Sewing tips

Clone Your Clothes Book Review

Want to make new clothes from items in your wardrobe? Not sure how to start? This post is a book review of “Clone Your Clothes” by Claire-Louise Hardie.

Introduction

My favourite casual boot-cut pants have been out of stock for a few years. Earlier this month the parent company of three Canadian clothing brands announced the impeding store closures for two of the brands and the downsizing of the third. These changes to the Canadian retail landscape make it more difficult to find good clothes to buy. Buying second-hand clothing is an option. Cloning clothes you already have is another. There are lots of free resources online to help you. I bought “Clone Your Clothes: Pattern-making and sewing techniques to recreate your best-loved clothes by Claire-Louise Hardie so I could have one comprehensive source.

What’s the book about?

Clone Your Clothes teaches you how to make patterns from your clothes without taking your clothes apart. Sewers without experience sewing clothes who follow the rules/or guidelines laid out in the book will usually have a great outcome. The book is divided into two major sections.

1) Cloning School

The tools and equipment needed to clone your clothes are introduced. Next learn about fabric grain and examine the garment you wish to clone. Direct measuring, tracing and overdraping are introduced then described with detailed examples. Woven and knitted fabrics, and copying pleats, gathers, and darts are discussed. Make several pattern from a single garment. Check their accuracy prior to sewing .Test your new pattern by sewing a test garment (also known as toile or muslin).

2) Design School

Learn about capsule wardrobes and how to select fabric for your cloned garments. Detailed descriptions of how to clone a cami top, wrap skirt, shirt, trousers and dress have a chapter each. Sidebars include tips for redesigning these garments.

Conclusion

Clone Your Clothes: Pattern-making and sewing techniques to recreate your best-loved clothes” by Claire-Louise Hardie was exceptionally well written and illustrated. Previously I have cloned garments that were falling apart. This book has given my confidence to clone other items from my wardrobe. Readers require some sewing experience but clothes sewing experience is optional. Supporting videos are available. I have selected some garments to clone and am in the process of doing so using the knowledge in this book. I’ll update this post as I complete my garments.

Have you cloned any clothing? Do you have cloning resources to recommend? Comment below and/or Pin me for later!

Tanya

Sewn By Tanya Sewing Tip: Clone Your Clothes

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