How to Make Clothes for Cheap

Making your own clothes can be fun, and it can also allow you to get a custom look in just the fabric, style and size you want. Making clothes can also be cheaper than buying them, if you’re a savvy shopper. Here are some great ways to save money when sewing clothing.

Instructions

1. Look for discounts on patterns. Clothes patterns can retail for $15 or more, but you can often find fabric stores that have pattern sales of 40 to 50 percent off, or days when all patterns are $1 to $2. Some stores (including some pattern websites) even offer 50 percent discounts on patterns everyday. You can also find pattern lines that are always cheaper, such as Simplicity’s New Look and McCall’s Easy Stitch and Save. You may find these patterns on a special rack in the fabric store, rather than in the catalogs.

2. Choose clothes patterns that come with multiple styles you can use. Some patterns offer several variations on the basic design, such as shirt patterns that can be made with long or short sleeves as well as different collars. Other patterns come with several outfit pieces, such as a skirt and a top. These patterns can save you money since you can make lots of clothes with the same pattern, yet still have them look unique.

3. Save on fabric by watching for sales and checking clearance sections. Some fabric stores offer an additional discount if you buy the last of the fabric on a bolt. You might also want to network with others who sew, so you can exchange scraps or even yardage of fabric that people bought and then decided they didn’t need.

4. Get creative by combining small pieces of fabric from past projects or remnant sales, or salvageable fabric from old clothes.

5. Sign up for the fabric store’s coupons. Some fabric stores, such as Joann’s, regularly mail coupons that let you to take 40 percent off the regular price of any fabric, essentially allowing you to choose your own sale. Some stores also offer newspaper coupons and email coupons, so you can get a discount on several items you need at the same time.

6. Stock up on basic sewing essentials, such as thread, zippers, buttons and fusible interfacing, in sizes and colors you frequently use when they’re on sale. This can also save you time, and let you save your coupons for more expensive items.

7. Save money when you buy a sewing machine by looking for a good quality used machine. You only need a few basic stitches for sewing most clothes, so the machine doesn’t need to be fancy, just reliable. If you really want to save money, you can hand sew for just the cost of a needle and thread.

Tips & Warnings

• Some clothes are cheaper to sew than others. You can often save a lot of money by sewing your own evening dress compared to buying one at the store (or having one custom made). For basic items like T-shirts, you can often buy the clothes more cheaply than you can make them.