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From: colojd
Date: 03-06-2005, 02:10 PM (1 of 10)
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Hi: I am sewing my daughter's wedding dress and would like to see if there is anyone who can advise me on adding a detachable train. The pattern she chose was Vogue 2717. This dress as a "fishtail" type train that is part of the back of the dress. My daughter would prefer a detachable train. I drafted out the fishtail which worked fine but now would like to know the best way to add a detachable train. I am an advanced level sewer. She chose this pattern because she wanted a classic princess style dress but as we found when I began working on the test dress, even though it appears this way on the pattern envelope (my daughter does not sew so she was going by the photograph), the dress actually is very bell shaped and full. She is only 5'2" so all of that fullness would not have worked for her. After several fittings, I have been able to grade the pattern so that it will be more of the classic princess seamed style dress, but I have never done a detachable train for any garment, and of course want this to be just right! Any advice you can lend will be greatly appreciated. She gets married in late July and I have done a sample dress that we are doing the fittings on, but would like to have all of the fittings and the detail for this train completed so I can start on the actual dress soon. Thanks Joyce |
User: colojd
Member since: 05-03-2002 Total posts: 83 |
From: MaryW
Date: 03-07-2005, 07:13 AM (2 of 10)
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Joyce, does the pattern cover making the train detachable or is it attached?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: colojd
Date: 03-07-2005, 08:10 AM (3 of 10)
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No, I wish it did have the instructions for this as part of the pattern. The dress does not have the option of a detachable train. The train that it does have it part of the lower back portion of the dress, if that makes sense. She thought possibly at first it could be bustled up, but that was not an option with this design (it has a built in two tier petticoat which would show if you picked up the train part and would be too bulky). I did grade out the back train from the dress pattern and that worked fine. It now is just like a regular flared skirt in the back. But she would like a train that could detach so she could remove it for the reception so she could dance and move around easily. I am sure I can make the train and attach it, but I wanted to know some tricks to do it so that it did not make the dress pull or sag where it was attached. I thought possibly making a sleeve on the inside to insert some boning at that attached point so that it had some stability but not sure. At Christmastime, we went through all of the major pattern companies to see if any of the bridal or formal patterns had a detachable train and none did. So I was hoping that someone with bridal experience can at least tell me the method of the detachable train and I can probably take it from there. Thanks so much. Joyce |
User: colojd
Member since: 05-03-2002 Total posts: 83 |
From: grandmasue
Date: 03-07-2005, 11:42 AM (4 of 10)
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I was faced with this exact same issue when sewing for a bride. After several trial and errors (you don't want to hear about the errors!) the solution I came up with is I duplicated the complete back of the dress with the train included and it was attached underneath at the waistline with a couple of small hooks. I used a lining fabric for most of the back as it was going to be hidden under the full dress and then attached the train to the lining fabric. Sorry I can't explain it better right now but if you have questions I will try and answer.
Grandma Sue
------------ At the end I am not showing up at my grave all pretty and well preserved...I am coming in sliding, yelling "What a ride!" |
User: grandmasue
Member since: 10-26-2004 Total posts: 138 
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From: colojd
Date: 03-07-2005, 11:58 AM (5 of 10)
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Thanks for your idea on this. This particular pattern did not have the train as a separate piece, so I'm not sure if this will work. The back of this dress has a zipper and the original design had the back going into a flared part that made the train and was part of the dress. I'm having a hard time envisioning how you did yours - doing another back of the dress but attaching it to the inside of the dress. I am sure it worked but I can't seem to picture how it looked. One addition situation is that this dress has actually two dresses in one. It has the main dress which we are making in a peau de soie type satin and then the pattern shows an overlay dress in sheer fabric. The underdress has a zipper, and the overdress has buttons and loops to close in the zipper area. So my additional concern was how to tack down this overdress (which is suppose to float over the top of the main dress) so that when the train is removed, we don't see hooks, snaps, etc. I know, this is quite an undertaking just to make this one change to the dress. I think rather than make the overlay dress separate I may have to do the main dress and overlay all connected together - or skip the sheer overlay altogether. I had thought the easiest way would be to attach the train to the outside of the dress but I am open to any and all ideas and tips! Thanks Joyce |
User: colojd
Member since: 05-03-2002 Total posts: 83 |
From: grandmasue
Date: 03-07-2005, 01:03 PM (6 of 10)
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The dress I worked with also was one that had the train as a permanent part of the dress and it was not a design that would allow for bustling either at the top or the bottom. So I redesigned the dress to be a floor length dress all the way around as I am picturing you did. The rest of the design was as if I sewed a seperate 'slip' to be worn under the actual dress but the train that would have been a part of the original dress was then sewn onto this 'slip'. I actually only sewed the back half of this slip and it was attached under the fabric layer not the sheer. It worked well, just wish I could explain it better. Grandma Sue
------------ At the end I am not showing up at my grave all pretty and well preserved...I am coming in sliding, yelling "What a ride!" |
User: grandmasue
Member since: 10-26-2004 Total posts: 138
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From: plrlegal
Date: 03-08-2005, 10:27 AM (7 of 10)
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Joyce most of the gowns that I've seen, i.e., one was my god daughter's, had the train made as an entirely separate piece and was attached in 4 places at back of the the waistline with small buttons covered with the same lace and satin as the gown and white loops on the train that attached it to the gown. Once the train was removed, the button were inconspicuous on the gown itself. I don't know if the pattern you are using has an actual waistline seam. If not, that may present a problem in attaching a separate train. Susan Khalje's Bridal Coutoure book has a good section on constructing the dress and the train and recommends that you use hooks and eyes (eyes on the gown, hooks on the train rather than buttons or snaps). Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: colojd
Date: 03-08-2005, 05:32 PM (8 of 10)
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Thanks for the tips. I actually was considering doing a line of the strip hook and eyes to attach the train and then when it was off, hooking on a band to cover it. I think this is going to be the only way to keep it on securely and keep the weight of it evenly distributed. Does the book you reference say anything about the underside of the dress in this area (ie does she recommend any type of interfacing or similar material to make it more secure?). I may put a strip of woven interfacing along this line just to be sure, but wondered if that was recommended. Thanks again Joyce |
User: colojd
Member since: 05-03-2002 Total posts: 83 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 03-08-2005, 11:16 PM (9 of 10)
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Joyce the only thing she says is that "The gown must be engineered from within to bear the weight of a heavy train. Use the inside waistline stay to help you anchor the weight of the detachable train, which should hang from the waist rather than from the shoulders or neck of the gown." In a later area, Attaching the Train -- "Camouflage the attachment area with a peplum, bow, flowers or a sash, if necessary." Hope this helps some. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: colojd
Date: 03-09-2005, 07:13 AM (10 of 10)
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Thanks, yes that does help. I knew there had to be something inside that helped support the train, so attaching an inside waistline stay was what I had in mind as well. Her train will not have beading and such on it, so that will not add to the weight, fortunately! Thanks for looking that up for me and I will proceed! I really appreciate all comments and ideas! Joyce |
User: colojd
Member since: 05-03-2002 Total posts: 83 |
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