How I did it: I actually had a custom pattern done by a professional.  Then I learned the pattern by making it over and over, asked others for their advice/help, and kept good notes!!
I bought muslin to practice on.  I practiced making small alterations of my own, too. 

Lessons & tips: Get on those sewing sites and start asking questions with good photos in case you don't know the correct terminology.  Measure twice, cut once.  Allow yourself to make mistakes.  Keep good notes to help stop repeating mistakes.  Get tailors chalk or fabric marking pens and use them!  Put a 4 x 4 swatch of all your fabrics in your notebook (I staple mine to the pages) and keep notes on them.  For slippery fabrics, spray starch them after they are folded for laying out pattern pieces.

Resources: Studying indie patterns at Burdastyle.com helped.
I like my simflex tool for spacing button holes quickly and easily.
Get a good notebook!
Make good markings with tailors chalk.

Dec 18, 2008, 10:28AM PST | 0 comments | 6 cheers