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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: nannylin
Date: 02-27-2006, 06:55 PM (1 of 11)
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Hi. I'm a new member and could really use your help. I have a beautiful wedding gown with a chapel train. The whole dress was edged with lace and beadwork. I want to remove the train and shorten the whole dress by about an inch so that I can wear it to my Eastern Star meetings. So far I have removed all of the appliques, lace, and beadwork. My plan is to hem the entire skirt and replace the trims. My question: Do I have to remove a wedge of material from the back to take out some of the fullness cause by the former train? Or could I get away with just hemming it? I am definitely not petite, so I don't want to look like a bubble! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Linda |
User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47 
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From: Luanne Lea
Date: 02-28-2006, 11:15 AM (2 of 11)
| I find in my dressmaking business that a little more fullness in the back of a skirt is pretty darned flattering. If you don't like that look, though, the train probably has a center back seam which would make it easy to remove some of the fullness. |
User: Luanne Lea
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: esrun3
Date: 02-28-2006, 11:26 AM (3 of 11)
Welcome Linda. I don't have an answer to your question but I'm sure others will. Just wanted to welcome you to the gorup! 
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: Bobbins
Date: 02-28-2006, 02:40 PM (4 of 11)
 I was wondering if you could post a description of the dress. That may help us offer a few more suggestions.Bobbins 
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User: Bobbins
Member since: 10-22-2002 Total posts: 24 
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From: nannylin
Date: 02-28-2006, 05:28 PM (5 of 11)
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Thank you all so much. I didn't expect such a quick response! I have enjoyed reading the trials and tribulations of others who took on wedding gowns. Gave me the courage to try this alteration. I am attaching a side view photo of the gown so that you can see the difference in length. I'm not sure how much bandwidth we are allowed for photos--if other views would be helpful I can take some. The gown does have a center back seam. The skirt looks very poufy here but I took out 5 layers of tulle underneath while I'm working. I'll replace some but not all! The beaded trim is gone. The existing hem is only zig-zagged, which excited me to discover. When the trim is replaced it will hide the edge. Not that I am lazy. . . Well, I can't get the photo small enough to upload. I will research this and try again later. Linda |
User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47
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From: nannylin
Date: 02-28-2006, 10:17 PM (6 of 11)
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I put some images up on a temporary web page. Let me know if you have trouble access it. Thanks. Linda http://home.comcast.net/~nannylin/ |
User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47
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From: Bobbins
Date: 03-01-2006, 09:24 AM (7 of 11)
 Hi nannylin: Thank you for positng the pictures...that helps a lot. It appears that the train gets wider as you go down from the dress. Because of this it is difficult to see whether or not excess fabric needs to be removed once you have cut off part of the train. Perhaps, and I am not saying I am definite about this, you may want to cut off the portion of the train that is definitely going to be removed and then look at the dress again to see if the fullness of the fabric that is remaining matches to the rest of the skirt as the skirt does have a lot of gathered fabric. (Don't forget to leave fabric for hemming.) If there still appears to be a lot of excess fabric then I would go with the ealier suggestion from Luanne Lea and remove some of the fullness from the centre back seam. I would not unpick the waist to do this. I would start approximately 2 to 3 inches down from the waist and gradually increase to the new seam to remove the excess fabric. I would also suggest doing this with a basting stitch first to see if the dress is still going to fall correctly. If it looks good then go over the basting stitch with a regular stitch and then cut off the excess fabric. It is always best to check first and then cut. Hope this helps.  Bobbins
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User: Bobbins
Member since: 10-22-2002 Total posts: 24
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From: Bobbins
Date: 03-01-2006, 09:29 AM (8 of 11)
 Me again. Forgot one other thing...I mentioned in my previous email about leaving enough length for hemming...I would leave about 4 to 6 inches more than the hem requires just in case the seam adjustment alters the length of the fabric. Bobbins
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User: Bobbins
Member since: 10-22-2002 Total posts: 24
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From: nannylin
Date: 03-01-2006, 06:06 PM (9 of 11)
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Bobbins: Thank you so much for the suggestions. It sounds very logical and I will proceed that way. I'll let you know how I make out.  Linda
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User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47
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From: tailorjoan
Date: 03-19-2006, 12:23 AM (10 of 11)
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HI, I know it's been a short while since this post started but I just joined and wanted to add my 2 cents worth. I'm no expert on wedding dresses but have altered a few in my day. I think you will find that the center seam on the back of the dress is the grain line on the fabric and if you are taking out fullness you might have better results if you take the fabric from each side of the train panel instead of the center back seam. You might need to take from both the sides and center of those two center back panels if keeping the grain line is important in the drape of the fabric. Just my 2 cents  Joan
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User: tailorjoan
Member since: 03-18-2006 Total posts: 1 
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From: nannylin
Date: 03-26-2006, 08:22 AM (11 of 11)
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A update on my project. The train removal surgery was a complete success! I did not have to remove any fullness. After I removed 7 layers of tuille from underneath, it was just right! My daughter will be making scrubbers forever with all that tuille! I replaced the edging around the hemline after trimming off about 6 inches of it to make the dress look less "bridey." I also removed all the pearls and sequins from the bodice for the same reason. It looks pretty with just plain lace. My sewing room looked like something from a cartoon, me slipping on the pearls on the floor. I am very pleased with how it came out. Thank you all so much for your suggestions. Linda |
User: nannylin
Member since: 02-27-2006 Total posts: 47
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