Dressmaking Supplier Directory
All suppliers in this directory are ones that have been either used or recommended to me over the years. If you would like your business to be added to the directory, please email me at [email protected]
These suppliers are Australian or can deliver to Australia.
Notions & Haberdashery
This is not the only suppliers available in Australia and there's even more overseas if you're willing pay for the shipping fees. I have worked with all of them and I am happy to recommend them to all of you. Please remember that everyone's experience is different and I can't make any guarantees!
Dress forms
Having a custom dress form is a very expensive investment for your business but there is an easier option here. If you have clients that you work with on a regular basis, you can get a custom dress form PDF pattern and make it yourself! I have personally made a few of these and they have made fitting custom garments much easier and faster.
This is where I got my professional dress form and they have lots of other equipment available. Was sent in great packaging with nothing broken. Still works perfectly well all these years later.
Industrial Sewing Machine
This is where I purchased my industrial Juki machine and all of it's attachments. Lovely customer service and it was delivered from Melbourne to Cairns very quickly and in the best packaging for a machine.
I haven't purchased a machine from this place before but I have heard some good reviews. Please let me know if you have bought from them!
Fabric Suppliers
EM Greenfield - One of my main fabric suppliers
Sewing Gem - Smaller supplier but they have lots of specialised equipment and corsetry fabrics and supplies
Potter Textiles - The main retail site is also available at Potter & Co
Booby Traps - This is where I get all of my lingerie and bra making supplies
Tylers Fabrics - Bridal and quite expensive but beautiful quality fabrics
Sewing Room Tools
I purchase a lot of threads, zippers, small equipment and papers from M.Recht and the quality is always very good. They are a bit more expensive but I think it's worth it.
This is where you can find just about everything you normally would at a fabric store. Birch is one of the biggest wholesalers of all things sewing and crafting in Australia so here is where you can even stock up your own little fabric and sewing store!
I've not personally purchased from here but I love this brand.
I love what this company is doing and I plan to get something from here asap.
I have just found them and would love to know more.
This is one of my lovely friends who has an amazing range of beautiful sewing room tools (including a sewing kit that's a biscuit tin!) I'm slightly obsessed with the scissors with soft handles.
There are a lot of different places you can get your sewing room equipment and I suggest you find the places that have good reviews, decent prices and delivery options. Over time you will find your own suppliers but for now, hopefully these will help get you started.
Corsetry Supplies
My main suppliers are from within Australia but there are quite a few around the world.
Australia:
Booby Traps - This is where I get the majority of my boning, busks, tapes, underwires, etc.
Sewing Gem - This is an amazing shop where they have dedicated corsetry, tailoring, sewing room tools and lots more! I've already mentioned them above but this is where I get my coutil fabric from.
Metro Fabrics - I've only bought boning from them before but I know they also stock a lot of other corsetry and costume making supplies.
The Stitch Parlour - I've never purchased from here but the website looks lovely!
International:
NZ Corsetry - New Zealand based corsetry supplier. They've also teamed up with Vanyanis for corsetry classes I believe!
Corset Making - This one has been around for a while and has good reviews
Farthingales - After 25 years in business, they definitely know their corsetry and historical garments!
Vena Cava Design - This is the first supplier I ever bought from and their quality has always been excellent.
There are many suppliers out there to get you started with your corset making journey. If you'd like someone to be added to the list here, please email me at [email protected]
Studying resources
It's amazing how much someone can grow when they have access to the resources the need. Growing your library of pattern making, sewing techniques and general fashion knowledge is the most valuable thing in every professionals life. If you have the knowledge, you can do anything.
Pattern making for Fashion Design
By Helen Joseph Armstrong
This book is considered to be the bible of pattern making and is taught in almost every fashion design course around the world.
My main pattern making process is based on this method
Metric Pattern Cutting for Womens Wear
By Winifred Aldrich
This is another book perfect for pattern making that uses a very different technique to the book above. But this one has a lot of very straight forward pattern adjustments and styles to help build a very large pattern library.
The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting
By Sarah Veblen
This is my go-to recommendation to learn how to fit patterns and all kinds of garments properly. The photos are great quality and its very thorough. I've used this book many times over the years to fix a lot of fitting issues.
Complete Guide to Sewing
By Readers Digest
This picture is just the latest in a VERY long line of publications by the Readers Digest for their Complete Guide to Sewing book. This has been around for generations and just gets updated as needed. I have one thats probably 30 years old and it's still the best a beginner can get.
The Tailoring Book
By Alison Smith
This is actually a new one in my collection and I love it! There are some techniques in here I'd never tried and I hope to start practicing them soon. I have read through it and happy to recommend it.
Fashion School in a Book
By Zoe Hong
I have been watching Zoe's YouTube videos for years now and she is the no-bullshit fashion teacher that we all want. Her videos have all the day to day skills you need to work in the fashion industry and I know that her book is just as amazing!
Advanced Pattern Making - Pattern Magic series by Tomoko Nakamichi
Pattern Magic 1
Pattern Magic 2
Pattern Magic 3
Pattern Magic for Stretch Fabrics
