A Wedding Dress Takes Shape at Last

Jenny makes the ribbon

It was another long day of sewing for the team wedding dress. We began at 9 AM, taking advantage of the fact that the groom was off on an errand at least until 2 PM. We began by adding snaps to the back of the gown since they would hold it better than the hook and eye closures. This was not just sew them on and be done with it. There seems to be a theme of position, sew it on, remove, reposition, resew...

We discussed the need to cover the stitching, and whether to go back to the store to explore options when Jenny found some beautiful pearly colored leaf shaped buttons to sew over the top.

Once that was done, we needed to work on the ruching panel. With Stephanie in the dress, we discussed our options for what to use for the ribbon to attach the panel. Everything was brought out and considered, but in the end, we decided to make our own. Jenny cut ribbon out of the dupioni silk for me to sew together to make a bow and we discussed how to attach these to the panel.

Then it was time to attach the pick-ups and the flowers. Stephanie perched atop a footstool so we could work on the train. We began tacking up the dress in places and then attaching the flowers Jenny so carefully made. We spent time working on the shape of the train, while Stephanie patiently waited, not able to see what we were discussing.

Jenny sewing on the flowers

Flower close up

Once the back was finished, we set to work on the front. Now we allowed her to step into the shoes she will be wearing and off the stool so we could adjust the height of the gown. There were more pick-ups and flowers to attach on the front, and Stephanie stood for nearly two hours during the process!

Front with flowers

Then, it was back to working on the ruching panel. One problem was how to sew the ribbon on to the panel. We could hand sew it, but that would take time. I found a decorative ivy stitch on my machine and tested it out. Voila! A perfect way to sew the pieces together.

Then, a brilliant idea or maybe an obsessive compulsion took over, and I decided to sew the hem on the train with that decorative stitch. This added another couple hours onto the work, but I think it was worth it.

Jenny was working on the straps when I decided to sew the hem, so she set to work on the headband. Long after I had caved to exhaustion, she was still hand sewing the pearls on the headband!

Jenny making the headband

Adding the ivy stitch to the hem

We have to finish the straps, sew dress hanging loops, figure out how to attach the bustle, and iron the dress. That really seems like it!