How to Make Your Own Wedding Gown

Your wedding day is the biggest day of your life! For an event this big, you want to look fabulous and for that, you'll need the perfect dress. You can have the dress of your dreams on any budget if you make it yourself or enlist the aid of someone skilled at sewing to create the dress for you. Designing and making your own wedding gown is a fun process and one you will enjoy and remember forever.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bridal magazines Folder Camera Computer Printer Measuring tape Dress pattern Scissors Sewing machine Thread Pins

1. Go through bridal magazines and tear out your favorite wedding styles, cuts and colors for dresses. Pull out pictures even if it's just the beading you like or the sleeve length. This will help you keep a record of everything that has caught your eye and you might consider using later. Put all these tear-out sheets in a folder.

2. Go to bridal salons and dress shops. Try on all sorts of wedding gowns. Take a friend or family member with you so they can help you and take photos of things you like. This helps because you get to see what certain styles and cuts look like on your figure. Some shops don't let you take pictures so take notes.

3. Download all your photos and print them out. Look through your photos and tear-out sheets. Piece together your favorite elements to see what they look like with one another. Go online on your computer to Websites that allow you to design a gown online. Take all your favorite elements from the photos and tear out and use them on the Website to create a complete gown. Make several different designs and print these out. Choose the one that is your favorite.

4. When you're sure you have the design of your dreams, it's time to start actually making the dress. Take all of your measurements with a fabric tape measure. Make sure you write down all these measurements (bust, waist, hips, arm length, torso, etc.).

5. Shop for and buy your fabric. If you're having someone else make it then have them go shopping with you to ensure you choose an appropriate fabric for their sewing purposes and buy enough fabric. Next purchase your embellishments and any other items you wish to go on your dress.

6. Find a basic dress pattern that has the same shape as your dress design. Use this as the starting pattern for your dress. Cut and adjust it as needed to accommodate different necklines, sleeves types and lengths. Use extra pieces of the pattern material to add to your pattern to give it an exact design. Cut your fabric to match the pattern.

7. Sew the gown on a sewing machine. Do the basic shape or form first before adding an additional layers or embellishments. Try the dress on and fit it. Use pins to fit any corrections that need to be made. Make those corrections and finish sewing the dress. Add your decorative elements and embellishments.

Tips & Warnings

• Create several designs and try on similar dresses in person to make sure the styles look good on you before making the dress
• Don't let yourself be pressured by the opinions of others, it's your day to shine, you should be dressed your way.

[Magentaslb]

on 10/19/2009 Great advice...keeping this bookmarked for the future! 5*s