I’m also going to continue to grab those dog eared patterns from my shelf that I can sew up in a whizz.

Stay Safe!

Adelle

You can see more of Adelle’s lovely work over on her instagram @button_and_pip , or via her youtube channel!: http://www.youtube.com/c/buttonpip