Heavy cotton is a good fabric for a Hakama unless you practice someplace like Guam (the Dojos there have no A/C and the temp/humidity is always in the 90s) where I have trained. In which case really thin polyester is about all you would care to wear. As for having skill to sew your own following a pattern is realy not hard at all. Though I haven't made a Hakama yet I have made an uwagi and an obi as well as numerous other articles of clothing and such. Every single man ought to have his own sewing machine just so he can hem his own pants. Married men need there own just so there wife doesn't get pissed when you use theirs
Personally I prefer to do my own sewing.