#sewing trim

Before you embark on a project like this, consider the number of steps.

A lot of this required negotiation because the ways I would normally do something (bagging out for example) or things I wanted to do (add a high collar for example) were impossible because of the previous construction.

*Pre-Step: got advice from every stitcher and patternmaker I know, which conflicted, but despite that was extremely helpful.

1. Released hem, which included the lace fabric you can see and a stretch net lining that you can't. The lining had shrunk and was pulling the lace into a bulbous shape. Took out horsehair from hem which was wonky from being shoved in a box or somethin. That's the woven synthetic strip they use in these types of hems for shape. I released the Center Back seam as well which was contorting the dress because of lining shrinkage. Don't wash a wedding dress, kids!

Ironed/steamed dress thoroughly. 2. Drew a new lowered neckline in thread, machine stitched just above it with a Wooly Nylon stretchy thread in bobbin to give some slight gathering and cut the new line. My friend and co-worker from the opera, Rachel, advised me throughout this operation. Then I cut a bias strip of netting to bind the neck. I stitched the strip to the seam, folded to encase the seam allowance, and hand stitched down. The dropped neckline gives the dress some ease of wear, reveals some skin, and makes the whole thing less stiff looking.

(how to cut bias): 

3. There is an internal bodice that pulls the dress in at chest and waist, and that was too small for my bride. So I opened it up, made a pattern for extensions, then cut those out of netting and sewed them in, and put in a new zipper (this is under the dress so it's not visible in the pics, but is responsible for the fit) and a hook & eye at top. 4. Shortened train, making a new shape for the hem. It was sort of impossible to mark white lace, so i just used pins and my eyes, and had to trust myself (new!) 5. Removed adorable covered buttons and closures from sleeves. Marked (with a pencil, it bled through and I had to Shout it out) and sewed a line for new 3/4 length sleeves. Her arms were too large for original sleeve so I measured the extra width we needed, made a gusset pattern, cut and sewed net to extra cut lace (that we got when I cut the train) in that pattern shape, and sewed in the gussets. Turn turned (technical term) up sleeve hem to encase seam allowance and hand stitched.

a turn turn:  6. Steamed bust. It was a little small and needed to be stretched. Both the lace and lining have give to them so I put the dress on a dummy, steamed and stretched the fabric over the dummy's bust with my hands (this dummy and I get pretty intimate).

7. 

Went to M&J trimming (trim mecca) in New York to find a lace finish. We got this lovely French lace that wasn't cheap ($30 p/yd and we needed nearly 7!, but fortunately they give student discount and i, though not a student, have a student id ready to go for just such occasions) for the hem and sleeve hem. We got this piqued trim for the neckline that was pretty cheap (like $2 p/yd) also. It doesn't look like much on the bolt, but it really makes a line pop! We got the rosette trim for the waistline (also expensive). Lauren (the commissioner) came with me to NY and we made all decisions jointly, and then she bought me ramen.

8. Turned up hem of lace and handstitched. Turn turned up (technical term) hem of net lining and machine stitched. 9. Sewed lace trim to hem. This took forever and involved blending in pieces of lace to each other to make a long enough length of trim. (a long enough length, talking about sewing is so funny). Each whipstitch I did was tiny and it had to be done at the top and bottom of the trim. Took 3 days. I borrowed Rachel's intern for 1 of them. We needed extra length in the front so I positioned the trim to hang off the edge of the hem in the front and gradually blend into the hemline in the back.

10. Sewed trim to sleeve hem, blending at seam. 11. sewed single string of rosette trim at under bust. 12. sewed piqued trim to neckline by hand. 13. The back had been attached from neck until hip with hooks and eyes. I removed these. Then I took the closures that had been on the sleeve and sewed them to a strip of net spaced 1 and 1/2" apart with a zig zag by machine. I then sewed that strip to one side of the seam allowance at center back ("women are right on, men are leftover," I said to myself while determining WHICH side). Then I sewed the little buttons to the other side. Then I sewed the remainder of the center back seam back together, net and lace joined.

14. Then I got creative. Seeing that we had a lot of leftover trim, I started playing around with configurations on the dummy and came up with this bodice shape that you see in the photos and pieced it in, with a million pins and tiny stitches.

Voila!