A Special Macaron, Pt. 2
The Wedding Macaron is coming along nicely. Many a Battlestar Galactica episode has been watched while hand sewing…
Since last time I’ve assembled the whole shell of the dress, made and sewed bias tape to bind the edges of the neckline and sleeves and attached the yoke by hand.
But it wasn’t without issues.
I was using a soft organza for the yoke and it was just not working for the life of me. The seams in the shoulders and underarms were ok, not the best, I made mock flat fell seams hoping that they would be stronger than French seams. Once I got to the sleeve seam however all hell decided to break lose. The fabric must have hated me or something. I could get the first line of stitching done but then trying to fold the seam allowances in to stitch them down was a nightmare. Finally I did it by hand then machine stitched over it but the seam looked wrinkly and puckery. Not going to work. Sorry, don’t have any photos of this part.
Plus I had already attached the bias binding to the sleeves and neckline thinking it would be easier to do without the rest of the dress weighing it down as I sewed.
After basting the yoke to the rest of the dress I decided it was a lost cause. Luckily I had plenty of the plain regular old organza that I interlined the dress with so I cut a new yoke and sleeves and whipped up a better version. I mock flat felled the same seams and French seamed the sleeves.
One stupid oops, though, at first I accidentally stitched one of the sleeves upside down! Easily fixed,
Then I seam ripped off the binding from the old yoke and put it on the new nice, happy, totally easy to work with yoke. So much better! Tip: If you’re going to add bias as a neck binding instead of the facing be sure to have your stitching line 5/8″ from the edge. This isn’t a neck opening where you can just line up your tiny binding edge right up to the neck edge… you need that extra space or you’ll be squeezing your head through!
Then I added the waistband trim on by hand, no real issues there.
I stitched the yoke to the dress body by hand no problem but I want to go back and reinforce the seam. I also need to reinforce the should seam with some stay tape.
Wow, almost a completed dress! Next I added an invisible zip by hand. I made the opening a little short so I have to go back and stitch the side seam smaller. I also want to reinforce the zip. Those invisible zippers always seem a little precarious, ya know? Don’t want a ripped out zipper!
I want to reinforce the waist band area, too, where it meets the zipper, just to make sure the beading is secure and I can snip off extra beads on the inside of the seam to make the zip slide easier.
So after I do all the little finicky reinforcement bits I’ll be pretty much done – unless I want to add a lining, which if I do I’d only need to attach it to the yoke seam, the zip and I’d probably tack it to the waistband.
I think I’ll wear the dress around the house for awhile and see how it feels with no lining and then make a decision.
I’m only showing you bits and pieces, can’t show the whole dress yet, ya know. 😉
Oh man, this is beautiful! I love the organza!
It’s going to be fantastic! So chic!
I LOVE this! You are going to make a beautiful bride!
It looks really nice! I am sure you will look beautiful in it!
this has got to be the quickest outstanding wedding dress make in history.
Fantastic! I’m still amazed by how beautiful and practical this dress is! Total wedding win!
this is looking great! such sneaky little peeks… can’t wait to see the whole thing. i’m sure it’s a relief to sew up a wedding dress so quickly and without serious drama! love all the fabric and detail choices, this will be beautiful.
I can’t wait to see the finished dress! How long will it be? It already looks beautiful
Oh, Dixie, this is turning out so beautifully! I love the beading you have at the waist.
It’s looking beautiful. When is/was the wedding and when will we get to see you in it??!!!
Such lovely workmanship! I can fully relate to having to admit defeat on a part of the dress. I had intended to do this one-shouldered ruched bodice on my own wedding dress. After several months of trying to make it work I finally gave up and did a much simpler bodice I copied from a Charles James design (haha, simple+Charles James is a rare combination, lol) with sweetheart neck, a couple of interestingly-placed darts and not one-shouldered. Good for you for recognizing when it just isn’t working, the new bodice yoke looks beautiful and beautifully made!
This looks so elegant. The waist beading is so lovely. Can’t wait to see it modelled.
Wow!! A wedding macaron. I’m very impressed you are making a wedding dress, it’s looking very couture.
sooooo pretty!
PS Battlestar Galactica was my go-to for knitting, hand-sewing, and embroidering for such a long time (SO many episodes!). Then, I finished 🙁 I miss those crazy cylons!
Wow, this is coming along beautifully! I hate when I stitch a sleeve upside down. It’s easily fixed, but frustrating!
“I’ll wear the dress around the house for awhile” made me laugh out loud. I know what you mean of course, but the vision of you wearing your wedding dress just ’round the house is funny. 🙂 And… line it, Dix. /bossy 😉
Hey, it’s just going to be knee length like the original pattern. I wanted something kind of short and not super formal.
Haha, yeah, don’t want to ruin the surprise 😉
Yeah, it’s coming together quickly but I don’t want that to allow me to slack off on the final details, I don’t want to be rushing at the last minute to fix things.
thanks sallie!
thanks, yeah, i realized i’d rather change it and have it look the way i want it to than fight a losing battle with some dumb fabric. 😉 i bet your dress was beautiful!
aww, thank you!
ah! i’m in the middle of season two and i’m hooked. it helps keep me going when i hit a slump or get bored during sewing but really need to keep working and finish.
thanks! it’s funny, i think that was only the second or third time i’ve ever made that mistake, i think it’s ’cause usually the yoke would already be attached to the dress so i don’t confused the side and the shoulder seams. it was pretty funny when i did it. even though i was frustrating i just had to laugh at myself!
FINE!! 😉
I am SO excited for you. Congratulations. Can’t wait to see the dress on!
Beautiful!! (BSG is awesome to sew to!)
It’s coming together great!! It makes me want to sew a wedding dress just for the heck of it and wish that I had sewn my own… maybe for a vow renewal?! Haha.