Hello Dear Reader,
I do not profess to be a good dressmaker, but I am improving. I have kept the first quilt I ever made as a reminder of where I’ve come from. It’s not perfect but it’s colourful. I have done the same with the first dress I made. It didn’t fit well. I did learn a lot.
- Read the instructions carefully.
- Check the patterns sizing.
- Check and use the correct seam allowance.
- Add extra to the hem/length or shorten accordingly.
- Work carefully methodically; it’s not a race and you are not on the Great British Sewing Bee.
- Start with thrifted fabric, such as a second hand duvet cover and use that as a practise. Then, when the fit is right and you can follow the pattern, then make the skirt/blouse or onesie for real.
- Sewing patterns are expensive, use them over and over and they will be worth every penny.
I also spent too much time looking for the right parts of a pattern when I use it the next time. This time, I’ve divided them into the skirt bits and the blouse bits! I’m going to practise the skirt on some fabric I picked up at a jumble sale for 50p and I shall practise the blouse on some sheet fabric. They might turn out good enough to wear but I may have to adjust the fit. I’ve measured myself and know neither patterns are long enough for my lankyness and I will adjust them by and extra 1.5 inches.
It’s easy to think that we can all just pop into the bargain retailers and buy clothes but they don’t last, certainly don’t fit me very well and I don’t like the idea of throw away fashion. I actually want something of quality that lasts. I hope to have a couple of winter skirts made and some blouses that I could wear at work or with jeans at the weekend. I would love to be able to afford to go out and shop ethically and even better to buy British made clothes. I have a few very well made British items and I wear them over and over as they cost a lot. However, the people who made them are safe, paid properly, can be in a union, entitled to sick pay, maternity pay and a pension. Until, I can add to my wardrobe without doing something unethical, I’m going to keep trying to improve my dressmaking. Some of my loveliest pieces of clothing have that magical label inside “St. Michael” and say made in Britain on them! Of course, I found most of them in charity shops but they are certainly better made than clothes I could buy cheaply today.
Over to you Dear Reader, who else would like to have a go at making their own clothes? Who else tries their best on an ever shrinking budget to shop ethically for clothes? What about readers from other countries? Are you wearing clothes made in India or China or does your country still have a manufacturing base?
To help you look that little bit more lovely, not that you possibly could, enter the giveaway to win some lovely smellies and the most stunning dusky pink scarf. Please check that you read the T&Cs and check on Friday morning to see if you have won as you’ll need to email me your address straight away.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxx
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My mum used to make all my clothes when I was younger, and some for my dolly to wear too to match! I can't make anything but I'd love to have a go and I'm looking forward to seeing what you have made. I hate the idea of shopping in places like primark but I will admit, their prices are lower sometimes than buying from the charity shops. I like to budget to buy the children two or three items that are ethical (Frugi to be exact) and then the rest of their wardrobe is supplemented with hand-me-downs or second hand clothes. As for myself, I buy my clothes from Ebay or the charity shop, but when it comes to undies I struggle for us all 😦
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I enjoy making my own clothes too. If you have a garment you really love, it's possible to take a pattern from it (without cutting it up!) there are Youtube videos which can help you, Best to try a few bought patterns first, but with an actual garment, you know how it's going to fit and you will like it.
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I'm from a very small country so we have very little manufacturing here. I have a seamstress diploma and al though I haven't worked in an atelier for years, I occasionally sew something for me or a friend that has to attend an event. I mostly get my clothes second hand, from family members or shops. Looking at the clothing rack right now I say 30% sewn myself or strongly altered, 30% second hand, 20% gifts, and 10% bought on holiday (not made in china)
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Dear Froogs
I buy very little pre made garments now.except for underwear jeans and a good top coat. As I have been blessed with hips I will take a charity shop coat and if it is long turn it into 3/4 length by shotgunning it and using the fabric to insert a panel. I always thrift bedding (never pillows or a mattress) but make my own mattress and pillow protectors.We have a super king bed and the cost of a quilt is very scary so I have flat flat seemed several blankets in twos together and uses as many or as few as we need. I have also made some granny square blankets as a top cover. Have been making Jammie bottoms as well. if you want to make a garment but you don't have the pattern go to a charity shop and chose a style you like deconstruct it http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/make-a-pattern-larger-or-smaller its a cheep way of getting what you want for less. I have started to take a pattern and draw it out in very stiff card so when I want to make something I don't need to pin just draw around and mark off. Its useful if you make some weights to hold it in place. covering a house brick in old fabric does the job nicely or make some bean bags out of pebbles.Like you froogs I have been buying and using bedding fabric got years. I have a dressing gown I made out of an old candlewick bed spread I picked up in the mid 90's for 10p at one of the last jumble sales I went to. gee I miss um. right that's me happy sewing all x
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I love dressmaking - and I think the pattern you have shown is a good starter one - simple, with a few basic variations, and one that can be tweaked to fit. In my teens, I used to buy a yard or two of fabric on the market and run up a dress after school, to wear that night at Youth Club.ASfter that I turned my clothes into dresses and skirts for my daughters. Now I do a lot more recycling and reusing of fabric - taking a large 2nd hand woollen kilt to pieces to make a shorter skirt, or remaking a voluminous CS dress in a gorgeous retro print into a smaller tunic. And I found a shift dress pattern I love which has NO fastenings, just slips over my head - in one evening I can produce a garment that fits me well and looks good. Perhaps I should copy your idea and borrow the Baptist Church Hall on a Saturday - but for a SEWING class, not a budget & cookery session,
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I am in Canada and Loved St. Micheal's clothing store when it was here ( my teenage years). I still find St. Micheal's pleated skirts in the trift stores, and they look new and never go out of date. Good for you to sew. I will warn you it is addictive!! For me its a calming passion. Marlyn
http://www.justsowandsew.blogspot.ca
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I have started making clothes again after a long break and I am still not very happy with the fit, especially as I am not a standard shape anymore. I intend to go to a pattern making class in the autumn and meanwhile I tend to use charity shop duvet covers to practise and my sewing skills are pretty good after so many years so I have hopes. I make lovely clothes for the babies in the family - much easier.
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Hi Froogs, I'm so with you on this! M&S used to be known for the quality of its clothes. Now they seem to be made all over the place and they are definitely not the consistent quality they were when we were young. And throwaway fashion is such a waste of time and resources, not to mention the working practices and conditions in the countries without our stringent employment laws. I have trouble getting things to fit me too. Even Debenhams clothes don't fit me very well these days, but I can sometimes find things in the sales at East or Phase Eight. I have been thinking I'd love to be able to sew my own clothes. I might start by going on a dressmaking course. I like this simple A Line skirt pattern you have here. It would be nice to be able to select something I know will suit me and make it in a colour and fabric of my own choice instead of searching fruitlessly in the shops for something that will do. Thanks for putting such interesting ideas in a succinct way in your blog. 🙂
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We have a £5 clothing store, I have no idea where these clothes were made. It's been years since I made clothes of my own as material was so expensive. Al the shops selling material are now gone. I might try and buy some material from a charity shop although even they aren't cheap anymore although it does go to charity!
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Hi Froogs,
this is a topic close to my heart. I have just bought some ethically made, organic cotton clothing for myself and my son. As it was only tee shirts and a hoodie, it was affordable. Amazingly, it was made in Australia - not much is these days. I'm using the less is more approach - ie we have a lot less, but it has to be good quality/ethically made.
A friend and I had a cup of tea the other day and decided that we should improve our knitting skills enough to start making garments for work - I'm vowing to never buy another 'made in China' jumper again. Aside from the ethics, they don't last and that's just wasteful. I was also lucky enough to be given 4 pairs of home-knitted socks. I have a darning mushroom to use when they need repairs, and I now have the task of learning to knit them myself for when these ones wear out. I can say for sure that when someone knits you beautiful socks, you take care of them!
It's hard to buy ethically made work clothing in Australia, so another challenge, to improve my sewing skills. It's just occurred to me that when you have to make your clothes yourself, you're unable to have the quantities most people have causing clutter in their cupboards - this can only be a good thing 🙂
Madeleine.x
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I love well fitting, well made clothes in colours that suit me and in fabrics that just wash and wash. What I don't like is having to pay the exorbitant price to get them! So, I did a pattern cutting course at our local college and it has been worth every penny. We drafted basic skirt, trouser, blouse and dress patterns and the excellent tutors then showed us how to alter these and other patterns so that they fit exactly. It saves all the disappointment of spending hours on a pattern only to not have it fit at the end. The best money I've ever spent!
It has made me fussy and critical of the clothes that I see in the shops, (and not just the supermarkets!), so often the seams aren't finished properly or the hems are so poorly finished that you know that they'll need repairing after the first few washes. Making your own clothes can be totally addictive and there is such a sense of pride and achievement in being complimented on something that you've made yourself!
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I recently was given a sewing machine and am looking out for patterns to try in the local chazza shops. They are few and far between but I'm determined.
I just blogged today about making small repairs to clearance rack clothes. I saved over £20 with 7 tiny stitches. Might be worth thinking about for you.
X x z
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I'm so sad that M&S make most of their stuff abroad, the quality so so much poorer, they have gone the way of many other chain stores - 'stack'em high, sell 'em cheap!
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My favourite local shop is Farm Foods - great bargains on a daily basis xx
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Madeleine if you live near Brisbane I would love to help you start on socks. I am not expert but they are my favourite go to kint.
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I usually wear a simple skirt and tees. I try to keep my wardrobe small as I am naturally untidy and I hate fuss. My every day skirts are made from quilting material that I buy from a seconds shop for about $6 a metre. They last well, are interesting and are cool to wear. I try to buy quality for items like the one coat I have and my two evening dresses. These items might be bought at a thrift shop or on sale. Never full price. It has been cooler here this winter and I bought my first new coat in 27 years.
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If you make a block (this is a basic pattern that fits your measurements exactly) then you can play with it to make any pattern you like. moldesedicasmoda.blogspot.com is a wonderful blog that shows you how you can use your block to make wonderful patterns (and much more fashionable than in the pattern books).
I have just finished knitting my daughter a jumper that was two years in the making. I kept making mistakes and having to undo it, so last winter was the practice run and this year's turn was the proper go. Even though it was an advanced style, it was a pattern we both liked and every time I had trouble the internet was there to help 🙂 So even though the wool was a bit expensive, as a hobby - over two years - it worked out to be quite cheap. Another thing that I had forgotten was how warm the wool was. I know that sounds obvious, but really, none of our store bought jumpers comes close to being as warm. And I have enough left over wool to make my other daughter some gloves.
Another thing, Froogs, have you seen the documentary The Men Who Made Us Spend ? It's in three parts and can be watched on youtube.
Suzanne (Brisbane)
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Hello all! I too love to sew clothing, though I'd rather sew quilts. In the last few years I've purchased most new tops& dresses at charity shops because usually they cost $2 to $4, and I only buy the best, classic styles. I do sew skirts, pants, jeans (trouser style), longer tunics & wool jackets. Like you, I am tall, (with arms longer than my husbands) and grew up watching my Mom sew for me, then learned from her and home ec at school. I was making most of my own clothes in Junior HS. I love great fabrics & fitted garments, so sewing is really the only way to go. Years ago I lived in Egypt, and brought home a trunk full of beautiful wool fabric. I'm doing my best to make it last, and to sew garments I will keep for years. I just love to sew, and am so glad to have the ability to make clothes and wonderful things for my home. Also, being able to make special items for gifts has saved me a LOT of money over the years. Right now I'm knitting fingerless mittens for all the people on my Christmas list. I also embroider kitchen towels, and keep a dozen or so made up to give for gifts when invited to someone's home. People are always grateful.
Here in the US the fabric shop, Joann Fabrics, runs sales on patterns. The prices are 5/$5 or 5/$7 usually. The brands are Simplicity, McCalls & Butterick. Even Vogue goes on sale, but usually at a higher price. If you ever want a particular pattern that is expensive in the UK, I'd be glad to send it. Postage would be way less than a $20 pattern.
My favorite sewing machine to use is an old Singer 301, made in 1950. All I've ever had to do with it is oil it, and clean the dust from the underside. The very expensive machines are very nice, but an old mechanical sewing machine, made of real metal will beat a new less expensive plastic machine every time. I have purchased several old machines at CS over the years. I clean them, oil everything, adjusted the tension, and they all have run great! I have given machines to several girls who wanted to sew. I just can't pass up a great old machine that will last forever.
Well, quite a book here, sorry. You touched upon my favorite subject.
I'm working on a huge medallion quilt for my sister, and am on the final border (yeah!!!!)
I'm anxious to start a new project!
So, happy sewing/quilting ladies!
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Hi Froogs! I'd love to learn how to hand sew and make very basic clothes (which I prefer). I know it's all about the machines now but hand sewing is possible and I believe it would be more relaxing (for me) than dealing with a machine (which I have done in the past). Perhaps one day this will happen but it's not on my agenda any time soon. ~ Pru
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I used to make my own clothes fairly regularly. Like you say, better fit and you get something that suits your body shape. I stopped doing anything not completely and absolutely necessary when I began my teaching degree so I've barely sewed a stitch in four years. I'd love to get back to when my degree is done (this year!).
The other problem I have is that in Australia it's hard to get good quality fabric at a good price. Well, it's hard to get good quality fabric at all. But then the rubbish that we do get is expensive. Sewing my own clothes ended up being far more expensive. If I could find good fabric though, it would be worth the price.
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Hi Froogs,
In the early 1960s in NZ (when I was a teenager) I made all my clothes as did my friends. Back then clothing sold in Boutiques was made in NZ, reasonably priced, the quality of fabric and the workmanship was superior in comparison to much of todays store bought clothing. Students studying to be fashion designers at the time would sell their wares at Flea Markets and the garments were also well made and reasonably priced. Those markets were a haven for the vintage clothing that is so popular and sort after now.
I was fortunate that I had two aunts who were excellent dressmakers so from a young age I received a lot of tuition from them both - back then girls were also taught cookery and sewing at High School, and boys were taught woodwork/carpentry. Both of my grandmothers taught me to knit and crochet, something I still love doing to this day.
I have two teenage nieces whom I've given sewing lessons to, one has taken to it big time and requested a sewing machine as her birthday & christmas present this year, the other enjoyed giving it a go but has made it clear that she is very much caught up in what I call the instant cycle - we often hear her laughingly say; “I'd like it preferably, like, you know, yesterday!!!”
I don't sew for myself anymore as I don't need a lot at my age, if I buy any clothing (which is seldom) I go for quality and versatility, but I love sewing and now quilting is my passion, I'm still in the learning stages and have benefitted immensely from your quilting posts.
I'm looking forward to following your progress with your dressmaking Froogs, I have no doubt that you will become as accomplished at it as you are with your cooking and your quilt making. X
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I think a pattern cutting course is a splendid idea! I also love the pattern you chose. Just a tip-don't cut corners when altering the pattern. For instance, I am short, and I used to just cut off the bottom of the garment and hem it to the proper length. They really do fit better when you fold the pattern on the line indicated and take up the pattern. In your case, you would cut the pattern on that line, insert a piece of paper to add the inches, and tape it back together. I am also long-waisted, so often I will have to cut the top and add the inches, then fold the bottom to get it short enough!
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I am a professional seamstress and can make anything by just looking at the picture, but I do not sew for myself becasue it is too expensive. By the time your buy the pattern, fabric, zippers, buttons etc you can buy on sale much cheaper and alter.
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'Making something to wear' is on my Fifty List. I thought I might start with a simple tunic but haven't found a pattern I like yet. I might take Charlotte's advice from the comment above and try copying one I already have. I also want to learn how to knit socks but I think that might be a bit of a challenge too! Thank you for all your inspirational posts. x
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Angela
that sounds a really good idea so glad I had the opportunity to learn and tweak my understanding a little more in the last year. Like cooking skill for life and I think it should be on the curriculum at school.
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Good luck Froogs, I have had several attempts and have to date made one dress I can actually wear! But practice makes perfect and what better than wearing something you have made yourself. I won some amazon vouchers and decided to invest in a dressmakers dummy - by far and away the best thing I have ever done where sewing is concerned. Hemming a skirt you are modelling yourself is a nightmare!
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I made all my own clothing from the time I was 12 until just a few years ago. When I have back surgery, I will start again. I finally made a blouse, skirt and pant pattern that I liked. I used the blouse pattern and skirt pattern to make a dress. I wore a type of uniform, I suppose. But, I received many compliments on my wardrobe. I bought fabric by the pound in a box that was about a meter square, delivered to my front door. I could make a dress for about $3. I have been sewing for 64 years, since I was four years old.
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I make a lot of my own clothes and love it. My tip is look for 80s and 90s patterns on EBay and Etsy the key is the line drawing not the illustration. If the line drawing is what you want to make you are quids in. Good luck I hope that you enjoy it.
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Hmmmm…. growing up in western NC, we made a lot of our own clothing and I really enjoyed wearing something that I had made by hand to church and to school. I might just have to take up sewing again. Froogs, you are so inspiring!
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I make most of my own clothing and have done for years because I am a true British pear and nothing I buy fits. Have a look at http://www.craftsy.com as there are classes_ on there which not only give unlimited access but also supply the pattern. If you wait for sales, you often get both for what a single pattern costs. I've made a beautiful jeans jacket and the cost was less than buying the pattern.
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If you don't mind a question, I'd really like to understand what do you mean when you write, “if it is long turn it into 3/4 length by shotgunning it and using the fabric to insert a panel”. I've never heard the term “shotgunning” used in a sewing context, and have no idea what it means. I'm also trying to figure out why you would need to insert a panel to shorten a garment? I'm a real rookie when it comes to sewing clothing, but like froogs, I am trying to improve with practice, and modifying thrifted clothing would be a great step in that direction, Thanks!
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Can you please share the pattern for the over-the-head shift? Sounds like a fantastic one to try! Thanks 🙂
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Ised to make alot of clothes. After thinking about cheaply produced clothing, I have decided to change. Making/sewing is difficult for me, despite having the equipment and ideas. Maybe I should ask on FB if anyone in Durham wants to learn??!!
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Hi, I used sew my own clothes quite a bit 20 years ago and now I've started again as it's hard to find good quality pieces in shops and even when you do, the country of origin isn't always clear. I'm not of standard size either, I wonder if anyone is?!? There are still Finnish manufacturers but many of them have their items manufactured in other countries than Finland. Good quality and reasonably priced fabric is available here - it's the accessories like buttons, zippers, etc. that are expensive so I often get them from Tallinn (Estonia) where they have an excellent selection and good prices, even when you include the price of the boat trip there and back.
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I have just made a very expensive purchase of shoes, British made in Norfolk van dal, for my daughters wedding, but they will last me for ever as they are court shoes with a n attachable beads on the front, for different looks I like well made shoes, only ever go to clarks and don't buy many
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Yeah, I didn't want to rain on the parade, but fabric alone can be VERY expensive. Add zippers, buttons and trims and it all adds up fast. Plus there's the time element, which is why professional seamstresses and tailors can make a decent income. The other thing I was scratching my head over was the statements about “ethical” clothing. Again, not wanting to rain on any parades, but at least at fabric stores in my area, there's no tag or label telling where a bolt came from, whether only adults making a living wage worked at the factory, etc. I think the whole “ethical” thing can be taken too far. Really? Do we feel better about ourselves and/or feel morally superior based on what clothes we wear? When odds are very good our kitchen cabinets are filled with things (cookware, bakeware, dishes) made in China or wherever? What about our shoes? Purses? The brush or comb we use? Toothpaste? Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc.? The very laptop or computer we're using? Parts in our cars were probably manufactured elsewhere. I'm all for supporting local businesses, and in my case made in the U.S. products when I can find them at a price I'm willing to pay, but that's just it… I feel it would be “unethical”-not to mention less than frugal-to rank my family budget as of lower importance than local shop owners/employees or factory workers in a country half a globe away. Which may not be a popular opinion here. I'm just tired of being told I'm not being “ethical” by putting my family and budget first.
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Froogs, I have to ask a question, and I sincerely hope you and your readers don't take offense. My Mother's Day gift from my guys was a button down sweater from Woolovers in the UK. It was at a great price (under $60) and will last me for years. It was knitted in the UK from British wool, and shipped from the company to my doorstep. It's truly gorgeous. I cherish it. What I'm reading here is that it would be far more “ethical” if I spent years learning how to knit, bought some wool made in the US (if I could find it, the price would be steep per skein), and knit my own sweater, rather than having made that purchase? If I'd done that, Woolovers wouldn't have had a sale. And in fact, I was so happy with it I bought sweaters for my mom and sister for Christmas, so your company in the UK would have lost 3 sales. Plus, being British wool, that would trickle down right to the owners of the sheep. If no one in the US bought a sweater from Woolovers, that could have a serious impact. Now, even though the prices were good for what I got, they were special treats and a splurge. But I don't knit. And I do read blogs from the UK. Like yours. Were my purchases unethical? And if so, may I ask why? Again, I'm not trying to offend. I'm just trying to grasp what it means to be “ethical” regarding clothes.
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I have two other tips. My mother sewed all of our clothes when we were growing up and they all looked kind of…homemade. It's because when she pressed a seam or whatever, she ironed it so hard that it took all of the shape out of it. The other one is about buying materials. Watch for coupons and deals. It is worth it to sign up for e-mails from fabric stores. For example, last Sunday I could have bought anything on the notions wall at Jo-Ann's for 70% off. I routinely get thread, seam tape, zippers, etc., for 50% off. Patterns for $1-$2. I also save and reuse zips and buttons when possible. The right buttons are worth the price of a thrift store garment…besides, you might be able to make a quilt from the fabric!
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Queen
my spelling will get me hung one of these days should have said shortening god knows where shotgun came from!. So what I would do is shorten the garment then use the leftover panel make it into a triangle so the pointed top is inserted into the split seam then sew the sides to either side of the split seam. hope this is a little less muddled for you. im one of these people easier to show then tell! but the beauty of sewing or crafting is this all things are possible if after a few goes is not feeling right you can either step away and take a break from it or decide its not for you and move on to something else.
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Glad you're sending some money our way. However, did my research about Woolovers - the wool is British but the jumpers are made in China. I couldn't find out where the fleeces were processed or where the wool was spun. So, in air miles, it went Britain > ? >China > Britain > America. It could be more ethical to buy American if that's where you live. They must have sheep in America, process wool and make jumpers some where or at least I would hope they have. If you want truly British then you could start with the website hwww.stillmadeinbritain.co.uk and find a clothing manufacturer there. I researched and found some amazing sites making American clothing in America such as Made in the USA by ww.landsend.com . I certainly wasn't offended and I'm delighted that you like your jumper but there's no way it can be made ethically for £30 and shipped around the world and back again. It's cheap and there will be a reason why. My personal favourite for British clothes is David Neiper, luxury admittedly but British through and through.
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I've just treated myself to a couple of Vogue patterns, they aren't cheap but I find they fit better than other makes. Since I've been ill I can't wear separates, I can only wear dresses. I also have the opposite problem to you, I'm not lanky, I'm a shortarse, bit it'd easier to alter a pattern than it is to alter a ready made garment.
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I started work in 1987 at the age of 15 in clothes manufacturing for M & S and within that same year the company opened up the first clothing factory aboard. I worked at the same place for 10.5 years and left to have my first child. If only I'd left my baby making days for another 7 months or so and I would have got a pretty good redundancy pay. That was the last M & S clothing factory going. Standards have slipped in clothing drastically in most shops on the high street. On the plus side I learnt how to use a machine ( still miss the speed of industrials though )
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OH!!! Thanks so much for explaining - from now on, when I shorten anything, I will think of it as “shotgunning”! 😉
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oh lord what have i started (giggle)!
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I used to do dressmaking many years ago, before children, and have been thinking about taking it up again as I find it difficult to find well fitting clothes being a size 18 tall person. The expensive brands suit me but sadly out of my price range. I subscribed to Prima magazine last year using my Tesco clubcard vouchers(cost me around £6 for a year I think) and each month you get a pattern, so I now have a good collection of patterns to get me started, just got to find some decent fabric that's not too expensive. Also I have a pile of clothes I've bought at boot sales that, with a few alterations, will fit me. Now I just need to get the sewing machine out!
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Elise has some very valid points. How do we balance family, budget, then add concern for others? Where I come from the position that family is the end all, be all. They are always first. Another belief I have is that quite a few small business owners deserved what happened when big box stores came about. In my small rural area (USA) the business owners were top of the food chain. And they (and their families) never let anyone forget it. No one else was good enough and my small children came home crying a few times because they were snubbed by their children. It is a law of physics that what goes around comes around. You can call it Karma, if you'd like. So I guess I've been traumatized by small business families and don't really care what the country of origin is. I think I best stop there. Lots of issues with this subject best kept to myself.
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I made my own clothes up until university and maybe just a bit past. I think available fabric here in the States is not of the best quality — stores tend to sell to crafters, so there's a lot of cheap calico and fleece, but not good wovens and wools as there was in my youth. A great source of classic patterns for me has been thrift stores - more people are getting rid of their mother's old patterns and I have had good luck there for not much money. I love the idea of using fabrics that have already been used for things like a duvet cover, so I'm going to look with a fresh eye at those items.
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