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Gothic Rose Ballroom Dress: Lessons Learned and Future Considerations

 I've been quiet because I am laser focused on making this dress on time. At this point I've finished the major sewing. I'm "tweaking" and getting ready to add the decoration. 

Here were the pain points for this project: 

  1. Tailoring the pattern
  2. Inserting Godets
  3. Adding horsehair braid hem
  4. Inserting the neckline elastic
  5. It needs a zipper
But I did learn a great deal. So, here's how these were addressed: 

Adjusting a Pattern

I do this more often than making my own pattern. However, I understand now the benefit of drafting my own based on a pattern block. Making or getting a leotard pattern block makes tailoring other patterns much easier. Since I'm narrow up top and wide below the belt, I tend to have two very different sizes. In this project, I was able to adjust the top using my dress form and pinning to take in the side seams. I didn't realize until later that I also needed to reduce the width of the front and back neckline. I was able to address this by taking in the arm hole. 

Godet

The tutorials I watched about godets were pretty much all about inserting it into either a seam or a single cut into the fabric (a slash). In principle I understood what to do but when it came to inserting these godets, there was a problem. I was not inserting the godets into a slash or a seam, but into another triangle in the same shape as the godet. 

It would probably help to explain what a godet is first, right? 
A godet is usually a triangular shaped fabric that is inserted into a garment to give it more flare. Usually the godet piece lines up with a hem but ballroom godets are special in that they extend past the edge of the bodice and become the skirt. 

Now, back to my hurdle. The godets for this dress consisted of 3 layers of fabric: satin and 2 layers or organza. I basted these together and treated them as one godet. Now I attempted to insert these godets according to the tutorials I found. But at the tip of every godet piece I struggled to make the seams work. Because I was working with spandex I was able to fudge it but overall I was not please with how they looked. 

Even after I secured my godets into the dress, I researched and then it suddenly hit me. I needed to MAKE a slash/slit/Cut into the bodice portion so I could fold back the seams. As illustrated below. 
Make a tiny slash.
The video here also explains how to insert godets into odd-shaped bodice edges like star edges. 



Hems

I knew I was going to put in a horsehair braid/Crinoline hem on the skirt. It really pushes the hem out away from the feet nicely. However, the pattern instructions suggested the outer most layer and that is how the hem on my other dress is too. When watching tutorials, the person always put it on the lowest layer if there was more than one. 

So I wrestled with this question, which layer would work best? This is one of those times where I tried to "book learn" to figure this out when an experiment would answer the question. I pinned the horse hair to the lowest layer first, then took a photo. Then I removed it and pinned it to the middle layer and took another photo. I didn't want the look of a horsehair braid hem on the outer layer and the difference between the two layers even just pinning was noticeably different. 

First layer
second layer

This allowed me to use a ruffly, rolled hem on the outer most layer to make it more floral. 🌹

Neckline

What is considered the neckline in an off-the-shoulder top? Does it include the shoulders?
Now part of my confusion came from the pattern instructions. So, first you baste the leotard and bodice together at the top which includes the under arm seam. 
Then you make the sleeves and attach them with a basting stitch to the underarm seam. Now, basting stitches are meant to be temporary. So, I figured that everything would be resolved when I inserted the elastic for the neck line. 

As I was wrestling the elastic into the neckline, I figured that including the outer shoulder made the most sense because if I didn't it would remain an unfinished edge. However, there were no steps that instructed me to finish the underarm seam. If I didn't, the bottom edge of the sleeve was merely tacked on with basting stitches so that lead me to think that maybe the underarm seam needed the elastic and I'd just hem the outer shoulder. 

In the end, I just serged the underarm seam to give it a finish and inserted the elastic around the shoulders. Turns out this is correct but it was a LONG neckline. And it got sloppy in some places. 

Zipper

Stretch fabric can still have a zipper! I didn't think that it would be necessary. Right now, I can wrestle into the dress and wear it just fine. But I have to bunch up the fabric and pull at it a lot. Then it dawns on me that once I put in the lace and rhinestones, I'm going to lose some of the stretch and bunching would not be a good idea. 

Even though the pattern said the zipper is OPTIONAL, in my case it technically was not optional. If I was not putting rhinestones and applique I might be able to get away with it. So, I have to do one of the things I dislike the most, installing an invisible zipper. And now I have to do it on a lined garment. I got an invisible zipper foot and short invisible zipper that will go in the center back of the dress.


Future Considerations

Looking back on what I've learned, I now feel more confident making this style of dress. Even if the pattern wasn't perfect, it was a great learning tool. Now, going forward here is what I'd do differently:
  • Use a leotard block pattern. I'll make a post just about leotard blocking patterns but it would make fitting a leotard based pattern much easier and design other dresses. Basically...making my own pattern. 
  • Use an old bra or build a bra shelf on the leotard. Placing bra pads directly on a leotard is tricky and I feel like I need a tinge more support. 
  • Serge the edges of organza or chiffon right after cutting. These fray like crazy so having the edges either snipped with pinking shears or using a narrow overlock stitch would make it easier to handle especially on the skirt. 
  • Plan for a zipper if using lots of rhinestones or lace applique. The garment loses stretch when decorated and glued on. It can go on other seams than center back. 😜
I'll be back with more costume updates, my thoughts on making leotards, and my Halloween plans. 

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