Deborah Chan
Sewing your own wedding dress is a challenging but rewarding endeavour. The process of creating a custom-designed, custom-fit pattern involves either draping or flat patterning. Draping works in 3D by manipulating fabric onto a dress form that replicates the individual’s body, while flat patterning works in 2D by manipulating paper based on body measurements. The choice of fabric is also important, with satin, organza, tulle, and chiffon being popular options for bridal gowns. Satin is heavy and wrinkle-resistant, organza is transparent and thin, tulle adds volume, and chiffon is delicate and often used in multiple layers. When cutting the fabric, it is important to lay the pattern pieces onto the fabric, pin them down, and cut along the pattern lines. Additionally, it is recommended to buy inexpensive fabric to practice on before cutting the actual wedding dress fabric.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fabric type | Satin, Organza, Tulle, Chiffon |
| Fabric colour | White, Eggshell |
| Sewing pattern type | Flat pattern, Draping, Duplicating a pattern |
| Sewing pattern source | Bought, Self-made |
| Sewing pattern adjustments | Combine multiple sizes, Add seam allowance |
| Cutting the fabric | Pin pattern to fabric, Cut along the pattern |
| Cutting the back panel | Cut centre back panel into two, Add seam allowance, Redraw slant |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right fabric
Satin
Satin is a heavy fabric that flatters the bride's silhouette. It is soft to the touch, wrinkle-resistant, and gives the bridal gown a beautiful shine.
Organza
Organza is a sheer, thin, and lightweight fabric with optimal tenacity. It has a shimmering appearance and adds volume to the dress. It is traditionally made from woven silk, creating a soft and airy material. Organza is ideal for adding drama and volume without the weight of stiffer fabrics like tulle.
Tulle
Tulle is a stiff, transparent fabric that gives the dress structure and volume. It is often used for luxurious styles, such as beaded wedding dresses, to create an unforgettable iridescent effect.
Chiffon
Chiffon is a sheer, lightweight, and delicate fabric, perfect for outdoor or warm-weather weddings. It is often used for the skirt of gowns to create movement and is suitable for every style, making it a great choice for dancing the night away. Chiffon can be made from silk or rayon and is known for its floaty and ethereal vibe, perfect for the bohemian bride.
Crepe
Crepe is a sleek and versatile fabric, often used for minimalist-style gowns. It has a smooth, slightly stretchy drape and is distinguished by its flowy yet striking appearance. Crepe gowns provide ideal thickness, comfortable elasticity, and a great base for embellishments.
These are just a few fabric options to consider when choosing the right material for your wedding dress. Remember to also keep in mind the desired style and silhouette of your gown, as some fabrics are better suited for structured designs, while others excel in flowing, light looks or larger-than-life ball gowns.
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Creating a toile
Choosing a Pattern
Before creating a toile, you need to choose or draft a pattern for your wedding dress. You can draft your own pattern from scratch, but it can be time-consuming. An alternative is to use commercial patterns as a base and tweak them to suit your style and fit requirements. This can save time and effort while still allowing for creativity and personalisation.
Selecting the Fabric
When creating a toile, choose an inexpensive fabric that is similar in weight and drape to your final dress fabric. This will give you an accurate idea of how the final dress will look and feel. You can finish the toile properly, but expect to make some adjustments. This process allows you to test different techniques and ensure the best methods for your final dress.
Constructing the Toile
Create the toile according to your chosen pattern. If you are working on a complex dress, you may need to create multiple toiles to perfect different sections, such as the bodice and skirt. This will allow you to focus on specific areas and ensure a good fit. For example, you can test methods for applying boning and creating loops for lacing.
Fitting and Adjustments
Once the toile is constructed, you can begin the fitting process. Try on the toile and assess the fit and overall look. If adjustments are needed, use pins to mark the changes. For example, if an area is too tight, use pins to fill the gap with a separate piece of fabric. If the dress feels too wide, pin out the excess fabric in the side seams or centre back. You can also use masking tape to indicate problem areas, especially if you are working with a darker fabric. Take measurements and notes directly on the toile or on a separate piece of paper.
Finalising the Pattern
After making the necessary adjustments to the toile, transfer these changes to your final pattern. If the changes are significant, you may need to make another toile to check the fit again. This iterative process ensures that your final dress will fit well and flatter your unique body shape.
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Cutting the fabric
Choosing the Right Tools
Select sharp fabric scissors designed for cutting fabric. Avoid using regular paper scissors, as they may not cut fabric cleanly and can cause fraying. If you're working with knit fabric, consider using a rotary cutter, which is ideal for creating smooth edges. Additionally, fabric weights or pins are essential to hold the fabric in place while cutting, especially when dealing with slippery or thin fabrics like silk.
Preparing the Fabric
Before cutting, ensure your fabric is laid out on a flat surface. If you're working with a large piece of fabric, you may need an extra pair of hands to help keep it taut and smooth. Use fabric weights or pins to secure the fabric and prevent it from shifting. It's important to be patient during this process and take your time to ensure accurate cutting.
Cutting Techniques
When cutting, always follow the grain of the fabric. The grain refers to the direction of the threads running through the fabric. Cutting along the grain ensures that your dress pieces will hang correctly. For knit fabrics, it's advisable to draw a straight line along the cut edge using a ruler or square and a dressmaker's chalk or pen. This helps ensure a precise cut, especially when working with stretchy fabrics. Cut along this line with sharp scissors or a rotary cutter.
Laser Cutting
If you're adding intricate details or complex patterns to your wedding dress, consider laser cutting. Laser cutting allows for sharp, crisp lines and intricate designs. However, due to the smoke generated during the process, it's essential to support the fabric above the laser cutter bed to prevent discolouration. Additionally, you may need to make adjustments to the cut pieces, such as reinforcing loose areas with carefully cut fabric backing.
Seam Allowances and Adjustments
When cutting, remember to account for seam allowances. Add the desired seam allowance to your pattern pieces before cutting, and mark notches to help match up the pieces during construction. If you need to adjust the pattern, such as extending a design element, make sure to modify the corresponding pieces and redraw any affected lines.
Remember to take your time, double-check your measurements, and follow the grain of the fabric for a smooth and precise cutting process.
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Draping and flat pattern techniques
On the other hand, flat patterning involves using measurements and formulas to draft shapes directly onto paper. This method requires creating a block, which is a blank flat 2D representation of a person's figure. Custom blocks can be drafted on paper using measurements or draped on a custom dress form. Flat patterning is often used for creating collars, sleeves, and skirts, as it provides more control over the fabric and is better suited for symmetric designs. It is also useful for those who want to make multiple copies of a garment.
Both techniques have their advantages and can be used in conjunction. Draping allows for creativity and a 3D preview of the final product, while flat patterning offers more precision and control over the fabric. Ultimately, the choice between draping and flat patterning depends on the designer's preference and the specific requirements of the project.
When creating a custom wedding dress, it is common to start with a dress form that matches the bride's unique body shape. This involves padding a professional form that is smaller than the bride's body. The dressmaker can then begin draping the fabric, manipulating it to achieve the desired shape. Once the fabric is smoothed, creased, spliced, and pinned, it can be marked with pen lines, notches, and annotations. These markings guide the creation of the first pattern, which is then traced, smoothed, and checked before sewing a toile for fitting.
To create a flat pattern, the draped pieces are removed from the dress form and flattened. Rulers are used to tidy up the lines before pinning the pieces to a sheet of paper. A Needlepoint Spiky Wheel or similar tool can be used to trace along the lines and create dotted lines on the paper. The fabric pieces are then cut out, and the paper pattern pieces are adjusted and connected to create the final flat pattern. This pattern can then be used to draft specific elements such as sleeves or collars.
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Adjusting the pattern
If you're an experienced sewist, you can make your own pattern using your measurements, adding 1.5 inches for seam allowance. If you're new to sewing patterns, it's best to purchase a pattern for such an important garment. You can buy a pattern online or from a fabric store, choosing from pattern books. Each pattern will be rated by level of difficulty, and you can also combine multiple sizes to get the pattern closest to your measurements. It's a good idea to get a few different sewing patterns to experiment with the fit.
Once you have your fabric and style picked out, you can cut your fabric. Lay the pieces of your pattern onto your fabric and pin it down with straight pins. Cut along the side of the pattern to cut out your fabric pieces into the right size and shape for your dress. Do this with the inside of your fabric facing up. If you plan on adding pleats to your dress, make sure to cut extra fabric. Once all of your fabric pieces have been cut, pin them together (inside out), keeping your pins along the 1.5 inches of seam allowance from your pattern.
There are three main ways to make a custom pattern: flat pattern, draping, and duplicating a pattern. Flat pattern works in 2D by manipulating paper based on the individual's body measurements. Draping works in 3D by manipulating fabric onto a dress form that replicates the individual's body. Duplicating a pattern involves using an existing garment as a starting point.
When adjusting a commercial pattern, you can adapt the pattern by making it more shaped around the bust and adapting the back panel to allow for corset-style lacing. For instance, you can cut the centre back panel in two to create a new back pattern piece and a placket pattern piece. You can then add seam allowances to both pieces and extend the placket into the skirt section of the dress.
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