Wondering if anyone sews clothing for themselves and as you loose weight are you planning anything special to make yourself? I have some wrap dresses I'd like to make for winter, nothing special fabric wise but just something fresh and maybe show off a bit of my loss. But do any of you have plans to make something with a beautiful piece of fabric once you hit goal? Before goal? And what would it be?

I have two: one is an embroidered fancy that I'd love to make a sleeveless going out dress (I don't go out often, but maybe it would encourage more often) and the other is using fabric a friend picked up for me that has a gold woven border from their Asian trip. I haven't wanted to cut into either until I was a bit thinner. Dumb I know as fabric doesn't last forever.

So I am curious - what are your sewing plans for this journey? Do you find you save fabric for the end? Do you make pretty things as you are going along? Do you find you do more fitted pieces as the scale goes down?

Totally! I have this beautiful pice of un-used kimono fabric (wool, and washable - i've tested) and I've been planning to make a pencil skirt out of it when I hit my goal. Except, lately I've been starting to think that a pair of capris would be cool too... so many choices lol!

But yeah I want to make a high-wasted pencil skirt and a couple of pairs of capris, with lotsa folds for bagginess and high waist as well as that suits my body type I think. A bit of vintage look. Yes.

I knit more than I sew though. I am currently making a knit dress and I'm making it in my goal size. I think I won't make the hem (which is the fastest part anyway) before I hit my goal or am very close. And oh I wanna knit so many skinny cardigans that are really tight at the waist...

So motivating! Thanks for this!

Oh, I like this idea! I haven't made it a specific goal, but I think I will now.

I have enjoyed the fact that by merely being smaller I don't need as much fabric to make a top or skirt. Cheaper to buy fabric, yay!

I completely forgot that I won't have to buy as much fabric! Thanks for that reminder! What an even greater reason to keep working on the loss. Even when I was thinner I know an A-line looks best on me, but geez, I'd really like to try a circle skirt as well. And maybe a sheath, I haven't worn one of those in years because I feel my hips are too broad. But it will be nice to start perusing patterns for lots different ideas as the weight goes. Theres one totally impractical skirt pattern on Vogue V8858 that catches my eye. I have no place to wear it, but even something like this would be fascinating to try. Right now I don't have the gumption to try something like this for fear I'd look like I am dressed in a curtain or sleeping bag.

Good job to the both of you for loosing what you have! I aim to join you at some point. Keep up the good work and dream away. I see both of you are overseas - what are your fav pattern companies?

I actually just started taking sewing classes. I've know basics since I was a child, but I really want to make my own clothes. I'm taking the A-line skirt class on Craftsy and designing a skirt for myself. A lot of clothing that I like is in weird fabrics or is just outrageously expensive, so I want to make those with fabric I like.

My enthusiasm for sewing is greater than my skill, so I use very simple patterns and fabrics that are easy to work with. Soft knits with a bit of Lyra and a lot of flattering drape are my favorite.


My love of knits started with a pair of black wide-leg 24/7 tee shirt knits pants with a drawstring waist from Target. The cotton, lycra, modal (rayon) blend had a really beautiful drape
and were as comfy as jammies, yet looked really nice dressed up too.

Unfortunately Target discontinued the style, so I used the pants to made a simplified two piece pattern (with no outside seam, so no pockets, my only complaint) and bought some cotton/Lyra fabric with a drape similar to the original.

They look great and have carried me through a couple sizes, because the drape is so beautiful.

I bought some denim for a skirt and some swimsuit knit to make a swimsuit (rash guard) tee. I want a swim top with elbow length sleeves for swimming at the Y, because fitted sleeves keep my arthritic shoulder and elbow joints a little warmer in the water.

Kaplods: You might have luck w/a kwik sew pattern for the rash guard. Their patterns are expensive but generally hancock has them on sale for $6.99, they are also fairly simple to follow the instructions on. Or find a basic t-shirt pattern and size smaller due to the lycra. I use a lot of simplicity, just because I can get 5- $5 on sales and they have a wider selection in the plus sizes which I am hoping to leave behind sometime soon. Pockets are fairly easy to put in, you just need a general shape and make sure the top portion is long enough to bring up to the waistband on what you are making.

WildBlue: You can also find people to help you if you ask at the fabric store or if you are in the US, you can ask at your county extension office (family living i.e. 4H office) if they have a list of people who might teach sewing. I was taught by my mom starting at 7 or so. I think sometimes you get a lot of good information and techniques working along w/someone. But I applaud you for venturing out there and trying something new. What is one of your best and wild fabrics you are looking at?

I am so glad you all posted, I do like to sew for myself but have been hesitant to do so of late unless I needed a skirt or dress. I have been disappointed w/my lumpy shape so it was like why bother?. But as the weight comes off I am game to look at patterns with new eyes. I have a stash of fabric that I have been sitting on so maybe now is the time to make a few new things to encourage me to loose further.

Does anyone have favorite pattern numbers to post that work well for you or what/where you hope to get to? Oh, and to clarify, the vogue skirt I liked was the long one pictured! Tell me, so totally practical in rural WI

I don't have any favourite patterns - I usually draft my own patterns based on my measurements and what I like the look of in a shop or online. I recently made a skirt that I have already had to take in, and I'm probably going to have to take it in again soon!

Most of my sewing recently has been alterations. I have been altering some of my favourite pieces so I can continue to wear them. My proudest alteration thus far has been my denim jacket - it isn't perfect, but it fits now at least!

Every time I sit at the sewing machine my daughters ask for a dress, so I can't sew my own things very often!

Raisin: I hear you on the kid requests! My DD has 2 knit dresses and 3 jumpers that need to be made on top of the two halloween costumes for both of the kids. I have one done, the other I am freelancing and hope it works. It's funny how they come right on out and say they needs something new. At least w/DD that's the case. DS doesn't really much mind, he just likes to hide in the fabric while I sew or before I cut.

Good for you on alterations! I have two summer skirts I just put away but the waists were huge. I think I will make new ones next year and pass these on via Goodwill so someone else can use them and they aren't frumpy in style - just basic a-lines, but a bit more styling' then the frumpy ones you can find at GW in the readymades.

I got a new pattern last night - a sleeveless dress, I am not there quite yet, but do hope come spring it will be a welcome addition to this journey. And on top of it, it was 99¢ on sale - got to love those.

What are your favorite items that u sew from flannel & do u serge/overlock your seams or r you zig-zagging them? I hate my serger getting clogged with flannel lint/threads.

Thanks Dee

PJ bottoms, and I just did a slew of burp cloths for new babies - and I serge. I have done zig zag but sometimes that feels like it takes forever and I am sitting there wanting to be done when it's not. I haven't had issue w/the clogging, but I am not serging deep seams and I brush out periodically if I am doing a large batch. Are you using pre-washed fabric? sometimes that cuts down on the lint issue I have found.

I am so glad I found this thread! When I was young my mother sewed a lot of my clothes because I was too small for the "older" styles. When I was a newly married girl, I started sewing more (learned how at a young age) because I was poor and I couldn't find nicer things in my small size. As I grew in size over the years, my motivation to sew for myself has shifted from clothing for me to children's clothes to now home crafty things. I am ready to start sewing for myself again!

I have an online vintage shop and have loads and loads of vintage patterns (1930s to present). I've never used them myself because the measurements for most are much smaller than my old measurements. But I would love to pull some out over my Thanksgiving break and try my hand at a vintage skirt or dress or at least planning it. I often come across vintage fabric in good shape as well. (Right now I have a load of British and American wool without moth holes).

Thank you again for inspiring me

I have a jacket I made that I'd love to wear again....and if I hit goal I'm thinking of an empire/classical Grecian thing.....something out of a light weight material that I would never feel comfortable in now. And high waisted which just makes me feel like I'm in a tent if I wear it now.

Making a new blouse - still had to add to the pattern for my broad shoulders and upper arms, but did not have to bring the rest up in size. For that I am happy. Hopefully it turns out well and looks good.