Articles >> Making Fancy Dress CostumesMaking Fancy Dress Costumes
There are some excellent fancy dress costumes to buy either from your local fancy dress shop or from an online store. But if you’re handy with a needle and thread and have a creative talent then making home made fancy dress costumes can be great fun and very satisfying.
Sadly over the last couple of decades we have seen the decline of the fabric shop on the high street. The demand for material and sewing threads has lessened due to working mums and busy lifestyles. We are seeing a revival of some of these lost arts as more people want to learn new skills and the range of materials to buy online increases.
Fancy dress costumes
If you have a specific costume in mind and you can’t find a pattern then it may be worth buying your costume online. There are a limited amount of patterns available for fancy dress and although there is a good range to choose from, you may not be able to purchase exactly what you want. Alternatively keep an open mind and have a look at the choice of patterns available and choose one that is closest to what you had in mind.
Fancy Dress Patterns
Your pattern is the starting point of your outfit. There are some good online stores where you can buy patterns including 80s fancy dress patterns. Simplicity and McCalls have a good choice. Find a good online store and order the correct size. If you need some help give the store a call and ask for some advice, most stores are happy to help.
Material
Choosing material online is easier if you are familiar with sewing. There will be recommendations on the reverse of your pattern to give you advice on which material to choose.
If you’re a complete beginner then it may be wise to enlist the help of a mum or Aunty that knows how to sew and is familiar with the different types of material available. They will be able to give great advice on everything from choosing your material to putting your outfit together. There’s also the added bonus that if you manage to make your fancy dress outfit then you can carry on with other projects!
Threads
The online store that provides your material will also have a choice of threads. Choose the colour closest to your fabric.
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