If you know me at all, you know that I often bite off more than I can chew. I eat my food like I’ll never have another meal again, gobbling down faster than anyone else at the table. Then have to control myself to not go back for seconds and let myself digest what I just devoured.
It’s not all that different when I have a new idea for a project that I want to tackle. Once I narrow down and choose something from the long wish list of garments and crafty projects I keep in my notes app on my phone, I jump in and start, thinking about how I am going to actually accomplish it later. A similar way to how I eat.
One of my favorite sources of sewing patterns recently is Studio of Art patterns found on Etsy. I just love some of the designs they come out with for bridal and special occasion dresses that you can’t get anywhere else and result in high-end, dramatic and showcase ready creations. The patterns are usually difficult and challenging to construct, require skill, space and plenty of time for best results, and can take a great deal of material to make.
I have made several of their patterns now and have been so pleased with the results. They came out with this sewing pattern and I just had to have it!
Studio of Art Corset Bodice Off Shoulder Ball Gown pattern
This stunning pattern features a corset style bodice with bust cups and built-in boning support, off the shoulder long sleeves, a gathered waistline and a large ball gown-style multi layered skirt.
I gathered my supplies, ordered yardage consisting of a delicate Chantilly lace, a glittered tulle, soft tulle, rigid tulle and lining materials.
The pattern illustration and sewing instructions with swatches of the fabrics
Having enormous pattern pieces and several layers of many yards of fabric to carefully cut out, there was no way that I would be able to accomplish this at my home studio. Luckily, my sister is good friends with a woman, Sheila, who owns and runs a small local garment manufacturing facility called Westside Sut & Sew and allowed me to come and use her huge cutting table. She also helped me to lay out and cut the fabric layers, plus organize, separate and package up the cut pieces which was wonderful! Thank you Sheila!
Sheila was amazing and so kind to help me cut out this big project at her workshop.
I wanted it to be a real fantasy gown, getting an idea from a bridal gown that I had the pleasure of altering in 2025. One of the great perks of doing bridal and special occasion dresses is that I get to really study how the garments are constructed and what fabrics and techniques are used as I work on them for my clients. This particular gown that stuck in my head had a layer of fine glittery tulle under the outermost layer of the dress that just gave a lovely hint of shimmer and sparkle as the bride moved around in her dress.
I decided that this pattern was a great opportunity to incorporate this glittery effect to the underlining of the dress. I layered the fabrics using the lace on top, the glitter tulle under the lace, 2 layers of soft tulle, a layer of stiff tulle, and the lining layer. These many layers gave a lovely swishy, twinkly and flowy (all technical terms) effect to the ballgown.
The lace laid out and strategically cut for the bodice and sleevesThe sleeve pieces, one with the glitter tulle underlining, one without
There is just something about lace that captivates my interest with its beauty and pattern. I love all kinds of lace, but this Chantilly lace was just so delicate and perfect for this gown with the floral motif and scalloped eyelash edge. So so pretty!
The gorgeous Chantilly lace!
Once all the fabric was cut from the pattern, I placed it in a box, set it aside and took a little break from the project to work on other things I needed get done. I had actual clients that needed their projects finished, and this gown was meant to be a wish list, stretch my skills, creative learning type of project just to display in my studio or use for a photo shoot, not for anyone specific, so she could wait.
After I had the necessary client work completed, paid for, and out the door, I found some time to get started on making the dress. First, I had to sew the initial layers of the lace and glitter tulle together by hand and then treat them as one layer as I constructed the dress. Each pattern piece was basted together at the edges to keep the fabric layers close to create some stability to the delicate lace while adding the little shimmer of tiny sequins of the tulle. That was time consuming in of itself, not to mention getting glitter and little bits of lace cuttings all over myself and my sewing room. My hand held battery operated vacuum cleaner came in quite handy!
Day by day, little by little, I was able to work on the constructing the dress. I really started to see progress when the bodice was basically complete and I could pin it to my dress form and admire my progress!
The bodice is nearly complete, the giant skirt was nextSo far, so good!
It was about at this stage of construction of the dress when I got the call from Katherine. She asked if I’d like to participate in a photo shoot she was doing with someone that needed a bridal gown and accessories. Katherine is a lovely and talented makeup artist and hair stylist who I met at a fashion show as she and her team were doing all of the MUAH (makeup and hair) for the models. She owns Event Cosmetics and has a shop in the Pearl District in Portland, OR. She does many shows, weddings, and events, plus has many contacts in the fashion and creative industries in the Pacific Northwest.
Katherine was planning this photo shoot with a photographer that she had previously done a shoot with, Amy Isacson. Amy lives and works in McCall, Idaho and runs her successful wedding photography business Amy Isacson Photography. She was going to be in Portland for just a short time and wanted to get some new photos for her portfolio while in town and also collaborate with other local wedding vendors including a location, florist, jeweler, makeup artist, model and dressmaker.
Of course, I jumped on the opportunity and immediately got in touch with Amy. I talked to her about what dresses I have made that could be used at the shoot, plus accessories such as veils that I could bring along. This was the perfect reason to get the gown finished and ready to shoot on location.
We were able to book one of my favorite models, Leann, to star in the shoot. I have had the pleasure of working with Leann on a few occasions, hiring her to model for me in several of my dresses. She just has a lovely delicate yet versatile face and a perfect curvy figure, plus is fun to be around and sassy to boot.
I asked her if she would be able to come over and do a fitting in the dress so that I could finish it up and it would be ready to just zip up and go at the shoot. This meant that I really had to push and get the gown finished ASAP. I also asked my wonderful friend and hired marketing help Mackenzie to come along and get some photos while we were doing the dress fitting so that we could get some behind the scenes footage, plus she knows Leann well and was the one to introduce us, so it was a win-win for everyone!
Only a few little things to do!At the dress fitting with Leann
It all came together so fast with Amy, Katherine, Leann and myself, along with Amy’s son Jack to take videos. We met up at the location for the shoot which is this absolutely gorgeous restored historic home in downtown Portland. Amy is friends with a man, John, who works for the homeowner’s business called Arciform. They specialize in interior design, renovating and restoring homes. They have done an amazing job on the home in which we had the honor to have the photo shoot. John was there at the house to supervise and give us some history on the house and show us around. What a treat it was to get to go inside and explore around this lovely home!
The shoot went so well and had so many lucky breaks along the way! As Katherine was doing Leann’s hair and makeup, Leann wore some lingere and a silk robe that I had as part of another collection and brought along with me to the shoot. She looks gorgeous in just that!
Model prep time with Katherine and Leann as photographer Amy checks the lighting on her cameraLeann captures a mirror selfie wearing lace undies and a satin robe
As the shoot happened around the house, I fluffed the gown, then got out of the way!
This library landing in the home was my favorite spotThe cool library with the blue walls and crystal chandelier was simply divine!I love this photo I took of Leann in the gown. Katherine touches up Leann’s makeup in the sitting roomOne of my favorite shots from the day: Leann on the couch sipping on a glass of champagne. You can even see a little twinkle of the glitter tulle in this photo!
I brought along another dress as well as some veils and a fur shrug in case Amy wanted to capture another look. This worked in my favor as I got even more photos with my creations included!
Katherine places a veil on Leann downstairs in the foyerThe stairway was the perfect setting to shoot with the wonderful wallpaper, stained glass window and beautiful woodworkBringing along an additional dress and veil was a smart idea!
We had such a fun day and came away with some amazing photos and videos that we all can use for our portfolios! It certainly was exciting and a great motivation to keep going and creating just for the love of creating. I hope this brings even more opportunity to collaborate with other artists locally and beyond.
We even got a little sunshine and were able to go outside! Great shot!
I first discovered Studio of Art Patterns in early 2024 when I was asked to create 2 bridesmaids dresses with a quick turnaround through a referral from a wedding planner. I was delighted to have the gig and got started right away finding a pattern to create the 2 special occasion dresses having the same skirt style with different bodices using a lovely sage green silk charmeuse as the client requested.
I love to spend time looking at all kinds of sewing patterns, especially patterns that have the potential to turn out a beautiful result that looks like it came from a fancy boutique or bespoke design house. I like to collect these type of patterns, even if I won’t use them right away, or ever, just so that I can learn about how to construct and sew the details that make them unique or create those hidden details of a garment that are not immediately apparent.
After searching through my own pattern collection of formal dresses, as well as through the usual avenues of obtaining commercial patterns, searching on Etsy I came across this new-to-me pattern company, Studio of Art Patterns. They had a very good selection of formal dress designs to choose from with details and features not found in other commercial patterns for sale. The patterns didn’t have much detail to the Etsy description or the other pertinent information readily available, such as fabric yardage needed to create the design, unless, as I discovered, you purchase and download the pattern. They have, however, added a really cool feature to the pattern images of an AI generated video clip of the dress as it is worn on the runway. Amazing!
AI generated clip of one of the gown designs. SOLD!!!!
Once a pattern is purchased, they send you the PDF pattern and instructions to download and print at home or a copy shop. They include multiple size files and all of the information needed to construct the garment including a detailed size chart, suggested fabrics types including any interfacing, lining or stabilizing fabric yardage and notions needed, pattern cutting layout, and sewing instructions, and a few photos of a finished garment made from the pattern. The sewing instructions are quite sparse, somewhat confusing, and assume that you have a good amount of prior dressmaking experience and ability to construct a dress. In addition, the sewing terms and language are not always clear, there are no photos or illustrations of the construction process, just the step-by step words themselves, so you are somewhat on your own for figuring out the difficult parts, therefore these patterns are not for the beginner sewist by any means. However if you have any questions or need help with the sewing process, they are readily available to help and respond right away which is great.
Studio of Art Patterns, found only on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/StudioOfArtPatterns, is a small, woman-owned company that creates sewing patterns for the experienced sewist. As I’d love to support and promote this small, yet growing, business, and wanted to know more about them, I reached out to the shop owner, Anastasia, for more information about the company and she gladly replied with this to say:
Studio of Art Patterns – Our Story
Studio of Art Patterns has been creating and sharing sewing patterns on the Etsy platform since 2021, and our shop is only beginning to gain momentum. In this short time, we have published 281 modern patterns, including 125 wedding dress patterns, each offered in five sizes. Even an experienced professional sewist can appreciate the tremendous amount of work our small team has accomplished in such a limited period. Our team is made up of three passionate specialists: • Anastasia – graphic designer, assistant, and shop owner • Angelika – designer • Julia – customer service and marketing specialist Every day, we continue improving our products, but our main goal remains the same: to expand our collection with fresh, high-quality sewing patterns that have no analogues online. Our team carefully selects the most elegant and desirable garment designs and transforms them into detailed, professional patterns to help our customers create stylish and beautifully crafted pieces. At the moment, our patterns are available exclusively on Etsy. However, we are actively growing and working on launching our own website in the near future.
Going back to the bridesmaid dresses, we decided on this pattern, mostly for the draped skirt, and I would make the bodice in two different styles to attach to the same skirt for the ladies:
The dresses turned out satisfactory with the short time frame to complete and the fussy nature if the fabric, so I won’t go into much detail about it, but I wanted to share my moment of discovery of this amazing pattern company that led me here!
After completing the silk bridesmaid dresses, I went on to purchase and make several more Studio of Art patterns from their Wedding Dress category of designs. I will share the patterns and the creations I made from them, mostly making them just because I wanted to make them and show off the new skills I learned from constructing them:
Corset Bodice Slim Skirt Gown Made in ivory satin. Boned bodice with spaghetti straps and slim skirtI added a lace-up corset back to this dress patternI added a trumpet to the bottom of this skirt to this pattern to make a new design out of a sleek black leather-like satinThe lace up corset back allows for an easier fitPlunging neckline gown with skirt overlap opening.Made in a soft peach satin, I love how this gown turned out! The skirt side opening, the mesh side insets in the bodice, and it has pockets!74 self-fabric covered buttons adorn the center back seam into the trainCorset bodice with off shoulder puffy sleeve I made my version eliminating the corset and bra cup seams to keep the integrity of the toile print of the fabric. I also eliminated the bottom part of the sleeve and lengthened the skirt.Draped halter neck bodice gown with shoulder drape and low draped backMade in a stunning green silk satinThe open back with drape was difficult to do, but turned out really wellModeled here by the gorgeous Christine Lewy at my runway show at FashionXT 2025 in Portland, ORI added sleeves, lowered the back and added a little lower back bar to support the low back for this black wedding gown for a client.
I have since went on to purchase several more Studio of Art patterns with the intention of studying the pattern details, mixing and matching the details, and making them up as I get the opportunity. Some I got for a certain detail or technique that I’d like to learn how to do, some I like the entire dress and would make it as is. I have a few already in the works as I get the chance to print out the HUGE pattern pieces and cut them out, purchase the fabrics (each one takes lots of fabric!) and decide on the pattern adjustments I would like to make in order to make them with somewhat of a unique twist, if I can.
Here is my collection of Studio of Art patterns that I have become obsessed with, but have yet to make:
Basque waist ballgown with off shoulder lace sleevesDraped evening gownCorset bodice gown with flouncesOne shoulder gown with draped bowGown with overskirtlace overlay gownCape dressStructured draped gown with trainSeamed corset bodice gown with split skirtScarf and rosette collar gownV-neck gown with trainEvening gown with embroidery detailStrapless bodysuit and ruffled sheer overskirtMermaid strapless gown and ruffled sheer overskirtWrap dress with long bell sleeves
These are just a few of the patterns that Studio of Art patterns offer in their gallery of designs. They also offer more casual looks, athletic and kids patterns, so if you are curious or looking for something different to sew, definitely check them out!
Time to go sew a fabulous Studio of Art pattern and make another dream dress come true!
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 drawingsThe Linen Pantsuit in ProgressThe Linen Corset in ProgressThe lovely interior of the corsetcovered buttons made for the jacketMy 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 drawingsCutting out the bodice frontTwo of the skirt panels and underliningCutting 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 GownVelvet 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 GownForest 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.
I am no business expert, but I have learned a thing or two about running a small business since I went full time as a entrepreneur nearly two years ago. I have learned that it takes long hours, major sacrifices, dedication, hard work and finding ways to get things done faster, better and more efficiently all while trying to spend less money and earn more.
That’s me: Boss Babe Stephanie showing off some of my work!
I am very proud of my business and what I do. I am a designer seamstress and dressmaker, creating custom garments for ladies focused on special occasion, bridal and tailored apparel and offer bridal alterations. I have managed to grow a client base, hone in on couture and quality sewing techniques, get the word out on what I do, decline work that doesn’t fall into my specialties or timeline (or that I simply don’t want to do), open a little boutique space outside of my home, price my products and services accordingly, earn more money year over year, and become better and more experienced with each job that I take in.
I have paid off all of my debt, paid off my car in full, and have a little chunk of savings in the bank that I would like to invest back into in my business.
I need a plan!
It’s now up to me to work on my business plan and focus in on how to grow my custom sewing & dressmaking business. I need to sit down and figure out the smartest means where I should invest my money, and that starts with a plan. I have read several books and articles on running and growing a small business, now I need to take what I have learned and apply it to my situation.
A quick shot of me and a couple of dresses I made back in 2012
Although I can’t do all of my ideas with the budget that I have, here are some of the specific ones that I have thought about that I can invest in to make my business run smoother, more efficiently, and make a profit:
*new sewing equipment, namely an industrial sewing machine
*take on an intern or part-time contract employee
*hire a professional accountant to handle business finances
*physically (and mentally) declutter & organize
*automate scheduling
*improve website
*invest in and create sellable inventory-manufacture a small collection
*invest in marketing and advertising
*hire a professional photographer
*market and target customer research
*research and development
*foster newness and excitement
*continued education
*travel
*learn from those who are more skilled and experienced than I am
*hold events to attract new clients, thank existing and previous clients
*network
Me and my models walk the runway in my Love, Stephanie designs 2016
Do you have any good advice for growing a business, taking it to the next level with smart investments? Has something worked for you, or held you back from success? I’d love to learn more about it and try to figure out the best ways to take my business to the next level.
Me finishing up gown I made in 2023 for a special lady Michel. She said to me recently “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that gorgeous in a piece of clothing”. Words to live by!
I know I need help and can’t do alone. I also know that there are success stories and big dreams can come true, it just takes hard work, smart decisions and perseverance. And a plan.
This Boss Babe is ready for business!
Meanwhile, I’ll keep on plugging away at my existing client needs, holding up my end of the agreement, while trying to create newness and examples of my potential and sharing with my audience. Soon I will be posting about some lovely projects that I have been working on, but have to hold back the excitement until the client’s special occasion occurs so not to spoil the surprise.
Photo shoot dream project come true of a custom gown I made for lovely Payton. More please!
Life is short, time is limited, and I want to make a difference and impact in this world and in the lives of others. Even just a small part, a little influence, make someone smile and feel beautiful in what they are wearing.
That’s all I want out of this life, at least business-wise. I feel strongly that what you wear says a million words and evokes a thousand emotions. So why not that be me to make that a reality!
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:
Strapless bridal gown alterations & additions
Added interior hanging straps
Added bra cups
Hem entire gown, including outer layer, tulle and lining layers,removing train and sewing original fringe trim back on to hem
Applique additional fabric over entire gown
Hourly rate of $60/hr for sewing work
ETA hours tbd
Help from friends
Add side seam pockets
Make a matching shrug from purchased fabric (or sleeves from cut off fabric)
Make wide straps out of lining
Edit: made straps out of lace and lining
Bridal Skirt Alterations & additions
Remove back zipper and install corset style back closure
Hem skirt, removing some tulle from underskirt
Hem outer layer of skirt
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
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!
Ode to Sew 