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sewing
Oct 16, 2005 14:00:16 GMT -5
Post by mommy4evr on Oct 16, 2005 14:00:16 GMT -5
I am so excited! I just finished a very nice and easy dress. It is very simple with a small collar, an a-line type skirt, and gathered sleeves. It all started with a family I give piano lessons to. The girls all wear cape dresses and bonnets. When I asked their mother if she had a pattern for the girls dresses she offered to let me use hers. She came over and helped me adjust an existing pattern of my own, (hubby isn't sure about the cape part so I omitted it ) and then we just traced off the skirt part on her pattern. The first one I did was a "practice" dress, which actually turned out OK. But I did a few more adjustments and added a collar of my own and made a very lovely dress. I used a very nice fabric that I ordered on ebay called Tropical Breeze. It is a good quality and dosen't wrinkle! I am just so thrilled because I now have a pattern that is everything I wanted - high neckline, somewhat puffy sleeves and an a-line skirt that is long enough. I can do so much with this pattern. It had been difficult to find dresses that meet ALL of these criteria.
I am thankful the Lord had shewed me these areas in which I needed to change and be more careful about. The posts in the modest dress thread has helped to reconfirm these areas.
Michelle
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sewing
Oct 16, 2005 16:10:52 GMT -5
Post by carolejw on Oct 16, 2005 16:10:52 GMT -5
Your pattern sounds like what I have been looking for. (See modest dress thread) Where did your friend buy her pattern?
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sewing
Oct 16, 2005 20:35:29 GMT -5
Post by mommy4evr on Oct 16, 2005 20:35:29 GMT -5
I think she just obtained bits and pieces from others in her family or church. It had many markings on it and it was made on freezer paper. If you are interested I can trace off what I have and send it to you. I don't think it would be improper with copywrites and all. I am pretty sure she has had it for many, many years and is just a compiling of many different pieces gathered from here and there. There aren't any instructions but if you are familiar with sewing there should be no problem putting a dress together.
Michelle
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sewing
Oct 17, 2005 0:44:52 GMT -5
Post by carolejw on Oct 17, 2005 0:44:52 GMT -5
Yes, I would like that very much. You can e-mail me and I'll send you my address. Thank you, Carole
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sewing
Oct 17, 2005 5:07:40 GMT -5
Post by Sister Penny on Oct 17, 2005 5:07:40 GMT -5
Michelle, That is just wonderful to hear about your pattern. I am curious about the fabric you spoke of..is it a polyester type or more cotton? Somewhere on the board in one of the sewing areas, I posted an address for an Amish fabric store, they have a thicker polyester material that is not very sheer, I have yet to make a dress up with it..as I am not sure which pattern I want to use.. I have a cape dress pattern, which is just a simple dress with a zipper in the back, however, I don't recall how to sew the cape on and put the whole thing together..I only made mine without the cape long ago..it was packed up with a few other sewing things I kept from Oregon.
Does anyone know how to sew a neckline without the collar, so it is finished? the mennonites I knew in Oregon had showed me this technique once..and of course I don't recall it...
Thank you all for any help. God bless Penny
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sewing
Oct 17, 2005 10:15:16 GMT -5
Post by Sister Penny on Oct 17, 2005 10:15:16 GMT -5
Dear Sister Deanna, Can that same technique work on a cotton fabric? I am going to get busy sewing up one new dress pattern, well, it's been sitting here for some time now, as I wanted to rework the neck opening, it's too low for me, to bring it up just above the collarbone..
Where do you, as women who dress conservatively prefer the collars to come down to..ie, below or above the collarbone?
Thank you again for that collar help...I will use it on this new dress pattern.
God bless, Penny
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sewing
Oct 17, 2005 11:55:47 GMT -5
Post by mommy4evr on Oct 17, 2005 11:55:47 GMT -5
The Tropical Breeze fabric I used was 35%cotton / 65% polyester and it comes 55in. wide. They also have 100% polyester which comes in 60 in. width. It feels like a thinner calico material, not the slippy type. I have been making my own bias binding for the neck to finish it. That way I don't have to worry about pressing the facing after it is washed. It is really easy and you can even use scraps of your material since it dosen't take very much. I bought a bias tape maker from Jo-Anne fabrics I think it is 1/2 inch. I was looking last night and saw that www.worksoftheheart.com now sells patterns. They are a bit pricey but if you find something you can use over and over again it may be worth it. Penny asked where the necklines are preferred......I like mine right around the collarbone. That way when I bend over to pick up a little one it dosen't gape open, also if the little one pulls on it , it is still modest. Michelle
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MrsDeweySmith
Full Member
PRAYER governs conduct and conduct makes character. Conduct is what we do;Character is what we are.
Posts: 244
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sewing
Oct 17, 2005 11:58:46 GMT -5
Post by MrsDeweySmith on Oct 17, 2005 11:58:46 GMT -5
Much of our sewing is on cottons, so yes, it would work fine. For a rounded neck, just play with your bias a bit to get the best laying on that facing. One we cut, back in the beginning, continually rolled up on us. I finally stitched it down about an inch from the finished neck edge and wore a narrow lace shawl with it to help hide it more (it was a church dress, so the shawl was a nice addition)
Sister Deanna
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sewing
Dec 11, 2005 21:42:25 GMT -5
Post by nightingale on Dec 11, 2005 21:42:25 GMT -5
Good Evening Sisters...I just finished my first dress that had puffy sleeves and a full skirt and bodice with a Zipper...I have usually only been making jumpers and skirts, so this was a first for me...I am so excited...it also has a overskirt on top of the full one...ok...now I must confess I ripped the zipper out four times, :oand the skirt off twice, but it is done...it took two days ...but I am done ;D and it actually fits her, (Zoe)...so what has everyone else been up too?....I am off to clean and study...Love ya all...Debbie
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sewing
Dec 11, 2005 22:50:18 GMT -5
Post by mommy4evr on Dec 11, 2005 22:50:18 GMT -5
Oh Debbie.........I am so proud of you!!!!!! You finished your first dress. Don't let all of the fixing and re-fixing get you down. It happens to he best of us. I am really happy for you that you stuck with it and finished Zoe's dress. Does she like it? I just got a new pattern from McCalls. It is called a costume. It is just a dress with an apron, bonnet, and pantaloons. After I cut it out and sewed the bodice together I realized it was going to be too fitted. It really looked terrible! So I ordered some more fabric to match the skirt part and started over. I think it will turn out ok since I used a different bodice. The skirt is pretty because it has pleats around it. I think they are called grow pleats. I don't plan on growing taller any time soon ;D but I thought it looked pretty on the picture. The only problem is I already did the amount the pattern called for and it is still too long. I guess I'll have to add some more. I sure hope it dosen't look silly. It is very full and I am not used to wearing things quite this full. I think it is supposed to be like a prarie dress. Hopefully I will get it finished this week. Michelle
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sewing
Dec 11, 2005 23:14:59 GMT -5
Post by Brother Randy on Dec 11, 2005 23:14:59 GMT -5
My wife is very good and sewing makes all of hers and Hannah's dresses and even makes them to sell at craft showes. Maybe when she gets feeling better I can get her on here to meet all of you and talk shop. I just know she would love getting to know you all.
Bro Randy
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sewing
Dec 11, 2005 23:22:44 GMT -5
Post by nightingale on Dec 11, 2005 23:22:44 GMT -5
Bro. Randy that would be wonderful...I hope she is feeling better these days...I am sure she could teach me a thing or two about sewing...and yes Michelle, Zoe loved her new dress, she swirled and swirled in the living room with it on and told me it's her favorite...she is five...you all have a wonderful evening....Sister Debbie
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sewing
Dec 12, 2005 11:02:40 GMT -5
Post by ep210 on Dec 12, 2005 11:02:40 GMT -5
Dear Sisters, I know what you mean about the tight bodices. I also like the costume patterns but so many of them are to tight. I add a cap to mine and that seems to work well. I just finished some bloomers and those look so sweet on the little girls. Would like some myself but not sure oh sweet they would look on a pregnant lady ;D Have a good time sewing.[/center][/color][/font][/size]
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sewing
Dec 12, 2005 12:56:19 GMT -5
Post by mommy4evr on Dec 12, 2005 12:56:19 GMT -5
Michelle,
You mentioned:
I add a cap to mine and that seems to work well.
What do you mean by this? I am just curious.
Michelle
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