Back to the Dress: Tier 1

Since my last post about options for my Tier 1 dress, I have decided on a design.

I was originally torn between this pattern and another that was much cheaper, but this one was advertised to have extra instructions to make sure that the dress was made with the best fit possible. One of the main points of making the dress myself is that it would be specially made just for me, so I decided on this one.

I will be making dress C (the one the model is wearing), though I'll be making some adjustments. I plan on making the skirt just a tad shorter (knee-length) and instead of the ribbon around the waist, I'll be attaching a gathered sash.


How to begin...


First off, all of the information on the materials needed to make the dress are printed on the back of the pattern's envelope. In this case, the dress calls for 2 types of fabrics, lining, thread, a zipper, and a button. My addition of the sash will require separate fabric and thread. The amount and sizes of these materials is explicitly stated on the envelope. I like to buy just a little extra fabric just in case I screw something up.

Luckily for me they were having a sale at the fabric store. So I went ahead and got the 2 main fabrics. I decided on an ivory-colored dull satin for the under-dress and an ivory-colored chiffon for the overlay. Both are polyester products, hence the low price. The dull satin is heavy enough to give the dress shape and solid enough not to show my underwear. The chiffon is light, floaty, and sheer. All in all, for the pattern, dull satin, chiffon, thread, and embroidery floss, I spent only $50.

But before I begin using my good fabric, the pattern instructions suggest making a muslin dress, or first making the dress out of an inexpensive fabric as a test. This will also help me with the embroidery process. I figure I can mark up the muslin overlay and use it as a guide when I begin embroidering the chiffon. The instructions also say that it's a good idea when taking your measurements to wear the underwear you plan on wearing with the dress, and when you're making adjustments to the fit, wear the same underwear as well as the shoes.

I'm hoping to start on the muslin dress by the beginning of July.