The document discusses dressmaking and provides details about fabrics, patterns, threads, and sewing machines. It notes that the author has been sewing for many years after being taught by her mother at age 10. It also shows a picture of the author's granddaughter and daughter wearing the same dress 22 years apart. Fabric choices, costs, and local outlets carrying supplies are presented. Common pattern companies and thread brands are also mentioned. Charts compare 1998 and 2010 prices for sewing machines the author purchased. Leftover fabrics are reused for patchwork items.

1. DRESSMAKING
Introduction
I have been making garments for many years. My mother taught
me to sew when I was about 10 years old and I have been sewing
ever since.
When you begin making a garment you need fabric, pattern, and
matching thread. The first step to take is to decide on the style
and pattern of the garment. Pattern catalogues in the
haberdashers will help with this. When it comes to creating the
perfect garment a little knowledge of available fabrics will go a
long way in making a good choice and an end product to be
proud of. You may also need a zip or buttons. These can
usually be bought at same outlet as the fabric but it is worth
shopping around.
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2. 22 years ago I made this dress. The picture shows my
granddaughter wearing it now and her mother (second from left)
wearing it in 1988.
Fabrics
Fabric can be bought in haberdasheries, but as with so many
items, it is worth shopping around as this table shows:
Type of
Fabric
Retail Outlet Price per
metre
Duchess Satin Lee Mill Fabrics £11.99
Duchess Satin Minerva Crafts
and Fabrics
(ebay seller)
£7.49
Duchess Satin Hillside Textiles £5.99
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3. Duchess satin is a very luxurious fabric and is widely chosen for
prom dresses and bridesmaid’s dresses, as shown:
All of the haberdashers mentioned above offer sample and mail
order services, details of which can be found on their websites.
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4. Patterns
Patterns can be bought locally or online and usually cost about
£7.45 as McCalls pattern number M5321 is shown on
sewingworld.co.uk . Most patterns these days have several sizes
on one pattern, making it easier to cut fabric to fit exactly.
There are many companies that make patterns. Some of these
are Simplicity, Style, Butterick, Vogue and Burda as well as
McCalls I have already mentioned.
When finished the front and back views of McCalls pattern
M5321 look like this:
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5. Threads
Thread comes in various qualities but I find the best to be made
by the German company Gutermann this comes in many
different colours and a 100m bobbin costs £1.40 (as shown by
lynnk147 on ebay.co.uk). A garment for a baby will only need 1
bobbin, but something like the dress shown above will need 3 or
4.
Fabrics and Notions
Swansea does not have many outlets for buying fabric but both
Lee Mill Fabrics in Oxford Street and RS Network Textiles
in Swansea Market offer a helpful service.
Duttons Yarns, in Swansea Market and Knitters and Sewers
World in Park Street hold a vast range of buttons, zips, ribbons
and trimmings to enhance and put finishing touches to any
garment.
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6. Sewing Machines
I had my first sewing machine for my 21st
birthday! Twelve years
ago I was left some money and bought another sewing machine
and an overlocker. This chart shows the difference in price
between 1998 and 2010 for almost identical machines.
£169.00
£99.00
£269.99
£179.95
£0.00
£50.00
£100.00
£150.00
£200.00
£250.00
£300.00
Toyota Sewing Machine Toyota Overlocker
1998
2010
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7. Leftover Fabric
I do not waste fabric and use left over fabric and trimmings to
make patchwork items –
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8. SOURCES
All photographs used are my own
My email records
www.home-sewing.com
www.sewingmachinediscount.co.uk
ebay.co.uk
www.leemillfabrics.co.uk
www.swanseaindoormarket.co.uk
office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/decorative-elements-
CM079001957.aspx#ai:MC900437976|
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