This week I received a question from a member that said.
“I am learning to sewing with your HTFD lesson 1. I have practiced and am able to finally sew straight. Lol! I have a concern though that as I continue to do larger garments, I will have a lot of waste in making mistakes. Is there any advice for me on how to not be as wasteful, or reuse what I messed up?”
I would like to share a couple tips that deal with this issue.
First and foremost…. as I talk about in the lesson…… always practice new techniques, sewing, stitching, cutting, buttonholes, anything that you’ve never done before, in a inexpensive muslin fabric. This will reduce pricey mistakes in final fabric and also help you feel more relaxed trying a new skill, without the pressure of a “do it or die!” mentality.
Even small scraps can be used for an easy…try it first. Many times I grab scraps that are 4” x 5” to test stitching length, buttonhole size, tension on my machine, etc. Just keep the scraps handy in a container by your sewing machine and when in doubt, grab one.
Now as you advance in your skills and become more comfortable cutting, draping, seaming, and such, try saving on material cost by using a small mannequin to create your garment. Scale it down to a mini size. You can still construct the garment in a final fabric without purchasing yards of expensive textiles.
This is a great technique for beginners because it allows you to work with small pieces of fabric, not large cumbersome ones. You may feel more comfortable handling less bulk under the machine, and again feel less pressure to make that cut or stitch.
Types of fabric also determine cost of fabric, so definitely consider what type of fabric you need to construct your garment in. Depending on the final garment you are trying to achieve, you might consider another texture or weight that can also alleviate your cost.
You may also try reusing already made items that are constructed from a textile you like. For example the final Hooded Scarf I made in this lesson.
One last thought is to find other designers who are willing to trade or simply give their own fabric scraps away. Remember a lot of people are in the same situation as you are, instead of buying new fabric, possibly you can work a way to trade something that you no longer have interest in. I know I have found fabric, bought yardage, and then decided later on to change my direction with the piece or color. If you are able to find the right person, this might be a way to acquire new textiles by simply trading sometimes.
Happy Designing, Bob