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Please can I have some help, internet?
November 28, 2008
I have got the whole of saturday to myself this weekend, and I decided it might be time to make a proper start on my wedding dress. But I am in 2 minds about so many things!
1. The fabric.
I love my fabric an insane amount, but I am really in 2 minds about which side of the fabric to use. It's a blush coloured duchesse satin, and has one extremely shiny side (almost like it's liquid) and one side which is a lot duller, but still has definite sheen to it.
I have been finding it very hard to photograph the fabric to show you what I mean, but I found a website selling silk duchesse satin, and this is exactly what the shiny side of my fabric looks like, but obviously in a different colour: Click here.
Here is my fabric on the other side - it is the one on the bottom of the pile. You can see it is a lot duller, but if I hold it around myself in the daylight it still is very sheeny.
I'm not sure if the very shiny side is too much, especially as my dress will be straight to mid thigh but then flare dramatically? I do like the dull side better, but I don't know if you're allowed to use that side! Or even which side is the right side! But then again, the shiny side is also so gorgeous and certainly more spectacular! I'm torn between thinking "it's my wedding day, I should look at glamourous as possible", but also not wanting to look outrageously shiny.
Please help, I really need opinions, especially if there's something very practical I'm not considering. Also if anyone knows what the right side of the fabric is, I would love to know. I have looked and looked online, and most dresses seem sheeny rather than shiny, if that makes sense!
2. The muslin.
I foolishly cut my muslin a size too small, as I had forgotten what an enormous bum I have. I have adjusted the muslin to fit around the bust and it's fine, but it looks weird over my belly. I don't know if that's because it's too tight around the hips, but I can't let it out around the hips because there's not enough fabric! What do I do?! Do I just wade in with the real fabric, this time cutting it with enough fabric around the hips, and assume it will look ok, because it's the right size? Or is that idiotic and I need to make another muslin? I'm scared to cut my ludicrously expensive silk! I really want this to look perfect.
3. Buttons with loops.
I want to cover the zipper on the back with little buttons covered with the dress fabric, and loops to fasten them. I searched the internet and apparently these are called rouleaux loops, but does anyone have any idea how I will sew them in? Should I attach them to a strip of interfacing, and sew that in at the same time I fit the zipper? Kind of like this, but with a zipper thrown in there as well! If anyone has any ideas please let me know.
Thanks a lot in advance, internet. Any help/opinions greatly appreciated.
Posted by jen at 11:19 AM | Comments (21)
The first bridesmaid dress!
November 18, 2008
I actually did the sewing for the first bridesmaid dress 2 weeks ago! But I have been snowed under at work, and finally have a chance to show it off.
The first bridesmaid dress needs minor adjustments (taking in a little around the bust and hemming), but is essentially done! It took 3 evenings of cutting out the patterns pieces, and cutting out the fabric and transferring markings, and then a weekend of sewing. I really enjoyed making it, and am very pleased with how it turned out.
I used the pattern Vogue 7848, the only adjustment I made was to line the dress. The top is self lined with facings in the pattern, but I cut lining fabric to match the pattern pieces, so I could line the whole dress.
The top of the dress:
The inside of the dress - shows where boning was sewn in place and the lining fabric:
Zip sewn in by hand:
Although now I will have to take it out again, as I am taking the dress in at the back! Bummer! I'm doing this because the other seams all have boning attached, and the dress actually fits around the bust very well, so it makes sense to take it in at the back.
The dress hung up:
I added tape so the dress can be hung up. The photo shows how well the dress stands up on its own! A combination of stiff fabric and boning!
My bridesmaid Alison tried it on, and we were both dead pleased with how it looks. I am looking forward to doing the finishing touches, and then I can make the second one. And then my dress is next!
Posted by jen at 09:01 PM | Comments (13)