Burda Style For people who sew

Being the crazy person that I am, I’ve decided to sew my own wedding dress AND create the pattern myself. I’m creating my own version of this dress: http://www.jcrew.com/wedding/Wedding_Bride/gowns/sheath/PRDOVR~49876/49876.jsp

Most of it makes sense to me and I know how I will approach drafting the pattern. However, I’m not quite sure how to go about recreating the drapey look on the front part of the wrap top in my pattern. I understand the basic concept of cutting a larger piece of fabric than the area it will be sewn over, but how do I adjust my pattern for that? Can anyone point my towards any resources that explain this?

I’ve got plenty of time to make my muslin before I tackle the real dress, so I’m not terrified yet…

Thanks for your help!

Dec 6, 2011, 07.57 PM by aceydoubleyou

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  Dec 6, 2011, 11.41 PMby patti-r

  Lovely Dress, classic chic. It is a vertical drape, it would be slash and spread method to achieve the drape if using a plain wrap bodice. It is not heavily drape but will involve trail and error to fit the bodice.

  You already have the right idea with the muslin, good girl. Can not find anything with pictures, try the library bridal fashion or couture sewing book. Found this: no pictures: http://www.ehow.com/how_5943243_make-pleats-formal-gown.html

  When getting to the final dress bodice may need underlined to support the skirt, then lining for a professional look.

  Hoping others have more input. Keep us updated on your progress.

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    Dec 7, 2011, 12.22 AMby aceydoubleyou

    Thanks for the link!

    As for the support for the skirt, I hadn’t thought of that yet. Do you have any suggestions for how to achieve this?

    And you can bet I will be keeping you updated. This is one heck of a project by my standards, so you guys can look forward to the next 6 months of my tales of joy and woe as I work on this…

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  Dec 6, 2011, 11.42 PMby katexxxxxx

  If you get yourself a good book on pattern drafting and start with a block, the book will explain how to extend the fronts to give that wrapped look. It’s basically done by extending the V neck to the waist seam at the same angle all the way.

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    Dec 7, 2011, 12.19 AMby aceydoubleyou

    I’ve got a couple books at home, although they focus on very “basic” drafting. I’ll have a look through them to see if I can find anything relevant.

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  Dec 14, 2011, 03.26 PMby blueartisan

  Looking at the picture, the draping has been done on the cross from what I can tell which is why it has almost a stretch look about it. I’ve done draping before but only from altered patterns and most of that was done in the time where I lost my memory, so when I had to do draping for my mums wedding dress recently I had to rely on my ability to make fabric do what I want and muscle memory. The issues I found were that I pinned that draping about 6 times before I was happy and I created a stable base to support the weight of the very full skirt and train of the dress. I had issues about 3 weeks before the wedding when mum started menopause and her bust size went up dramatically so I had to remake the dress this time using a stretch satin to allow for a couple of cm of variation. So basically draping is better created if it is just an overlay to a very structured support. I found it hard enough to get it perfect on my mum (you also have to take into account movement) so I don’t know what it would be like doing it on myself. Just make sure you wrap a dummy to your exact measurements I guess? Mums wedding dress is up as one of my projects if you want to see the draping, better photos will be about a week away :)
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  Dec 16, 2011, 07.09 PMby patti-r

  Hoping she will let us know how she is doing!!! Great tips Blueartisan!!