RW Making Her Own Clothes

[Markus]

My wife went to school to learn how to make clothes and she's very good at it. Probably 80% of the clothes in her closet in Russia were from her own designs and sewing it all together. Well, my brother bought my wife a very nice sewing machine and she's at it again. We found some Dallas Cowboys material and she made me a very nice short sleeve shirt. I enjoy wearing that shirt to work with all the anti-Cowboys fans I work with. And I live in the Dallas area.

She made me another shirt and also made her a coat from synthetic rabbit fur. She doesn't even need a pattern. She creates her own patterns.

We went shopping to find her a dress for a wedding we will attend. And, I admit, I'm somewhat patient for shopping, but my patience runs out at times. I'd rather be fishing. Our conclusion was for her to buy her own fabrics and she will make her own dress. What she chose for fabric was quite flashy IMO. It looked like something Paris Hilton would wear. Oh wait, she's wearing stripes.

But, I wonder what the experiences are that other men have with their wives when shopping for clothes. Do any of you have wives that like to make their own clothes?

Mark

[catzenmouse]

Elena also was trained in sewing and design. She makes at least half of everything she owns. Simple stuff like t-shirts and basic pants that she would wear to work we buy but all of her good clothes she makes.

Mostly with shopping she does not find the style and/or quality that she likes and when she sees the price and that its mostly made in China she won't bother with it. In the past couple of months she's made several items for other people and 7 or 8 things to take with her on her visit home this summer.

Ken

[rose]

When I came here quite a while ago, first thing I wanted was a sawing machine. Although a choice of fabrics here is much more poor than in Russia, the choice of quality clothes at a reasonable price is just simply terrible. And this is the reaction of almost every RW coming here.
While I was studying, I didn't have time at all; I started assimilate to this culture, and the necessity to wear nice clothes to school wasn't an option.  I found compromise of shopping at clearances in Macys and Nordstrom. It might sound expensive, but sometimes you can buy there Label Names for just $15, and it means that it's much cheaper than cost of fabric+time spent on sawing.
Now, when I got a job, and have to wear professional suits, I still shop at Nordstrom Rack, for example Anne Klein suit from last season can cost $25-60 , what I can easily afford, although Macys suits are still quite expensive - similar suits of this season around $99-180. Just give you prices for you could have an idea.
Back to sawing. If your wife just came to the US, and still is looking for her place in this new life, has some spare time, I think sawing is a great time filler which helps her to keep some kind of connection with her life "before you", and it might make her less homesick.

[ScottinCrimea]

My MIL runs a dress and costume rental business and my wife will often sew for her, especially around the New Year holiday.  I was amazed to watch my wife design and sew the equivalent of a prom dress in 1-2 days.  She uses no patterns and the quality of her designs and sewing exceed anything I have seen in the US.  It seems from this thread that this is a common talent amont FSU women.  You see very few AM any more who can do this.

[rose]

You see very few AM any more who can do this.

Last weekend I invited my coworker (AW) to come to swim in my pool. She told me how frustrated she was because she just bought a swimming suit, and one of the plastic hooks which holds a strip broke, now she needs to take it seamstress to fix it or buy a new one.  I thought I'll fall off my chair. I takes me probably 5 minutes to find threads and needle, to fix it and put everything at their places. Seems like AW don't have a concept of a needle in their heads (exclude quilting ).