Sprucing up my Standard gown - sewing questions!
- Thread starter musicbrain
- Start date
Lioness
Forum Master
I do on princess seams...but I traced this from the original pattern and forgot to copy over the notches :-/ I still pinned it, but it wasn't as accurate.
Anyway, dress is pretty much done. I'm only having dramas with the underskirts. The organza is much stiffer than I thought and the fishing line didn't really weigh the hem down at all. The result is a crinkly, net-like skirt that doesn't have any of the swoosh.
Is there a way to either soften the organza, or to weight the hem?
Anyway, dress is pretty much done. I'm only having dramas with the underskirts. The organza is much stiffer than I thought and the fishing line didn't really weigh the hem down at all. The result is a crinkly, net-like skirt that doesn't have any of the swoosh.
Is there a way to either soften the organza, or to weight the hem?
mindputtee
Forum Master
Washing and pressing the organza may take some of the stiffeners out of it that they use. You could also stone the bottom edge of it to weight it down. I love the pattern you made with the black dots!
Lioness
Forum Master
Problem solved! Got some little fishing weights and spent 2 hours sewing those into the hem. Then I steamed the dress in the bathroom while I hemmed the floats. Super happy with how it's turned out and how it moves!!
Also really loving my tan...not that that's dress related
Also really loving my tan...not that that's dress related
mindputtee
Forum Master
So I made a new dress recently, this purple dress with a moon on the back. I was really excited to use silks and dyed the silks myself and everything. I wore it for DCDI, but hadn't really finished the stoning. Watching the videos and looking at it though, there's something missing/not quite right and I'm not sure what it is. It doesn't have the "wow" factor I want and I need help figuring out how to make it better.
Here's a video of me dancing in it:
And here are a couple screenshots/in progress shots. The pics on the dress form are before I added some heliotrope and tanzanite stones to the top of the bodice (because of school I didn't have time to finish them all the way down, so you can see in the video how it only sparkles up to about the bust line). I do intend to finish that stoning all over it, but I feel it still needs something else. I was thinking about some swirls on the left hip area and going down the left arm. Any other suggestions?
Here's a video of me dancing in it:
And here are a couple screenshots/in progress shots. The pics on the dress form are before I added some heliotrope and tanzanite stones to the top of the bodice (because of school I didn't have time to finish them all the way down, so you can see in the video how it only sparkles up to about the bust line). I do intend to finish that stoning all over it, but I feel it still needs something else. I was thinking about some swirls on the left hip area and going down the left arm. Any other suggestions?
Lovely dress. As is the person in it.
Sania
Well-Known Member
The skirt does not look like it has as much volume moving as the other dresses in the video. Maybe add another layer of the color that matches the float / make that contrasting color more visible?
Also, I think the neckline and shoulder line should be more important. Maybe add more stones there and fade them out into the general sparkliness?
Lovely dancing, by the way.
Also, I think the neckline and shoulder line should be more important. Maybe add more stones there and fade them out into the general sparkliness?
Lovely dancing, by the way.
Lioness
Forum Master
I think it's in the skirt, too. It doesn't really kick out like i would expect most standard dresses to do.
Is the top layer skirt less full than the bottom layers? It almost feels like it's constraining them.
I also reckon it would look better with more balance between light/dark purple. Maybe you could add some godets in the light purple, or just put a split in the top layer and have the bottom showing though?
Is the top layer skirt less full than the bottom layers? It almost feels like it's constraining them.
I also reckon it would look better with more balance between light/dark purple. Maybe you could add some godets in the light purple, or just put a split in the top layer and have the bottom showing though?
mindputtee
Forum Master
Thanks for the advice everyone!
I agree that it doesn't look like it's kicking out as much and like the top layer is constraining, but I'm not sure why as this skirt has more godets (8 quarter circles instead of 6) than my past have had. I don't recall how many to the underskirt, somewhere above 3 full circles though. I think I will try adding some light purple ruffles under the darker purple ruffles on the godets (which get lost from afar anyway, the lighter purple underneath will bring them up more). What do you think about a purple boa along the bottom edge of the bottommost darker purple ruffle? It might add more weight which would help it fly up. I feel like the dress gets very staticky and that might be contributing to the constrained look.
I think an accent around the neckline would be a great idea, maybe some chunky stoning with some larger sew on stones and pearls to match the coloring of the moon?
I agree that it doesn't look like it's kicking out as much and like the top layer is constraining, but I'm not sure why as this skirt has more godets (8 quarter circles instead of 6) than my past have had. I don't recall how many to the underskirt, somewhere above 3 full circles though. I think I will try adding some light purple ruffles under the darker purple ruffles on the godets (which get lost from afar anyway, the lighter purple underneath will bring them up more). What do you think about a purple boa along the bottom edge of the bottommost darker purple ruffle? It might add more weight which would help it fly up. I feel like the dress gets very staticky and that might be contributing to the constrained look.
I think an accent around the neckline would be a great idea, maybe some chunky stoning with some larger sew on stones and pearls to match the coloring of the moon?
Miss Silly
Well-Known Member
I loved the dress (and the dancing too!)- I noticed that it had a moon on the back and your smooth dress was a sun. I liked that!!!
I love the way the stoning design is and (personally) i'd be hesitant to change it aside from maybe just sparkling the crap out of the purple with closely colour-matching stones, so you don't see another stoning design element but rather just purple sparkliness.
I love the way the stoning design is and (personally) i'd be hesitant to change it aside from maybe just sparkling the crap out of the purple with closely colour-matching stones, so you don't see another stoning design element but rather just purple sparkliness.
bluslu
Active Member
I think if it's having a static issue, I would figure out if you can decrease that, which would help the skirt billow out more with your movement. If you can't get the static issue resolved, then maybe look into actually changing the skirt, but I think trying to reduce the static should be the first step.
As so the look of the dress, to me what throws it off is the assymetry of the sparkle. I like the assymetry of the design but your right arm gets lost without any sparkle. Since it has full sleeves (yay, I love seeing others in sleeves!), I think that the sparkle needs to be there on the dress as well. Like Miss Silly said, I wouldn't try to add sparkle with the design, maybe just try to find purple stone to match the dress that will add light effects without adding to the lovely pattern of white stones on the back. I would also add some of those same purple stones to the sleeves (not a ton, just enough to create some reflection). I think it would provide more balance to the light effects of the dress.
As so the look of the dress, to me what throws it off is the assymetry of the sparkle. I like the assymetry of the design but your right arm gets lost without any sparkle. Since it has full sleeves (yay, I love seeing others in sleeves!), I think that the sparkle needs to be there on the dress as well. Like Miss Silly said, I wouldn't try to add sparkle with the design, maybe just try to find purple stone to match the dress that will add light effects without adding to the lovely pattern of white stones on the back. I would also add some of those same purple stones to the sleeves (not a ton, just enough to create some reflection). I think it would provide more balance to the light effects of the dress.
Dancing Irishman
Forum Master
I'd guess it's because of the different material weight combined with the static you mentioned. It also looks like your ruffle fabric is less stiff than typical - did you use tulle instead of crinoline or a less stiff crinoline? I'd definitely recommend adding more of something to the hemline, but I'd think you may want to stiffen it - your hemline is noticeably less stiff than the other dresses in the video and isn't getting the same kind of sustained momentum in spins, I think.
To fix the static, could you try lining the silks? I know that'd add even more weight and might not get the desired effect, but maybe it'd help keep the underskirts and top skirt from being joined together. I know it's possible to get a lot of movement out of a heavy skirt though, I recall Katusha having a very heavy looking fabric for her topskirt one year at Blackpool from the videos I saw.
mindputtee
Forum Master
The dress is very light as it is, the top skirt is all silk habotai and silk chiffon in various colors. The underskirts are silk organza. A boa would add weight and stiffness. The only question is, do I have enough boa? I was graciously donated a big bag of boas in a few colors and don't want to purchase new as they are quite expensive!
Finish stoning, definitely decorate left arm with swirls from finger loop to shoulder in middle of sleeve line only, no to left hip decor (my personal taste)' instead of boa, think about adding loose, single ostrich feather quils that pick up the light color of your length ruffles integrated towards the bottom of the dress