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173 How to Sew Clothes Ideas: Tips for Making Your Own Clothes on the Cheap
If you have ever tried to spend any amount of time learning how to make your own clothes, you know that figuring out how to sew clothes on a budget can actually be really difficult. Unlike small and easy sewing projects, tutorials that show you how to make your own clothes often involves much more fabric, time, and even money. You do not want to use cheap fabric for something you will be wearing and you certainly cannot construct a whole skirt out of small scraps. Many people who are learning how to sew are doing so to learn how to sew clothes. While free sewing patterns can help you save money, it certainly isn’t simple to learn how to make your own clothes on the cheap that do not look cheap. Luckily for you, the editors of AllFreeSewing.com are experts when it comes to sewing clothes with budget-friendly ideas. Whether you are learning how to resize a pattern, making your own clothes from start to finish, or just refashioning a dull idea, you are going to be able to find tutorials and patterns on how to make your own clothes that will not only fit your budget but fit your style, as well. 173 How to Sew Clothes Ideas: How to Make Your Own Clothes on the Cheap will help you make a DIY wardrobe in no time!
If you are looking for a specfic type of clothing pattern, check out our massive collection of free sewing patterns to make your own clothes, How to Make Clothes: 500+ Tutorials for Making Your Own Clothes.
173 How to Sew Clothes Ideas: How to Make Your Own Clothes on the Cheap
Follow this list of 9 smart tips for how to make your own clothes on a budget, and you will be a DIY diva in no time.
1. When you are learning how to make your own clothes, be sure to sew up basic and neutral pieces you can wear time and time again. You’ll wear the fuchsia skirt maybe once a year, but free skirt patterns like a sleek, black pencil skirt pattern can be worn pretty much whenever you want.
- How to Make a Pencil Skirt: 11 Pencil Skirt Patterns
- Any Day Free Skirt Pattern
- Dolman DIY T-Shirt
- Versatile Little Black Dress
2. A lot of free sewing patterns and tutorials that show you how to sew clothes focus on restructuring a piece completely. Instead of recycling, considering refashioning (or simple re-dos) when deciding how to make your own clothes.
- 44 Wardrobe Refashion Projects
- Flattering T-Shirt Refashion
- Pretty Python Designer Sweater
- Sweater Upcycled Clothing Idea
3. The most expensive part about making your own clothes? The fabric! Save money by learning how to make a pillowcase dress or what you can make with vintage fabrics.
- How to Sew a Pillowcase Dress: 16 Easy Sewing Projects that Use Pillowcases
- Little French Pillowcase Dress
- DIY Pillowcase Night Dress
- How to Clean Vintage Fabric
- Vintage Free Apron Patterns
4. Making your own clothes does not mean buying new patterns. Learn how to use pieces that fit you now to make your own pattern.
- Make Your Own Clothes: How to Make a Pattern
- How to Make a Pattern from Jeans
- Make Your Own Pattern Blouse
- Make Your Own Pattern
5. Looking to make clothes for kids? Turn old clothing into new kid’s clothes patterns with these ideas.
- Man's Shirt to Child's Dress Refashion
- This Dress Used to Be Mommy's
- Boy's Button Up into Girl's Shirt with Tie
6. Tutorials that show you how to make your own clothes often involve salvaging old pieces. Learn how to resize your current patterns and pieces for your current size.
7. We had to mention this one! Don’t buy clothing patterns when you learn how to sew clothes, use free sewing patterns!
8. Learning how to make your own clothes will so much easier if you watch someone else do it. Check out some free sewing patterns that come with videos.
- Sewing Clothes 101: 8 Sewing Videos
- How to Make a One Shoulder Dress
- How to Make a Reversible Dress
- More Video Tutorials
9. You probably have a lot of old tees laying around. Learn how to sew clothes out of old tees and you’ll barely spend a dime making these free clothing patterns.
- Emma Pilsbury T-Shirt Refashion
- DIY Tank Top
- 9 Ways to Transform Old T-Shirts eBook
- 20 Minute Shirt to Skirt Refashion
- One Skirt Makes 3 DIY T-Shirts
How do you save money when you are sewing up free clothing patterns?
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LazyE
Jul 28, 2020
I love using sheets for sewing my own clothing. There is plenty of fabric, its soft, preshrunk, and just move the pattern around areas that are spotted or torn, and place in best areas of the sheet. Great for sewing nightgowns, tops to wear around the house, even make pillowcases, kids clothes, stuffed animals, and the lace can be taken off and used on pillowcases, girls dresses, etc . The best part is no sizing or formaldehyde on the fabric to get rid of before sewing. Upcycle, recycle, love cotton sheets.
Arina
Nov 16, 2018
Thanks for sharing such amazing information about sewing clothes and saving money. It really helps me because I'm thinking about sewing clothes for my family.

flowergirl
Aug 28, 2018
What a great collection of ideas for making your own clothes. Budget friendly is always the best way to go when you're trying to save some money. This list has some of the coolest refashioning, making your own patterns and reusing some pieces like pillows to get fabric.

Z Christensen
Jul 09, 2015
Very useful. I love the idea of making your own pattern.

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