If you caught last week’s post, you’ll know we explored the importance of colour when it comes to making your own clothes. Colour can completely change how we feel about a garment and how often we reach for it.
In this blog series, I’m exploring some of the differences and considerations that come with making your own clothes rather than buying them ready-made. Last week, we looked at colour — and this week’s theme is closely related: fabric print, pattern, and type.
I’ll look at fabric types separately (they really deserve their own space), but it’s worth noting that they go hand in hand with prints and designs.
Just like colour, the world of prints and patterns is vast — especially when you start shopping online, which is where most of us now source our fabric. Unlike ready-to-wear clothing, which is often limited to the season’s trends, fabric shopping opens up a whole world of possibilities. You’re not confined to what’s “in” this season. For example, if brown leopard print happens to be the trend and it’s not your thing, you’ll probably still find pink, green, or even purple leopard prints — not to mention countless other animal, floral, geometric, and abstract designs!
Of course, that level of choice can also feel overwhelming. This is where fabric type comes in — it’s a great way to narrow down your options. Next week, I’ll share some tips to help you navigate that side of things.
But for now, let’s focus on how to choose prints and patterns that work for you and your projects.
Once you’ve selected the right type of fabric, you might still have dozens of designs to choose from. This is the stage where it helps to think like a designer. It’s easy to be seduced by a pretty floral or bold geometric print, but ask yourself:
- Is this something I would actually wear?
- Does the print suit the garment I’m planning to make?
A great way to start is by looking through your wardrobe. What are the pieces you truly love and wear the most? Are they bold prints, small delicate patterns, or mostly plain fabrics? You might start to notice a theme.
For me, I’ve realised I’m often drawn to large, bold florals — they catch my eye every time. But when it comes to wearing them, I often don’t feel quite myself. So now, when I fall in love with a big floral design, I pause and think carefully: Would I really wear this? Especially if I’m planning a full dress or garment that uses a lot of fabric.
One of my lovely sewing students had a similar experience not too long ago. Her goal was to make a maxi dress — something she couldn’t find ready-made that fitted well. She worked hard on her toile, perfected the fit, and then cut into a beautiful blue floral fabric. But when she finished the dress, she felt like she had made a nightdress.
She loved the fabric, loved the dress shape, but somehow the combination just didn’t work. It’s something many of us have experienced — that mismatch between print and garment shape. The good news is, these are lessons learned through making. In her case, we turned the dress into a top, which suited both her and the fabric perfectly.
Taking a little time to understand your personal preferences and how prints make you feel can help you avoid these mismatches in the future. But even when things don’t go exactly as planned, it’s all part of the creative journey — and every make teaches you something new.
Next week, we’ll dive deeper into fabric types — what they are, how to choose the right one for your project, and why the fabric itself can make or break a design.
