How to Sew a Bridal Dress
It can be difficult to find the perfect bridal dress at a reasonable price. A great way to obtain the dress of your dreams, while also staying on budget, is to sew your own dress. By giving yourself plenty of time, enlisting the help of friends and family and creating a mock-up of the dress before starting in on the real deal, you can create a beautiful and original bridal dress for your wedding day. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Dress pattern
- Muslin fabric
- Dress fabric
- Tape measure
- Fabric marker
- Pins
- Scissors
- Needles
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- Buttons or zipper
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Select a pattern for your dress. Many well-known pattern makers, such as Vogue and McCall's, offer bridal dress patterns. First, decide on the style you would like to wear. There are many different bridal dress styles, from the popular A-line shape to princess gowns and cocktail dresses. You should select a style that flatters your figure and the type of wedding you are having (for example, a beach wedding often calls for a simpler dress, while fancier ball gowns are well-suited for evening weddings). It is a good idea to visit a bridal store and try on a couple dresses to see which styles you like best before selecting your pattern.
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Choose the fabric for your dress. This is an important step, as the fabric you use will determine the overall look of the bridal dress. There are many different varieties of fabric available at stores, and they come in a wide range of colors, from the traditional white to ivory and pale pink. Many dresses nowadays are made from silk or satin, or have skirts made from chiffon. Select fabrics that you will feel comfortable and beautiful wearing.
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Before you start cutting fabric and sewing, decide if you want to make any small alterations to the pattern, such as lengthening the dress or removing sleeves.
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Take your measurements, and using the guidelines provided by the pattern, decide which size dress you will be making.
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Create a trial dress using the muslin fabric. Lay out and pin the pattern onto the muslin fabric. Trace the pattern onto the fabric, and then cut the fabric. Sew up the dress.
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Try on the dress and pin it to fit your body perfectly. This is also the time to make any modifications to the pattern, such as altering the sleeves or neckline. Remove the dress and re-sew it, following the newly altered shape.
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Carefully cut apart the muslin dress and transfer the alterations onto the original pattern.
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Pin the altered pattern onto the fabric to be used for the bridal dress, then trace and carefully cut out the dress.
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Baste together the dress by hand or with your sewing machine, then try it on again to ensure that it fits.
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Remove the dress and sew it together using your sewing machine.
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Add a zipper or buttons in the back to close the dress. Hem the dress and add any finishing touches, such as beading, ribbons or fabric flowers, that you would like.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have never sewed a dress before, it is best to try making a couple before embarking on creating your own bridal dress.
Start sewing the dress at least several months in advance so that you have time to work through mistakes and make any necessary alterations.
Enlist friends and family to help you.
