Basic Dressmaking

Objectives:

a. explain sewing professional;

b. familiarize the tools and equipment in dressmaking; and

c. apply each tools in sewing.

DRESSMAKING

A dressmaker is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gown. Also called a mantua-maker (historically) or a modiste.

• Dressmaker as an adjective denotes clothing made in the style of a dressmaker, frequently in the term dressmaker details which include ruffles, frills, ribbon or braid trim. Dressmaker in this sense is contrasted to tailor and has fallen out of use since the rise of casual wear in the mid-twentieth century.
• Mantua-maker, in the eighteenth century a maker of mantuas, or in general a dressmaker.
• Modiste, a maker of fashionable clothing and accessories, with the implication that the articles made reflect the current Paris Fashions.
• Sewing professional is the most general term for those who make their living by sewing, teaching, writing about sewing, or retailing sewing supplies. She or he may work out of her home, a studio, or retail shop, and may work part-time or full-time. She or he may be any or all or the following sub-specialties:
• A custom clothier makes custom garments one at a time, to order, to meet an individual customer's needs and preferences.
• A custom dressmaker specializes in women's custom apparel, including day dresses, career wear, suits, evening or bridal wear, sportswear, or lingerie.
• A tailor makes custom menswear-style jackets and the skirts or trousers that go with them, for men or women.
• An alterations specialist or alterationist adjusts the fit of completed garments, usually ready-to-wear, or restyles them. Note that while all tailors can do alterations, by no means can all alterationist do tailoring.
• Designers choose combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture for intended garments. They may have no sewing or patternmaking skills, and may only sketch or conceptualize garments.
• Patternmakers flat draft the shapes and sizes of the numerous pieces of a garment by hand using paper and measuring tools or by computer using AutoCAD based software, or by draping muslin on a dress form.
• A wardrobe consultant or fashion advisor recommends styles and colors for a client.

Sewist is a relatively new term, combining the words "sew" and "artist", to describe someone who creates sewn works of art, which can include clothing or other items made with sewn elements.

  Sewing Tools and Equipment 

               1. Sewing box- a container in which the sewing equipment are kept. It should enough to hold everything without wrinkling your materials.

 

                2. Scissors- are usually less than 6” in height. The handles are of the same size and are used in cutting threads while sewing.

                3. Shears- are usually more than 6” in length and have different size of handles. The large is for the fingers and the small is for the thumb. It is used in cutting materials.

                4. Pinking Shears- it has 2 zigzag blades, it is used in cutting saw edge to avoid raveling.

                5. Tape Measure- used in measuring body and cloth. It has 2 kinds: plastic and cloth.

                6. Ruler- is used in measuring small parts of a garment such as seams, tucks, ruffles, or hems.

                7. Yard Stick- it used for measuring large quantity of cloth

                8. Pins- used also for marking cloth.

                9. Thimbles- use to protect the fingers from being pitch by the needle while sewing. It is made of metal or plastic.

            10. Pin Cushion- is used to hold needles and pins while not in used.

                11. L-square- used to clear perpendicular line to obtain shape.

13. Tracing wheel- used in transferring and matching line pattern to cloth.

                14. French curve- used in shaping the neckline and armhole of a dress.

                15. Tailor’s chalk- used for marking directly of the fabric perfectly on the wrong side.

                16. Hip Curve- shaping the size of the hip and shaping button part of the shirt.

                17. Pencil- used as substitute for tailor’s chalk.

                18. Needles- used in sewing, composed of machine and hand needles.

19. Sewing machine!

This does not have to be full of the latest electronic gadgets! The ability to do zigzag stitching and automatic buttonholes will see you through most difficulties. A good second hand machine can be an excellent bargain. If you sew a lot, it is essential to have the machine serviced regularly. As a professional dress and costume maker, I tend to have my machines serviced every year to 18 months. For a home sewer, every two years should be sufficient, but check in the manual for the manufacturer's recommendation.