The Sewing Place

My First Dress

K.H.

My First Dress
« on: December 01, 2020, 10:55:57 AM »
Hi all

I only joined yesterday, and thank you for the welcome, and I said I would post up a picture of my first dress project.

The pattern is NewLook 6723 and very pretty.

I am very pleased overall with how it came out, despite me still being a relative newcomer to this. I did knock up a toile first and fitted it nicely. I am not a standard shape by any means, long back, relatively wide shoulders and not a great deal up top, so large sizes for my shoulders can often be too baggy. Anyway, enough about me! I needed to lengthen the bodice by 2" and widen it a little.

Unfortunately, I made the toile some time back now and only finished the dress this morning, but in the mean time I have been losing weight with slimming world so it is now a little too big! It gaps across the neck line a bit and I have had to put a couple of darts in either side of the zip to pull in the neckline at the back too. Not a problem here as I will be wearing it with hair down.

Short of unpicking it and resizing it, any ideas on how to fit it?

I'll be wearing it this weekend, but as it's not that warm, a nice cardi will help with the fit for now.


Still learning!
My machine list: Toyota SPA34 and Janome Finesse 234 overlocker.

Iminei

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2020, 12:57:00 PM »
Wowzer!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Efemera

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2020, 12:58:38 PM »
Looks lovely.

Silver Rose

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2020, 13:02:00 PM »
Very pretty indeed. I have that pattern but haven't made it yet, I think it came with a sewing magazine.
Still learning

Vezelay

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2020, 14:26:56 PM »
Lovely dress and pretty fabric. You might solve the size issue by tucking in to mince pies and plum pudding over the festive season :).

Catllar

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2020, 14:29:33 PM »
Looks lovely and has my favourite shape neckline OF ALL TIME!

As far as it being a bit big - apart from unpicking and refitting, no there's not a lot you can do. I have found lockdown to be very good method of refitting clothes , mine have all mysteriously shrunk and as we're not out of it for several weeks yet there may be more shrinkage. :(
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Ploshkin

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2020, 14:30:22 PM »
That's lovely and such a beautiful, neat neckline.  I really don't know what to suggest about the neckline gaping as you wouldn't want to spoil the shape and there's not much at the sides to play with.
You could possibly take off the facing at the front and put in a couple of very fine darts or pin tucks  from the side curves of the neckline towards the bust point then take the excess out of the facing and reattach it.
Could you try that on the toile?
What is the fabric?  Would it shrink with a bit of steam?  If so and you only need to lose a smidge you could take a small bit out of the facing, ease the bodice on to it and steam like mad to get it to shrink a bit.
Life's too short for ironing.

Gernella

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2020, 15:39:16 PM »
Wowzer!

I'll second that, it's gorgeous.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Elnnina

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2020, 15:53:15 PM »
A tip my ex boss gave me way back in the early 60's was that for lowish and wide necklines to avoid them falling forward if you were to bend over or even slightly is to sew a piece of elastic just below the centre front on the neckline and have the elastic go around you at bust level  and then fasten with a hook and eye at the back - this will hold the dress against you as you move and bend about.  Another way is to cover a piece of boning in fabric say about 6cm long and at the top make a sort of hinge with just fabric and again sew this inside a garment  so that the hinge part is attached and then the piece with the boning in slips down inside your bra.

By the way love your dress and the fabric - well done.

Lachica

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2020, 18:15:34 PM »
It looks great, and is fab for a first make. Like you I have swimmers shoulders (even though I rarely swim nowadays) and always have the same problem with that style of dress. Others have suggested solutions for that style: my suggestion would be to make your next one with a higher, narrower neckline.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Sewot

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2020, 01:28:09 AM »
First dress?
You are a natural.
I love it.

K.H.

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2020, 10:56:39 AM »
Wow, thanks for the lovely comments, and advice. Unfortunately, as @Vezelay said, Christmas may help with the fit!

Looks lovely and has my favourite shape neckline OF ALL TIME!

As far as it being a bit big - apart from unpicking and refitting, no there's not a lot you can do. I have found lockdown to be very good method of refitting clothes , mine have all mysteriously shrunk and as we're not out of it for several weeks yet there may be more shrinkage. :(

Luckily I have been working throughout, so this hasn't helped with the fit unfortunately.  :laughing:

That's lovely and such a beautiful, neat neckline.  I really don't know what to suggest about the neckline gaping as you wouldn't want to spoil the shape and there's not much at the sides to play with.
You could possibly take off the facing at the front and put in a couple of very fine darts or pin tucks  from the side curves of the neckline towards the bust point then take the excess out of the facing and reattach it.
Could you try that on the toile?
What is the fabric?  Would it shrink with a bit of steam?  If so and you only need to lose a smidge you could take a small bit out of the facing, ease the bodice on to it and steam like mad to get it to shrink a bit.

A tip my ex boss gave me way back in the early 60's was that for lowish and wide necklines to avoid them falling forward if you were to bend over or even slightly is to sew a piece of elastic just below the centre front on the neckline and have the elastic go around you at bust level  and then fasten with a hook and eye at the back - this will hold the dress against you as you move and bend about.  Another way is to cover a piece of boning in fabric say about 6cm long and at the top make a sort of hinge with just fabric and again sew this inside a garment  so that the hinge part is attached and then the piece with the boning in slips down inside your bra.

By the way love your dress and the fabric - well done.

After a bit of fitting this morning, I am going to do a bit of both methods above, I am going to carefully tighten the curve of the neckline both sides by a tiny dart in the corner of the inside curve, it won't take much and I am going to sew in a small elastic loop with poppers on the inside about half way down the front seam of the bodice which will loop around the front of my bra, just to catch the front of the dress when I lean forward. I've pinned it all and that seems to do the trick.

So once again, thanks for the help!
Still learning!
My machine list: Toyota SPA34 and Janome Finesse 234 overlocker.

BrendaP

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2020, 11:58:39 AM »
@K.H.  I agree with the others, that's spectacular for a first dress.  0_0

Also excellent that you understand the fitting problems and are confident and willing to make the alterations.  Well done.

Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Ohsewsimple

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2020, 12:10:04 PM »
I agree that it’s a fantastic dress especially for a first!   
When I’ve needed to tighten up necklines I’ve used an elastic stay.  I’ve got instructions in my Claire Shaeffer books but can’t find anything online


K.H.

Re: My First Dress
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2020, 13:06:06 PM »
I agree that it’s a fantastic dress especially for a first!   
When I’ve needed to tighten up necklines I’ve used an elastic stay.  I’ve got instructions in my Claire Shaeffer books but can’t find anything online

That's a thought. Is this the sort of thing you had in mind?

How-to Apply Elastics to Your Garments

As far as I can tell, all these methods require some sort of topstitch hem at the neck. Unfortunately, with this dress there is no top stitch around the neck. Although, thinking about it, I could sew it in to the lining before I attach it to the outer fabric maybe?
Still learning!
My machine list: Toyota SPA34 and Janome Finesse 234 overlocker.