Creating your own fashion design may be easier than you think. Making clothes you know would complement your body shape, personal style and available budget will give you a wardrobe that represents you and not the model on the fashion runway.
Instructions
1. Before you start, take a look your physical stature. Are you short, average height or tall? Are you within a healthy weight for your height or are there a few areas you might not want to accentuate? What is your best feature and how can you emphasis it? With these guidelines in mind, there are a few aspects you need to become familiar with in order to complete a design on paper that works.
2. Decide what type of print and fabric you want to use. Not all designs are suitable for all prints, nor can particular types of fabric handle a circular cut, a gather or a ruffle. Cuffs and facings need to hold a shape and not warp when pulled. To help you make this decision, investigate how pattern pieces are put together. Make a small version first. See how it works on a doll. Buy some clothes from a second hand store and dissect them.
3. Take the time to put together a dress-maker’s mannequin. Get together with a friend, put on an old bathing suit or undergarments that you won’t miss. Make some paper maché and start layering it in long lengths over your torso. Make it a thick layer and be sure to include the neck, the upper arms and the hips. When it is partly dry, carefully make a cut up the center of the back. Re-seal the opening after you have extracted yourself. When it is completely dry, place a broom handle inside and stuff the mold with newspapers. Stabilize the broom handle on a disc or in a bucket of plaster.
4. Experiment with old fabric on your dressmaker’s mannequin. You can often find last year’s patterns at a good price. Put these together first to help you become familiar with the basic shapes of the different templates for sleeves, front, back, facing, cuffs, collars and legs. Once you become comfortable with this, you can create your first unique and tailored-made design.
5. Experiment with old fabric on your dress-maker’s mannequin. You can often find last year’s patterns at a good price. Put these together first to help you become familiar with the basic shapes of the different templates for sleeves, front, back, facing, cuffs, collars and legs. Once you become comfortable with this, you can create your first unique and tailored-made design.
