Extra copies of the full-size pattern sheets/pattern templates exclusive to Dressmaking: The Easy Guide by Helen Rhiannon are available here.

Whether it's a simple T-shirt, kids PJ's, a pretty summer dress or even a pair of knickers, making your own clothes is a hugely rewarding skill/craft that few people ever take the time to learn.Then, choose from a selection of basic, but beautiful, neckline, sleeve and skirt options – from classic V-necklines to flouncy Fifties-style circle skirts – to make your dress your very own. Simply Sewing magazine’s Technical Editor Roisin loves every part of the dressmaking process, from sketching to sewing the final design, and enjoys working with luxury fabrics such as silk and chiffon. The patterns are only for sewing dresses and adapting the techniques to sew tops and skirts but you could use similar techniques for sewing other garments such as trousers, once you understand the adjustments that can be made.

Machines almost all come with numbered arrows to show you how to thread them (and usually have extensive instruction booklets) but if you get stuck there are plenty of YouTube tutorials to get you started. For more expert advice, check out our guide to Stress-free Stitching - we share our favourite 18 tips, hacks and clever fixes to make sure your sewing goes as smoothly as possible! Helen was fortunate to grow up by the picturesque coastline of Gower in Swansea, Wales, where she still lives. Techniques such as sewing zips are also covered, and you can use your knowledge to sew separate tops and skirts too.All the instructions have been thoroughly tested with Helen’s army of ladies who range from small to curvy, so you can be confident that the patterns will work for you!

It would be a useful book for anyone interested in dressmaking and wishing to adapt commercial patterns too. Look out for patterns which have been featured in Sew-Alongs or have accompanying video tutorials when you are starting out. this is what makes us unique'), and the numerous ways to mix and match design components allow for ample customization.Fairly obvious, but to start with you will need a basic sewing machine if you don't already have one.

Before you cut into any expensive fabric, sew-up a voile (a test garment) in an inexpensive fabric to test that you are cutting the correct pattern size.

If there are any terms or jargon that you find confusing, then take a look at our sewing glossary to help you follow the pattern. Each garment maker sewing a seam here or a button there on huge assembly lines for the throwaway fashion industry. The book contains a large pattern sheet of ‘nested’ basic block patterns with blocks for the Front Bodice, Back Bodice, Front Skirt, Back Skirt and Sleeve. You can adjust the length of this stitch, 3mm is a great starting point but 4-5mm is ideal for machine tacking.