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Contributed by Alicyn Wright


[from page 3]

In addition to lining your dress, a real "couture" dress is always underlined to help achieve that perfect fit. Underlining is something you find in hand tailored garments or in "couture" dresses, especially fitted garments. It is not common in the majority of sewing we do today, but I feel it makes a huge difference in the finished product.
Many guidesheets either don’t mention underlining or print it as "optional". If I had my way, it would be changed to say "extremely important". The fit is never the same on a garment without underlining. The underlining acts as a stabilizer. It helps everything lay more smoothly and fit better.

Throughout the years I have experimented with many fabrics to see which I thought created the best overall results. My favorite underlining fabric would have to be 100% cotton organdy for fabrics with body and 100% silk organza for any drapy fabric. Natural fibers are a must for underlining. A synthetic fiber would defeat the whole purpose of underlining. Cotton organdy is very stiff but when ironed it softens considerably and molds to the body so well. The underlining is cut from the same pattern pieces as the fabric and basted to each bodice piece first. You must make sure the two pieces are basted as one and are perfectly smooth. Then pretend they are one piece. I always underline a short sleeve as well as the bodice.

Whenever possible underline with the same color as your gown. If you can only find white underlining for an ivory dress, cut an extra layer of lining and baste it to the bodice before underlining so the finished color of your garment is not affected.

How can I add a bustle to my dress?

To bustle a dress, do the following:

Sew a button at the waistline on the right side of the center back
waistline seam. (If there is a bow, it is usually sewn under the bow).
Decide where on your skirt you want your bustle point by pulling it up
to the sewn button at the waist. Skirts are usually bustled so the hem
is floor length at center back.

At the bustle point on the skirt you will make a crochet chain. Use a
crochet thread or a DMC cotton pearl. (Do not use regular thread). Tie
a knot and then secure the thread thoroughly by stitching it up and down several times. After securing, stitch up to the right side of the
fabric. Stitch again leaving a loop of thread wide enough for your
thumb and index finger to fit through. Hold the needle end tight in
your right hand. With the thumb and index finger, pull tight end of
thread through loop just enough to form a second loop, keeping the
needle end tight. Continue pulling the first loop tight against the chain.

Repeat this process until the chain is long enough to make a button
loop. When the chain is long enough, bring the needle through the loop
and pull it tight to finish off the chain. Stitch back through seam to
wrong side and secure in place.

If this makes no sense, find someone who does crochet and have them show you the basic hand crochet chain. It is one of those things that is
easy to show, but kind of hard to write.

My last little bit of advise:
You will spend days planning and preparing for this one day. You will
spend a ridiculous amount of money on this one day. You will spend
countless hours worrying about the big and small detail for this one
day. That is all part of the wedding process. But when the day finally
comes…when you wake up in the morning and realize that this is indeed
the day…..forget about the little things. If the caterers arrive late….
don’t worry about it. If the wedding cake doesn’t have the right
flowers on it….. don’t worry about it. If your hair suddenly decides it
is going to take the day off and it won’t curl no matter what you do…
don’t worry about it. Nobody but you and your mother will notice any of
these things. Smile, have fun and enjoy the day. If you do, it will
truly be your day and one that you will never forget.

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Alicyn Wright is the bridal designer for the McCall Pattern Co. in New
York. Each and every month literally ‘thousands’ of brides walk down
the aisle wearing a gown created from one of Alicyn’s patterns. She has
appeared on syndicated sewing shows and has also been featured in
numerous magazine and newspaper articles.Her pattern designs are sold
worldwide under the ‘Alicyn Exclusives’ logo. For additional
information on her patterns, visit her website at www.sewbridal.com.