I’m done sewing!!!

(my pattern review)

 I finished all my bridal accessories. 

I really thought that I wanted a birdcage veil.  I had my heart set on it.  I scoured eBay for French Netting and I read all kinds of birdcage veil tutorials online.  But when I made mine is was a great let down.  It looked really stupid on me.  I mean really stupid!  I guess I just don’t have the right head for a birdcage veil.  Good thing I bought regular old white tulle as a back-up.  I just gathered 3 yards of it, and stitched it onto a comb with some white button twist.  Then I stitched a little of the bodice trim onto the front of it.  I LOVE it!

I also made a flower for my hair.  I’ll wear it under my veil, so that when I take the veil off for the reception, I’ll still have something pretty in my hair.  I used the glitter dot fabric from my Toothfairy costume from Halloween 2003.  I just cut out some petal shapes and curled the edges with a candle flame.  Then I stitched them together and added 3 of the posey rhinestone buttons that I used on the back of my dress.  I used some of the white brida jacquard to make leaves, and stitched the whole thing onto a hair clip with some white button twist.

And, finally, I made myself a little bolero to wear later in the evening.  Who knows if I’ll really need it, but it was really easy and it’s super cute.  It’s also made from the white bridal jacquard and it’s lined with the same fabric that I used to interline the skirt of my dress.

This is now how my dress has to live. I joined the skirt and petticoat with the bodice and the dress is so heavy it pulls on my dressform and I’m afraid the dress will lose it’s shape.  So, until I put the hanging loops in, my dress is just draped over my chair.  It really is gorgeous, though.  The skirt isn’t quite as full as the muslin because it’s so heavy that it flattens the petticoat a little.  But, when I put the horsehair braid in the hem it should get a little fuller.  I can’t wait to get it hemmed and start putting the trim on the hem of the skirt overlay.

I also installed the zipper, snaps and buttons.  The zipper is off-center and is the real, functional closure.  The buttons are along the center back, and the snaps are in the overlap to keep stress off of the buttons.  However the snap right at the waist line seam may not work out.  I’ll probably replace it with a hook and eye because it’s so thick and heavy at that point that the snap won’t stay snapped.

Next, I inserted the bodice lining.  The whole lining was already stitched together, I just had to put it in place.  I had also stitched in my label and added machine buttonhole-type openings for the waist stay.  Then, the entire lining (all 4 sides) is stitched in by hand.  I love the clean finish of a hand-stitched lining.  No one but the people that help you dress and undress ever see it, but I think it’s very decadent to have a nice lining in any dress.  I didn’t line the skirt because the net from the petticoat doesn’t bother my legs, and I feel like there is enough weight in the skirt with the interlining.

I know it doesn’t really seem like lots of progress for a whole weekend’s worth of sewing, but it really is.  I feel like I have a dress now.

I put the two back pieces together and wanted to see how the bodice would look with my buttons and loops.  So, I pinned the bodice in approximately the way it will be when the off-center zipper is installed.  Then  I pinned a few of the rhinestone-posey buttons on the back.

The two full circles of cotton that I had made the skirt from for my muslin weren’t big enough to use as the interlining.  Once I finally received Advance 7914, I realized how the big the skirt actually would be!  So I had to buy some more fabric to be able to start assembling the skirt.  The kitchen island was the only place I was able to lay out the skirt panels (there are 4 of them) to do all the hand basting.

I got all 4 skirt pieces basted and the pockets attached and I started assembling the whole skirt.  I realized quickly that pockets back in the 50’s just weren’t big enough.  But I went ahead and pinned the skirt to my dressform and pinned the bodice on top of it, so I could look at my progress.

Next I’ll be removing the pockets that are too small and replacing them with wider, deeper pockets.  Then, I’ll tackle the overskirt.  I can’t wait to join the bodice and skirt!

I cut out all the pieces Friday night!  That was hard work!  Between fighting off Judo and her toys and crawling around on my knees I was tired and sweaty after cutting out the giant skirt pieces and all the layers and layers of bodice fabric!  But I forgot to cut out the pockets.  I’ll cut those out when I start assembling the skirt.  I have plenty of fabric for both the pockets and a little bolero to keep me warm later in the reception.

Sunday afternoon I was able to complete the underbodice front.  It’s made from just the white bridal jacquard and has no overlay becuase you only see the top edge of it.

Next I basted all the layers of the overbodice.  It has the etched glass overlay and will be lined with the white ambiance rayon lining.

I completed both bodice pieces and basted them together.  After I get the bodice back done, I’ll sew them together at the side seams and both bodice fronts will be treated as one.

I pinned the trim on the top edge just for fun.  It so pretty!

Kelly really wanted to see me try on wedding dresses when we went to pick out their bridesmaid dresses, so I humored her.  We were giggling the whole time and making fun of the giant ridiculous dresses.  The one on the left we called the Doily dress and the one on the right we called the chandelier dress.  They were both too hot and too heavy, but I liked the bodice on both of them.  I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I should make my wedding dress strapless.  So I went on a search for new patterns…

And I ended up with McCall’s 3399 and Advance 7914.  I had the McCall’s pattern, but I’m still waiting for the Etsy seller to ship the Advance pattern.  I used the bodice from the McCall’s pattern and I wanted to use the skirt from the Advance pattern, but I still don’t have it.  This is the photoshopery I came up with:

I drafted the bodice pattern, grading it from a 1955 size 13 to my size and adding one inch to the length.  Then I started the muslin for the bodice while I was waiting for the Advance pattern to ship.

Also, while I was waiting I found the perfect shoes to wear for the reception.  I don’t think I’ll make it all night long in the glorious heels I bought, so I wanted some flats that I could dance all night in.  I happened to find the perfect little blue ones in a little ghetto shoe store in the heart of Escondido.  I don’t remember if I’ve posted my orginal shoes before, but they’re so wonderful, it never hurts to see them again!

A couple days ago, I gave up waiting for the pattern to arrive.  I’ve tried and tried to contact the seller, and if it doesn’t get here I’ll pursue it with paypal.  So I decided to just add a whole other circle to the skirt from my first muslin.  Then I gathered them into the bodice.

I love it and it fits perfectly!  This is definitely it!  I do need to raise the front waist just a little.   But other than that, I’m ready to start making the real thing!

It’s a dress!!!

I’m so, so excited.  I know it looks really plain now, but it’s the exact shape I’m looking for!!

It started out as some taped together paper and a little geometry to make a circle skirt:

Michael made a quick run to the store tonight and I quickly stitched together my very first muslin and I’m so in love with it!!

 Well, I’ve reconsidered my “bridal look”.  No more traditional blusher veil for me.  I’m pretty sure I’ll wear a birdcage veil and fascinator.  Yes, all the girls on my inspiration board are wearing 2 separate hair accessories.  The flower/feather barrette thing is the fascinator and the little net piece is the birdcage veil.

 I really want to wear fabric flowers in my hair (but no feathers) and I want them seen.  Also, I don’t like how brides are all hidden and covered up by their veil like they’re something to be presented to the man.  I think birdcage veils are so cool because they enhance your eyes and look really feminine.

I ordered the French net on eBay and received it last week along with the elastic button loops for the back of my dress.  I haven’t decided if I really am going to keep the veil separate from the fascinator, or just make them one piece and scrunch the veil up and out of the way after the ceremony.  I figure I’ll play around with it after I get my dress done.

 In dress news, I have tried the petticoat on with my shoes.  It’s PERFECT!  It’s exactly the length I wanted and just the right fullness.  Plus, the shoes look amazing!  Next is the muslin.  I drafted the bodice pattern and I cut them out of my white cotton just tonight.  I need to buy the bra cups before I put the bodice together, but I plan to do that tomorrow.

So, this is my “bridal look”.  That’s what I’ve decided to call it.  I was thinking about the whole process of making my wedding dress and I really wanted to make sure that I’m taking myself in the right direction.  When I imagine a bride in my head this is what I see:

I know it’s a little before my time and I don’t even remember watching Funny Face all the way through.  But for some reason I remember (in great detail) all of her fabulous clothes.  I love the “fashion show” montage when she first begins modeling and the red dress on the stairs is one of the most magnificent images in the history of fashion (I think).

So I threw together a veil really quick with some extra tulle I had and plastic comb so that I could get that look they’re always trying to sell you on Say Yes to the Dress.  All bridal boutiques get you into a dress they want to sell you and then they put some ridiculous veil on your head to get you to see the look.  The consultants are just trying to make a sale, but I really do need to see my whole look.  I have to make sure that this is what I want because it’s not like I can just put this dress back on the rack and try on another one.  I kinda have just one chance to make myself happy.

And I am happy.  I’m quite confident that I’m heading down the right path for my dress.  I want flowers in my hair, but I don’t like how real flowers get bruised and floppy.  It seems so sad to try to make your hair pretty by torturing a flower that was prettier while it was alive.  So I googled fabric flowers real quick and I found this blog with a how-to.

 Fabric Flowers

I like the shape of the flowers.  They kinda look like plumeria or white poinsettias or even starfish.  The only pattern you need is a circle, so I made a few to add to the veil.  I made them with fabric I had leftover from my toothfairy costume.  It’s white sheer with sparkly dots.  I also made a larger one with a net center to go in my hair under my veil because the veil probably won’t stay in my hair much longer than the ceremony.  I have to come up with something pretty to add to the center of my fabric flowers.  Pearls?  Rhinestones?  Crystals?  Or my all-time favorite and good old stand-by, sequins?

Well, the petticoat is done.  All the gory details are in the pattern review.

I just want to document the practical details so when I do something stupid like tell someone I’ll make their wedding dress I can look back at how much time I put into my own. 

The petticoat is made of 8 yards of nylon net from WalMart for 77 cents per yard, 19 packages of Flexi-Lace Hem tape at $1.08 each, and 1 yard of Ambiance rayon lining fabric for $5.99/yard.  So with tax, this petticoat was a steal at $35.12.  (It’s all about perspective)

Actually this petticoat is priceless because I made it while I was relaxing at home on my Christmas vacation with my Michael. Also, it’s pretty much as authentic as you can get becuase the “pattern” is exactly what Alice Lon’s mother used to make the petticoats she wore while on the Lawrence Welk show. 

Next I’ll be starting the muslins to try out fit and style.