An Un-Recognizable Vintage Re-Make

 

When Jessica brought me her mother's 1970 something vintage wedding gown, and told me what she wanted to do with it, part of me was appalled! But, another part of me was very intrigued!

This gown was one of those very dated wedding gowns - lots of wide lace at the high neck, big sleeves, you catch my drift, right?

 

 

The fabric had aged to a wonderful candlelight pantina - just beautiful! I was in love with the lace at the neckline, cuffs and hem. Absolutley gorgeous!

 

 

But it was hardly a modern girls dream dress. Jessica had actually already purchased her wedding gown, and wanted this vintage gown of her mothers' made into her rehearsal dinner dress. She wanted to use the lace and the original fabric to create a completley new dress.

So....

I removed the bodice lace. Removed the sleeves. Removed the skirt. Basically took it apart and started from scratch. Re-made the bodice into a strapless; cut and re-shaped the skirt into a fitted mini; added that gorgeous lace around the bodice neckline. We decided it needed thin straps for support, as well as the additional foundation I added (it amazes me that these vintage gowns have NO foundation , let alone a lining to most of them!). Some tweaking here, some adjustment there, and

 YA-LAW!!!

 

 

Amost completley un-recognizable! Jessica is a very tiny girl, so the final dress does not fit on my dress form, and I didn't think to get a final photo of it on her :(

 

The lace is still gorgeous, the fabric is still that lovely candlelight color. But the dress is so completley different! Just goes to show what you can do with a little creativity!

 



Day 5 - Tiffany Gown

Despite the day starting out with a series of minor catastrophes, the work went pretty well today.

It started with my getting up way too late! I am usually up and going by 7 or 7:30 at the latest. It must have been the thunderstorms, but I slept in til 9:00 a.m. this morning! Then my husband had a minor emergency when his truck died. While we were in the middle of that crisis, I got a call from a client, whose appointment I had forgotten! After all was said and done, I didn't get started on Tiffany til about 1:00 p.m.

I began today's work with attaching the lining and the foundation to the gown. Not difficult, but with all the little extras I add when doing this step, it took longer than it probably should have.

 I also added the zipper and finished the hem edge to prepare it for the hemming tomorrow.

Doesn't sound like I did much, does it? In my defense, I also had 4 appointments today.

All in all I was fairly satisfied with the days work. Tomorrow I will do the hem, as well as add some crinoline to the lining. I will also finish the shoulder wrap and add a little embellishment.

Then - TA-DA!! Finished!

A Gown named "Tiffany"

I'm crazy. I'm insane. These exhausting, busy, challenging and sometimes never-ending days of spring don't give me much time for anything but sewing. Between bridal alterations, prom alterations, and several dress construction projects, it's a wonder I have time to sleep. And yet, somehow, in between all this insanity, I have been working on organizing and putting together a Bridal Fashion Show for the Southern Charm Wedding and Event Professionals Bridal Show on May 1. But that's not all, dear readers. At this event, vendors are given the opportunity to showcase their product on 'Fantasy Tables', which we can decorate how ever we choose. So, ofcourse, I had to do one. Only because, as we,  the show coordinators group, were discussing it, the most creative fun idea came to me! Wouldn't it be fun to do a table dedicated to the movie, "Breakfast at Tiffany's"!

I won't share all my ideas with you at this time ( you will just have to stay tuned), but I will tell you what I have been up to! 

I have been working my tush off to get to a point with my alterations work that I can afford to take some time 'off' to work on a dress for this table. I really didn't have a design in mind, so I asked my youngest daughter, a designer in progress, to think about one for me. She and her sister are both avid fans of the movie, and I figured if anyone could come up with something, it would be her. She didn't disappoint. Not 24 hours later, I had a sketch in hand. Now I just had to come up with the time to make it! 

After a couple weeks, I thought, this just isn't going to happen. But, as I said, I worked my tush off, and lo-and behold, by this past Thursday, I found myself with 5 extra days. Well, that may be pushing it, but, I will make it work.

DAY 1:

 Pattern development, and muslin

Day 2:

Fabric Shopping and cutting  out pattern.

Between appointments I went to Gail K's in Atlanta and found a cream colored silk twill with a cotton backing. The dress also calls for a piece of Tiffany blue charmuese. Thus the name 'Tiffany".

Day 3:

Applying the underlining to all the pieces. By hand.

I had to do this between appointments again, but it really went relatively quickly. I underlined the silk twill for the gown and the foundation with cotton batiste,

Bodice pieces

Foundation pieces

Skirt pieces

And the Tiffany Blue charmuese piece with silk organza.

This evening after dinner, I went back upstairs and put the foundation together.

Ofcourse, none of this would be possible without my trusted assistant. As you can see, she has exhausted herself, and fallen asleep on the job (again).

Tomorrow I will put the dress and lining together. Monday will be finishing. Will I have it done Tuesday? We shall see . . ..