Accessories can make or break an outfit. To really boost your style and make your outfit stand out from the crowd, you want unique accessories which create a talking point. One of the best ways to ensure your accessory is a one-off is to make it yourself. Cue: home sewn accessories.
Research has shown that basic skills such as cooking, ironing, and sewing are on the decline among Generation Y women. Furthermore, just 51% of Australian females aged 30 or less able to cook a roast. This is a worrying finding when there are so many benefits to being able to sew your own style, including giving your clothes a new look.
How to Achieve Your Bespoke Look with Home Sewn Accessories
Where to start
As a beginner, you may decide to start off stitching by hand with a needle and thread. This is a great way to start, but, it limits your options and can be time-consuming. To really succeed in making bespoke pieces, invest in a sewing machine for beginners. They allow you to quickly churn high-quality pieces out which could rival any store-bought item.
Your ultimate aim may be to design and create all your items from scratch. However, you shouldn’t try to run before you can walk. First practice on accessories you already own and work on sewing embellishments, tassels, and additional compartments onto them. Once you’re happy and comfortable using your sewing machine, you can move onto sewing accessories from a sole piece of fabric.
The possibilities are endless
Once you’re up and running with a sewing machine, the pieces you can design and make are countless. If you’re after a stylish belt to break up your outfit, you’ll need just a few pieces to get started. A bold leopard print design can really make a statement and when cutting the fabric to size ensure you measure the exact area of your body where you will be wearing it – either the waist or the hips – and add five inches to the final measurement. You can even recycle an old belt buckle to your design and backstitch it to your belt.
Every woman needs a multitude of bags and purses to cater for every occasion and learning to sew gives you the perfect opportunity to create a bag suitable for every look. A meal out in a fancy restaurant calls for a classic and simple design with a secure zip, whereas, on a day trip to the beach, you’ll want a large, bold and colourful bag with plenty of handy compartments which is easy to wipe clean.
Sewing is a brilliant skill and pastime to have which can be used to create stunning and distinctive accessories to complement any outfit.
This ‘Home Sewn Accessories’ post was written by Jennie Ogden for The Lady-like Leopard.