During her junior year of high school, a time when some teenagers feel entitled to brand-name clothing and designer jeans, Laura Maruzzella took her style and clothing into her own hands — literally.

Maruzzella, a sophomore in art and design, began crafting her own clothes after watching her mother from a young age. She said making articles of clothing is usually cheaper than buying them, and the process makes for an enjoyable pastime.

“It’s very efficient and it’s fun,” Maruzzella said.

Maruzzella said the appeal of making her own clothes has grown since experiencing the financial constraints of a college student. The academic and personal demands of being a student have limited Maruzzella’s creative experiments to that of a part-time hobby.

She primarily creates dresses, purses and knits scarves. Maruzzella said she is wary of making most types of pants due to the complexity of their design, but admits her fondness for making pajama pants.

And she adventures into new worlds of clothing.

“There are no limits to my creativity,” Maruzzella said.

She said she constantly explores new styles and types of clothing, drawing inspiration from things around her apartment or that she discovers by chance.

Maruzzella said she does not simply resign herself to common clothing, which is evident by looking at a colorful cape she made for a friend.

In addition to crafting clothing from scratch, Maruzzella said she likes to tweak clothing she already owns, giving it a certain edge. On occasion, she will peruse the local Goodwill for inexpensive shirts which she cuts to experiment with different looks.

While making one’s own clothes has many advantages, Maruzzella said it often requires a great deal of time — and sometimes, mistakes happen.

“You mess up a lot of things, and you can’t wear them,” Maruzzella said.

Also, Maruzzella said she finds making one’s own clothing is not always cheaper than buying it, depending on the goals of the designer.

When choosing the fabric for her projects, she said she may need a high-quality cut to achieve her desired result. On the other hand, an inexpensive fabric may be sufficient.

For newcomers to clothing design and creation, Maruzzella stressed the importance of practice. Mistakes are a valuable part of the learning process, she said, so it’s important that beginners not let frustration overwhelm them. While Maruzzella admitted that it would probably be easier to start with a small project, she said she urges others to “just do it — just go for it.”