Lyla Dejesus
Sewing your own wedding dress is a challenging but rewarding endeavour. One popular style for wedding dresses is a lace-up back, which is adjustable and allows for a custom fit. This style is particularly useful if your dress no longer zips up or if you want to create the illusion of a tiny waist. In this article, we will explore the steps to sew a lace-up back wedding dress, including choosing the right lace, creating a modesty panel, and attaching the lacing. We will also discuss tips and tricks for working with delicate fabrics and creating a seamless finish.
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What You'll Learn
Changing a zipper to a lace-up back
Prepare the Materials
First, gather the materials you will need. You can use a zipper replacement lace-up kit or purchase individual materials. If you are using satin, you will need pinking shears or a pinking blade. You can use matching ribbon for the lacing, or you can make your own using a tube turner. Additionally, you will need general sewing notions such as a home sewing machine, needles, thread, and scissors.
Measure the Zipper Length
Use a measuring tape to determine the amount of zipper length that won't zip up. Add at least one inch to that amount to decide on the length of your lace-up panel. This will ensure that you have enough room for the lacing and any necessary adjustments.
Open the Zipper Seam
Starting at the top of the dress, open the seam where the zipper is located. Stop where you have decided that the lacing will start. This point must be where the zipper comfortably can no longer zip up or below that point to avoid the dress gaping open.
Cut and Stitch the Zipper
Cut off the excess zipper, leaving about a 1/2-inch allowance. Fold this allowance back and hand-stitch the zipper end down. Apply a hook and eye to the top of the zipper where you have stitched it in place. This will secure the zipper and provide a starting point for your lacing.
Create the Lace-up Panel
You will need to create a panel to go behind the lacing. Measure the distance at the top and the length the panel needs to be. Add 3 inches to your length measurement and your top measurement to ensure a comfortable fit. You can use the fabric from the dress itself, such as streamers or excess fabric, to create the panel.
Attach the Panel and Add Lacing
Attach the panel to the dress securely. You can stitch a modesty panel in place, and add a hook and eye or sew on a snap to one side of the panel for extra security. Thread your lacing through the bottom loops and lace it up, similar to lacing a shoelace. You can choose to lace it from the bottom up or the top down, depending on your preference for the bow's placement.
By following these steps, you can successfully change a zipper to a lace-up back, creating a unique and functional design for your wedding dress.
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Sewing with lace
Choosing the Right Lace:
Before you begin sewing, it's important to select the appropriate lace for your project. There are many different types of lace, such as Chantilly lace with its bold shapes and Alençon lace, known for its delicate patterns. Consider the overall design and the characteristics of the lace that will complement it. Most lace is created by embroidering onto a background fabric, often netting, or a dissolvable base material for freestanding embroidery.
Preparing the Lace:
Lace is often heavily starched to maintain its shape, but this can make it challenging to work with. It is recommended to gently rinse the lace and allow it to dry before starting your project. You can re-starch later if needed. Lace can be slippery, so using longer pins can help keep it in place while cutting or sewing.
Marking and Cutting:
Traditional marking methods, like marking pens and chalk, may not show up well on lace. Instead, try thread-tracing with a contrasting colour of thread. Run long basting stitches through the areas you want to mark, then cut and sew along these lines. Finally, remove the threads for a neat seam line.
Seam Techniques:
Lace seams are visible from the outside, so extra care is needed. One technique is to use seam tape or narrow ribbon. Pin the tape along the seam and sew as usual, with the tape closest to the bed of the machine to prevent the lace from getting caught. For net-backed lace, appliques can be used to overlap seam lines, creating a seamless finish. Bias binding is also commonly used to bind visible seams, such as the shoulder seam and armhole.
Stitching Techniques:
When working with stretchy lace, avoid buttons and buttonholes as they can tear. Instead, opt for a button tape made from fine cotton fabric. Use a narrow zigzag stitch to prevent threads from tearing when the garment is worn. A width of 0.3 to 0.5 is generally sufficient. If your lace-up back wedding dress involves converting a zipper to lace, you can thread the lacing through the bottom loops and lace it up like a shoelace.
Adjusting Fit:
Lace-up backs allow for adjustable fits, which is especially useful for formalwear. You can cut out a portion from the back pattern pieces to ensure the lace-up detail is prominent even at the intended sizing. This alteration provides extra room without changing the overall size of the dress.
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Cutting and trimming lace
Planning the Approach
Before cutting or trimming lace for a wedding dress, it is essential to plan the approach carefully. This involves considering the overall design, the type of lace, and the desired fit. It is also important to work with the grain of the lace pattern, ensuring that it remains vertical from important angles. Additionally, creating a paper pattern or marking the cut lines on the lace can help guide the cutting process.
Cutting Techniques
When cutting lace, it is crucial to use the appropriate techniques to avoid damaging the delicate fabric. For defined trims, the trim can be cut off and moved up, preserving the lace detail. If the lace has raw edges, it may be necessary to cut and lift only specific sections to maintain the proportions and finish of the lace appliqués. This technique is especially important for lace hems, ensuring that the lace trim is not lost or cut straight through.
Trimming and Appliquéing
Trimming lace can be a meticulous task, especially when working with intricate patterns or scalloped edges. It is important to trim carefully and consider the overall design. When trimming 'eyelashes' of lace, for example, be extra cautious to accentuate scallops without over-trimming. After cutting, the lace can be appliquéed onto the dress, creating a seamless finish. This involves zig-zagging around the shapes of the pattern and trimming away the excess fabric close to the seam.
Adjusting for Fit
When creating a lace-up back on a wedding dress, adjustments may be necessary to achieve the desired fit. This can involve cutting out sections from the back pieces of the pattern to accommodate lacing and ensure adjustability. It is important to consider the overall silhouette and desired lacing effect, such as a V-shape or parallel lines, when determining how much to cut and adjust.
Seeking Professional Help
Working with lace, especially for a wedding dress, can be challenging. It is recommended to consult a seamstress or tailor with bridal experience to ensure the best results. They will be able to advise on the hemming approach, cutting techniques, and any adjustments needed to achieve the desired fit while preserving the beauty and integrity of the lace fabric.
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Creating a grommet panel
Step 1: Cut and Fold
Start by cutting a line where you want the lacing to begin. This can be at the top or bottom of the dress, depending on your preference. Then, fold back the edges and pin them into place to create an open V shape. The width of the V shape can be adjusted to control how much skin is exposed.
Step 2: Stitch and Mark
Once the edges are folded and pinned into place, stitch them securely. Decide on the placement of your grommets and mark those spots with a dot using a marker. It is important to note that the holes should be initially small, as you can always make them bigger later if needed.
Step 3: Poke and Place
Using your scissors or another sharp tool, poke through or snip the marked spots. Take your grommet and place it through the front side of the hole. The grommet should have a washer, which is typically the shorter piece.
Step 4: Secure Grommets
Place the washer at the back of the fabric and use grommet tools to hammer it into place. Most grommet kits will come with specific instructions, but generally, you will use a small metal piece and a tool to secure the grommet in place.
Step 5: Finalize and Adjust
With the grommets securely in place, you can now thread your lacing through the grommets. You can choose to lace from the bottom up or the top down, depending on where you want the bow to sit. Adjust the lacing to your desired fit, and your grommet panel is now complete!
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Adding a modesty panel
A modesty panel is a piece of fabric sewn into a garment to cover exposed skin and reduce friction caused by laces. Modesty panels can be sewn into the back of a dress to make it less revealing.
If you are planning to add a modesty panel to a wedding dress with a lace-up back, you will first need to decide whether you want the panel to be removable or sewn in as part of the construction of the garment. Removable modesty panels can be attached with hooks and eyes or velcro, whereas permanent modesty panels can be sewn directly into the dress.
If you are converting a zipper closure to a lace-up back, you will gain a few inches in the back of the dress. This is a common alteration that a professional tailor might do for formal dresses to achieve a custom fit. However, this will not work if you need the dress to be bigger all around, as it only adds width to the back.
To create a grommet panel with a modesty panel, you will need to reinforce the seam. The modesty panel will be attached to one side of the grommet panel. You can create a busk, or lace closure, by purchasing hooks and eyes or eyelets by the yard and cutting them to the desired length.
When creating a modesty panel, it is important to choose a fabric that matches the dress. Finish the raw edges of the fabric, and then hand-stitch the bottom of the triangle flap to the inside of the dress, just below the neckline opening. Mark where the panel hits the dress when closed, and hand-stitch snaps to both the top of the panel and the inside of the dress. If you do not need access to the snaps, you can hand-stitch the top of the panel in place. For a removable panel, add a third snap at the bottom instead of stitching it to the dress.
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Frequently asked questions
Sewing a lace-up back into a wedding dress is a great way to adjust the fit. You can remove a zipper and add lacing by creating a grommet panel, which can be reinforced with a modesty panel.
A modesty panel is a piece of fabric sewn to one side of a corset back or front to cover any exposed skin and reduce friction from the laces.
You can create a grommet panel with a modesty panel attached to one side. You can reinforce the seam and add hooks and eyes or velcro to attach the modesty panel.
You can start lacing from the bottom so there is a bow at the top, or you can do the opposite and have the bow at the bottom. Thread the lacing through the bottom loops and lace like a shoelace, back and forth.
When sewing lace onto a wedding dress, you should avoid straight seams as these can look unsightly. Instead, try an appliqué seam by zig-zagging around the shapes of the pattern and trimming away the excess. This technique is suitable for expensive lace.
