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From: Sewhappie
Date: 09-21-2004, 06:38 AM (1 of 18)
I almost passed out Monday when the clerk rang up the total balance for the material I found for my Mom of the Bride Suit!!!!!!!!  $259.00!!!!!!!! I have never spent money on an outfit like this for me, so I'm in shock. After looking all over the place and not being able to find anything that fit right, looked right, was priced right, the right outfit in the wrong color ( or size ), I said to heck wit it!!!! The lace for the hip length suit jacket was 79.00 a yard with 20% off. (faint)The satin for the skirt and shell, not so bad. But it is a better quality fabric than what you ould find at JoAnn's. This is bridal material, dance and pagent fabrics. After looking at the RTW and seeing th eprices there, I'm doing about the same if not cheaper. $6.00 for ONE BUTTON!!!!!!!! I hate being 6' tall, I have to alter all my patterns. I will be playing with the pattern and scraps for a while to make sure everything is perfect with this outfit before it's cut!!!!   The shop handles only bridal, dance and pagent materials, I had been up there ( in Cleveland) to it some 24 years ago, but they have moved twice from where I remembered them to be. Talked with someone else that told me they had moved!!!!! Smaller store, but the fabrics were still what I remembered them to carry. I sure could use some "knowledge of couture fashions" with this one, anyone out there?????? HELP!!!!! |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: MaryW
Date: 09-21-2004, 08:26 AM (2 of 18)
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You will do just fine. Don't lose your drive now. Just post when you have a question, we can help. 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: paroper
Date: 09-21-2004, 10:55 AM (3 of 18)
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I used to sit and stare when the patron brought me fabric that was 65-85 dollars a yard. I know that there are much more expensive fabrics out there, but this stuff was in MY sewing room! The best thing I can tell you to do is to study the fabric and then cut....you have the knowledge and you have the skill. I always made a test garment (just a rough in for size), as you said out of inexpensive but stable fabric. I never wanted to run a risk of cutting something expensive and cutting it wrong or need to alter it....and I never had a problem.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Hockeymum
Date: 09-21-2004, 11:40 AM (4 of 18)
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OMG....I think I almost fainted reading your post! When is the wedding? I am still trying to get around the fact I just spend $25 on flannel to make my husband some PJ's. It is only the second thing I will have made...so far. Good luck with your outfit, you will have to post us some finished pictures. Cheers Anne |
User: Hockeymum
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 19 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 09-21-2004, 12:46 PM (5 of 18)
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Sewhappie see if your local library perhaps has Susan Kajhle's (sp?) Bridal Couture. She is a wonderful source for working with bridal apparel fabrics also, Claire Shaeffer's book Couture Sewing (I think that's the name of it) is another great resource for this kind of sewing. You can do it and it will be gorgeous. Like Mary said, relax, take the time to make a test garment of your pattern and make all of your adjustments on that, then when you're sure you've done all those, just take your time and read twice and cut once and you'll be fine. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: abear
Date: 09-21-2004, 03:59 PM (6 of 18)
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Sew Happy know what you are talking about! A few years ago me and a friend were working on a pageant dress for my niece when we decided to go down to New Orleans to an old fabirc store called the Promanade located on St Charles Ave in the old historical area known for the beautiful homes and the famous street cars that travel the route. First of all there was not clerk in the store who was under the age of sixty!lol But to their credit they all were very knowledgeble about any typw of fabric you could name! There was fabric used to make Mardi Gras gowns priced at $800 a yard ! You cannot imagine howeautiful some of it was! The fabric we chose was $75 yard and what really blew me away was when the clerk proceeded to cut the fabirc from the bolt she picked up the scissors and made a small snip at the edge of the fabric and then set the scissors down and ripped the rest of it by hand perfectly! Anyway it was quiet the adventrue for this little country cajun girl to witness! Abear Holley
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User: abear
Member since: 08-08-2004 Total posts: 27 
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From: abear
Date: 09-21-2004, 04:01 PM (7 of 18)
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Goodness after viewing my post i can only hope you all can decode! abear p.s. just remember my editor is a 1 year old!!! Holley
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User: abear
Member since: 08-08-2004 Total posts: 27
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From: Sewhappie
Date: 09-21-2004, 06:00 PM (8 of 18)
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The wedding is June 18, 2005, so I do have this winter to work on it. I also have to make a flower girl(s) dress, but the I'm not really worried about. I have six great nieces the oldest one is 14 ( 15 at time of wedding) who is very close to my daughter, so she is in the wedding, the youngest is 9 months old. The other girls are 10, 7(twins) and 5. I think that she will be going with the twins, as they are the age that she is wanting. Her fiance has a small cousin about 3-4 that would be a cute ring-bearer. She may use the other two girls as greeters at the guestbook. I just can't wait to see my other half in a "Monkey Suit" again!!!! 
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User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 09-21-2004, 06:46 PM (9 of 18)
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You mentioned Satin as one of your fabrics.. When I made a Bridal gown for the 1st (and only) time, I called our county extension office and talked to the person there.. I forgot her title.. we used to call them Home Demonstration Agents. I asked her about handling Satin.. She sent me a booklet.. Pins in seam allowances only, pressing with brown paper under seam allowances are the 2 most important facts I remember.. You must absolutely never place a pin anywhere else, the holes always show.. I thought the embroidered organza at $36.00 a yard that my sister purchased for her mother of the bride dress was expensive, but $79.00 a yard for lace takes the cake.. At least , lace is easy to handle..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: blackie
Date: 09-21-2004, 07:20 PM (10 of 18)
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Sewhappie - don't feel bad about spending money on some lovely fabrics and trim for your MOB dress. You deserve to be beautiful on your daughter's wedding day, too! Both my mom and my MIL sewed their own dresses for my wedding. For some reason it made my big day seem all the sweeter... You must be a very skilled seamstress - I am not a good enough seamstress to trust myself with $260 worth of fabric. 
see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: blackie
Date: 09-21-2004, 07:21 PM (11 of 18)
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Any chance you can post some pictures? I want to see what that $79 / yard lace looks like - see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: Sewhappie
Date: 09-21-2004, 07:47 PM (12 of 18)
| I will try, I have never posted pictures before. Uf I don't hsve any luck I will yell for help. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: bunzino
Date: 09-21-2004, 10:20 PM (13 of 18)
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SewHappy, Oh, don't be unhapppy about being 6 foot == that's wonderful. There's so much more you can carry off and be elegant!! We all want to see progress pictures. I second getting Kahle's book == she's the expert. nancy |
User: bunzino
Member since: 08-16-2002 Total posts: 119 |
From: Tea4Me
Date: 09-28-2004, 07:13 PM (14 of 18)
Sewhappie, I can totally relate to what you said about always altering patterns, etc. I am 6'2-1/2" tall, and believe me when I say that patterns do not exist for us tall women.  Good luck with your dressmaking! Post a pic when it's done!And Bunzino, I agree that it's great to be tall, but only when you are NOT shopping for clothing!!  Cheers! Bev. Bev
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User: Tea4Me
Member since: 05-20-2003 Total posts: 21 
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From: Bama
Date: 09-28-2004, 07:38 PM (15 of 18)
That goes for us shorter people too.  If I buy ready to wear pants, I have to hem. If I sew them myself, I have to alter the pattern so the waist won't be at my chest.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: MaryW
Date: 09-28-2004, 07:47 PM (16 of 18)
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Here is a source of patterns for those who are really tall! www.rozdesigns.com MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Sewhappie
Date: 09-28-2004, 09:27 PM (17 of 18)
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Awesome Site Mary. Now can someone translate the $$$$ for me? I wish there was somewhere here in the USA that had patterns like this. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 09-29-2004, 06:54 PM (18 of 18)
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Your original post made me smile, when I made my wedding dress 10 years ago my mom had to leave the room while I cut the $100/m french beaded lace, she has sewn forever too but just couldn't watch!! Have fun making your outfit! I also had made a muslin for the top b/c I had to cut the size 8 vogue pattern down to fit me (I'm a skinny thing  )all came out great in the end ! Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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