My daughter wants her wedding dress made of silver fabric…I was going to go with satin, but now I’m inclined to branch out and look at silk…The worst part is, years ago I came across a fabulous silver fabric. I bought some for a prom dress for her that didn’t work out (stupid sleep-deprived mom didn’t notice the pattern was for knits only). It would be perfect for her wedding dress, but I only have three yards that we use as a Christmas tree skirt…and the failed prom dress that wouldn’t fit over her head. I’ve never found a fabric like it again…but of course I won’t stop looking.
Can I just vent for a minute? A few months ago, my SIL called me up with the bright idea of sewing matching dresses for our girls to wear to the upcoming wedding of the youngest brother (SIL-to-be promptly made them flower girls). Now, I have two daughters, and she has one, but fine. She wanted to learn to sew better (and this is all really my fault for converting her to sewing in the first place). So I made the biggest one first to learn the pattern and then we were going to get together and work on the two dresses for the little girls. We got as far as the bodices. She was supposed to drive up here last week to finish, but my girls got croup. Now she and her daughter are sick. The wedding is 10 days away. So I get to sew all the dresses–oh, and put the binding on the laprobe quilt we made, but that’s no biggie.
It’s a simple enough pattern, except that there’s a petticoat with a ruffle on the bottom (white muslin). The ruffle is insanely long, of course–4 widths of fabric, so about 130". It’s a jolly good thing that I bought that rolled-hem foot in the spring, because I would really be annoyed with her if I had to do it by hand. I don’t like repetition–it’s boring! Making 3 identical dresses when I want to be making a winter dress and coat is really getting up my nose. Grrr.
My name is Lynn, and I’m addicted to nickel charm packs.
dangermom, I don’t know if it will make you feel better, but I once made a wedding dress in two weeks. Over Christmas. For my most neurotic, body-insecure friend. (“Does this make me look fat? Are you sure it doesn’t make me look fat? I look fat. Will he still love me if I’m fat?”)
I didn’t kill her. I did need eight drinks and a bucketload of chocolate fondue after the wedding. This dress here. Here’s a slithy better picture.
Thank goodness it was a relatively simple design.
I used to buy a lot of fabric and never make anything with it. So I have managed to convince myself not buy anymore until I do something with what I have. It helps that I don’t live near a fabric store anymore.
However, I can’t do much with what I have because sewing machines hate me. My old stand by got a part broken off during travel when I took it to my boyfriend’s a long time ago to help him with a costume. I bought myself another cheap machine that stopped working shortly after purchase. The needle won’t go through the bobbin, I’ve tried adjusting everything I can think of but it refuses to budge. I inherited my mother’s machines when she went into a nursing home but they had been put in a storage shed before being brought to me and I think they need a good cleaning before I attempt to use them. One of them is a serger that I have no idea how to use - it’s kind of scary looking. There’s a sewing machine repair place nearby I should go to, but I wonder if they’ll report me to some Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Sewing Machines if I walk in there with 4 machines.
I think I need a good class on basic sewing machine. My mother tried to teach me when I was a kid, she had taught herself but I wasn’t that adept to pick it up that easily. As I said machines become possessed when I use them. They’ll work normally for a little bit, then all the sudden strange things will start happening, the thread bunching up, the thread ends up covered in oil, dogs and cats living together, zuul returns and so on. Despite this I have managed to make a few things but not lately. I also need to have a workspace which I don’t currently have.
My mother was a fabric junkie, too. She’d buy lots of stuff when it was on sale. She ended up with a lot of fabric which we ended up selling at a garage sale (I would have grabbed it all and ran had my brother and sister not been there). Another fabric junkie came along and bought a bunch, then came back later and bought the rest. Hopefully it got a good home.
There are a lot of schools that have fashion design programs that offer basic sewing classes. There might even be some basic sewing classes offered through a community college in your area.
I’m okay with using a sewing machine, but it’s mostly because I’m good at learning through observation and because I had one of those My Little Pony sewing machines when I was five, so I got a lot of practice on an easier machine before I moved up to something more difficult.
Went to try to find that fabric store yesterday, and completely forgot to write down the street address before I left. By the time we got in the area, I forgot exactly where it was, and couldn’t quite remember the name of the store either. :smack: I’ll try again with more success next time I head down to the Florida Mall.
I wonder how hard it would be to become good at sewing machine repair, and go into the business of repairs and tuneups? That might be fun. I don’t sew at all, personally, but I like machines, and so many people seem to have issues with their sewing machines.
StG
Wow, Lissla, you are a brave woman! The dress is lovely and your friend was very lucky.
I have now finished the Ruffles of Doom and have only to put the last skirt on the bodice, do some of the hand sewing, and put 14 buttonholes on two dresses (bleh). They are cute dresses and all; I just wouldn’t have chosen to make 3 of them when I have more interesting projects to tackle.
Wile E, most sewing machine or fabric stores will have some classes on offer. I don’t know about JoAnn’s, though. Any quilt store is guaranteed to have a schedule of classes, but of course they concentrate on quilting (the beginner course will have simple sewing as well as quilt-specific techniques). Is there a dealer in your brand of sewing machine in your area? (Like, my SIL bought a Janome and the store gave her lessons in its use–my Bernina also came with classes, only I didn’t go because the dealer is too far away for convenience.)
I’m TOC, and I DON’T collect fabrics. Please don’t hate me.
But thanks to Miss Purl McKnittington, I think I just found the perfect present for my mother. She loves Lilies of the valley. I think I can manage to a pillow or two. Or maybe stretch a piece for some wall art.
There’s always Denver Fabrics
Two pretty big warehouse-type stores…drooooooool
::drools:: I want that red silk!