After shopping for a wedding dress, finding one I love and having it not fit in one certain area, I want to make my own.
Does anyone know of any tutes on how to make a (preferably strapless) dress from scratch?
Time frame: 2 years, but I want to practise making a dress beforehand so I will know if I will struggle anywhere.

Maybe search your local thrift stores for old dresses that fit you. They wouldn't cost much so you could buy one and cut it up to make a pattern from it. A lot of sleeved styles are easy to convert to strapless.

Also, when you make practice dresses, try to use materials similar to what you're going to use on the real dress. Tulle is pretty cheap wherever you go, especially if it's on sale or you have a coupon for it.

ive looked in charity shops, but dresses either swamp me from being many sizes too big, or dont fit my chest or bum.
what is tulle?

Tulle is that fine mesh netting stuff that they use to poof up the skirt of a ballgown. I don't know exactly what style you're going for, but my mom used to make custom bridal dresses, so I could offer a bit of help :)

The first is a blog and the second is a video:)

http://www.apracticalwedding.com/2009/01/how-to-make-wedding-dress/

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-wedding-dress-2