Wedding prep - second instalment

So I made the "practice" dress based on my adjusted pattern. Short story - it needed a bit of adjustment, but basically worked very well.

The fabric is rayon challis. The "real" dress would be made from a silk/rayon blend that's very drapey, with a lining that was at that time still undetermined. We had bought some china silk in a rosy red, but also white cotton. 

Future DIL didn't want the crossover bodice of the original pattern so I adjusted the bodice to have two draped halves that would meet just above the underbust band, with a V shaped panel behind. 

It was a challenge to figure out the draped piece. I based it on the original pattern but adjusted it to remove the shoulder seam gathers as well as for the altered bodice configuration. 

The pattern has a princess seamed bodice under the draped front. In fact, it called for two layers under the draping - one is a base for the draping and the other is lining. I decided to use just one layer of fabric under the draped front, but made it as lining, that is with the wrong sides together.

I cut this under-bodice out of stretch knit on the theory that this, coupled with the draping, would adjust for bust expansion, if needed. 

I didn't have to change these pieces too much - the CF pieces only had to be altered to change the angle of the front neck.

I puzzled for far too long over construction steps. It's hard when nobody has figured this out for you ahead of time! I ended up finishing the bodice front neck and arm edges and attaching the V panel (which I figured might need adjustment) with hand stitching. I stupidly attached the back skirt panels to the back bodice and waistband before I attached the front bodice to the back, but I was smart enough to realize I had to wait to insert the zipper until after I sewed the shoulder seams (topology!). I hoped at the time to remember not to do the same with the real dress). 

As you can see in the above photos, the draped front was a bit too long (better than too short!) for the princess seamed bodice pieces once pleated into place. The excess was trimmed off later. 

The hugely expanded skirt front was pleated into the lower edge of the underbust band to match (sort of) the pleated bodice. I made the front of the underbust band into a casing for some elastic in case needed for future sizing issues. 

Also to assist in adjustments later, if needed, I did the side seams last. 

We hadn't seen the happy couple for a few weeks and things had evidently progressed by early May - the bump was a bit more than I was expecting for that point, to be honest. Luckily, there was still plenty of room in the front of the dress for further expansion, so it was all good.

We found that the V panel was too wide and too high. Thanks to my forward planning, it was easy to unpick and adjust. 

I did the hem while they waited, and waited, and waited! Yikes, the skirt hem is LONG (no extra cm were added below hip level). With the practice dress approved and delivered, I could move on to the real thing. 

To be continued ...