At this point, you might not be ready to open up a full-blown dress shop but you can already start advertising yourself to the world as a go-to person for different kinds of textile-based projects. You can probably start stocking up on indispensible tools and supplies that you can easily reach for in an instant. When someone comes knocking on your door asking you to please, please make her daughter’s flower girl dress or a set of curtains for his new bachelor’s pad, you will be glad you did. Here are some of the basic tools and supplies you will need for both small and big projects and everything else in between.
Crafty Creations
The first items on your list of tools and supplies to buy will have you browsing through haberdashery items that are part and parcel of your supply stock. For small and crafty projects, you will want to stock up on the following:
• Buttons – have a good balance of plain and simple buttons and fun-looking ones. At this point, you don’t necessarily have to have the most ornate ones especially if they require a subjective eye and a specific taste that might not be present in any of your future customers and clients. Round buttons are most often used for a lot of projects, and do have them in a variety of colors and sizes (for making dolls eyes, button noses, doll clothes closure, etc.). To be on the safe side, throw in some cloth covered ones for when you need to make specialty dresses that require exposed buttons that require a level of flaunting.
• Cords – stock up on rayon cords for a variety of craft and dressmaking projects, such as kitschy, corded gift bags and pull-tie kimono cover-ups. It always pays to have natural-hued ones that go well with canvas cloth and several rolls of boldly colored ones for any fashion or craft creation. Come the holidays, you’d best have metallic or Lurex gilded ones for Christmas crafts that pack a festive punch.
• Elastics – If you’ve been praised beforehand for your skills in making stretchy tutus for little girls or fancy beaded necklaces and bracelets, you should have a variety of elastics on hand. Clear knitting elastic (like stretchy fishing line) is great to have for stringing beads to make intricate beaded neckpieces and bracelets. For fancy hairpieces, sturdy round elastics in black and white are a must. If you make fancy costumes for kids, babies and anyone else, you will want to have a roll of flat waistband elastic.
• Fasteners – for projects that don’t call for basic buttons, fasteners are a great alternative (think baby clothes, fast-secure skirts or kiddie jackets and parkas). Grab a couple of jersey press fasteners and some hooks and bars to start off with. As you move along in your sewing hobby, you can add other kinds of fastening equipment in the mix.
• Ribbons and lace trimmings – who doesn’t love ribbons and lace? From dress trimmings to ring cushions, ribbons and lace trimming are the icing that bedecks a beautiful textile-based creation. Stock up on colored, glittered, patterned ones at the moment, and when you get very specific projects later on (such as a patriotic-themed doll project, for example) then that’s when you can order specialty ribbons.
• Rulers and scissors – to ensure you have your pattern measured just so, have a large Omnigrid handy. These come in small and large sizes, but it is usually best to invest in the biggest one you can afford so you only have one grid for all projects. And of course, scissors are very important in any textile-based project. At the very least, ensure you have at least one of each: tailoring shears, craft and hobby shears and trimming scissors.
• Velcros and zippers – make sure you always have a roll of Velcro (both hook and loop sides!) and zippers! These come in handy for making small pencil cases, structured blouses (with concealed zips) and other sorts of projects that require easy closure.
Fabric Frenzy
While the choice of fabric will ultimately be decided on by your clients, it is best to have dressmaking fabrics on hand – especially if you suddenly have that spark of inspiration and need to craft something from your imagination, pronto. For these times, make sure you have plain and printed cotton prints (best to stock up on in-demand prints for the season as well as classic patterns like floral, checkered, geometric and the like).
If you anticipate accepting dressmaking projects in the future, have dress linings and dress nets in basic colors (black, white, beige) at the ready. Since these usually go underneath the cloth, you are more likely to use something simple and basic. For the other types of fabrics (gingham, crepe, fashion prints, etc.), these can easily be ordered online through a reputable textile shop for when you need them for an actual project.
Curtain Projects
You might find yourself being commissioned to craft new swags for windows, so be ready with your basic stock! Have an assortment of curtain holdbacks (both plain and some elegant-looking pieces), curtain linings in basic colors and curtain tapes. For your fabric stock, it is usually best to have voile fabric in pretty pastels and lovely lace that will look at home in any room. For those looking for a hotel-like atmosphere, you can never go wrong with dove grey, tan, brown and beige. It’s also best to stock up on a couple of curtain rods in case a client wants to leave this purchase up to you as well.
Dresses and Gowns Galore
You never know if a close friend or neighbor would want to commission you to make a gown to wear to a fancy wedding or someone’s debutante ball, so fabrics and accessories for projects such as these are a must to have on hand. However, ensure that you do have the training to make bigger and far more complex projects like these – otherwise you might end up buying material that will just sit and gather dust in a corner.
Dress lining is a must and as mentioned earlier, you are safe to purchase beige, cream and black ones. To make the outer part of the frock, the safest colors to have on hand would be baby pink, navy blue, pearly cream, purple and magenta duchess satin or silk. Baby pink is a popular choice for children’s wear while navy blue and purple are go-to colors for more mature dresses. For those in between, magenta and pearly cream is a great color to create something with as it works well for teens, aunts and moms alike. Again, ordering other colors can come in later when someone approaches you about a project that requires specific colors.
Over time, you might find yourself adding more tools, equipment and supplies in the mix – especially if you gain a bigger following and develop your skills in such a way that you can take on bigger and more complex textile-based projects. For the moment, however, these basic supplies can already take you far. Work with these materials with a creative eye and a penchant for detail and pretty soon you will find yourself having to replenish them!
I love floral prints! I wish I could make clothes too.
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