Recently, I finished three pairs of leg warmers which, for me, are important for warmth as I do not wear slacks. I am pleased with their look and function. Currently, I am finishing a pair of customized mittens/gloves for my son. I started them last year, but they will be finished by tomorrow. This leaves me without a project, so today I dug into my stash to come up with yarn for a project. I have so many ideas I am itching to try, but for now I am going to make a pair of socks.

Yesterday, I finished a dress for myself just minutes before I was to leave--wearing it! I was very pleased with the outcome. I ripped apart a dress that fit and looked good, but had seen better days. I ironed each "pattern piece" nice and flat, cut out all of the pieces and made another. I think my new dress, with it's customized sleeves is much better than the original. I only needed to purchase a zipper. It was good frugalness.

Gigi:

I ripped apart a dress that fit and looked good, but had seen better days. I ironed each "pattern piece" nice and flat, cut out all of the pieces and made another

I've done that before and it works well. It might even be better than a new paper pattern because you can see exactly where and how long darts need to be and so on.  

Re-doing a ready made dress helps you know that it will fit. Correct fit from a pattern always seems to be the most difficult part of sewing clothes, unless you are an expert seamstress, which I'm not. I do have lots of books. My dream would be to have a dummy dress form that is actually my size. Someday in the near future. E

Pat:

It might even be better than a new paper pattern

I thought it was better than a paper pattern. I did not need to use weights or pins. There was enough friction to keep the material in place. :-)

elovestea:

Correct fit from a pattern always seems to be the most difficult part of sewing clothes

It sometimes takes forever to make it fit correctly! This method saved considerable time.

The Mennonite women have it "easy" when it comes to sewing. They use just one pattern that they know well. Buying fabric and notions becomes much easier, and the dress comes together in much less time. While I fully understand that not all Mennonite churches have have strict dress codes, I wouldn't mind having a small number of patterns that I am familiar with. I could tweak them for color and the current "style" and still have the ease of knowing my patterns well. I guess it would make it very frugal as well! :-)

Getting one or 2 basic patterns really is all that is needed, then you can change them around with different decorations. One blouse pattern, one pants pattern, one or 2 dress patterns. There was a pattern drafting system out years ago that allowed you to make different sleeves, different collars, etc. and they all fit the basic top pattern. I like that idea. I had it but it got lost over the year's; I have no idea what happened to it.

I want a dress form so I can drape the pattern on and work on adjustments. It would make it easier. E

Creating customized items requires much work. It is the disappointing outcomes that either discourage, or challenge someone learning or improving a skill. I tell my students, if you draw, you erase; if you sew, you rip out; if you embroider you use those scissors--carefully, if you knit, you "frog it;" if you use ink or watercolor, you start over again. It is the name of the game. It takes 10,000 hours to be highly skilled in any area.

While I do not wish to do it, my daughter has created a sloper. It takes hours and hours. While I have tweaked and altered many commercial patterns, it takes up too much of my time. I would prefer to cut my sewing time in half, which I have done by using a dress that already fits. In fact, the dress I mentioned making was replacing a dress that I had sewn from an altered commercial pattern. That dress looks and fits great, but for reasons other than fit and style, is necessary to use for other purposes then the orginial intent.

A bonus of sewing from a well known and loved pattern, is the freedom of being creative with that pattern.  

I agree with you completely. E

Gigi:

I tell my students, if you draw, you erase; if you sew, you rip out; if you embroider you use those scissors--carefully, if you knit, you "frog it;" if you use ink or watercolor, you start over again.

That's probably the hardest lesson I've learned in crafting quality items. 

I have some of Knitpick's yarn -- I've liked it.  It's nice to be able to get real, actual wool for the same price as on-sale acrylic from Joann's.

I also have all the things I need for Kool-Aid dyeing.  I got them for 25 cents each, which I think it's quite fun and cheap for custom colors!  Plus it doesn't involve all the crazy chemicals and such like the commerical dyes...

My current projects right now all involve alterations/re-creating.  I've discovered over time that unlike my mother, I actually don't like doing craft stuff "from scratch" -- I get too overwhelmed.  (Like: if my mother helps me cut out a pattern, I will absolutely see the sewing through to completion.  Ask me to do it all myself, and suddenly I drag... and drag... and drag.)  So my current thing is going to thrift stores (and on eBay) and finding things I can redo/remake.  Just last week I was considering buying a size 3x sweater that was a really soft acrylic/wool/mohair blend... it was in complete pieces (not cut on the seams), so for $4.50, that would have been a steal on the yarn!  And one frogging experience that would actually bring delight, as opposed to frustrated tears....

Right now I'm ripping out the seam on a silk dress to salvage the skirt (I'm planning on adjusting the zipper on the top and selling it back on eBay, which is where I got the dress -- the top's fully beaded and quite pretty, but it just doesn't fit me) to make part of a costume/competition outfit for my ballroom dancing hobby.  I've done this before to make practice clothes... a lot of the old 80s formal dresses had full circle skirts, and I'm terrible at sewing with chiffon/slippery fabrics... so I consider it quite a deal to spend a few hours ripping out seams and adding waistbands to get a skirt for $5-10, depending on the type of material.  :)

I've got a drawer of items to re-do... I'm trying to be good and not buy anything else to add to the pile until I clear it out!

Actually, Pat, I was wondering -- do we have a thread where people can post pictures of their accomplishments?  I think it'd be fun to see what thrifty crafters come up with.  A lot of times I feel out of place among the other crafters I know, because they just go out and buy their materials new/not on sale...