The Sewing Place

Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend

Fiona M

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2018, 12:28:30 PM »
Not 'lazy', Fairy, but 'pragmatic'.  And you are always in your element when working on a 'big project'.  It's a lovely dress, and I will look forward to seeing your version in due course, it's bound to be gorgeous.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2018, 12:45:45 PM »
That dress just looks so much better on your friend's daughter than on that skinny model that Manuela posted.
 
Good luck with this DF, I can't offer any help, but I am so in awe of you making something like this.  I shall be following with great interest.

Nevis5

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2018, 12:55:57 PM »
I'm so looking forward to seeing this progress too.  My DD refused to let me make her dress last year and in the event I agreed with her as she was the original Bridezilla  :(  but it's always been a dream of mine to make a wedding dress.

Good luck, DF!  We're all rooting for you!!

Tamnymore

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2018, 13:06:18 PM »
I have traced patterns from Burda mags, and indeed once from Knipmode with Google translate on standby on Dutch to English. It's no more of a faff than sticking bits of paper together and cutting out a pdf patter (in fact probably a bit less effort). However I would never trace a purchased tissue pattern and I prefer these anyway. In my experience they are more robust than they appear and will survive many uses. I must have used my favourite trousers pattern at least a dozen times and it is still going strong. It's not usually difficult to grade up or down in size for a couple of sizes or so.
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

DementedFairy

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2018, 14:28:25 PM »
@Tamnymore  thinking back I did use some of those giant single sheets back in the 80s, but I see no reason to trace tissue patterns- as you say, they last for ages before crumbling

@Nevis5  yeah my daughter made every stage of the wedding dresss production into a nightmare, then was singularly ungrateful at the end of it all [I know for a fact that she never bothered to get the dress cleaned after the wedding, and as they have already separated, I would not be surprised to find she's binned it.  I don't want to know.

@Bodgeitandscarper I know!  She's got a great figure, especially for a girl who's had two kids and hasn't long finished feeding the littlest one!  She is very lacking in confidence though, so I was relieved that she went along with it all in the end, and didn't seem to stressed.  She tried on another dress before the finsl one that I actually liked even more, but maybe it was a little too 'old' or sophisticated for her taste.  Take a peek
  GORGEOUS
C'est moi!

Fiona M

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2018, 14:32:46 PM »
I also like the one in the window, behind her.

DementedFairy

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2018, 14:36:43 PM »
she tried that on too [it's very like the one I made for DD] but she thought it was too figure hugging for her [it looked great!]  Like a lot of women, she's convinced her hips are too big.  Sigh.
C'est moi!

Vegegrow

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2018, 14:59:17 PM »
Fairy I have a Vogue 2803 in 6/8/10 in my pattern boxes ... uncut if you would like it
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

DementedFairy

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #23 on: February 04, 2018, 15:03:36 PM »
ooooh hold onto it for now- I think we're more like a 16, but if all else fails, then grading up is better than nothing...
C'est moi!

UttaRetch

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #24 on: February 04, 2018, 17:16:48 PM »
DF, that second dress is so much better both in style and fit than the first, but the choice is the bride's.

I was looking at



for it's neckline possibilities, but maybe it's too far from the reference dress.

DementedFairy

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #25 on: February 04, 2018, 17:49:47 PM »
I think the sleek one is bound to appeal to the older generations, it has a very elegant, classic look- which is not necessarily what a youngster wants.  The fit on the showroom ones isn't relevant anyway, the budget won't stretch to the £1300 price tag!
C'est moi!

Madame Cholet

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #26 on: February 04, 2018, 17:59:00 PM »
£1300 !
During the 90s I worked for a while in a bridal shop, where I did the alterations and also sewed one-offs.
I don't know what the situation is like nowadays as times have changed, but the mark up on the dresses they supplied then was hefty.

DementedFairy

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #27 on: February 04, 2018, 18:04:16 PM »
Well, this certainly isn't silk, I can tell you that, but the lace was very very nice and good quality.  The dresses weren't shoddily made either, but it's  a lot of money for a few hours' wear!
Thing is, in the outlet shop [much more sensible prices] the dresses were battered, marked and being dragged round the floor by all and sundry- I was quite horrified by the casual way they were handled and tossed about.  Then again, it was a tatty little shop with scruffy changing area and a rather manky vibe! 
In the boutique, we had a dedicated assistant, comfy sofas, and a gorgeous choice of fab dresses...you get what you pay for, even if it isn't the dresses themselves!
Most brides' expectations are rather inflated these days, the era of going to the register office/church and then to the pub or your nan's front room have gone for good.
Ah well.
C'est moi!

maliw

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #28 on: February 04, 2018, 19:09:20 PM »
I remember well the trials and tribulations involved with the dress you made for your DD and everything else for the day. Sad that your daughter treated things the way she did after all your hard work. I hope that all the work you put into this dress will be appreciated - I'm sure it will.
At leisure on the leisure penninsula

Greybird

Re: Fairy Finking- wedding dress for a friend
« Reply #29 on: February 04, 2018, 22:44:29 PM »
I am in awe DF. I don't think my capabilities would stretch to take on that task. Back in 2000 though, I did make Butterick 5542 for my daughter-in-law as a wedding dress:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=butterick+5542&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipr872p43ZAhVKa1AKHTrTCVIQsAQIMA&biw=996&bih=610

I used silk dupion, which was lovely, but I was reduced to tears by the making of it. In those days I didn't realise that pattern instructions could be wrong(!) and I did the crossover back pieces at least a dozen times before I got it right. When it was finished I was so pleased and it looked great. That was 3 weeks before the wedding. I didn't see her again until the day before. She had, meanwhile, been on a diet and had lost nearly 2 sizes. The dress gaped horribly but there was nothing I could do except avoid admitting that it was me who made the dress!

My apologies for the long link thing. I haven't figured out how you get it to say here so that you can click on it.

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