How to: sew your own designer jeans

I've pretty much given up on finding jeans that suit me. I'll have my mother's hand-me-downs (because she wears the same styles as me and knows what to look for in the cut) but wouldn't have the first clue where to start looking - either in which stores or on what shelves once I arrived there. Jeans all look the same to me.

If you suffer from this sort of 'denim blindness' on shopping trips, then making your own could be the answer. Not only do you get to pick the exact shade of fabric you want, you can also stitch in your own personalised embroidery. It's fun - and much cheaper than buying a designer pair. Melissa Fehr's found the perfect starting point in a KnipMode pattern, and you can see how she got on with it here.

Related: Denim jeans handbag for any casual outfit | How to: re-use your old denim jeans

Posted by Abi Silvester on November 23, 2009 10:42 AM in Dressmaking
Permalink | Comments (0) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!

Vogue dress (via Ikea)

I'm always impressed by DIY-ers who choose less obvious fabrics to make up their patterns (remember the shower curtain dress?) so I was instantly drawn to this delightful dress that Chic Steals made up from a Vogue pattern using Ikea's Patricia fabric. Ikea's a good place to find bold, clean and eyecatching fabrics, which work just fine in dressmaking, even when they're intended for upholstery.

The pattern used here is Vogue v1068: the little sheath dress pictured top left, made here with a more tweedy fabric that's also a great choice for autumn.

Posted by Abi Silvester on November 13, 2009 3:54 PM in Dressmaking| Patterns| Sewing| Sewing Patterns
Permalink | Comments (0) | digg this | del.icio.us this | Stumble It!