I have just started to play the flute and am playing a low D
made from PVC. My sound is very breathey. Not sure if it
is me or the flute and anyone help?
Thanks
Monty 
I’m not sure that I understand what you mean by breathiness. So, I’m asking this question, which quality would you like your flute playing to have, rather than a breathy sound.
Welcome. This should be an interesting thread.
you
focus… ||: practice until yer lip falls off, wait until it recovers :||
Did you make the flute yourself? If so, it could be (partially) due to the flute if you didn’t do a good job on the embouchure cut. If it’s one of Doug Tipples (or mine, for that matter!), it’s almost certainly you. As mentioned above, you need to focus your air - pretend you are spitting out a grain of rice. Most likely, your embouchure is much to wide - do you find yourself running out of air quickly?
Your best bet is to find someone (a flute-knowledgeable someone) to help you.
Good luck!
Pat
I am thinking the embrouchure is some of the problem! I did make it myself and it
plays quite easily but I do run out of air quite soon! I like the sound but my wife
feels it sounds like too much air is passing through? What should I look for
on the embrouchure?
Thanks for the replies! I will play until my lips fall off!!
Monty
the hole yer blowing through is too big
the one between yer lips
you need to create yer own back pressure
Denny’s right.
You might visit http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Getting_the_hard_dark_tone.htm.
Pointing lower down the hole forces you to focus your jet of air.
When you start to hear the difference, you’re on the right track.
Bob
One way to find out is to buy a decent flute.
Tipples aren’t too much money and they appear regularly on the used instrument board
at very good prices indeed.
It is probably you, but without a decent flute at hand there may be a question in your mind.
I’ve got a couple of Tipples now and I still can’t believe how much I like them.
http://tippleflutes.com/
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/fs-oz-vambrace-delrin-silver-d-water-weasel-d-more/80788/1
Beginners usually sound breathy on any flute. First flutes are usually not so good and will sound breathy. I’m tempted to say that beginners shouldn’t start playing with a flute made by themself, but rather with a flute that they know it’s good quality, so that they can’t blame but themself for the bad tone they get…
tempted… yeah, I’m easy too 
a good player will be able to get good sound out of a bad embouchure cut.
a good maker will learn to make a good embouchure cut (might take a few years)
It is much easier to learn when you know that it is not the flute! 
A breathy tone is not necessarily an indication that your personal embouchure is under-developed, but this is certainly indicated by your comment “it plays quite easily but I do run out of air quite soon”. Good economy of air comes with good enbouchure. That usually brings better tone too, although if the flute is dodgy the tone might still be a problem even with excellent embouchure.
Mind you, discussions about ‘breathiness’ are difficult, because tone quality is very subjective. To one pair of ears a sound might seem breathy but to another it might sound rich and reedy. The much-sought-after dark woody tone of Irish players can sound quite breathy to some people who prefer flutes to sound sweet and pure.
Take the bark of Conal O’Grada when he hits the low notes and it sounds like a saxophone in a corridor - I think it’s vibrant and exciting and I love it. But my daughter, also a flute player, thinks it’s course and breathy. When it comes to tone, each to his own!
Thanks so much to all! This is my first post and I am
more than pleased with the response! I will continue
to work on my playing and soon will buy a quality
flute!
Monty