Help - I'd like to make myself some clothes.....

Ottobre is pretty good Tory.

Glad to help

I would absolutely second what Gail says about making up a toile (basic model of the dress in cotton) before you cut out your own fabric, that way you know it will fit or can make alterations to suit.

I would look at commercial patterns too rather than just free patterns, the free patterns I have seen are a bit basic and could look a bit "home made" when finished. Probably fine for a simple skirt or top tho, and I found a lovely top on the Burda website a while ago

One way to approach clothes making is to look at it as a process whereby you learn different techniques with every item you make, so that eg you start with a skirt and learn to put in a zip, do a waistband or facing and how to hem. Then if you do a simple shirt pattern you learn to put on a collar and maybe do buttons and buttonholes.

Try to avoid shorts and trousers until you are competent at both sewing and alterations, trousers are one of the hardest things to get to fit.

ALWAYS make sure you put pattern markings on the pattern so that you have guidelines when sewing, otherwise you will end up with seams that don't match, wonky waisbands, darts that finish in mismatched positions etc.

I would start with a couple of skirts - a basic A line one to start and then maybe similar but with set in pockets at the waistband (like jeans pockets) - or a couple of easy tops

how are you getting on with the clothes?

I found this
http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/201 ... tunic.html

really pretty and looks quite simple