Since you are new it would not be wise not using a pattern. For starters, i would suggest that you start with simple patterns, it makes things a lot easier for beginners.

I think it depends on what you are wanting to sew. If you want to make simple placemats or cushion covers you could just measure , add seam allowances and cut. But if you're thinking of sewing clothing, as Marina said, start with a simple pattern and go from there. You'll learn a lot from following a pattern. Also, a good investment would be a good basic sewing instruction book.

Going a bit against the grain here, but of course! you can cut fabric w/o a pattern - but it depends very much on what you're making.

I've seen plenty of simple garments & accessories made w/o patterns - like halter tops & skirts & aprons & bags & scarves.& then there're the obvious household items like pillows, curtains, bedspreads, etc.

But you DO need instructions - esp. if you haven't done this before.Lotsa good books around to be had - the library is good resource.

& you haven't said what you plan to make???

Thank you all for your useful replies.

I am actually trying to make cloths for myself and my family, and perhaps to make some money later on. I have also got myself some sewing books, which I have found very useful. My main concern however, is at what stage any one can cut fabrics without using patterns?

Please note, that I have bought few patterns (a shirt, skirt) and I even lined then with no problems what so ever.

Thank you all again for your fruitful opinion.

I use patterns for garments - other than the items I mentioned above, I prefer a pattern for fit & style - & it's often faster than marking the fabric or draping, pinning, basting, etc.

IMPO, if you really want to become more advanced in sewing, a course(or a REALLY good book) on pattern-making would be in order.

I still have my textbooks from F.I.T. - avail. @ Amazon.com : "How to Draft Basic Patterns" & "Designing Apparel Through The Flat Pattern" - excellent & comprehensive, but quite price-y - they might be avail. @ your local library - or library might order them per request.

This site looks good for basic instructions on making slopers (template to make patterns w/), but unless you're REALLY good @ learning stuff from written directions, it may be a bit confusing.....

HTH, & good luck = )

Here is a link that might be useful: Drafting instructions

My mother (Joansews) is quite the accomplished seamstress, she's been sewing more than 50 years and still uses patterns. Now, that's not to say that she does adapt them to change them up. Unless you're doing the items Carol mentioned for non-garments, you will most likely use some form of a pattern or guide for all the years that you sew. If you don't make your self some type of a guide from an adapted pattern, etc you'll be reinventing the wheel every time you make a garment.
Susan in Bama

Quote "at what stage any one can cut fabrics without using patterns?"
Never. You can make your own patterns, but you need to make them out of inexpensive fabrics, linings, or muslin, first. You play around with it till you get it right, then use that as your pattern pieces. Even those, very experienced, do this. It's never a good idea to cut into your good fabric first without a mockup.

When I attended a home economics college back in the early 70's, there was a class called Draping that taught the student how to create (drape) a garment on a dressmaker's form without a pattern. The students came up with some really gorgeous creations. I never got that far (nor to Flat Pattern Making, either) to my everlasting regret, but both classes were advanced clothing construction classes.

Thanks girls,

Does that mean I have to purchase a suitable pattern each time I am making a garment to someone? And if so who would pay for the pattern the client or me?

Looking forward for your replies

That's usually something you'd work out with the client. Most of the time they'd buy the pattern when they bought their fabric and all the notions you would need. When you made that pattern custom to that client it would be difficult to use it on someone else. For example I'm long waisted, so my dress patterns have to have a 2 inch insert added so the waist/hips, etc so they will fall right. I need 2 inches added in long sleeves, and prior to my breast reduction the patterns use to be altered there too. My patterns definetly couldn't be used for somone else. I have a cousin that has an ample bottom and I've altered her's so the pants would be fuller. Her patterns wouldn't work for a "normal" size bottom.
I think most customers are expecting a custom garment, that's why they're having it made, cause we all know ready to wear is usually cheaper than we can make it for ourselves. So, they should expect to pay for a pattern.
Susan in Bama

Thank you susan, that was a great help

Zena11

Zena, there are also pattern design software programs that you can purchase. Some just have their own patterns that come with the program. Some are quite advanced and allow you to design whatever you want. All of them print out on regular paper, and you have to tape the pieces together to make your pattern. Using one of the more advanced models, you could show your clients some of your own designs or the designs that come with the program and let them choose what they want you to make. You would then measure the client (you'd need to do this anyway) and put the measurements into the program. The program then adjusts the proportions of the pattern pieces. That way the pattern fits the individual person. You would still need to have a fitting with them to "fine tune" the fit, but it would be quite close. The advantage is that with the one pattern system, you wouldn't have to always remember which pattern line runs big, which one you always have to add to the waist, etc. But you still get lots of designs and can add your own details.

Most of the reviews that I've read have given the pattern software programs good ratings. Threads magazine did a review on them last summer. Check their website to see if you can find it, or order that issue of the magazine if you're interested.

Here is a newer article from Threads magazine about using these programs and figuring "ease".

Some software programs to look at:
Wild Ginger Software
Dress Shop
Review of Dress Shop
One from the United Kingdom

I haven't yet used any of these to make or design garments, but from all I've heard they are lots of fun to work with. I think that both Wild Ginger and Dress Shop have online user groups to help with learning the programs and asking questions. One of the ladies in my sewing guild took part in a design challenge in her online group and really had a great time. And her shirt was really cute! I think that most of the companies will have a downloadable "trial" version that you can play with to see how they work. The trial versions are all limited in some way (like it won't let you print or stops working after a few days or something).

If you intend to do a lot of sewing for clients and/or like to do your own designing, this may be something useful for you. I don't know if they come with instructions for each garment though. That would be important to ask about.

ell_in_OR's

Thank you very much

If you are a beginner, you need to sew a lot before you take the responsibility of sewing for profit. If their garment doesn't fit like they expect & look like they expect, you won't get paid & you'll be refunding what they paid for their supplies. I don't want to squash your dream but the public is hard to please, very hard to please. They usually want custom made because they have problems similar to my daughter, Susan, & can't fit into readymade items. Besides knowing how to sew, you have to know how to adapt a pattern from a close basic size, to one for their measurements. If you don't have the expertise to carry this out, you are in for heartache.

Just from the questions you are asking, I have a feeling that this endeavor is over your head at this time. I would concentrate on getting as much practice as possible sewing for myself & my family before I attempted to try to sew for others. As sue happy as our world is, you can be sued for any number of things in this line of work. Besides fit & looks not meeting their expectations, they can go for stress received in the process if they are not happy & God forbid if you're late for a deadline.

Just focus on where you are today & slowly move up to bigger & better things. Sewing is & has been so much a part of my world that people just connect me to the word sewing. I had guys come up to me at my 40th high school reunion that I had not seen since graduation & their questions were not about my family or my career. They wanted to know IF I still sewed a LOT. I was shocked for men to see me last at 18 & at 58, that was the question they had for me.

You can get so much pleasure from sewing, but like driving, piano playing, typing & etc, it does not come without patience & practice. If you dive into areas outside your limitations, you could very possibly just get overwhelmed & throw it down for good thus missing out on such a pleasureable hobby/career/lifestyle.

Good luck as you enter this special world of seamstresses.

Well said, Joan...well said! I decided a few years ago NOT to sew clothing for family and friends but to stick with my quilts, table linens, and purses for gifts for them and make clothing only for myself. The end result was that I just didn't get as much satisfaction from making clothing for others that I thought I would get. So why do it? I still have people ask me about sewing clothes for them, but I just tell them I don't have the time - which is the truth - and leave it at that.

Joan, Oh Joan,

Your comments have truly touched me. I have felt that my mother is advising me to save me from disappointments and heartache. Thank you very much.

Now let me tell you this, 18 months a go I have given up my fulltime employment to look after my new born baby- I did not want to miss out the most delicate years of his life so I decided to look after him fulltime. Meanwhile the idea of staying at home and not being productive started to bother me. Therefore I have bought books about soft furnishing and easily made curtains and pillows for my family with no problems what so ever. Then I carried on with making simple skirts for myself, which had turned out to be reasonably OK. Now I am thinking to introduce myself to my friends and even sew things for free just to establish myself and be known among family and friends and then see if I can really get the satisfaction that I am getting now with the stuff I sew for myself before pricing my work.

Once more thanks for the motherly advice, and please tell me more about how to adapt a pattern from a close basic size, to one for true measurements.

Teresa,

what made you to give up sewing for other people.

thank you in advace for your reply

Zena11

I almost always use a pattern. Right off the top of my head, I can't remember last time I didn't. And I've been sewing for 40 years.

I make costumes, so sometimes I drape, pin and snip fabric into shape on the appropriately sized mannequin, and use that cheap fabric for my "pattern." Usually I draw flat patterns through the method outlined in the Helen Joseph Armstrong drafting book. This time is billed to my customer.

If a customer wants me to make something from a pattern, I'm more than happy to do that, too. I'd measure the customer, and explain it's not the same sizing as ready-to-wear. I'd have the customer pay for the pattern, so it's hers, returned to her when I'm through, so I'm not storing it at my house. The whole point of custom anything is having something original, so I'm not interested in compiling a ton of patterns that will all too soon be out of style.

I sew for other people from time to time, but here's the big drawback I'm finding: Few people want to pay for custom made furnishings or clothing. They want to pay Walmart prices for custom pieces. Nothing wrong with Walmart...I buy clothing there myself, since it's usually cheaper than making it. I make things either because I can't find what I want, or because I think it will be a fun challenge to make the item. My labor making custom throw pillows for a friend came to 40-50 dollars apiece...not including the cost of the fabric. She could have walked into any home deco place, Home Quarters, whatever, and paid half of that for something similar to, but not exactly, what she got.

So, I tell new customers, before we get too far along, that custom made anything will cost between two to five times what a similar item would sell for in a store. And lest any one think, "Wow, Costume carol really sticks it to her customers, doesn't she?" well, my net income was about one-half of what I invoiced last year. You have overhead, even if you're going to be home, anyway. (In my case, with no children, I could turn the heat way down if I was gone all day!) Trips to the fabric store, shipping and handing if you order materials through the mail or internet, long distance phone calls to customers or vendors. Plus, with making clothing, it will eventually happen that the garment is completed exactly according to the customer's wishes, and the cut/color/style turns out to be unflattering.

Zena, one of the current sewing magazines had an article on measuring & adapting. I will look it up & maybe you can get a copy. It would take a lot of time for me to explain in words & that has pictures that help most people to understand better.

Zena,
The reason I stopped sewing for other people was that I did not see them wearing the garment that I made for them. It could be they did wear the item and I just didn't see them when they wore it. Whatever, I knew the garment looked good and was made well, but if it wasn't worn, why did I spend all that time and effort.

Maybe some people have a thing about wearing a handmade piece of clothing; maybe they don't feel it measures up to something bought off the rack in a store. I've made my own clothes since I was in the 8th grade. My major in college was home economics and I had tailoring classes during my college years. I still make my own clothes and get compliments on them. I work full-time and mostly sew only on the weekends, so I don't have time to sew for others.

Zena, Joan has very good points, but I'm going to take the other side. :-)

If you enjoy the sewing, find you like working with "customers" (like when sewing to a friend's specifications), and think you might want to "go professional", see if you can join a group called Professional Association of Custom Clothiers or PACC. They have local groups all over the US. They can be very helpful in providing a supportive group for people who sew professionally. How to put your business together, how to figure what to charge, dealing with customers, sources for supplies, commiserating about lunatic clients, etc. This group is probably way beyond where your skills are right now (and kinda expensive) but they are the group that you'd want to join if you were to regularly sew on a professional basis.

I've gone to seminars that they've put on here in Portland, OR, and found that there are many ways to be "professional". One lady designs clothing patterns, another does phenomenal beaded garments that are VERY expensive, another does wearables that are sold in local boutiques, and one lady does mostly hemming and alterations on ready-to-wear that people have purchased. (Or costumes, like Carol!) Most people in our local group are very generous in giving of their time, suggestions and opinions to help newcomers to the field. You may find you just like doing home dec, rather than clothing. There's lots of ways to get paid for sewing.

That said, I don't sew professionally, BUT I do really like sewing. I make things for friends, for myself, for my house. I decided that I didn't really want to work to the demands of others on their deadlines because it would take the fun out of sewing for me. If it were to be a paying business, I would have to worry about a lot of other things besides sewing, and I just don't want to. Then it becomes work, and I want my sewing to be play. That's just me though.

I would say have your friend (or husband or whoever) pick a pattern and some really inexpensive material for a simple garment that doesn't have a big deadline. Make sure that if you goober the material the garment, no feelings will be hurt. Measure her, work up the garment, see how it fits her, make the adjustments - do all the stuff that you'd do for a "real" customer. See how you like doing it. If it feels like something you could enjoy, keep practicing. If you find you'd rather not sew for others, well, then don't. You'll only have "lost" some time, and really since you were practicing your skills, you won't have really lost anything at all. It's really good to get lots of opinions from others that have "been there" but don't be afraid to try something to see if it would work for you.

Joan's right about having to practice alot (take some classes to build your skills!), but starting out small, and sewing for yourself, your family and your friends is pretty much how everyone starts. I gaurantee that Donna Karan did not wake up one morning, say to herself "I should sew something!", then rent a huge studio and hire 30 people. She started out by sewing for her friends and sketching designs in a cheap notebook just like the rest of us. Start small with projects you feel like you can do well, say no to projects you don't feel comfortable with, and work on building your skills. If you enjoy it, get good at it, and can work it in around your little one, then go for it. You don't have to make a full-time job of it by tomorrow. Babysteps!

Hi everyone and sorry could not reply sooner

ell in OR thank you for your encouragement I will indeed carry on sewing for myself family and friends. I am also going to start a short course about sewing tomorrow and I'm so excited to attend the class.

Thank you all for your help and advice zena11