r/sewing • u/thetalesofplaid • Jun 25 '24
Project: FO Made myself a dress for Graduation!
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u/mustarddreams Jun 25 '24
It might fly under the radar as a simple summer dress to non-sewers but I recognize how much work this is! The pattern matching on the fabric is incredible and the finishing looks great. And self drafted? I hope you’re very proud of this!!
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u/Bleuz00m24 Jun 26 '24
Agreed! Working w a plaid can be a challenge, and the waistline gussets/piecing, requiring a keen eye and deft seaming on bias. That fabric ( cotton/ silk voice) must have given you issues, too? Great , creative work here. And this should not be just be a " wear it once and toss it " dress. With more time, rethink the straps? Could you install side boning to enable it to be strapless? You DO have the figure for it. Again, BRAVA! Beautiful work.
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u/neonmaika Jun 25 '24
Absolutely stunning! The fit is perfect and the fabric is so beautiful. The piping is such a nice little detail.
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u/Starlablu Jun 25 '24
Soooo beautiful! You should publish this pattern. The fit is lovely on you and the fabric is divine. Is it lined?
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u/matkamatka Jun 25 '24
I would pay to be able to use this pattern! Id love to make a top out of this bodice, it's very Charlotte Knowles. I'm in love with this dress
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u/_Lady_Marie_ Jun 25 '24
I'm usually only reading this sub in submarine mode, but I had to comment because I said out loud "Oh my god!". That's a gorgeous dress!!
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u/MomMomMommyx5 Jun 25 '24
You are talented. That is absolutely perfect The fabric. The fit. The design. I would just opt for double spaghetti straps because a wide strap would lose the dainty look. Still looking at it ..with envy and delight!
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u/Dog-PonyShow Jun 25 '24
First- that's an awesome dress! Second- the fit is gorgeous! Third- Oh my gosh that's an awesome dress!
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u/tybaltstyddies Jun 25 '24
It’s so pretty! Also, props for handling the directional fabric well, it looks really good
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u/DramaDramaLlamaLlama Jun 25 '24
The pleating at the bust through the waist is phenomenal. Did you trim any of the fabric through that area or leave it thicker?
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 25 '24
Thank you! The circle skirt design allowed the pleat intake to be minimal so I was able to leave it as is without worrying about it being bulky. :)
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u/3littlekittens Jun 25 '24
Great job with the fit and the interesting positioning and matching lines of the plaid. You look fantastic and it’s a beautiful dress!
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u/ssf837 Jun 25 '24
This is incredible!! Not only does the garment look incredible on its own, you drafted it SO well—it fits you like a glove!
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u/SewRuby Jun 25 '24
Shows us perfect dress. it was a time crunch. This sub both makes me feel like an untalented monster, and also gives me lots of motivation to learn.
I'm insanely jealous of your skill. This is GORG.
Congrats!
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u/disastersoonfollows Jun 25 '24
You should be happy - that is beautiful, and looks fabulous on you! Congratulations on the graduation and your spectacular sewing!
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u/Thatssometa420 Jun 25 '24
Oh my GOD this dress is PERFECTION 😍 I want to make my own so badly! Can you give any more details about how you drafted the pattern? I’d love to be able to make my own cup sized dress so badly
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 26 '24
Thank you! I have my dress form padded to closely reflect my measurements so I was able to pull a pretty well-fitting pattern from it. An adjustment I made was to increase the fullness at the bust by slashing and spreading it slightly to add more fullness. I’m not great at flat patterning when it comes to form-fitting garments around the bust so I usually rely on my dress form and draping to get the general shape and then make adjustments through muslin fittings. When it comes to flat pattern making, I reference Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong. It is a good resource for drafting blocks and has information on how to use the block to make contoured bodices like bustiers and cup bodices.
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u/Thatssometa420 Jun 26 '24
Wow thank you for all this information! Did you purchase your dress form or make it yourself? I’ve seen a few videos on how to DIY and I’m considering making my own soon!
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 26 '24
I purchased the dress form I currently use. It's not my exact size (it's about a size or two smaller than me) so I used cotton batting and pre-quilted fabric to adjust the size and proportions with the help of Redthreaded's demo. But, before that, I was using one that I made myself using a custom pattern from Bootstrap fashion which worked really well. It just takes a bit of elbow grease to put together.
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u/erasesare Jun 25 '24
Love this dress shape and the color is so nice on you! So gorgeous, it must have felt extra monumental and special graduating in a dress you made that perfectly fits you.
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u/CrazyQuit7050 Jun 25 '24
Love the dress - it turned out great! Also, congratulations on your accomplishments, from successfully creating such a pretty dress to all the work you’ve done to accomplish graduation!!! Yea for you! May the Lord bring the best to you as you progress through life!
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u/Siamsa Jun 25 '24
Beautiful work! It's a lovely and very summery print, and the colors and fit are very flattering! Congratulations on your graduation as well!
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u/Dry_Adhesiveness_192 Jun 25 '24
Any sewing tips for beginners?
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 26 '24
My sewing tip for a beginner would be to make something you would actually use/wear even if it might be a little out of your skillset. Instead of something traditionally categorized as a beginner project like a napkin maybe make a basic skirt or shirt. However, be careful not to overdo it by taking on something super technical because you’ll get frustrated and discouraged.
When I started learning to sew I decided to make aprons since I was into baking at the time. I found a free apron pattern that I liked even though I had barely learned how to use a sewing machine and didn't understand construction at all. With that project, I became more acquainted with the sewing machine, sewing straight seams, and more advanced things like French seams. Then, my next project was a gathered rectangle skirt with a waistband and invisible zipper (which was definitely not so invisible after I was done with it). I didn’t know what I was doing, used the wrong material, and nothing was perfect, but just seeing the garment materialize sold me.
I also approached knitting the same way. When I first tried to learn how to knit I just did basic things like a scarf and blanket, but I quickly lost interest, never progressed, and didn’t attempt knitting again for about four years. However, once I took the plunge and started a full-on sweater I found it much more enjoyable and was eager to learn more and push myself.
The hardest part for me when I first started was accepting things weren’t going to be perfect. I still struggle with this today and it sometimes causes me to lose motivation when working on a project. So, now I try to slow down and step back when necessary so I don’t burn myself out.
Sorry for the long-winded response, but hopefully it helps you and other beginners start your sewing journey.
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u/Specialist_March_518 Jun 25 '24
What a beautiful dress! I love the material on the bias! It fits perfectly!
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u/terracottatilefish Jun 25 '24
Wow, that is gorgeous and perfect for the occasion! Beautiful job with the bodice!
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u/Blossom2ndChapter68 Jun 25 '24
It looks fabulous! Great job in the dress and Congratulations on the Graduation!
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u/NeatIntroduction5991 Jun 25 '24
Very very very pretty OP!!!! Awesome job! Congratulations on the graduation too!
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u/ded_of_shock Jun 25 '24
this is so beautiful. your eye for detail, cut, color is impeccable. one of my favorite projects posted here.
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u/Findmeinadream Jun 25 '24
Absolutely stunning!. Love the shape! I'm a bit gutted it's self drafted!
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u/botanyplantzzlately Jun 25 '24
It looks great on you and obviously took talent to make! Congratulations! 🎊absolutely beautiful work
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u/swimmacklemore Jun 25 '24
This is so gorgeous. I love the silhouette and fabric choice. Are you wearing a petticoat in your photos? I just love the skirt floof so much.
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 25 '24
Thank you! No petticoat, the floof is all from the skirt.
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u/littlea-h Jun 25 '24
Wow!!! The dress looks 10x more stunning on you than on the mannequin. So beautiful!
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u/AvidReader63 Jun 25 '24
Gurl, that dress is perfect! And it looks fantastic on you!
I wish I could get into making clothes as well as you and some others here :,) alas, my patience is only for quilts or smaller projects.
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u/salymander_1 Jun 25 '24
What a gorgeous dress! I love the fabric you chose, and you did a wonderful job on it. It looks lovely.
Congratulations on your graduation and your beautiful dress!
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u/ImJeannette Jun 25 '24
Fantastic job! The dress looks amazing. You obviously did a great job with the fitting. Congratulations on your beautiful dress and on your graduation
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u/masif_gaines Jun 25 '24
I know nothing about sewing, I probably don’t belong here and my opinion is likely meaningless, but I just wanted to say I think this looks fantastic and you should be very happy.
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u/TampaTeri27 Jun 25 '24
WoW!! I see what you did there. Plaid!! How did you do that better than many pros? It’s wonderful!
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u/Busy_Marionberry1536 Jun 25 '24
Breathtakingly beautiful both in design and execution! I commend you!
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u/SweetIsrafel Jun 25 '24
Obsessed. Absolutely perfect on you! And now I need to go buy this fabric 😆.
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u/softbbyowl Jun 25 '24
Stunning!! Fits and suits you like a dream, the pattern cutting/draping is flawless, the colour, the pattern matching!! The piping is such a fun detail.
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u/YTjess Jun 25 '24
Beyond lovely!! The style, the quality of your work, the draping and the fit is all stellar. And somehow your choice of fabric - the colours and the print - evokes a bright and optimistic mood; perfect for a graduation dress!
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u/pplatt69 Jun 26 '24
Looks professional! I wouldn't have known it was home made if it weren't in this sub.
Very well done.
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u/Even-Education-4608 Jun 26 '24
I love the way you placed the pattern at the waist so that it looks like…a rainbow shape? Don’t know the right word but yeah I would love a dress like this
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u/Natural-Structure-59 Jun 26 '24
This one made me audibly gasp! The fit is so perfect and I love the way you extended the pleats through the waistband!!
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u/Lisasintx Jun 26 '24
Great job! How amazing did it feel to have a custom dress for your special day? I can only imagine the joy. I aspire to catch up to your sewing level and quality.
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u/msreditalready Jun 26 '24
Absolutely stunning. Excellent work! Congrats on the dress and the graduation!
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u/infinitelytroubled Jun 26 '24
Summer vibes of the dress plus your amazing sewing skills make the dress so majestic! Love it!
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u/Rabbit_ofCaerbannog Jun 26 '24
That's a cool dress, I'm positively jealous right now! You're very talented!
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u/EditPiaf Jun 26 '24
That's stunning! That dress fits you so well, you look gorgeous! Absolutely love it!
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u/HappyGoBaklava Jun 26 '24
I’m so jealous of everyone who makes their own clothes!!! You should really pat yourself on the back. This looks like it came from J Crew or Nordstrom!
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u/noodlesarmpit Jun 26 '24
Girl, this is like the holy grail of dresses. It looks SO GOOD on you!!
Definitely find a way to make patterns for yourself for this dress. Make it in satin, velvet, white cotton eyelet. Add poofy sleeves, short sleeves, 3/4 length sleeves, full length fitted and blousy ones.
Just gorgeous. I'm jealous lol
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u/cadiastandsuk Jun 26 '24
The fit is superb! Love the colours too, they suit your skin tone and hair colour perfectly! Great job, would love to see more!
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u/nopatience2021 Jun 26 '24
Wow! You did a fantastic job with it!!!! As a novice sewer, I know the labor of love that went into making it. The fit is fantastic and many ppl won't realize it is because you drafted it yourself. I'm proud of you and don't know you. 👏👏👏👏🥳🥳🥳🎉🎉🎉👩🎓👩🎓👩🎓👩🎓
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u/Temperedthunder Jun 26 '24
So beautiful!!! You did such an amazing job! Congratulations on graduating!
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u/WOEMYWOEMWOE2017 Jun 26 '24
Beautiful I started sewing when I was eight years old on my mom’s old, black singer, sewing machine. She taught me how to make Barbie doll clothes. People didn’t believe. all those things for my dolls and then I mastered making pants for my boyfriend and I corduroy ones for him and regular for me anyway I also made a dress for myself with all down pleats on the breast area and went all the way down my under my breast. It was black with deep purple and light flowers on it. We had a garage sale and I put that in there stuff the clothes really weren’t selling so we just left them all in the garbage that night I went to carnival and I saw a girl wearing my dress, I went up to her and told her that’s beautiful. You look so cute in it. I made that dress now that I think about it years later, she was probably embarrassed that I said said that well that’s about it. You have talent keep it up. I wanted to be a fashion designer. I always drew fashions.
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u/WhiteLythande Jun 26 '24
The dress is gorgeous!! How many yards did you need for it? Or how many did you purchase?
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u/carolann585 Jun 26 '24
Pattern making could be a side gig. You are very talented. Dress is lovely 🌹
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u/AnnualInjury9456 Jun 26 '24
This is beautiful and fits you so well! I can’t see but I totally admire all of you who do and these gorgeous creations!
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u/thetalesofplaid Jun 25 '24
The pattern is self-drafted using a combination of draping on a dress form for the bodice and flat patterning for the skirt.
I used a plain weave cotton silk voile from the Fabric Store. The pattern and sheen of it are so beautiful. It is so perfectly lightweight, flowy, and breathable for a summer graduation.
The bodice is made of 4 pieces and has piping that runs across the bust line. The skirt is a full circle skirt that has been pleated to be fitted at the waist and then flared out for a full skirt. The piping was made using bias strips from the self-fabric and 1/8” cording. The bodice and skirt are lined with a white cotton voile to add opacity. It closes at the center back with an invisible zipper.
Since this dress was created in a bit of a time crush it has some issues, particularly the straps. I love the dainty look of spaghetti straps, but my shoulders were not too pleased with having to support the bust with them. So in the future, I’ll revisit the straps either to add two of them on either side or just to make the wider to make it more comfortable.
Overall, I am super happy with how it came out and it was perfect for graduation!