Anachronista.net >
Gothique
pages >
Crafts
& Sewing > Clothing
Creating Gothic Clothing and accessories
Nope, what you really want to wear will
not
be in any store.
Get used to it. Besides, I'd rather not show up at the club wearing the
latest from Goth Beauty, and find that three other girls had the same
idea. I've got a lot of experience sewing, and so creating clothing and
accessories seems pretty easy and natural to me. However if you're just
getting started, I've tried to break down the process into simple
steps. Just remember, it's mostly geometry.
Some Basic Supplies and things to have on hand
Scissors - invest in a good pair, and make sure no
one uses them for
anything other than cutting fabric. Anything else will dull your sewing
scissors unecessarily.
Sewing
Machine - you'll get
what you pay for. You might want to borrow a machine to get yourself
started, or some very good used machines might be available from your
local repair shop. If you buy, look for one that has a variety of
stitches.
Fabrics -
make it a habit
to keep an eye on the sales. When you find it on sale, buy it, even if
you don't yet know what you're going to use it for. Things to look for
include black moleskin and velvet, netting, and trims, as
well as useful fabrics in colors that you like to wear. Look for
Halloween fabrics either on or just after the holiday to get the best
deals. Having a stock
on hand makes it easy to create whenever need or the muse strike. After
you cut our your new skirt or bodice, keep the scraps. They're
especially helpful when you want to make something small or add a
little panache to a sleeve cuff. When notions go on sale, pick up black
elastic or a set of buttons.
Measuring
and marking - a
yardstick, a t-square, and a tape measure for taking measurements.
JoAnn's has 120" tape measures, which I highly recommend. Tailor's
chalk or a white colored pencil or crayon for marking on dark fabrics.
Thread -
like everything
else, you get what you pay for. Gutermann threads are the best
generally available; go ahead and spring for the super size spool of
black at $10 - you'll use it. Buy it when you can get it on sale. I got
it at 30% off last time I bought black.
Laundry -
you'll want to
pre-wash all your fabric, with the possible exception of netting.
Really, don't skip this step. This will remove any transient dye which
may discolor your skin, and will prevent the fabric from shrinking
unexpectedly.
And now the part you've been waiting for -
the projects
But before we begin darlings, you might
want to know how
difficult each of the following projects might be. Each of the projects
is
rated. One 
is
the easiest, while are for experts with fabric and thread.
You'll notice that the
basic directions have fewer ,
while the variations usually have more . If
you get stuck or need help, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at the
link provided in the footer of every page.
Got requests? Let
me know.
