Simplicity patterns are easy to work with and to alter and there is a nice one in the costume section if you gander over the their site.....

I am the daughter of a seamtress. She could look at something and take your measurements and sew it up in no time.....she made anything and everything. She excelled in making men's suits and wedding gowns.....She just loved doing it. Me???? I can sew up a storm and used to make all my clothes and kids clothes, drapes etc., but it was more like a hobby to me not a passion.

LMAO at invisible zippers.....couldn't figure out how to get a dress on my mom made me years ago.....she thought she was quite funny she did. I love pants with them......men don't know what to do when up against an invisible zipper!

Lizz it is too bad you dont live here. My city is fabric store heaven. We have a whole street dedicated to fabrics and bus tours from all over come here for the deals and different choices.

I would lovvvvve to have your mother's talent of looking at something and sew it Maybe then all my clothes would fit me how i'd like them too, LOL

Do you have any links to the stores? would you care to PM them to me?

My friend's bride's maid dress is a Simplicity pattern, and there are a few things over there that have caught my eye. lol decisions decisions!

Thank you BIBI!

http://www.reddawn.net/costume/costpat.htm

http://www.patternsoftime.com/index.html

http://www.simplicity.com

I’ve already been working on something like that for Steph. :D

I suppose I could take the spikes and screw off for you. :(

mmmm surrrrre use me as an exuse to screw off!


Great sites BIBI, they are now in my Wedding folder in my bookmarks!

EXACTLY what I had in mind. :D

OMG I wish I could jump through this puter and help more personally than just to type!

OK...no zippers then? I guess you'll be laced from front only?

The eBay dress you linked to looks to have elastic around the entire neckline. That can work if you don't mind the bulk under the cincher. It depends on the style of the pattern you pick as to if it can be altered to have elastic around the neckline. If it's going to be a tailored bodice without a zipper than all the elastic on the planet still won't allow ease of entry. It looks as though the dress in the pic is in one piece and not tailored. Nothing fancy to make it a period dress, except the sleeves, till you add the cincher. The dress then looks gathered at the waist and under the breasts to look tailored.

As BIBI said, Simplicity patterns are the easiest to work with. Pattern pieces can be interchanged and altered if the pieces are similar or you know enough about patterns to add/remove the what-nots.

Where to by brocade? As I said, I work for an upholsterer now and we are a subcontractor of the Knoll company. Not all our work comes from Knoll, but the majority does. If the client doesn't supply their own textile (COM=customer's own material) than Knoll has standard textiles for certain types of furniture for the client to choose from. When we recieve an order we are also alotted a near precise amount of fabric to cut from according to if we have to railroad a pattern to match up the lines, or if it isn't necessary to match (plain textile) then it is cut as it rolls off the roll. At rare times we end up with a bit more than we can use and we save these ends in case we need a re-cut. If we never use it, it is eventually sold in a bulk lot...with not many similar patterns or colors. The only thing we usually ever have extra of is leather due to scars, bug bites, manure burns and other flaws, and so we get additional leather which we have to return to Knoll if not used. I have no clue where they get their brocade, but I do know that the costume company I used to work for purchased some of the bulk lots that I mentioned and we had to sort through it and find pieces that would fit our patterns. It was the luck of the draw.

Surger, overlock, merrow...all the same thing. It's a machine that can cut off fabric (but doesn't have to) as it locks a stitch around the edge to prevent it from fraying. Some have 3 threads and the more industrial ones can have up to six threads, which put in a back-up stitch just behind the overlocked stitch. If the seam is going to be pressed open and the fabric is lightweight, white, sheer or velvet, I don't recommend surging the edges. Instead, use pinking shears when cutting the pieces to prevent the fraying. It'll lay flatter and be less visible because the stitches won't be there to make an impression on the right side after it is pressed.

Best kind of thread to use? WOW...I'm an industrial babe and haven't sewn a home project since my days of exotic costumes. Even after that, at the costume shop I worked for we used industrial machines which require a heavier thread than a home machine. The threads I am used to these days would be much too heavy for your machine or dress. I'm not really sure what's out on the market anymore. It'd be best to ask a more home based seamstress about that one hun. Sorry I can't help there.

I can't wait to see your final selection. Not only can I help you proceed better when I know exactly what you are contending with...but I am still so damn nosey...er...I mean curious!

I just keep thinking about how heavy this dress is going to be and how warm you will get wearing it.....

As far as thread goes. It depends on the fabric used and when you buy your fabric ask what type is best....lots of different threads out there and not necessarily the most expensive will be the best for the fabric. If you find a good fabric store you usually find good staff that are more than qualified to assist you on what to buy.

OK...no zippers then? I guess you'll be laced from front only? I am thinking that lace up is the best way to go.


I don't recommend surging the edges. Instead, use pinking shears when cutting the pieces to prevent the fraying. It'll lay flatter and be less visible because the stitches won't be there to make an impression on the right side after it is pressed. Thank you! Great suggestion! My best friend had a lot of problems with fraying when she sewed her dress. Thank you for your continued input and rapt attention! (((Lixy)))
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I just keep thinking about how heavy this dress is going to be and how warm you will get wearing it.....the way things are looking, it maybe a summer wedding, but the church does have air conditioning.

As far as thread goes. It depends on the fabric used and when you buy your fabric ask what type is best....lots of different threads out there and not necessarily the most expensive will be the best for the fabric. If you find a good fabric store you usually find good staff that are more than qualified to assist you on what to buy. Thank you, BIBI! (((BIBI)))