Design Your Own Wardrobe with Mary Ray
BUILD A WARDROBE THAT WORKS FOR YOU!
Design Your Own Wardrobe with Mary Ray (Taunton Press, 2013) is our latest instructional video, and it’s for all sewing levels. Frequent Threads magazine and Taunton Press author, Mary Ray, describes the perfect approach to help you create an awesome wardrobe that flatters your body type, emphasizes your personal style, and maximizes your options. She takes you through all of the important steps and lessons that will result in your own personal, one-of-a-kind, flattering wardrobe.
DESIGN WHAT YOU LOVE!
By considering your personal needs and best color patterns, you will learn how to tweak patterns and how to mix what you sew with what you buy. Mary will also teach you how to design around key pieces and use different prints and fabrics to your best and most flattering advantage for a wardrobe with endless possibilities. After watching this video, you’ll never again say, “I have nothing to wear,” because you’ll have an amazing wardrobe that fits your personality and style!
YOU COULD WIN A COPY!
Would you like to add this DVD to your collection? If so, comment below and tell us what you find to be the hardest part of creating your own wardrobe. You’ll be entered in our random drawing for the DVD. You must make your comment before midnight on June 4, 2013, and the winner will be announced during the week of June 10. Good luck!
Love to have the magazine to browse
I purchase clothing when I need something to wear for an event so my wardrobe seems to be individual outfits not groups of items that go together. On the other hand I purchase fabric in collections but never seem to know what to make. And when I make a plan I don't seem to be able to get all the pieces done on time. Help!
Learning to see creatively. For instance the jacket Mary has on in the video is so cute & makes how outfit uniquely exceptional yet if I saw it in a pattern book I would pass it by.
Not sewing to a plan really hampers me. I have design skills but sometimes I go off and make things that are fun but not practical.
regards,
Theresa
I was captured by "how to design around key pieces and use different prints and fabrics to your best and most flattering advantage for a wardrobe with endless possibilities". I ordered the DVD immediately so winning one would be great.
Thx for all the fabulous tools
Carroll Thatcher
I could say when it comes to the design concept I am okay.I struggle when it comes to creating fitted clothing especially in the breast area and the back bodice.
Finding an "in stock" fabric that match the patterns I want to make and keep any commonality to pieces ie. wrong shades, not enough on bolt, wrong wieght right print...and it goes on and on...then thinking about existing shoes to go with fabrics available!!!
The hardest part of creating my own wardrobe to sew is choosing the co-ordinating fabrics. There are no fabric stores in my area that sell natural fabrics and that is what I like to sew with, I like to see and feel the fabric before I buy it so I have to drive 5 hours to the nearest store that sells the types of fabrics that I like.
The idea of designing my own wardrobe, and learning to make pieces that would both fit correctly and work with each other, sound like a dream come true! I would love to win this DVD and dive right in to get started on a great new wardrobe.
I am 71 years old and 6 foot 1 inch. I have tried to make my clothes before and was unsuccessful. I have bought Threads magazine the past couple months and The Threads Fitting magazine. I do not know much about setting up a wardrobe for myself but I would really like to learn how to do it. I have taken Sandra Betzina's pant fitting class and was able to make me a pair of pants that actually fit me. I was so excited. Not I want to sew more clothes for myself that fit and is difference than the clothes in the stores. It is so hard for me to buy clothes to fit me. Therefore, I would love to receive the DVD and study it and learn from it. It would be such a blessing to me. Thank you. Mary Ann
I'm not scared of making all of my clothes but I find choosing fabric that maximise my options the trickest part. Have a guide through designing your wardrobe would be great!
A 'working' seasonal wardrobe is a challenge for most people. Over time, as I have collected bits and pieces, I've grown my selection of clothes. I buy vintage pieces all the time and love making my own clothes. I have a full warbrobe and two large vacuum storage bags that I swap out twice a year. With volume also comes organisational, management and maintenance headache and it also dilutes the direction you want your wardrobe to go to suit style or mood. I could do with having less items and others could benefit from my culling some quality pieces that just don't work. The question is - which pieces do I let go?
As I seem to return to & use classic designs throughout
my sewing I would like to add some excitement to those designs. Finding quality companion fabrics is harder and harder each year.
I am still learning to sew and struggling with fabric choices - what fabric will work best with a particular pattern, what lining or underlining does it need, etc. It's those issues that are currently my biggest hurdle with creating a wardrobe (plus time!).
For some reason I mostly make cocktail dresses (like I need that many..:)) and then have nothing to wear in my daily routines. I need someone to explain to me how to PLAN a wardrobe, so this dvd very much will be put to good use!
I have so much trouble making a plan, then sticking to it. I end up sewing lovely, random things that are wardrobe orphans.
Just need to know how to get started!
this looks like a great product.
I would love to figure out clothes that fit my body type while exploring different silhouettes.
Harder part is making what I need instead of what I want (but may not wear)!
The hardest thing for me is picking appropriate fabrics for the styles i want to do.
I would love to make a wardrobe for myself but two things stand in the way: fear of starting to learn to sew on my own and not knowing how to pick fabrics.
I seem to have no problem sewing for everyone else, but when it comes to my own wardrobe, I just don't know where to start!!
The hardest part of wardrobe building for me is knowing what styles suit my figure shape and short stature.
Black and white ... easy to wear
I have a lot of clothes, but "nothing to wear". It would be so nice to have a wardrobe that went together.
I would love to win this DVD - the potential to have a homemade but stylish wardrobe would be a creative force. it would encourage my sewing as it would give me goals to achieve.
Gloria
Since I retired a few years ago I have had to change my thinking about what my clothing needs are and what types of clothing I need now vs when I worked. Before all my sewing efforts went into my work wardrobe. Getting my mind adjusted to this new life style has been harder than I thought it would be.
Two things are a challenge - first, having something that isnt too formal ortoo casual; second, being disciplined enough to only invest in garments that compliment my body.
The hardest part is finishing it before the season is over...
The hardest part of my wardrobe is to create enough pieces for a mix and match casual wardrobe to wear for school pick-up.
The hardest part is getting a garment that's looks professionaly made.
The hardest part is finding or creating outfits that look modern and youthful on a more mature figure.
The hardest part for me is spending the money on myself. I feel guilty taking that extra bit for myself.
The hardest part for me is buying the right fabrics to create a cohesive wardrobe. I tend to buy fabrics that have no relationship to what I already have, either in my wardrobe or stash.
My biggest trouble is that I tend to sew super cool highlight pieces instead of wearable, easy to combine pieces ;-)
The hardest part of creating my wardrobe is havin the focus to stick to a plan. I sew as the spirit moves me. I fill in the missing spaces. I just finished 3 white shirts as that is what I had a need for. Now I need skirts so I will move on to those. But the idea of buying ALL of the fabric and putting together one whole wardrobe as in SWAP is way beyond my ability to stay focused on such a large scale. I have sewing and wardrobe ADD. I guess I have SWADD.
Mary Ray is a phenomenal designer. She is also most gracious and generous with her knowledge as she teaches. I had the pleasure of meeting her and taking a class. I would love to have this DVD to benefit from even more of her experience and talent!
Buying clothes that fit my size, age and modesty level is difficult. It would be wonderful to know how to put together a wardrobe with pieces that work together. It seems to be difficult for me to put together a plan, find appropriate patterns and fabrics. Sometimes my vision is short sighted and I buy a pattern and make a piece without considering how it fits in. I'd love to learn from Mary.
I have been sewing for over 50 years starting at age 3 and I have yet learned how to put together a wardrobe. Any help would be appreciated. This book would be a first step in the learning process. Pick me.
I trying to make basic skirt, pant and bodice alone and I have such a hard time to perfect it. This book will help me great deal. Thanks
I purchased the DVD, Design Your Own Wardrobe, in the hopes that it would help me plan a wardrobe for my body type. While it was an interesting DVD and Mary Ray seemed knowledgeable, I feel it was not worth $24.95. It did not serve my purpose at all. I would not recommend it.
I like the idea of sewing a wardobe in which everything coordinates with everything else but it seems inevitable that some outfits become favorites, get worn more often and then wear out faster, leaving me with some clothes that need some key pieces (or hard to find coordinating prints I like) to tie them together again. Any sugestions to answer this problem?
I have many beautiful patterns and a lot of nice fabrics in my stash, although I seldom buy fabrics with a plan in mind, I just buy what I like at the time. The hardest part is figuring out which pattern to combine with which fabric, so that I don't end up with a lot of nice pieces but not a mix-and-match wardrobe that is versatile. This has made it quite hard to sew for myself, because I don't even know where to start. I believe having this DVD will greatly help.
MY EVER WIDENING BODY!!!!
My lifestlye has changed from professional to more casual stay at home mum. I need ideas to keep wardrobe casual, but still classy. Details often make the difference,and inspiration from such a DVD is always a help.
The hardest part for me in creating my own wardrobe is, Style. I never know what really suits me, especially now I am older.
The hardest part is to know what looks good on me. Sometimes I really like a certain dress but when wearing it, it doesn't like me....
I am a sewing instructor and repeatedly discuss fashions for all figure types. This would be a great DVD to have as a resource.
Once I choose a pattern that I love, I sometimes find it difficult to choose appropriate fabric to get just the right look, drape, etc, that works with it.
what is difficult is fitting myself. Trying to measure my body accurately and pining things correctly on first fits.
It's also challenging not knowing what is the best sewing technique for the type of garment chosen.
I have trouble visualizing things. Knowing what fabrics to put together. It sounds like this video will be helpful with teaching me to be creative.
Thank you for the chance.
Carol
I've sat down several times to go through patterns to help put a wardrobe together but I just can't seem to figure out exactly what pieces I need and how many. Also I can't accessorize to save my life. I need help!
Time! I could manage to plan it and sew some average difficulty pieces-over one season. To do a wardrobe? I just can't see it happening before the seasons would have changed. Hopefully-one day!
My biggest challenge: Not being afraid to use the right color instead of being stuck in the same old "this is practical" mode but really does nothing for me.
For me the hardest part is deciding what looks good on my body rather than what the models show. I never have been model thin!
When creating my own wardrobe, what I find most difficult is ensuring separates co-ordinate and that my wardrobe reflects my dynamic personality. There are far too many things in my wardrobe which I love but I don't know what to wear with them, other than some boring neutral.
I love creating my own cloths but I am still just a beginner with only basic skills. I would love to expand on these skills to then create a varied wardrobe with multiple personal outfits and accessories.
For me, the hardest part is stepping out of my comfort zone. I tend to make the same type garment, for example fly front pants, over and over and over!
I haven't even started sewing my own clothes yet! That's why I subscribed to this magazine. So I desperately need this DVD! I can sew pillows, curtains anything home decor & hem clothes but actually sew an article of clothing? No, help!
The hardest part for me is altering the patterns to make things fit better.
I have a hard time knowing what colors will look good on me. I love the art of creating clothing but also want to be able to wear what I make without it looking out of place.
Accessories are my biggest challenge. I tend to just wear pants and atop everyday. I never know what to wear with them to make it an outfit. Phyllis Hughes
Accessories are my biggest challenge. I tend to just wear pants and atop everyday. I never know what to wear with them to make it an outfit. Phyllis Hughes
The wardrobe's that I want to build are for my kids. This is why I've begun this sewing journey...so I'm nervous about my skills being adequate to make them 1) age appropriate but trendy/unique clothing that reflect their own personal styles 2)not have their clothes look home made and 3)sewing w/prints
The hardest thing I find about creating my wardrobe is finding garments that are modest yet also fashionable and stunning! Hence why I want to start my own fashion line someday :)
For me, the hardest part of creating a wardrobe is finding the discipline to confine myself to colours and styles that will go well together. I bet Mary would be able to help with that!
For me, the hardest part of creating a wardrobe is finding the discipline to confine myself to colours and styles that will go well together. I bet Mary would be able to help with that!
would like to learn to sew items that fit my life style, and look nice on this body I have.
Is it too late to get in on this?
Finding fabric that I like is my biggest challenge
When I want to build up my own wardrobe, the thing that I find the hardest is if the style does not fit me, it is too late, the piece of cloth is done and does not fit me. How can you handle that? If I don't recognize me when I look in the Mirror, it means that this piece is not for me, it's not my style. I think that it would be a good idea to go in stores to try some clothes that are similar to the one we want to make, to see if it suit us, for the style. This could help us tremendously. Thank you for reading my post.
I find putting pieces together can be my challenge in completing outfits I make. I would like to be able to do this with this help so my husband would be more excited about my sewing and I would also.
The hardest part of putting together a wardrobe is I have had a lifetime in uniform Catholic schools to a military career) and therefore am at a loss in putting one together for myself. I will be looking at this for help in getting out of a rut.
My wardrobe needs plenty of help. I am losing weight and hope to have a whole new wardrobe by next year. I need to know the ins and outs of building a wardrobe and making all my clothes to fit the fashion of today. I hope to win this DVD so I can learn from my mistakes in the past and look for new designs in fashion in the future.
The most difficult part for me is identifying those core pieces I will actually wear, once made.
I would love to have the DVD "Design Your Own Wardrobe". I have been sewing for about 60 years. It is my passion. My biggest problem for my own wardrobe is that I wear a size 1X and although I love many designs, I need to know what I should and can wear with my size. I also have limited closet space and need to be able to mix and match to get the most versatility from my wardrobe.