Do you make clothes?

Do you make your own clothes?

How many times have you seen a dress you'd like, but it doesn't fit you or suit you?

I love wild and bright, so my intention to make my own clothes would be to choose the fabrics they are made in, without being a slave to pattern or colour that didn't suit me.

This is a dressmaker model I picked up, but to be suitable for draping (as a way of creating the pattern and then making the dress to fit MY unique body), it needs to be padded out exactly to my shape.

Once it's padded out we put a conforming dress over the top.

Then compare the body shape.

This was more difficult than I thought, and it was about getting it exactly even, getting the measurements right, building up the shoulders and more.

See how the front is not even, a bigger bulge on one side than the other.... This has to be completely pulled out and padded out again.

Wow, talk about confronting... facing your own body shape, standing next to it.

Then later sitting at the table looking over at the dress model and realising that I am not as big as I thought I was. Why do I think I'm bigger than I am? Is it because my favourite clothes are too small?

Do I need to go shopping with $2k to rebuy my entire wardrobe so that I feel good at my current size?

Do I want to make because I think I want to save money (it's usually not cheaper so sew your own unless you are comparing to couture)?

What about when my body shape changes and I need to spend 3 days padding out my dress form again?

These are all questions that need to be answered before I go any further. 

I've already made many clothes that if I tried them on in the shop I would've said "oh, that doesn't suit me" and wouldn't buy them. But after spending time and money sewing, it's harder to say I won't wear it. Especially if you've made the item to wear for a special occasion. 

So, I ask again. Do you make clothes?