I really enjoy sewing and it’s been a fun hobby for me over the years. For the past 15 years I’ve enjoyed sewing projects from patterns, remaking replicas of what I already owned and designing patterns from scratch. In high school, I used to love making outfits based on what I owned or what I couldn’t afford. I would make my own patterns by tracing clothing and recreating pieces, so I wouldn’t have to pay full price. And I have to say not much has changed. I still enjoy creating new clothes and pushing myself to learn new sewing skills. Thankfully, even though I haven’t always been consistent in sewing, I’ve been able to continue to improve (YouTube tutorials and Google have been a HUGE help!).

How to Make Your Own Sewing Pattern by Using Clothes You Already Own

Supplies:

• Craft Paper
• Scissors
• Writing Utensil (Chalk, Permanent Marker, etc.)

Ways to Make your Own Sewing Pattern

There are a couple of ways you can make your own pattern:

1. Trace old clothing
2. Use a mixture of pieces from patterns you already have
3. Use your measurements to make a custom pattern (easiest on a dress form with your measurements)

Today we’re going to walk through how to create a sewing pattern by tracing clothing that you have.

Select an Article of Clothing You’d like to Replicate

For this project I’m going to walk you through how to recreate this skirt.

For this sewing project I will need the following:

• Fabric (2 pieces of material for the main part of the skirt, material for the waste band)
• Elastic
• Buttons
• Thread

7 Steps to Creating a Sewing Pattern

1. Roll out your kraft paper

2. Fold your garment in half and place down on the paper

3. Trace the article of clothing, making sure to leave enough fabric for the seam allowance

4. Cut out the traced pattern

• Optional: pin your pattern to your dress form to make sure you have the right measurements. I prefer to cut my material a little larger because I know it’s easier to take in fabric then add material to what I’ve already cut out.

5. Cut your fabric once you have your pattern cut out the way you like.

6. Pin your fabric in place

7. Sew based on where your original article of clothing has seams

The process for creating new articles of clothing based on what you already have becomes easier and easier over time. You’ll find that you’ll find more and more inspiration as you continue to make more clothes. Inspiration can come from multiple pieces of clothing so let your creativity flow!