In this episode Angela walks you through the steps for draping an elegant dress. This got me thinking about sewing for special occasions and sewing a dress just a little different from what you may wear every day. Perhaps you're attending a class reunion, dressing up for a holiday or celebration, or you just want something a little dressy for a day or evening out. Sewing really pays off when you can make your own dress for a special event.
I suggest you shop ready to wear first, armed with a notebook, tape measure, and the determination to hunt down some ideas and guidelines to equip you at the sewing machine. Observe colors, lengths, sleeve styles, and neckline features you like as you browse and try on ready-made dresses. These four elements are usually the most important factors for a garment you'll ultimately feel good in.
Once you have made these discoveries and written a few basic notes to yourself, head for the fabric store with measurements and perhaps even a few sketches/photos of what you've seen in your shopping excursion.
At the pattern counter, look for a pattern that catches your eye at first glance. It doesn't have to be something complicated. Selecting a dress pattern with few seams is fine but you may also want to look for a style with princess seams as these afford a bit more fit insurance. For a loose fitting dress pattern pick a size that's close to your high bust measurement. High bust is a snug measurement just above your full bust. Unless you have a large cup size this size is usually more accurate for a garment that hangs from the neck. For additional fit insurance add 3/8-inch to the pattern tissue at the side seams, providing a generous 1-inch seam allowance. When sewing, baste the sides using the 1-inch seam allowance, fit the dress, and adjust as necessary. Remember you can always trim away excess. This is by no means the be all and end all of fitting guidelines but unless you have a lot of specific fitting issues this should be a good start.
As usual, I suggest making a trial garment from inexpensive fabric to work out the fitting issues. You just might end up with a winner in your trial garment but at the very least you can pin, stitch, and cut this test piece as needed to fine tune the garment. Don't feel obligated to finish it, it's okay to call it a test and be done with it. Now, transfer the changes to the pattern and proceed to shop for your final garment fabric.
The dress you see here was a result of my desire for a summertime dress that I could wear when I wanted something just a little bit special. I turned it into somewhat of a color block dress with a semi-sheer asymmetrical overlay and added machine embroidery. This pretty in Paisley dress was featured in a past issue of Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine.
I suggest you shop ready to wear first, armed with a notebook, tape measure, and the determination to hunt down some ideas and guidelines to equip you at the sewing machine. Observe colors, lengths, sleeve styles, and neckline features you like as you browse and try on ready-made dresses. These four elements are usually the most important factors for a garment you'll ultimately feel good in.
Once you have made these discoveries and written a few basic notes to yourself, head for the fabric store with measurements and perhaps even a few sketches/photos of what you've seen in your shopping excursion.
At the pattern counter, look for a pattern that catches your eye at first glance. It doesn't have to be something complicated. Selecting a dress pattern with few seams is fine but you may also want to look for a style with princess seams as these afford a bit more fit insurance. For a loose fitting dress pattern pick a size that's close to your high bust measurement. High bust is a snug measurement just above your full bust. Unless you have a large cup size this size is usually more accurate for a garment that hangs from the neck. For additional fit insurance add 3/8-inch to the pattern tissue at the side seams, providing a generous 1-inch seam allowance. When sewing, baste the sides using the 1-inch seam allowance, fit the dress, and adjust as necessary. Remember you can always trim away excess. This is by no means the be all and end all of fitting guidelines but unless you have a lot of specific fitting issues this should be a good start.
As usual, I suggest making a trial garment from inexpensive fabric to work out the fitting issues. You just might end up with a winner in your trial garment but at the very least you can pin, stitch, and cut this test piece as needed to fine tune the garment. Don't feel obligated to finish it, it's okay to call it a test and be done with it. Now, transfer the changes to the pattern and proceed to shop for your final garment fabric.
The dress you see here was a result of my desire for a summertime dress that I could wear when I wanted something just a little bit special. I turned it into somewhat of a color block dress with a semi-sheer asymmetrical overlay and added machine embroidery. This pretty in Paisley dress was featured in a past issue of Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine.
The dress pattern is still current. New Look 6352 has a nice fit, skimming over the body at the waist and hips, and not too full at the hem. It's a good thing I made a test. I found that the neckline runs large. This would be a good candidate for size selection by the high bust measurement. In fact, I needed two sizes smaller in the neck and shoulder on the sleeveless version. Now that my pattern is modified it will be a cinch to sew more from this pattern.
Once you are satisfied with you trial garment you are ready to sew your second, (final) dress. Try to give yourself enough time for a relaxed sewing experience (I'm speaking to myself here too). Last but not least enjoy the process and think about how good it will feel when the compliments roll in and you can say the dress designer was YOU!
To read more about It's Sew Easy episode 806 CLICK HERE to read my previous post. CLICK HERE to go watch the show. Enjoy!
To read more about It's Sew Easy episode 806 CLICK HERE to read my previous post. CLICK HERE to go watch the show. Enjoy!
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