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From: smith972
Date: 05-01-2005, 02:42 PM (1 of 14)
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I have been asked to make a dress for my sister-in-law for thier sons military ball in two weeks... question???? Do i pre-wash the fabric like i do with everything else i make.... or Do i tell her that this needs to be dry cleaned everytime I am leaning towards option 2 only because i want the dress to look its best.... I am not sure which dress i will be making yet....she is due at my house in a little bit for sizing, patten selection and a materials list... Jada |
User: smith972
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 241 
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From: Sewhappie
Date: 05-01-2005, 03:11 PM (2 of 14)
| It really depends on the fabric that you pick as to the care of it. If it IS washable, do it on a gentle cycle, or better yet HAND WASH IT( cold water and DO NOT WRING OUT THE WATER) and hang dry. This will get the sizing out of the fabirc. Then after the dress is made I would advise her to dry clean it. It the fabric states that it is DRY CLEAN ONLY, then that's what you do. To wash DRY CLEAN ONLY fabric WILL ruin it for sure. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-01-2005, 11:45 PM (3 of 14)
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I only prewash something that I am sure will shrink. In all the years that I sewed for others, I NEVER once prewashed an item...and I made hundreds without complaint. Many of the fabrics that go into formal wear are not washable and if you plan to purchase fabrics that are, you need to be sure that all the parts are washable or just dry clean. I personally do not wash evening wear nor would I ever suggest that they do it. Many fabrics, even if they are washable loose some of their brilliant color when they are washed and they all loosed the fabric sizing that makes them crisp. The only evening outfit that I ever did wash was my daughter's drum major uniform this year. It was a two piece full length evening gown made of poly shantung. I only washed it, never dried it in the dryer. Most of my shrinkage occurs in the dryer anyway. The only reason that I washed it was because she was doing physical activity in very hot weather, riding on school buses in it, changing in school buses and sometimes marching in the rain or on muddy football fields. After wearing the dress for several hours and enduring the stress of competition, believe me, it needed to be washed. The bottom line is: My suggestion is to tell her to always dry clean the fabric and don't preshrink. As one who will be attending military balls, she will need to keep her garments at their absolute best and she'll become use to dry cleaning everything! 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: DorothyL
Date: 05-02-2005, 07:55 AM (4 of 14)
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A good rule of thumb is to pretreat the fabric the same way you will treat the finished garment. I agree with Pam (I usually have too) have her dry clean it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 05-02-2005, 08:11 AM (5 of 14)
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I really doubt she would throw a formal dress in the washing machine. Dry clean only would be my choice.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: smith972
Date: 05-03-2005, 08:05 AM (6 of 14)
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Thanks..... We went to hancocks last night and picked out a different pattern that she fell in love with right away....I have to get it done by Monday for the first fitting and final fitting will be on Wednesday....so less than one week to get this all together.... she choose this dress http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?search=4515&TI=10001&M=&pageSize=9 I will post pictures when it is done...and questions as they arise... Jada |
User: smith972
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 241
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From: paroper
Date: 05-03-2005, 08:32 AM (7 of 14)
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I had a girl call me begging to have me make her prom dress....I don't do that right now...but I gave in (my daughter had already told her that I CHARGE). She brought pattern and materials on a Wed night about 8:00 with the prom a week from Sat. I laid aside the beading and alterations I was doing on my dd's dress and the vest and bow tie for her twin brother and had a dramatically altered draft ready to fit on Thurs. By Friday evening I had the dress and lining totally assembled, ready to drop the lining and ready to fit. I needed the netting she failed to buy. All day Saturday, I waited for her to come for a fitting and bring the netting I wanted in the lining before I dropped the lining...she brought tuille, not stiff enough for this dress. She got here on Sat. with final fitting and hem on Sunday (after the netting). Family errands and babysitting on Monday kept me from finishing. While the kids were at school on Tues I finished the dress and had it bagged and ready to go by the end of school. She had already started bugging my daughter about how long it was taking....and it didn't cost her a cent because she refused to pay and I didn't want to cause trouble in my teen's circle of friends (she isn't a major player in that circle)....all I was out was my time, time with my family, and the cost of some netting. The main thing was that I got my life back on tranck and kids ready for the prom in time. When she took the dress home she started bragging about how her mom could make anything....it was all I could do..........
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: mommydionne
Date: 05-03-2005, 08:05 PM (8 of 14)
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she has the future makings of a Bridezilla!!! Poor you, that sounds terrible!! Where are her parents in all of this? Do they exist? I'd be tempted to call mama re payment! as to mom being able to make anything we've all heard that line before, funny how it's always after you've finished something for them EH? 
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: smith972
Date: 05-03-2005, 09:05 PM (9 of 14)
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I need some advice before cutting....the dress i am making appears from the picture to be lining on the outside with the dress on the inside..... the jacket appears to be made out of the lining ..... am i correct??? Jada |
User: smith972
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 241
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From: smith972
Date: 05-03-2005, 09:56 PM (10 of 14)
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I can't believe this.....i picked up the wrong size pattern...now i have to hunt down the right size.....i need a 20 and this one only goes up to 14..... A whole night of sewing wasted... Jada |
User: smith972
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 241
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From: paroper
Date: 05-04-2005, 12:01 AM (11 of 14)
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If you haven't cut any pieces of your pattern, call the store in the morning and tell them your situation. Some stores will trade patterns, others will not. (They sometimes fear that you'll trace or loose pattern pieces before you bring it back). I've always insisted that the problem was merely sizing and begged to trade. About 90 percent of the time they will, just depends on the clerk and manager. Looking at the pattern I don't know that the lining fabric is on the outside of the jacket. I guess that depends on what you are using for the fabrics. There is a wide range of fabrics that are listed though and I can imagine that some of the directions might look that way. However,the fabrics suggested for the jacket are all typical evenwear fabrics. What kind of fabrics and which view are you using? 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: smith972
Date: 05-04-2005, 08:13 AM (12 of 14)
| for the jacket it calls for Organza and for the skirt georgette, chiffon, crepe back satin and charmeuse for the lining it calls for Georgette |
User: smith972
Member since: 09-10-2004 Total posts: 241
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From: plrlegal
Date: 05-04-2005, 02:17 PM (13 of 14)
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Smith, it's not actually a lining. It's a 2 layers skirt (georgette on bottom and the organza or whatever as the overskirt). I've made several of those only in the short version. I don't know about your pattern, but my patterns were all cut on the bias which means you need more fabric if both layers of the skirt are cut on the bias. I'm assuming the jacket is the same way (georgette with a nylon/organza overlay and then the spaghetti strap camisole under the jacket. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Magot
Date: 05-04-2005, 05:01 PM (14 of 14)
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Jada, that is one labour of love to get done so quickly - are you allowed time to eat and sleep? I wish you well and a profitable weekend.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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