Hey, I do have it! It’s a pretty simple dress, really, and even the sash doesn’t look too awful. I would definitely do it in muslin or something first, though–the instructions are clear enough, but they are so mixed in with all the other models (more so than usual, even) that it’s a little confusing. Also, you do know it’s got a net underskirt, right?
I notice that the model seems to be in dupioni. I’ve never sewed dupioni myself, but I’ve always heard that it’s very good to work with. I’m sure others here know from experience. But that might be a very good choice for your dress…
Shit. That info would have been on the back of the envelope, which isn’t shown on the website.
Is there any way the girls can wear a poofy half-petticoat like this, instead of having Dear Auntie descending into the Valley of the Shadow of Death that constitutes (A) underslips and (B) working with tulle?
But you can’t use the marking pens on satin or anything else that spots from water. The marking pens mark in blue and the marks disappear when you dab them with water.
I have a marking pen that marks in purple that disappears after 24-72 hours. That means you have to mark and sew with it right away, but it’s great if you’re working with water-spotty fabrics. I know someone who used one that steams out for embroidery. This ended up being not good, because it disappears from the fabric when it gets too humid.
As for the pens disappearing, I know I have at least eight of the suckers, but who knows where any of them are.
I suggest basting everything you have a doubt about the pins holding. Hems, zippers, facings – everything. And if you end up using silk or a silk-like fabric that shows pinholes, use silk pins. They’re finer than regular pins and seem to cut down on slipping.
If the bodice is bag-lined, I’d suggest flat-lining it instead, and finishing the neck and armholes with a facing. I’ve never had bag-lining turn out nicely. To bag line, you make a shell of the lining fabric and sew it right sides together to the outer shell, leaving a space to turn. Then you turn it right side out, and stitch the space left open closed. My edges always turn out lumpy and bumpy. To flat line, you cut pieces of lining fabric the same as the fashion fabric, baste them together wrong sides together, and treat them as one piece ever after. Flat lining is amazing.
I must be insane, because I like working with tulle. I don’t have to hem it or finish seams, and if it goes all askew while sewing, I can just cut it until it sits right.
It’s not really marked all that clearly on the back. The diagrams don’t show it, and it didn’t even seem to be in the description. Only the yardage charts and instructions gave a clue. I didn’t look at that part under a microscope, but the underskirt appears to be made of lining, with a large ruffle of tulle that goes from, oh, a third of the way down the skirt to the hem. I’m not sure you’d get the same effect from that petticoat, though it’s certainly worth a try. Something like that, that goes to the floor, would work I think.
I’m okay with tulle. I’ve made MiniWhatsit a tulle tutu for her ladybug costume last Halloween, and then a tulle skirt for this year’s Halloween costume (visible in picture linked above). It’s kind of a PITA to deal with, but it doesn’t show mistakes as much as other fabrics do and so is very forgiving in that way.
Purl, thank you for the suggestion to flat-line the bodice! I’ve fooled around with bag-lining before (although I didn’t know it was called that) and you’re right, it never quite comes out perfectly. For flat-lining, do you attach the lining fabric to the bodice pieces before any other sewing is done, i.e. when you just have a bunch of pattern pieces?
I don’t think the underskirt sounds that difficult, really. Tulle isn’t evil - it’s just weird.
And I think the slip you linked to would work if you decide to go that route. Just make sure you have the slip on for all fittings - it will affect the required hem length.
I like duponi - I think it looks classier than shinier fabrics. Satin is a little slippery, but the worst thing about satin is that it’s less forgiving of ripping and resewing. It snags easily. If you must use a seam ripper at any point, use it carefully.
I think the tell-tale home made look on this dress would be if you don’t get the scallops around the neck tidy. Everything else looks pretty simple (at least from the front of the envelope). If you do decide to do a practice dress it would make a very cute sundress in a cotton print hemmed a little shorter (and bonus - no underskirt required!).
Or when you use a steam iron on them whilst pressing open the seams. " :mad: "
I lost a goodly number of bodice dart and other markings while pressing seams open before I finally quit using the Amazing Disappearing Tracing Paper. Not worth it, IMO.
I’ve worked with Duponi and it is lovely. It’s lightweight so it’s easy to gather. It doesn’t slip badly when sewing, either, which is nice. It also looks amazing with simple patterns like the one your SIL chose. Overall, it’s a great fabric to work with. It is, however, expensive, so the practice dress is a good idea.
Good luck with the neckline. I avoid sweetheart necklines at all costs. I’ve been sewing clothing for 15 years and I still hate those evil suckers. They are almost as bad as zippers.
my mom always taught me to mark my darts with contrasting thread using a single hand stitch leaving long threads on either end. Do any of you other seamstresses do that? You just pull the thread when you finish the garment. No marks that disappear too early or don’t come out at all.
Okay. Got the muslin. Got the pattern. I even invested in a rotary cutter and mat (which I’ve been wanting anyway) for this project. Wish me luck. I’ll keep you all updated.
Luuuuuuuv my rotary cutters and mats. But be very, very careful…the cutters are scalpel sharp. I nailed myself more than once when I first got them.
I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but when working with satins you might want to use ball point pins and a ball point needle. Regular sharps can shear the fibers of the fabric and leave marks that won’t come out.
Ball point pins are designed for knits, and will punch holes in your fabric…they just aren’t sharp enought for satin. And I’ve never marked the seams in my entire sewing life (over 40 years)…the little 5/8" gauge line on the machine is just fine for me. I used to use tailor’s tack for marking darts, but after my sister forced me to make tailor’s tacks on eight jumpers for an Up With People group, I have just used pins.
The problem with using a rotary cutter on a dress pattern is that rotary cutters are hard to control, and work best with a plexiglas ruler when cutting straight lines, as in quilting. You have to be careful not to hit any of the pins you’ve used to pin the pattern to the fabric, and then turning corners is tricky…even curves can be tricky. Better off using shears.
And the pattern looks like a very simple one…I’m sure you’ll have no problem with it. The top part is lined, right? much easier than facings…just stitch, trim, clip curves, turn inside out and press carefully. And as said above, always, always use two lines of gathering stitches for gathering the skirt…two lines will give you more even gathers.
That info would have been on the back of the envelope, which isn’t shown on the website.