Category: custom dressmaking process

The Making of The Floral Garden Bride Collection: Part 1 The Thought Process
Making a fashion collection has always been a dream of mine. I did a small collection while in a fashion design program at Portland Fashion Institute (then called Portland Sewing) back in 2015, which was a great experience and a lot of work, however it was not even close to this amount of work, time and organization than this most recent undertaking. Also, when I look at other big designers collections and the unbelievable amount of time, money and effort it must take to do such a show, mine pales in comparison.

None the less, this was one of my biggest undertakings to date. I began by entering as a designer and signing the contract for FashionXT back in March for the show happening in October. Once I signed the contract and paid my submission fee, there was no going back.

Then the real work began! I asked a few friends if they would be willing to be my little support team, there to bounce ideas off of, help me make decisions, keep on track, and stay motivated. Early on, I held a meeting with them and shared my ideas and concepts for what I was going to make for the collection. I had some wonderful fabrics already, enough yardage of each fabric to make a big dress or a suit, and some style ideas already swimming in my head that I was dying to make up. I came up with a little line plan with simple sketches and brought my fabrics to show & tell over a brunch meeting, no husbands invited!

Giant Post-It Notes come in very handy for conceptualizing!

I sat down with my calendar and made a plan. I figured I had to make about a dress a week in order to meet the deadline of the show, then broke the days of the week into more goals and tasks, all because I know how much of a procrastinator I am, and always underestimate the time needed to make something.

Flash forward to show time, I nailed it in terms of timing! I was done with everything a couple of days before the show, and had the time to do any final sewing tasks, carefully steam out and pack up each dress and the accessories, and have them ready to transport to the show venue. I could relax, enjoy the night before the show, drink some wine, get a good night’s sleep, and really focus on my successes and on the Big Day the next day.

Flash Forward: The gowns are all packed and ready to go!

Back to the time being…then began the actual work of editing down to what makes sense, what flows together in a collection, and sticking to a theme. I began to conceptualize the collection with the one fabric that really spoke to me, a floral printed mikado (a type of satin) that I had purchased from Mood Designer Fabrics a few years ago. I just loved the colors and the “growing” effect of the print. I thought it would be a wonderful, big ball gown with a big skirt to show off the fabric. Hence, the Floral Garden Bridal Collection was born!

The floral mikado ballgown! Shown here completed, as well as a strapless top made in the same fabric and a wide leg pant.

My fashion sketch for this gown

I made the gown with a strapless bodice, doing a folded side pleat instead of a dart or princess seams to ensure I didn’t have to cut into the fabric and break up the print. I used boning and interfacing inside as a layer to act as support, and also lined in a lovely ivory satin. The skirt was made by draping it on a dress form, creating large pleats and adding a triangular-shaped godet to the back of the skirt so that it formed a wider circle at the hem. I added side seam pockets as well, just for fun and convenience for the wearer. Also, I added a waist stay inside the gown, a belt-like support made using a sturdy piece of ribbon, sewn to the inside of the dress, worn snugly around the wearer’s waist and fastens with a hook & eye. This helps to support the weight of the skirt and helps to keep a strapless dress from falling down. I used a store-bought petticoat under the gown to support the bell shape.

The rest of the collection was all meant to circle back to this ballgown by use of a color pulled out from the print, or a shape from a flower. I made edits to my original line up, taking away a few ideas that didn’t really “go”, and adding a few that made sense to fill in the gaps.

One outfit that didn’t truly tie back to the dress was the white linen pantsuit and corset that I made. I made this outfit as I wanted to create alternatives for the modern bride to choose from, and figured a bride might not want a dress, or the ceremony is happening at the courthouse or she might want it for an event before or after the wedding yet still want to feel special and stand out.

For this outfit, I purchased an entire bolt of white linen from Joann Fabrics and chose to use a few commercial patterns that I have been wanting to make, the kind of patterns that are advanced level of sewing and take quite a lot of tailoring and couture sewing techniques to be successful.

The first pattern I tackled was the blazer jacket using Vogue 1870 view A:

Vogue 1870 Pattern View A

This pattern was a beast to make, but it turned out so sharp and really great looking! It’s fully lined with welt pockets and 2-piece sleeves. I’m pretty sure it is most likely a designer knock-off such as Gucci but I can’t be certain. Either way, I absolutely love it!

Once the jacket was complete, I went on to make the wide leg trousers. I used New Look 6769 pattern for the pants. Nothing crazy. I was going for simple, tailored and elegant with the wide leg and pockets, plus this pattern was super easy to sew. A nice refresher between to tough ones:

Then came the hard part: the corset. A zillion pattern pieces to keep track and labeled; the linen outer layer, the lining and the interfacing. Plus making the underwire and boning channels, and the bias strip that encased the upper and lower edges of the corset, and adding the front busk. Then there came the rivets! Ugh, lots of rivets. There are many, many corset sewing patterns out there to choose from, however I tortured myself by using an an advanced pattern, again by Vogue.

Vogue 1876 corset line drawings

The Linen Pantsuit in Progress

The Linen Corset in Progress

The lovely interior of the corset

covered buttons made for the jacket

My sketch for the outfit on the right, minus the blazer.

Next in line was the lace mermaid gown! I wanted to make a fitted, sexy dress, all in lace for the collection. I had many yards of this relatively inexpensive stretch lace in my fabric stash that would be perfect for this style. It’s not the highest quality lace, but I had already purchased it and it would do for the collection. It’s 100% polyester, so I decided to throw it in the laundry (gentle cycle) and see what happened. Well, it turned out just fine and softened up the fabric a bit, plus got rid of the slightly “plastic” smell.

I used this pattern from McCalls 7569 as a base and made many modifications, mostly to the interior construction of the dress and not as much as the style:

McCalls 7569 line drawings

Cutting out the bodice front

Two of the skirt panels and underlining

Cutting out part the bottom skirt flounce

I won’t bore you with ALL of the sewing jargon, details and construction modifications I did to make the dress from this pattern, but I will say that I made it MUCH better than the pattern instructed the sewist to do, and it turned out far better than I expected it to!

I called her Lacey

OK, for all you fellow sewing geeks out there, maybe just a quick list of how I made the dress differently from the original pattern:
- I added a center back seam so I could put in a zipper
- Fully lined and underlined the gown
- Raised the center front keyhole neckline 4″ (too much boobage rarely looks good to me)
- Added a dart to the back pattern pieces
- Raised the skirt higher onto the bodice at the waistline
- Added built-in bra cups
The following photos are from the dress nearly complete, yet I later made more changes to the fit once I had the model fitting (stay tuned for part 2 of this post).

Next up, as I did my best to make these garments and complete them as much as possible before moving on to the next one, is the Flutter gown.

A sketch of my Flutter gown

I wanted to create a gown with movement and romance, one that would appear to float on the bride. I had this lovely 3-dimentional mesh lace with sequins and little chiffon petals that looked like butterflies. I bought this fabric on clearance at Joann Fabrics over a year ago and knew I how I wanted to use it.

In order to make the color and shading of the fabric that I had better coordinate with the colors of the collection, essentially going back to the colors of the floral printed mikado, I decided to use a peach toned organza as a backing to the lace, creating a softer tone under the bright white of the lace. You can somewhat see what I am talking about in this photo where I layered the fabrics and draped them on my dressform:

the layer of peach organza fabric creates a softer hue under the white lace

I got to cutting out the 4 layers of this gown: the lace, the peach organza underlining, and 2 layers of a soft chiffon-like poly to be lining. That was a LOT of cutting, especially difficult were the large pattern pieces of the skirt and back of the skirt with a slight train. Keeping track of the pieces was important as they looked alike, especially the skirt front and side front pieces. I used a Burda sewing pattern to begin with, but made so many changes to it that I can’t really call it that pattern anymore.

Underlining each pattern piece with the peach organza was time consuming, but oh so pretty!

I wanted to use the same pattern again for another dress in the collection. I did this for two reasons: one was to create cohesion in the lineup, and the other, to save time. The cohesion helps the eye to recognize the similarity amongst the garments. I made essentially the same dress again, using a completely different fabric and lining. Most people probably would not recognize that the dresses come from the same pattern, but they may notice a familiarity.

3-D Lace Flutter Gown

Velvet Forest Bride Gown

For the Flutter gown, I ended up adding sleeves, so it looks oven more similar to the Forest Bride gown, but the two fabrics really make them unique.

Flutter 3-D Gown

Forest Bride Velvet Gown

These two gowns were some of my favorites from the collection! I just love how the dress hugs the torso and waist, then gently flows over the rest of the body. The long slit in the skirt allows her to walk easily and exposes the beautiful lining. The sleeves are romantic bell shape (Forest also has a cuff at the end of the sleeve), and protects her from a chilly evening in the garden. I made a point to make these gowns with really nice details including lovely linings, luxurious materials, and matching hair accessories.

Speaking of the amazing headpieces made by my amazing intern Robbyn, there is so much to say, I have to save it for it’s own section. So, stay tuned for more on the wonderful handmade hair accessories and hats later!

The beautiful Stella came next!

Stella the Slip Dress (please excuse the naked mannequin in the back!)

I wanted a sexy slip dress style for the collection, and thought I already have plenty of white dresses, why not have some pink for a pop of color. I brought a large swatch of my floral printed ball gown fabric to the fabric store, pulled out one of the colors from the print, and purchased 6 yards of material plus 5 yards of rhinestone trim for the straps.

picking out fabric for Stella at the fabric store

Pink looks really good on most skin tones, and this fabric is a super soft sand washed rayon that mimics silk in the best way, perfect for a slip dress! I actually would have loved to have a few bridal nightwear lounge slip and robe sets to show, but not enough time for that! Next time!

I made this dress using another commercial pattern, this time a Simplicity pattern from the late ’90’s or early 2000’s, which I’ve had in my pattern collection for years (decades perhaps?):

Simplicity 3735

I love the design details of this dress pattern, especially the back with the low cut of it and the beautiful strappy details. So to bring this lovely gown up to what I was looking for to add to the collection I made a few adjustments to the pattern.
- I skimmed out the sides of the skirt part of the dress to make it more body hugging (figure flattering) and not the A-line shape that hangs from the waist as the photo suggests.
- I lengthened the hemline and added more of a slight train to the back of the dress (who doesn’t like a little train drama, right?).
- I fully lined the dress instead of making a facing around the neckline. I hate facings and would rather make it fully lined (fellow dressmakers catch my drift).
- The rhinestones! The gorgeous, beautiful rhinestone trim was a pain in the butt to sew on to each strap, but it looks SO pretty! Totally worth the extra 4 hours to hand sew…
The back of this gown is so lovely!

The low back and strappy rhinestone straps of this gown are “mwah!” chef’s kiss!

I wanted to include some accessories with the collection, giving the potential wearer options. I opted to make a little faux fur shrug (a cape-like little jacket type of garment) to cover her shoulders in case of a little chill in the air (personally, I hate being cold and always have a jacket or cardigan on hand just in case…):

Once Stella and her shrug were complete, it was time to move on to the next look in the lineup and keep up with the pace of my timeline.

I wanted to have options for a bride, and find that dressy jumpsuits are appealing to many. I wanted to create something romantic and flowy in a lovely swishy fabric.

This illustration is one of many that I did with the vision of a bridal, or dressy, jumpsuit as an option. I love a simple bodice, defined waist, and a wide leg pant. I added a big side sash detail for drama and to act as sort of a train.

When choosing a pattern for this, I went for one I had in my collection, McCall’s 8313, to create the look:

The pattern envelope really isn’t exciting or inspirational…

The line drawings are also not the greatest, however view D would work for me

Of course, I made changes to the pattern including cutting the front bodice out on the fold instead of having a center front seam. Also I fully lined the entire jumpsuit to avoid seeing through the garment and to give it a more “luxe” feel. I made a matching sash and slapped on some of my embellished tulle to act as a detachable train.

The jumpsuit conceptualizing process…

Kayla rocks it at the model fitting!

As much as I wanted this jumpsuit to be really amazing and create a “wow!” moment, it turned out to be my least favorite in the collection if I’m honest. It just didn’t turn out as well as I wanted it to. Sure, it was fine and worked out for a look, it just wasn’t as refined and elegant as I hoped it would be, but I didn’t have time to start all over with it and make a different one, so it would just have to do. Meh…

The next dress I totally procrastinated on cutting out and making, however was one of my favorite concepts and really lovely fabric choice. I named it Laticia as I felt the fabric reminded me of a lattice feature that you would see as part of the décor in a beautiful garden:

I wanted to have one option in my collection with an overskirt as I love the idea of a transformation in the bridal outfit. She could wear the overskirt for walking down the isle, then remove the overskirt and reveal a lovely sheath dress underneath for the reception. Genius!

Part of the reason for the procrastination on this dress is I had to take extra care to cut out the fabric, perfectly aligning the motif design of the gorgeous sequin embellished delicate lace mesh:

Cutting out the pattern carefully on the lace

I hade to also add extra panels of the material in order to have the motif go all the way to the bottom of the dress which I sewed on by hand. Then, I made an under dress and lining in a flesh tone that was strapless, so boning and hidden structure were key to keeping it looking refined. The zipper was last and the most annoying part of this dress. It all turned out super pretty, but ugh, a LOT of work! Again, could have been a LOT better in my opinion, but I got it done and managed to squeeze it on to the model Grace at the fitting:

Grace looks FAB in Laticia! She loved it! I just had to make a few adjustments and finish the hem.

I couldn’t have a bridal collection without the big finale look, so I added a dress to my line up with another ballgown in a very pale peach toned satin. I used a wonderful pattern from Studio of Art Patterns which I found on Etsy. It featured a mesh insert bodice, wide waistband, a gorgeous open slit in the skirt, pockets and a train. I also opted to add little covered buttons, 72 of them to be exact (thank you Robbyn for making all of those little suckers!), all the way down the center back of the gown.

One of many lovely sewing patterns from Studio of Art Patterns on Etsy

This pattern, although gorgeous, was a bear to sew. It’s one for advanced sewists who are experienced with dressmaking and can figure out construction steps without a lot of guidance or direction. The instructions were minimal and the pattern pieces are enormous, so just handling it and keeping the pieces marked and in order are of utmost importance and added to the pain in the assery of it.

Sewing on 72 tiny covered buttons by hand down the center back of the gown, perfectly spaced 1″ apart, took hours…not to mention also sewing on the lace appliques to the waistband, that took days…

It has pockets!

As much of a major pain in the ass this gown was to sew, I did really enjoy the process, I learned a few new things, and she turned out quite beautifully. She really is so elegant and dreamy! She reminded my intern Robbyn of delicious wedding cake frosting which I can totally relate to (yumm, cake!)

I named her Sophia! So pretty!

OK, well that wraps up the 9 looks I had walk the runway for my Floral Garden Bride collection! I wanted to share and document my thought process for each look, so this was a long post. It took me a while to collect my thoughts, organize the photos and write this all down, therefore more than a month after the show has passed and I am still not finished!

In Part 2 of this post, I’ll share more about the finishing touches and the day of the runway, so look out for that coming in the near future.

Thanks for reading!
November 5, 2024
Colorful Bride Christine
One day I got a call from a young lady named Christine, looking for a designer and seamstress to take her already purchased wedding dress, alter it, add to it, and transform it into a unique gown. From the moment she said “I want a colorful wedding!”, I was intrigued and couldn’t wait to hear her ideas!

We had our first meeting and she shared her thoughts, bringing along her friend Bonnie for her input and creative ideas. Christine imagined her ballgown shaped wedding dress to be embellished with embroidered flowers, having flowers and greenery appear to “grow” up her dress, somewhat as in this image she pinned on her Pinterest board:

Multi Colored Flora Lehenga Set

She scouted out, found and purchased a colorful embroidered mesh fabric on Etsy, perfect for both cutting out the flowers from the mesh background, and also to be used to make part 2 of her bridal look: a tulle and organza bridal skirt and a custom-made top of TBD style to be worn with the skirt:

Embroidered Mesh Fabric found on Etsy

As soon as she received the fabric in the post, we planned a meeting and got to work with the creative projects. She invited her mom, friend and future mother-in-law, all to come over to my house and get to work cutting out the individual flowers, carefully trimming them from the mesh and separating them. We spread out over my living room floor, got out sharp little scissors and got to snipping & sipping champagne.

Meanwhile, Christine also wanted me to make a top for her to wear with the bridal skirt, as well as do some alterations to both the bridal skirt and the dress. We decided on a bodysuit for the top to wear with the skirt, and I got to work making a mock-up of the bodysuit for fit and aesthetics. Well, of course I didn’t consider the lack of stretch that the mesh has, much less than that of the spandex material we chose for parts of the bodysuit.

Mistake #1

It took some time and effort to make this garment. I started with a bodysuit sewing pattern, choosing this great Belen bodysuit by Masin pdf pattern that had sleeves and a boat neckline.

#belenbodysuit

Planning the placement of the flower motifs within the bodice front of the bodysuit was a little challenge, mostly as I was trying to get her favorite flowers to be closest to her face, but also appear to be randomly scattered and not placed like pasties right smack on her boobies:

Using the bodice pattern piece of the lining to find a good placement of the flowers in the fabric.

Fast forward to the bodysuit being nearly finished and ready to try on. The bodysuit looked great, and the mockup wasn’t half bad either. Well, the fitting didn’t go so well and the bodysuit was way too tight. Like, she couldn’t move her arms to save her life kind of tight. Ugh:

The colorful mesh body and the mock-up. Looks great! The fit, no so great…

Now all of my problem solving superpowers were jerked awake, stepping up and getting stuff done!

I wrote a “to-do” list (in order to keep my head strait, and to avoid having bad dreams, nightmares actually, about work, this a must for me):

Christine Chenderlin

Bridal Gown & Bridal Skirt project proposal

Wedding Date: June 18, 2023

Projects:
1. Strapless bridal gown alterations & additions
  1. Added interior hanging straps
  2. Added bra cups
  3. Hem entire gown, including outer layer, tulle and lining layers,removing train and sewing original fringe trim back on to hem
  4. Applique additional fabric over entire gown
    
    Hourly rate of $60/hr for sewing work
    
    ETA hours tbd
    
    Help from friends
  5. Add side seam pockets
  6. Make a matching shrug from purchased fabric (or sleeves from cut off fabric)
  7. Make wide straps out of lining
    
    Edit: made straps out of lace and lining
1. Bridal Skirt Alterations & additions
  1. Remove back zipper and install corset style back closure
  2. Hem skirt, removing some tulle from underskirt
  3. Hem outer layer of skirt
  4. Make a crop top from purchased fabric to wear with skirt
    
    Edit: made bodysuit from embroidered mesh
OK this is more of an outline, but I like to get my thoughts out of my head and down on paper, in an organized, shareable format, so that I can move on, plan out my time, and get to work. It’s the only way I can maintain sanity and work productively as a one woman business.

I also had a time tracker, price list, ideas, images and other notes in my dossier for Christine that I keep for each client. Keeping organized, on track, and accountable is key with helping clients such as her. She had been planning this special day for months and I was a big part of making her bridal visions come to fruition, so there was NO room for error! No pressure!

On to the gown. I added pockets, shoulder straps, bra cups, interior hanging straps, removed the entire train, made the gown floor length, hemmed it, stitched the delicate lace fringe trim back on all around the hem, plus a did a few little stitches and repairs to the lovely large floral gown.

Strap style decisions: this image was sent to Christine to choose her preference for fabrication for the added shoulder straps. Also, I added additional hanging straps (there were 2 wimpy ones included in the RTW gown that barely held up the dress on a hanger) using ribbon inside the gown to support the weight of the dress while hanging. This has become one of my favorite additions to my custom alterations, and incorporated into my bespoke garments for a little touch of luxury and garment care.

I carefully slit open the side seams in the skirt outer and lining layers of her ballgown, adding in deep pockets made from lining fabric cut from her hem, so she can stash a tissue, lip gloss, and gift money!

The dress was handed off to her friends and family who were more than happy to pitch in and help her with DIY wedding stuff (and there was A LOT of DIY wedding stuff!). Like little Disney forest fairy Godmothers, they sewed on those flowers lickety-split at record speeds, creating a lovely placed, yet random, flower pattern all over the skirt of her dress. She twirled in her dreamy dress and we all gasped! Super cool!

Next, she wanted a shrug of sorts to cover her shoulders, so she chose a pretty satin to match the dress and I made a simple, yet ladylike, lined shrug for her and it worked, sort of.

Mistake #2

Ugh, WHY???? This shrug was the biggest obstacle in this whole idea. No, I take that back. the bodysuit was a bigger obstacle to overcome. The shrug was runner up. For some reason, I could NOT get a nice looking fit on this darn shrug! I made the darn thing 3x and still made her cry. I felt like the crappiest person on earth for not being able to make her happy, plus the bodysuit was giving her a major wedgie and she couldn’t raise or move her arms, so panic set in.

Well I managed to alter the sleeve by adding in a panel to make it wider and not 100% cut off her circulation. I also added a gusset to the bodysuit side seam, just so it was bearable and she could move in it (kind of). A center back zipper in the bodysuit also helped getting in and out of it.

A strip of fabric added under the sleeve seam to add some space for her arm.

As for the skirt, I added a lace-up corset back closure as the zipper was too small and that worked out pretty well:

The zipper in the skirt was replaced with a hand-made corset back opening. Also the center back zipper of the bodysuit helped her in and out of it. Also the skirt got a hem and a layer of tulle removed to reduce fullness.

Fast forward to wedding time! The wedding was held at a wonderful rustic resort in the mountains of Oregon. Out of town guests were arriving, family was wrapping up last minute details and enter frazzled and frantic Stephanie!! I drove an hour to Welshes, Oregon to her venue the day before the wedding day, finished bodysuit and shrug I made for her in hand, ready to hand off then disappear, out of her hair and let her enjoy her big event. I HAD to make sure she was ready to go, had all of her wedding outfits ready to wear, and she was happy.

Mistake #1 & Mistake #2 Backfire

She tried on her outfits, things were OK (not perfect or entirely comfortable), she looked over to me, aaaaand she cried. Sobbed really. I felt like the biggest a-hole let-down on the planet. The fit SUCKED and she was so uncomfortable! AAAGGGGHHHH!

100% MY BAD

Her friends from out of town were now arriving, she was crying (not tears of joy), and I felt like an idiot and failure. I offered what I could and said I’d do what ever I could possibly do to make it work. I had some more fabric back home, we quickly found a sewing pattern Bolero Jacket 2202 by Lekala she liked for the shrug, and one I could make up over night and drive back to her in the morning. Talk about last minute!

The Lekala Bolero Jacket pattern seemed to be the perfect solution!

I left here there crying on her friends shoulder, got home, started making another NEW shrug (version #4 I think?) with the Lekala, was in touch with her best buddy Bonnie, keeping her posted with my progress, working hard to get something done that Christine would be happy with and make her not totally hate me on her most special day.

Mistake #3

Last minute Lekala shrug jacket in progress, literally graded out to her size and slapped together in attempt to please. Fail!

I showed these photos to liaison Bonnie and she simply replied “you can stop sewing now.”

Now it was my turn to break down and cry. Literally cry. I was exhausted, crushed, disappointed, and just DONE!

So I wiped my tears, turned off my sewing machine, stuffed all of Christine’s fabric scraps, bits and pieces of undone shrugs and bodysuit parts, and a shrug that was OK from version # 1, into a bag and set my alarm to get up at the crack of ass to drive it and hour away to her on her wedding day. In the morning, I drove an hour there again, cowardly dropped of her bag of stuff at the hotel front desk and tiptoed backwards outta there, leaving a note and texting Bonnie when I was well on my way home. So, so bad, and NOT ever they way I intended to conduct business, but I just had way too much shame and couldn’t face her and her family & friends again, the disappointment dressmaker chick that made bride cry.

Well I must say, she pulled herself together and looked AMAZING on her wedding day! She was radiant in her custom designed gown, wearing one of the 4 shrugs I made her and looking fabulous walking down the DIY isle to marry the love of her life 🙂

Simply stunning!!! Cheers to the newlyweds!

Love this fun and colorful bridal look!

She sent me photos and invited me to her share with her Google Photos album. She really pulled it off and looked radiant and so happy in her colorful bridal outfits! All of the decorations, accessories and details that were DIY’d from her family and friends were so incredibly touching and turned out beautifully.

Overall, I am SO grateful and happy that she reached out, chose me and trusted to help her achieve her dream bridal looks. It was down to the wire and incredibly stressful (for everyone!), but it was SO fun to work with her as she is delightful, creative, intelligent and just a great person to have met, plus her mom, mother in law and friend were ALL so kind, fun and caring. It all worked out in the end and she was stunning in her dresses for her wedding day.

The Newlyweds!

Lessons learned:

-Leave PLENTY of time to work and to make mistakes

-Make a list, or several lists, and make plenty of notes as needed

-Keep the client informed and posted with all decisions as well as pitfalls

-Wake up early, stay up late, keep focused and get it done

-Treat all clients projects as if they were my own projects

-Make smart and creative problem solving decisions

-Keep trying the best you can to get it right and please your client

-Work smarter, not harder

-Don’t be afraid to charge for my time

-Sometimes you deserve a break, rest, nourishment and praise : you are human after all
October 16, 2023
A Beautiful Heirloom Bride

Like a beautiful breath of fresh air, Peyton came to my studio via word of mouth and brightened up my life! She is a lovely, fun & fresh young lady with long dark hair and a beautiful warm smile.

She had with her two dresses: one from her grandmother’s wedding from the 1940’s, and one that belonged to her great-grandmother for her wedding dating back to the 1920’s! There also were a couple of bridal accessories in the garment bag including sheer gloves and a detachable collar with lace edging and covered buttons. She wanted to use the dresses in some way to create a dress for her own wedding. She had been given permission from her family to use the dresses in any way that she wanted, but with the condition that she incorporate parts of the dresses into her own wedding dress.

She sent me some ideas of what she wanted for her dress: Something simple for the top, not fussy, and a tea-length skirt. Just pretty, romantic and comfortable.

The lace from the bodice of her grandmother’s dress was unusable as it was discolored and sadly disintegrating from age. The skirt, however, was in good condition and made of a nice quality silk chiffon and lined in a lightweight silk material.

She trusted me with her heirloom dresses and I got to work deconstructing her grandmother’s dress. We decided that great-grandmother’s dress was far too discolored and not a good shade of white to use, so we left that one in-tact.

I ever so carefully removed the vintage stitches, many of them hand-sewn, separating the bodice from the skirt. Once the skirt was off, I overlocked the very top edge of the skirt to give it stability and keep it together for what was coming next for it. A bath!

I gently laundered the detached skirt in my clean bathtub in warm water with Woolite and a sprinkle of Oxyclean, gently swishing it in the suds and rinsing it out with warm water. The bath water was pretty dingy after all of these decades! After pressing out the dampness in a clean white towel, I then laid out the skirt to air dry on my drying rack.

Once the skirt was completely dry, I hung it on a skirt hanger and carefully steamed it out with my handy dandy steamer machine. I love that thing! The skirt came out like a dream! It was soft, flowy, fresh and pretty. Best of all, the wrinkles, dingy hue and “old lady” smell magically disappeared! Horray!

Meanwhile, Peyton had homework to do involving purchasing a new lace material that she wanted for her custom-made bodice to be attached to grandma’s skirt. She found a lovely floral lace fabric and some lining that she delivered to me to be sewn up into a fitted bodice that I had already made a muslin mock up to her liking.

Fitting time! This is always an exciting, and totally nerve-wracking, stage in the dressmaking process. The bodice is mocked up in muslin and pinned to the skirt. So far so good!

After the fitting and approval of the work so far, I got straight into cutting out the bodice in lace and began to construct it.

An attempt at making a hidden seam in the lace.

Bra cups sewn into the interior of the bodice

Fast forward to the dress being close to finished, I added the final touches with a new zipper, buttons from grandma’s gloves and a new little ribbon belt. I the share photos with the bride and schedule the last fittings and deadline.

The interior of the dress including a ribbon stay, hanging loops and an old version of my Love, Stephanie label.

I love to present my custom-made garments to clients in a garment bag embroidered with a monogrammed initial.

I was just so touched and honored that Peyton came to me to create this special and sentimental wedding dress for her. I loved working with her, her family and loved ones. She is a delightful and beautiful person and I am touched to have been a part of her wedding!

September 12, 2023
Embroidered Floral Gown of Dreams

I dream of creating beautiful and elegant evening gowns, but rarely find an occasion for them, so the visions just sit in my head and sometimes make it to a sketch, but rarely go further than that.

I dream of making beautiful bridal gowns, ones that are interesting and unique, perhaps made in colors or prints other than the traditional white. Bringing in texture, color, design details that bring excitement, joy and romance to the occasion.

One occasion that came to mind that I could create a gorgeous dress for an actual wearer was senior prom in May 2023 for my friend’s daughter Payton! I’ve known Payton since she was about 9 or 10, meeting her when my good friend Kristin was dating Payton’s dad Scott. Kristin and Scott got married at a beautiful destination wedding in Tulum, Mexico which I attended, and had the honor of making little fascinators for both Kristin and Payton to wear at the wedding! So fun!

A feather and rhinestone fascinator I made for young Payton.

The feather and tulle fascinator I made for Kristin

Kiss the bride and jump for joy!

Fast forward 8 years, Payton has grown into a lovely young lady, quiet, intelligent and thoughtful, tall and slim, and just beautiful! She was perfect for my vision, and could use a new dress for her upcoming prom. I had a muse that was willing to put up with the process for months, come to my house for fittings, and model my creation to help spread the word. A perfect trade!

Pinterest has been a great resource to find inspiration and store ideas. I visit the website a few times a week to recall what I have saved and see what might be new for ideas, mostly for sewing, but also for cooking, organizing, exercise and more. I have boards for these topics, and my sewing wish lists are broken down by type of garment. I also create and share boards with my dressmaking clients to keep together what direction we are going for the project together for reference.

This recent dressmaking project has been in the works for months. I created a Pinterest board to house my ideas and visions of the outcome for an embroidered mesh gown for Payton who was willing to be my model and muse for this dress. The entire goal was to make it in time for her to wear to her senior prom in May with the intention of showcasing my work and doing some free marketing for my dressmaking business, Love, Stephanie.

Here are some of my ideas for this gown that I have pinned on Pinterest :

I love the all over 3-D floral effect of this gown.

I really like the embroidery on this gown.

The floral mesh and shape of this gown is gorgeous.

I began looking for fabrics that would aid in this vision. Knowing that this embroidered mesh look is very much in fashion nowadays, I started searching at my local fabric stores, but didn’t find anything that was of decent quality or not extremely expensive. I searched online and found this embroidered floral appliqué mesh fabric in two color ways on the app AliExpress for $14.37 a yard and it was perfect!

I liked them both so much and ordered 7 yards of each. I figured I could give Payton a choice of which color she liked best, plus use the one she didn’t choose for another dress and create a mini collection using the same fabric in two ways:

The floral on a white mesh

The same floral on black mesh

As soon as it arrived all the way from China, I contacted Payton and her step mom, my good friend Kristin, to show them the fabric, let her choose her favorite and start looking for a lining.

The fabric looks amazing and attention grabbing just draped on my dress form over some white muslin!

We went off to my local favorite fabric store and found a nice lining material to go under the sheer fabric. We looked for a color that would match her skin tone and had a lot of fun while we shopped.

Approved! We found a perfect skin tone match!

Daisy approves!

With the fabric choices checked off the list, I then got to work making a mock up of the dress in muslin. I should of course mention what pattern I chose to use. I had this McCalls M7927 pattern designed by David Tutera in my pattern stash of special occasion dress that I had been wanting to make.

McCalls 7927 by David Tutera

McCalls 7927 back view.

The line drawings of the pattern shows the simple shape of the dress and of course, the train which is amazing!

I chose this pattern for the lovely low V neckline, the fitted skirt with the slit and the train. I have been wanting to design more bridal gowns and thought this pattern would be good practice for construction and working with overlays and layers of fabric.

As I didn’t want an exact match to the pattern, I made a few little changes to the design. I raised the front V so that it didn’t go all the way down to the navel, and I chose not to have the little panel inset that was an option on the bodice, although considered it as maybe a sheer mesh insert there and tabled the idea. I also lowered the back neckline to a low V for more drama from the backside.

Payton came back to my studio for her muslin fitting which was quite successful. She slipped into the gown easily and it looked great on her, just in muslin! I only needed to make a few tweaks to the fit of the bodice, and lengthen the skirt to accommodate the shoes she’d probably be wearing with the gown.

Payton at her muslin fitting

I needed to adjust the neckline a bit, and raise it for a little modesty

The low back and the train was going to be SO pretty!

Little Sis Daisy approves again!

Just the muslin mockup, sewn up and placed on my dress form, looks beautiful!

OK with the fitting out of the way, it was time to get started cutting out this GIANT dress!

Thank goodness I have the floor space to lay out and cut this monster!

Cutting out the HUGE skirt pieces of this dress was quite the challenge. I had to be strategic about it, and part of the back panel of the skirt didn’t quite fit on to the part of the fabric with the embroidery, so I had to cut it in the plain mesh edge and later overlay scraps of the embroidered parts on by hand. More on that later.

Cutting the bodice was a breeze as the pattern pieces are quite narrow and easily fit on to the fabric. I was able to be more strategic with the floral placement on the bodice and choose more of the red flowers near to her face as those were her favorite colors in the fabric.

Once I cut out the pattern pieces in the mesh, I had to cut the same pattern pieces in the underlining that went directly under the mesh, and also the lining. Lots of cutting which was not fun, back breaking actually, but it had to be done.

The bodice has a dart in it, which creates shape over a curved area, but also folds in the floral design when sewn. So to disguise the fold of the flower once I sewed the dart, I “patched” over the area by hand sewing a flower cut from a scrap of the fabric over the darts.

Hand sewing a flower patch over a dart

The next step was to underline the mesh pattern pieces with the flesh colored underling fabric, which as a crepe knit material with a slight stretch to it. Each piece was layered and basted (sewn with long stitches) together by hand to underline the entire dress. A long and tedious process for sure, but necessary to give structure and opacity to the delicate mesh.

You can see the mesh and underlining basted together in this image

After the pattern was fully underlined and the bodice and skirt were sewn together, I had another fitting with Payton to make sure all was good before adding the lining and installing the zipper.

At the final fitting, deciding on the bustle placement.

As I mentioned earlier, some of the mesh couldn’t quite fit on the pattern during the cut out process, so I had to go back and patch over some areas by hand to make it look correct. It’s hard to see in this photo, but I essentially hand sewed an area of mesh with flowers to the blank areas, carefully going around the motifs and cutting away the doubled up layered areas. This took a while, but was necessary to not have a big bald spot on the back of the dress.

You can really see the “bald” area on the upper right side of the back of the skirt in this photo

It’s not easy to see what I am doing here, but that’s the point!

Once the fitting happened, it was time to sew together the lining and install it into the dress. I knew that this dress was going to be heavy to wear and drag on the ground, so I made sure to add hanging loops to the interior of the lining and a bustle to the long train.

I make most of my regular income altering bridal and special occasion gowns and dresses, so I get to see the insides of these dresses and how they are built to be pretty on the outside and functional on the inside. Most long dresses have some sort of hanging straps sewn to the inside of them to hang them up and prevent falling off the hanger and stretching out the shoulders. I love incorporating these little details on the interior of dresses that I make as I feel it adds that little touch of thoughtfulness and luxury to the dress.

For Payton’s gown, I chose a wide satin ribbon to make the hanging loops for the bodice and a narrow satin ribbon for the wrist and hanging loop for the train. Both ribbons are not seen from the outside, but I chose a nude color that matched the lining, just to be more inconspicuous.

I sewed these ribbons in, at a measured length for the area in particular, into the seams of the lining as I was sewing it together. I then also tacked the lining to the inside of the dress at the seams so that they wouldn’t pull apart and the whole dress would act as one in these areas. The same holds true for the one-point over bustle I made using little hooks and eyes, reinforced with a button underneath, as I often do for a bridal gown alteration.

The dress hanging, using the interior loops for support

You can see the interior loop of the train doing it’s job!

And the pretty satin lining, also doing it’s job!

Sewing in the bustle by hand

Not shown are little foam bra cups sewn in between the lining and the interior of the dress. She isn’t busty, but needed some cup support for modesty and all as there is NO way she could wear a bra with this dress! I considered also adding boning in the bodice, but nixed that idea as she really didn’t need it.

With the dress finally done and prom rapidly approaching, I was able to recruit my amazing friends to help me plan and execute a photo shoot featuring Payton in the gown. My husband and I own a second home in Sunriver, Oregon, a beautiful and popular resort area out in Central Oregon, that we rent out on Airbnb, but also love to stay there whenever we can. It’s a great home, with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and sleeps 8 guests. We were able to have Payton, her dad, stepmom, little sister, as well as my friends Mark and Julie all come and stay with us at the house and participate with the photo shoot. Mark is the photographer, his wife (and my good friend) Julie is his assistant, and of course, Payton as the model.

I created a mood board to share my ideas with Payton and my friend Mark who would be taking the photos on how I wanted the photos to look, a good location, and some images of the feeling I wanted to portray in the dress.

My crafty mood board project

Fort Rock Park: A great location out in the high desert of Central Oregon, a perfect backdrop for the photos

I packed up the dress and all of the sewing supplies I might need, and we headed out to Sunriver. We got there a couple of days before the others arrived which gave me time to do some last minute finished on the gown and get it all ready for the shoot.

The big day came and we were all ready to make the hour long drive in two SUV’s from Sunriver to the location at Fort Rock. It was a gorgeous warm day which was perfect for being outside before and during the shoot.

Abby applies makeup to Payton out on the deck on this gorgeous day

Julie’s nieces Abby and Lauren were able to join us the day of the shoot to help with makeup and styling and just tag along for fun. I had met Abby before and she was wonderful to be a model for some of my dresses last year, also photos shot by her uncle Mark. It was great to have them as they both really helped out, plus are around Payton’s age (a little older) and helped her feel more comfortable and relaxed, and gave great tips on makeup and poses to do during the shoot.

We arrived at the location and were in awe of the beautiful spot with the big lava mountain stuck out in the middle of nowhere. The sky was amazing and looked almost like a fake backdrop! We got started right away with Mark taking photos, Julie helping with the equipment, the girls giving good posing direction, and me fluffing the dress whenever necessary.

The team in action!

Lauren giving Payton sexy gesture direction

What a great team effort!

We got some great shots in a few areas around the park, some standing in the field, some on the dirt path that went around the enormous rock, some sitting on a rock, and then some at the little abandoned town that was down the street a bit from the rock. Mark really captured it all beautifully and Payton was spectacular in the gown!

I am just overjoyed with how it all came out in the end! The gown is gorgeous, Payton looks amazing, and Mark really captured my vision. I can’t thank them all enough for their contribution to this project, it was really special and dear to my heart!

The photos are just amazing and I believe will help me take my dressmaking business to the next level.

My Dress Dreams Come True!

May 3, 2023
Draped in a Dream Dress

This journey began with a bright eyed beauty, curious to know more about what I might be able to create for her and what the process of creating a custom dress looked like. Laura contacted me, looking for a custom dress to wear to her sister’s wedding event. She wanted a dress with a 1930’s feel, one that had fabric interest with unique design details.

She had seen a dress in a movie that she loved and wanted to get a similar look. She sent me photos of screen shots from the movie, plus some inspiration shared on Pinterest

She loved the rich tones of the fabric combination, and the soft ruffled neckline of this dress

She also loves the straps of this dress

I got to work and found a pattern that was designed in the 1930’s and had the basic shape of the dress style she liked including the sweetheart neckline, the low back and the long, softly shaped skirt

I found this pattern and ordered it from Etsy

We hit the fabric store shortly after I received the pattern, and I also made a mock up of the dress for her to try on

It was my first time making a ruffle like this at the neckline of a dress. Although we like it, we decided it was a bit too much for her.

The fit of the dress was great, but here we are playing with different strap placement and neckline shape

Back to the drawing board!

As the construction of the dress progressed, I kept Laura posted with details of what I was doing and got her input on any options she had.

She loves the combination of the drapey lavender chiffon with the deep plus satin. I also thought the colors were beautiful together, just the placement was not as compelling as it could be.

I brought up an idea of draping over the entire top of the dress, allowing both fabrics to have their moment. I presented her with this idea of draping and criss crossing the chiffon over the bodice.

She really like that idea, approved it, so I got going on making it happen!

I finished constructing the dress underneath by adding boning and bra cups to the lining of the dress.

The lining turned out beautifully and was a pleasure to look at as she slipped into the dress. That kind of detail makes me happy, and hopefully also the case for the wearer!

The bodice and skirt lining ready to be installed into the dress!

Plenty of pining and hand sewing happening on my trusty dressform

The bodice front, sides, and eventual side drape piece, all pleated and basted, ready to be sewn together, then sewn over the main dress bodice.

So after quite a bit of trial and error, as this was my first time creating such a dress with the draping detail, I finally finished the gown!

Here are some photos of the versions I sent over to her before finishing up on her final version:

She looks so pretty and elegant, even unfinished!

The drape happening in the back would also look so gorgeous! I might need to make this dress again just for fun!

And the finale!

The final gown!

Meanwhile, Portland was hit with a big snowstorm that essentially shut down the city and trapped many people at home. Well, that didn’t stop me! My sweet husband offered to drive me and the finished gown over to Laura’s house and deliver it in person in his SUV that is great in the snow. What a nice guy!

Laura was radiant in her dress as she tried it on in her bedroom! I brought along a small sewing kit and supplies to do any last minute fixes as needed.

Well, it turned out that the dress needed a little more than just a few stitches to make it perfect. So, unfortunately I had to take the dress back home and make some fitting changes to the bodice and straps to make it just right. No problem! OK, one major problem: the dress was meant for her to take along to wear at her sister’s wedding event in California the next day and it wasn’t ready. UGH!!! I was hoping to be able to make the changes that same day and drive the dress back over so she could pack it for her trip. I ran out of time and wasn’t able to make it happen. You have no idea how SO disappointing this was for me, not to mention for her as well. So she left early the next morning for California, all without the dress we worked so hard to make in time for the event. GRR, I was SO upset with myself!

Well, now the dress is complete and altered and ready to go for the next occasion she may have to wear it. All in all, Laura was such a wonderful client to work with and I hope that she’s willing to work with me again on another gorgeous creation, and possibly even teach her some sewing lessons so that she can learn to make her own beautiful and unique clothes!

Lesson learned: time management is KEY to making deadlines and leaving room for error.

The gown turned out so elegant and eye catching!

Every angle of the dress has interest

We love the low back!

And the drape! So pretty and elegant!

Thank you so much Laura for choosing me to create such a beautiful gown for you! I enjoyed every moment of the process, mishaps and all. Enjoy wearing your dress and may you glow and shine in it as you do so naturally! Love, Stephanie

March 1, 2023
Lace Ballgown for a Beauty

I’ve known Michel for a few years now. She has come to me on several occasions to alter and do minor repairs on her clothing. She loves fashion and is always intrigued with what projects I am working on, especially the custom dressmaking ones. She would say to me that someday, she’d love to have me make something custom for her. Well, that day came along when she was asked by her best friend to be the Maid of Honor in her wedding, and she had the choice of what to wear in the wedding as long as it was formal, elegant and black.

As soon as Michel was asked, she reached out to me to see if I was available to create a gown for her. Of course I was! Michel is such a wonderful person and a repeat client of mine, so I was honored to create something special for her.

We had our first meeting at my house on a warm sunny afternoon, over a light lunch and refreshments, sitting out on my back deck. We talked about what style she likes, what parts of her body she’d like to highlight and what she’d rather not. We talked about color (black), and fabric options, the timing of the wedding, and I showed her some images I put together on Pinterest.

A black lace gown I pinned on Pinterest

She loved the idea of a fit & flare dress, or a mermaid style that is fitted from the bodice to the upper leg, then flares out at below the knee. She wanted to highlight her slim waist and also wanted sleeves as the wedding was scheduled for the end of January, so she might get cold. It was great as we worked together to decide on a suitable style as she had an idea of what she wanted, but also put a lot of trust in me and my experience in the fashion industry, dabbling in image consulting.

I found a couple of sewing patterns to start with, and eventually decided on this one: McCalls 6838.

McCalls 6838 sewing pattern

The pattern cover is really not all that elegant, but if you look past that and look at the illustrations and line drawings, the pattern becomes much more appealing. To me, at least!

Line drawings of McCalls 6838 sewing pattern

In my sewing experience so far, I like to take an existing pattern that is already graded and figured out, and make it extra by adding design details, using nice quality fabrics, linings, embellishments, and leveled-up sewing and dressmaking techniques to really make the design special and valuable.

As a side note, I have been working solely for myself since June of 2022, running my design, dressmaking and bridal alterations business Love, Stephanie. Since then, I have leveled up my sewing and strive to create high quality garments with special details including fit, better fabrics, quality construction and special personal touches. Doing so, I have also revised my price list and raised my prices, no longer giving friends and family discounts or doing free-bee trades just because I feel like I am charging too much or still in training. Now, I charge accordingly for my work, my experience, my dedication to my clients, and my attention to detail. Saying that, this gown took a lot of time and effort to create, and I priced it at $1,400 not including fabric. Just in case you were wondering!

Back to the dress!

We had our first fitting using the pattern tissue paper to just get an idea of fit for the main parts of the pattern. Michel has a great figure, virtually zero body fat, so the pattern essentially fit right out of the envelope with very little adjustments needed. Must be nice, huh!

Tissue fitting!

From there, we went fabric shopping together and Michel chose and purchased a lovely black lace with a little floral motif all over, and a scalloped edge which I used later for the neck and sleeve edges of the shrug.

The pattern and the lace! Please excuse the cluttered background of my studio!

I then moved on to making a muslin mock-up of the dress to further ensure the fit and style are what she likes before I cut into her fashion fabric. I only had to make a few more fitting tweaks at the muslin stage, taking notes along the way to keep track of what I needed to do as I made progress.

The muslin!

In her mock-up, Michel just needs a few tweaks to the fit, and to decide what lining she preferred (nude lining won!)

For each of my custom sewing clients, I keep a dossier type folder with my notes, sketches, pattern pieces, inspiration images, fabric swatches, receipts, and have this handy as I’m working on the project to keep it all together and organized. I keep and store each client’s dossier after the project is complete for my own records as well, and as a reminder as to how far I’ve come along which is nice 🙂

Michel’s dossier cover image, with my sketching & scribbles, stored in a pocket folder, with all my notes kept together

With the muslin fitting stage completed, it was now time to start cutting into the fabric and constructing the dress.

I cut out all of the lace pieces of the dress, including the bodice, the skirt, and the lower skirt flounce. I also cut the exact same pattern pieces out of a light weight lining material in a flesh tone to underline the lace and give it structure and opacity. Here I have my pattern pieces all cut out, stacked and pinned with the lace and underlining, ready to be hand basted together and later treated as one layer to be sewn together.

The bodice pieces cut out in lace with underlining pinned and ready to be basted together by hand

The upper skirt pieces marked and ready to be basted together by hand

One half of the lower skirt portion ready for basting the layers together.

Once the layers were basted together, I could move on to sewing the pattern pieces together and start forming the dress.

The bodice sewn together

The bodice and upper skirt sewn together. It looks great just like this!

To give the lower circle skirt more body, bounce and twirl appeal, I added a layer of tulle between the lace and the lining, gathering it as I sewed it to the upper seam edge before attaching it to the lower skirt. I thought this was a great idea as I’ve seen this kind of layer in big ball gown type skirts, knew it would be easy to do and create a great effect.

Lots of pins to keep this tulle in check!

It looks like a messy nest, so one pin at a time controls the tulle before and during machine stitching

This is the stage where I wanted to start adding the beading. I planned it at this stage of the construction process as I wanted the stitching and threads of the beading to be hidden between the outer layer (the lace and underlining) and the lining. I bought some lovely little black glass seed beads and black sequins and created a little stack of them and sewed 2-3 stacks to the large flower motif in the center. It wasn’t all that noticeable on the dress, especially in a photo, but in person, it gives the dress a tiny little shimmer and adds a slight texture to the lace.

Hand sewing the seed beads and sequins, one by one, to the lace

I created tiny little stacks of seed beads and sequins to the center of the large flower motifs all over the dress and flounce

As I sewed the beads and sequins to the dress, I kept track of my time using the timer on my iPhone and jotting it down as I went. Adding it all up, it took me about 9 hours to bead the dress. If I had the time, I would have beaded more of the dress, but this wasn’t feasible with just my two hands and lack of time!

As the dress progressed, I had a couple of more fittings with Michel, this time in the fabric, before I added the lining, just to check fit again and make sure everything was perfect before the lining installation

Michel pinned into her dress, the straps and belt also just pinned, and deciding on the finished hem length.

Pinned into the dress, with the unfinished shrug (again, please excuse the mess!)

She also wanted a sleeve option for the dress, so I made a little matching shrug for her using Butterick 4731 for the pattern.

Butterick 4731 for the shrug only (although I also like the gown in this pattern)

I used the sleeves of view A and the front and back of view B to make the shrug

I cut out the shrug in the same layers as the dress, also beading the outer lace layer before adding the lining

I used the pretty scalloped border of the lace material to create a trim to go around the edges of the shrug at the neckline, around the back, and the sleeve hem.

Hand stitching the lace edge trim to the finished shrug

I wanted to be sure to have a well made garment that would last a long time, and be extra special to slip on and wear comfortably. I added two hanging loops into the side seams of the lining using a narrow satin ribbon, so that when the gown was hanging, not all of the weight of the dress was on the straps and it was supported with the loops. These loops would then just fall down into the dress when worn and are not seen. I also added a little waist stay right at the waistline of the dress using a wider ribbon and a hook and bar. This feature helps to support the weight of the dress on the inside. I see both of these interior details in some of the wedding gowns that I have altered, so I like to adapt them into my dresses for a high end, secret quality detail!

The hanging loops do their job to help support the dress while hanging

The waist stay added as her exact waist measurement inside the dress for support

Jumping ahead, as the wedding date was rapidly approaching, the dress and shrug were turning out so well, and I couldn’t wait to get Michel in it and delivered before the big day.

Before delivering it though, I wanted to add a little special and personal touch to the garment bag that I usually include with the dresses that I make for my clients. This time, I used my embroidery machine and made a monogram for her on the outside of the garment bag.

The purchased garment bag with the personal monogram

Finishing up the dress and delivering the finished product always feels great! She’s excited, I’m excited and everyone can’t wait to see her dazzling in her new custom made gown!

Checking and double checking the hem is even and balanced

The time finally came that I was 100% finished with the dress and I was ready to deliver it to Michel. It kind of feels like I am handing off a little part of me whenever it’s time to deliver the dress, so I try to take the time to get some good photos of the finished product before she’s gone off to her rightful owner!

She’s done! Isn’t she lovely!

With the matching shrug

All dolled up and in her gown, Michel is absolutely STUNNING! She’s a natural beauty and does not need makeup of any kind, but boy, when she dresses up and gets all dolled up, WOW! Breathtakingly beautiful!

Stunning!

Simply gorgeous!

Michel and her best friend, the lovely bride Megan!

Another dream dress come true!! Onwards and Upwards!

January 22, 2023
A Lady in Lace

Back in April of this year, a lovely lady named Ardith sent me a request through my website asking if I would be able to create a custom dress for her. She was looking for a special little dress to wear for her wedding, but not anything traditional as she is in her 70’s and was long past the fuss of anything traditional in that sense. She wanted an elegant and sophisticated little dress that she could wear again, something that would be flattering, feminine and comfortable for the ceremony.

She sent me some photos of the idea she was looking for: a knee length sheath dress with elbow length sleeves made in lace.

Inspiration Dress 1-the length and shape

Inspiration Dress 2-the lace overlay

Inspiration Dress 3-for color

Of course, I was delighted that she requested my services and got started right away planning out her vision. We set up a consultation meeting, I pulled some pattern ideas and began to look for fabrics that would be suitable for the great little lace dress.

Being physically active with doing many outdoor activities like hiking and paddling (she is on a Dragon Boat racing team here in Portland, OR!), Ardith is in great shape and was very easy to find a pattern and fit it with very few adjustments.

As a usual part of my dressmaking process, we had our first fitting using the tissue paper of the pattern that I thought would be best for this garment. This tissue fitting I used a different pattern than what I ended up using, afterwards realizing that a dress without a waist seam would be best to no break up the lace design.

I searched around and found this New Look sewing pattern that I thought would be a good starting point for her dress. I did a tissue fitting as shown above, as well as a muslin toile to double check for fit which was a super quick session with Ardith and hence, I forgot to get photos of.

New Look 6261 sewing pattern

The pattern line drawings for New Look 6261 pattern

I felt this dress was a good match as it has fish eye darts and no waist seam so to have as little interruption to the lace design as possible, the front of the dress would be cut in one piece and the back in two for the zipper opening. The pattern came with elbow length sleeves which was perfect for what she was looking for.

Even better, I had used this same pattern previously to make a dress for myself so I was familiar with the steps to create a lovely little lace sheath dress!

I love how this dress turned out in lace for myself using the same pattern.

Wearing it for a holiday party out with my (then) fiancé!

It happened to be that I was planning a trip to Los Angeles, CA with my husband soon after I met Ardith. We were going to visit his son who lived there, plus the fashion district in LA has plenty of fabric stores to find whatever fabric you could ever dream of.

When it was time to go fabric shopping, I took along my notebook where I had jotted down ideas on what Ardith wanted in her dress, plus a swatch of fabric in a color she liked. She wanted a lace that was not floral (which most laces have some sort of floral pattern), an open design (as opposed to a dense design), a decorative edge, and in a shade of jade green that her fiancé really liked on her.

My notebook!

I shopped and shopped, walking up and down the main street in the fashion district, looking for the perfect fabric for my client. Of course, since she wasn’t there with me, I had to keep in mind all of her wishes and try not to get distracted by all the rest of the wonderful fabric there.

I stopped into Michel Levine fabrics where they have so many beautiful fabrics of all kinds. Cotton, linen, silks, leather, you name it. Most fabrics are displayed on bolts or rolls by category throughout the large store, but they had some lace options displayed in a glass cabinet which caught my eye.

Guipure lace in so many colors!

This was the closest to the green I could find. I know it is blue, but it was a similar jewel tone and a lovely color in itself!

I purchased a 1/8 of a yard large swatch of this color, as well as the coral pink lace that I thought would look really nice on Ardith. I made note of the end of the bolt so that I could call back with an order once I got home if she chose this fabric.

Gorgeous Guipure lace!

As soon as I got back from my trip to California, I arranged a meeting with Ardith to show her what I found. We agreed that although the blue was a nice color, and the other colors available were all pretty, the coral really looked great on her and that was the one for her.

So, I got to work ordering the lace from Michael Levine, and it came pretty promptly which was nice.

Next, we needed to continue shopping for materials for this dress as the lace with the very open pattern needed to have a backing sewn to it for structure in the dress and make it easier to sew the pieces together, and then also a lining as the lace and backing fabric were still quite sheer. We headed to Mill End Store in Milwaukie, OR where they stock an abundance of fabrics suitable for this project. Ardith chose a nice sheer mesh for the backing and another shade of peach for the lining. I had some additional lining at home that would finish off the inside of the dress, so we were all set to go and I could get started cutting out the dress.

Choosing the perfect lining

She wanted to keep the beautiful edge of the lace as the hem of the dress and bottom of the sleeve, so I had to carefully plan out and cut the lace to make sure to do this. It’s not too difficult to do with a simple design like her pattern, plus it saves me from making a hem, so cutting out wasn’t too bad.

The unboxing of the lace!

The lace is so pretty! The mesh backing material is practically invisible under the lace.

The most difficult parts of making a dress like this is to make accurate markings in the fabric where seams match and the darts are to be sewn. I used a chalk transfer paper to do this so that the markings would brush off later and not be seen in the final dress. Also, sewing the seams and making them just blend in and not be obvious was another challenge. But with the help of some of my sewing books, I was able to to a little reading up on some of the best ways to sew with lace and achieve nice results.

The mesh backing material is used to create support behind the delicate lace and needed to be sewn to the wrong side of the lace, then the two layers treated as one.

We had a couple of fittings in the final fabric, one which I realized that I needed to have a longer zipper in order for her to easily be able to step into the dress.

Unpicking the stitches to remove the zipper from this lace proved to be quite the challenge, but with patience and good lighting, I was finally able to get the job done.

The final dress turned out better than I imagined!

The perfect little lace dress!

Once this had a good press, the zipper was nearly invisible!

The inside looks great too, although if I were to do it again, I would add a binding edge to the zipper to finish it off nicely and prevent fraying. Next time!

For the final pick up, Ardith brought along her Fiancé Ralph which was really nice. He was just delighted to see her in the dress and grew that much more excited to wed his lovely bride! She looked beautiful and elegant in the dress, the color and the style perfectly suited her and the upcoming occasion. I was SO happy with how it turned out and that I had not only one happy bride, but a pleased fiancé as well!

Congratulations to Ardith and Ralph! May you have a long and loving marriage! I can’t thank you enough for coming to me to make your dream dress come true!

The beautiful bride Ardith!

The Newlyweds!

Cheers to the happy couple!

December 19, 2022
My Custom Dressmaking Process: From Start to Finish

Meet the Maker: Stephanie of Love, Stephanie

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a custom dress or outfit made just for you? Have you thought that just buying something off the rack or from a website is good enough and will do for the occasion, but deep down (or not even that deep) you wish you could wear something that fit you perfectly, was made well, is a flattering color on you, and was something you would be comfortable, confident and proud to wear to your event and beyond? Do you want a great dress, top, suit or outfit hanging in your wardrobe that you can reach for again and again and just know it works? If you said “yes!” to all of the above, I would love to be the one to make this dream come true for you!

So, what does this process look like, how does it all happen and how long would it take? It’s this going to cost me an arm and a leg?

For those questions, the answer is: it all depends.

First off, I am a one woman operation (at least for now I am) and only have so much time in a day. My goals for my Love, Stephanie custom sewing business include creating quality, timeless apparel for special clients who recognize the value in a well made custom garment. I use fine quality materials and construction methods, I don’t take on rush jobs, and I don’t take shortcuts. That being said, that is what takes the time to perfect the fit, using smart construction techniques, and all of the education and sewing skills that I have learned over the years that rolls into the lead time and cost of a custom made garment.

That’s me! Stephanie of Love, Stephanie

Sound intriguing so far? Great! Read on and I’ll walk you through what my typical process looks like from the perspective that includes the client experience and what to expect.

We begin with an initial meeting where I get to know you better, what your ideas and visions are for your custom garment, what your lifestyle is like, and what mood or purpose you’d like to portray through the garment you’ll be wearing.

Initial Client Consultation

From there, I build a plan and a timeline to achieve the finished garment before your deadline and get started sourcing fabrics and pattern options that go into making your garment.

Going over sketches and fabric ideas

I like to create sketches, a mood board, and gather any other ideas and components that go into the creative process of making a successful garment, and share these with you along the way.

After our initial consultation meeting, I gather up all the information and write up a contract that includes all of your contact information, the deadlines, our design concept agreement, project components, costs and payment schedule for you to read over and sign. This is an important step as I want to ensure both of us are in agreement over all of the details in case any questions or concerns should arise.

Then the fun begins! I’ll take all of the body measurements I need from you and get started making the garment.

Taking measurements

Lots of measurements!

Using your measurements and a pattern, I cut out and sew up a simplified mock-up garment in muslin fabric to check fit, style preferences and to make sure you are happy with the basic silhouette before cutting into any fashion fabric. At times, an additional muslin, or part if it, needs to made and fitted again if there are a lot of changes that need a review before proceeding.

A mock-up fitting in muslin

I check for any fit issues that need to be corrected, and make sure you are happy with the style lines and length

Meanwhile, the fashion fabric that you want, including any lining material, trim and notions needed, is confirmed and purchased. I aim to use the best quality fabric that is within your budget (not included in the cost of my labor) as I truly feel that the fabric makes all the difference in the look and wear of a garment. I prefer to work with natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk and linen, but will consider good quality man made fabrics to sew with such as rayon and synthetic blends.

Fabric choices are important in the outcome of a beautiful garment

Silk is my personal favorite!

Once the muslin is approved and the fabric is all here, I transfer any changes to the pattern, and start cutting!

The beautiful silk georgette is laid out and ready to cut

And sewn (silk is notoriously difficult to sew)

Most times, I have one last fitting of the garment in the fashion fabric to double check the fit, pin the hem, and work out any last details before delivering the finished creation.

From concept to creation!

Perfection!

The final fitting!

And that’s it! Easy, right?

Well done! Cheers!

In a nutshell, that’s the process in creating a unique custom garment, made especially just for you! No matter what size or shape you are, it’s an exciting and rewarding experience like no other.

Want to give it a go? Reach out to me and come on by my place with your dream garment vision and we’ll make it happen!

Welcome! Come on in!

April 6, 2022