A couple of years ago a friend asked me to make a flower girl dress for her wedding. I did a quick photoshop mock up of the style she wanted using a photo of a similar style in a similar fabric so that she would have an idea of what it would look like when finished. The sash will be different, but the fabric is similar. She really wanted the one shoulder look because that is what the bridesmaids are wearing. I talked her into letting me put a thin strap on the other shoulder, because, let's face it, little girls are not built like big girls and I was afraid that it would gap. I bought some black ruffle elastic for that little strap which I think will be super cute!
Just as I was about ready to start cutting the fabric for the dress, she informed me that she had postponed her wedding. Thankfully I had not begun cutting into the fabric yet! And in retrospect, even more glad that the company from which I ordered the fabric accidentally filled my order twice! When I contacted them about it, they told me to keep the extra yardage. There is plenty of this satin damask print for a bigger size dress.
My original plan for this dress was to modify an existing pattern, per my usual MO back in those days. However, since taking the Pattern Workshop course, I have decided that I might get a better fit by drafting it myself.
So, that is what I did this weekend. I drafted the bodice and made a muslin. I have yet to try it on the little gal to see how it fits. I'm hoping it fits well on the first go, but we will see.
I also started work on a little ruffled, tiered, half slip for her to wear under her dress to add some fullness. I thought about building a crinoline into the dress. I realized, after thinking about it for a while, that a half slip might be more useful to them because she can wear it with other dresses as well.
I have been trying a technique I have not tried before. Making the ruffles on my serger. After having broken two needles trying this method, I think I might have figured it out. I'm not sure that I am crazy about doing the ruffles this way, to be honest. The gathered edge looks a bit too messy for my taste. It is, however, considerably faster than the traditional method of gathering that I usually use. Maybe I'm just too much of a traditionalist because I know this isn't a new technique, it's just one that I have never explored.
So, what about you? What projects have you been working on this weekend? What new things are you learning or trying?
1 comment:
Hi Linda, I am a newbie to Pattern Workshop but not to sewing. You are exactly right about gathering with a serger. YUK! I have a great babylock and I have never met a serged gather that I liked. However for ruffles and less than intricate ruffles I do like a ruffler for my sewing machine. I now have a Bernina ruffler but I have used a generic one and they work just fine. The adjustments are simple and you run a 10" sample strip test how much you want to gather - 2X, 1.5X etc.
My background is heirloom and for that I want TINY, EVEN, PERFECT gathers that don't shift around when I am sewing not big, random, messy stuff. Just sayin'. Check out my Tut on Perfect Gathers at sewmuchgood.blogspot.com. Can't wait to see your finished dress! Good luck.
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