Sprucing up my Standard gown - sewing questions!

[Retrocat1942]

Hi all! My first forum post - eek!
I'm about to start my first standard dress but having not seen a "real" ballroom dress in the flesh I'm a little mystified about how the underskirts attach.
I am planning on having a skirt of 3-4 layers. The first two as godets sewn as one layer to the Vs of the bodice, and then sewn individually below. Then 1 or 2 layers of underskirts below. Is the miniskirt with ruffles/flounces the most common method fir attaching underskirts do some dresses use an entire underdress between the leotard and top dress?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Retrocat1942]

Also I'm not sure if this is common knowledge (being a absoulte novice) but I found the Christine Clover website a total resource. Under "sponsored couples" if you click on one of the couples there is a is a few dress sketches with notes on construction - how many half circle godets etc!!
I found it so helpful to understand the volume and proportions for getting that "pro look"

 

[raindance]

Welcome to Dance Forums! I'm no help with the sewing, but others hopefully will have comments for you, and I just wanted to welcome you. Nice resource you found on the Christine Clover website.

Is there any chance you can get a look at a dress or two in person? Maybe you know some dancers that would let you look at their gowns, or if you go to a local competition perhaps you can take a peek at any dresses the vendors have for sale? It might help you visualize things better.

 

[Retrocat1942]

Welcome to Dance Forums! I'm no help with the sewing, but others hopefully will have comments for you, and I just wanted to welcome you. Nice resource you found on the Christine Clover website.

Is there any chance you can get a look at a dress or two in person? Maybe you know some dancers that would let you look at their gowns, or if you go to a local competition perhaps you can take a peek at any dresses the vendors have for sale? It might help you visualize things better.

Thank you for the welcome Raindance!
I wish I could see some dresses in person but I probably won't get to any competitions till later in the year and I'm too scared to ask my teacher because I have a strong inkling she'll say something sensible but unhelpful like "don't worry about that now, just focus on your technique". Problem is I've caught the ballroom dress bug and simply MUST make one!!

 

[SwingingAlong]

Thank you for the welcome Raindance!
I wish I could see some dresses in person but I probably won't get to any competitions till later in the year and I'm too scared to ask my teacher because I have a strong inkling she'll say something sensible but unhelpful like "don't worry about that now, just focus on your technique". Problem is I've caught the ballroom dress bug and simply MUST make one!!

one I did, I sewed the 2 under layers of half circle godets to the vees of the bodice. Then I hemmed the top layer with a rolled edge, and sewed the TOP layer right sides up on the outside. That way you get a neat finish on the points. The next one, I overlocked all 3 layers together and sewed them as one unit to the Vees. They were only sewed together as far as the bottom point on the vees, after that each layer is joined up to its neighbour so each layer becomes a complete circle. BTW it is much easier to make a dress like this on a dress form!

 

[ChaCha1]

There are a couple of ballroom dress patterns that might clarify the construction. They may not be what you want to make, but if you can look at them in the store they will give you instructions to attach the skirt. McCalls and Burda make a real pattern for ballroom dresses. There is also check out Etsy, Dance Sport Sewing. If you search for ballroom dress patterns. (it is a little expensive)

 

[flying_backwards]

@Retrocat1942 I totally can relate! I also got the gown fever early on and was too shy to ask the ladies to peek at their underskirts! (Written like that to sound funny but you know I mean on a hanger, as a seamstress.) I also thought they would say gowns were a long way off. I felt unworthy of a real gown. So I paid a gown rental company for a try-on. It cost about $40 to have a rental gown shipped to me, less than it would have cost to attend a competition, tho I later learned the vendors are in the lobby, no admission required. I only had it for 24 hours, at home, with nobody judging me for wanting to see it. I learned a lot having it in my hands. I tried it on and had my husband video while I twirled to see how the skirt moved. I saw not just how it was originally sewn, but how it was repaired and modified. The underskirt had a cylinder of lycra fairly straight. Then the layered very-full part of the underskirt had been re-attached at 3 different lengths along that cylinder, at different times, I guess for either shorter ladies or changing style of length. I later purchased the sewing pattern from etsy with the star kind of skirt. And I have sewn a gown since then myself. Now I am not shy about asking to peek! When I went to a nearby comp last fall, I turned lots of gowns inside out on the rack. There's a lot you can learn in person that you cannot see in pictures. Same goes for selecting fabric. You need to do that in person the first time. Hold the power mesh in your hands, feel which ways and how much it stretches. Wave the bolt of chiffon to see how it catches the air. Hold crinoline up to see whether it stands stiff or flops over or has that perfect curve. But the far-away or camera view is also useful. That is how I learned there can be lots of sewing goofs that do not show at all. Also how a gown is put on matters. Being in the dressing room during a showcase with hectic gown changes you see how important it is to sew a gown that can be tugged on with nervous hands w/o breaking hooks and catching zippers. And until you actually compete or perform in a gown you will not appreciate just how important it is for everything to stay-put without tugging frantically at shoulders or waistline between heats! No moving parts means no worries. I'm still intrigued by gown construction, but it is less a mystery now.

 

[Retrocat1942]

@SwingingAlong @jiwinco @flying_backwards Thank you so much for your help. It is great to have found you all!!!

 

[Retrocat1942]

@Retrocat1942 I totally can relate! I also got the gown fever early on and was too shy to ask the ladies to peek at their underskirts! (Written like that to sound funny but you know I mean on a hanger, as a seamstress.) I also thought they would say gowns were a long way off. I felt unworthy of a real gown. So I paid a gown rental company for a try-on. It cost about $40 to have a rental gown shipped to me, less than it would have cost to attend a competition, tho I later learned the vendors are in the lobby, no admission required. I only had it for 24 hours, at home, with nobody judging me for wanting to see it. I learned a lot having it in my hands. I tried it on and had my husband video while I twirled to see how the skirt moved. I saw not just how it was originally sewn, but how it was repaired and modified. The underskirt had a cylinder of lycra fairly straight. Then the layered very-full part of the underskirt had been re-attached at 3 different lengths along that cylinder, at different times, I guess for either shorter ladies or changing style of length. I later purchased the sewing pattern from etsy with the star kind of skirt. And I have sewn a gown since then myself. Now I am not shy about asking to peek! When I went to a nearby comp last fall, I turned lots of gowns inside out on the rack. There's a lot you can learn in person that you cannot see in pictures. Same goes for selecting fabric. You need to do that in person the first time. Hold the power mesh in your hands, feel which ways and how much it stretches. Wave the bolt of chiffon to see how it catches the air. Hold crinoline up to see whether it stands stiff or flops over or has that perfect curve. But the far-away or camera view is also useful. That is how I learned there can be lots of sewing goofs that do not show at all. Also how a gown is put on matters. Being in the dressing room during a showcase with hectic gown changes you see how important it is to sew a gown that can be tugged on with nervous hands w/o breaking hooks and catching zippers. And until you actually compete or perform in a gown you will not appreciate just how important it is for everything to stay-put without tugging frantically at shoulders or waistline between heats! No moving parts means no worries. I'm still intrigued by gown construction, but it is less a mystery now.

Thank you @flying_backwards! I'm so happy to discover that I'm not the only one to have had petticoat peeping jitters! I'm just wondering how the cylinder was attached to the body suit? At the waist or hips? And sewn on wrong side of cylinder to right side of body suit, or right side to right side? Great idea to get a hire gown... I'm just not sure if there are any that service where I live!
Thank You!

 

[flying_backwards]

wondering how the cylinder was attached to the body suit? At the waist or hips? And sewn on wrong side of cylinder to right side of body suit, or right side to right side?

The cylinder of lycra is actually continuous fabric pieces of the outer layer of the bodysuit, not separately attached. That is, the body suit has 2 layers: the inner layer has the panty bottom and the outer layer hangs down into the skirt in a cylinder. The 4 layers of organza underskirt are joined together and then sewn to the outside of the cylinder.

Great idea to get a hire gown... I'm just not sure if there are any that service where I live!

I'm pretty sure the place I used ships anywhere in the US. Other countries may have similar rental options. I used VandA, based in southern California. They were easy to work with. And I did tell them up front that it was only a try-on out of curiosity, that I was not entered in a comp. They were fine with that. Ballroom is a small world so best to be completely frank. Maybe not all rental places want to ship a gown just so we can peek under the skirt!

 

[Retrocat1942]

The cylinder of lycra is actually continuous fabric pieces of the outer layer of the bodysuit, not separately attached. That is, the body suit has 2 layers: the inner layer has the panty bottom and the outer layer hangs down into the skirt in a cylinder. The 4 layers of organza underskirt are joined together and then sewn to the outside of the cylinder.

Amazing! Thank you!!
Last question I promise!! Was it composed of two "full" bodysuits? I.e one layer with both a neckline and the crotch bit and one layer with the neckline and underskirts? That has been what I was thinking but I had thought it might make the seam finish around the neckline a bit bulky? Or is it a "knicker" section attached to a bodysuit piece that also includes the neckline and underskirt so ends up as only one layer at neckline not including the "top dress"?

Thank you so so much! You don't know how much I've wanted this information!!!!

 

[SwingingAlong]

It can be either way - the top layer and bottom layer cut the same at the neckline and armholes and joined together (elastic is added as well to the seams so it hugs in), or the body suit part can be of nude mesh, with the over layer cut to mimic whatever style is in fashion, as per the white and blue dress previously posted. I've not seen one with 3 layers (Bodice with outer skirt, inner part with underskirts, body suit) the ones I've got are an outer layer of Lycra with all layers of the skirt attached to the vees, and the inner layer as the body suit.

I like questions, so don't make it your last one. I'm sure everyone will back me on that. I've only made 3 dresses so far, so I'm at the beginning of the exploration as well. Love seeing the results from everyone too!!

 

[flying_backwards]

This is very rare I actually have seen something about a gown that @SwingingAlong has not already seen! Yes my pink gown has a bodysuit with 3 layers: 1 firm lycra (innermost) that has crotch snaps, 1 thinner lycra that extends down to attach the underskirts, 1 very thin chiffon. The Chiffon is all scrunch-stitched (ruching) over the body-fitting part so that it stretches. This makes the body part too warm. But a benefit is that texture masks the extra curves and folds of my lower back. Actually that chiffon layer is double itself and forms the outer skirt with two layers. I cannot see the seam, but I suspect that skirt is a separate pattern piece from the part over the bodice. The ruching hides any seam. All layers of the bodysuit parts are joined in a single seam at the neckline. The arm opening is more complicated. There, the lycra layers are a single seam, with elastic. But the chiffon layers have a separate seam, attaching to power mesh sleeves. All layers of the bodysuit are in a single seam at the zipper. Yes that seam is very thick. From a distance it might look delicate but up close it resembles couch upholstery.

For how to attach bodysuits see the seamssensational website video tutorial.

 

[SwingingAlong]

... a benefit is that texture masks the extra curves and folds of my lower back. ...l.

Coolthat sounds fascinating and super useful ..... wish I had x-ray/intercontinental vision so I could see it

It's not really surprising that I haven't seen one like this, as most views online are only of the outside..... so frustrating, but at the same time fun, as you get to invent your own take on how it might be.

 

[flying_backwards]

The best part of a long holiday weekend is, with no classes or practices and no work, I finally have time to sew! That is, if I can convince my family that what they think is the dining room table is actually the sewing table.

Question 1: I saw some fabric paint spray in Michaels. I'm wondering if that is a realistic option to make the skirt color gradually blend, like ombre effect for hair color. It might take a lot of cans of spray. Or is this Rit Dye how-to the way that is done? https://www.ritdye.com/techniques/creative-techniques/ombre/ Some of the spray colors are shiny metallic colors like silver. I am dreaming of dark blue shading to lighter and lighter blue shading to silver at the hem. (Hoping dark blue will make my waist look smaller.)

Question 2: I think the fishing line loses its curl if it is put in boiling water because I remember that is how I un-curled and re-curled the radius of a spool last time. So, does that mean I have to first dye the fabric, then sew in the hem fishing line? At the dye stage, to do ombre, the fabric would need to already be assembled into the skirt, just not yet hemmed, right? Would you bother dying the fishing line?

I bought nearly a whole bolt of stretchy drape-y meshy lightweight plain white fabric for this project months ago but have had no unscheduled time until now.