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Seamstresses: How hard is it to do a lace overlay?


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I think I will be making the dress I'm going to wear to my son's wedding.

 

I love this look:

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86717065/1950s-sage-green-lace-wiggle-party-dress?ref=sr_gallery_11&sref=&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=sage+green+lace&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=

 

 

If I find a comparable pattern, how hard would it be to do a lace overlay?

 

(I would buy this one, but it is two small for me.)

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I personally don't think it would be overly difficult, but it's definitely not a beginner project. Take your time with it. Don't speed sew. Make good use of your fine pins.

 

It is an interesting dress. More recent patterns would have the lace sewn down on all seams. This one is letting the lace hang free on the sides to show the edge. Very interesting :) What colour are you looking at doing it in?

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I'm assuming the lace portion is sewn separate here from the base - if not this might not work.

 

Iron your lace to waxed paper, then cut and sew. Works like a dream - I learned this in 4-H sewing class from a professional seamstress who made wedding dresses for a living. The waxed paper gives you something easier to work with and sew, and when your done just carefully pull the waxed paper away and wash.

 

You can also do the same with any stretchy or slinky fabrics for sewing :D

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I use to do prefessional alterations and bridal sewing.

I once made 13 or 14 bridesmadis dresses for the same wedding. The bodice had lace overlay which was not shown on the pattern. the bodice and skirt were made of the same fabric and I lined the bodice with lining fabric. (It is much easier to line the whole bodice than to make facings) I just cut out the bodice of regular fabric and than again of the lace.

 

I basted the two together and then treated them like one pattern piece.

 

 

If you found lace with that scallop edge and you loved it and wanted to have the free hanging edge, you would just cut the lace overlay piece shorter than the under fabric. You would baste it together at the sides and top and leave the bottom free where you wanted it to end.

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I use to do prefessional alterations and bridal sewing.

I once made 13 or 14 bridesmadis dresses for the same wedding. The bodice had lace overlay which was not shown on the pattern. the bodice and skirt were made of the same fabric and I lined the bodice with lining fabric. (It is much easier to line the whole bodice than to make facings) I just cut out the bodice of regular fabric and than again of the lace.

 

I basted the two together and then treated them like one pattern piece.

 

 

If you found lace with that scallop edge and you loved it and wanted to have the free hanging edge, you would just cut the lace overlay piece shorter than the under fabric. You would baste it together at the sides and top and leave the bottom free where you wanted it to end.

 

How do you line a bodice instead of make facings?

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I use to do prefessional alterations and bridal sewing.

I once made 13 or 14 bridesmadis dresses for the same wedding. The bodice had lace overlay which was not shown on the pattern. the bodice and skirt were made of the same fabric and I lined the bodice with lining fabric. (It is much easier to line the whole bodice than to make facings) I just cut out the bodice of regular fabric and than again of the lace.

 

I basted the two together and then treated them like one pattern piece.

 

 

If you found lace with that scallop edge and you loved it and wanted to have the free hanging edge, you would just cut the lace overlay piece shorter than the under fabric. You would baste it together at the sides and top and leave the bottom free where you wanted it to end.

:iagree:

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How do you line a bodice instead of make facings?

 

You cut out the bodice using lining material and attach it at the neckline/sleeves like you would a facing using same techiniques. Stitch, trim the seam, understitching. Press it all nice and pretty at the neckline/sleeves and then baste the unsewn edges together. When attaching sleeves or the skirt just treat it as one layer. If you have added in the lace layer, you attached the lace to the bodice before you sew on the lining.

 

Clear as mud right.

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You cut out the bodice using lining material and attach it at the neckline/sleeves like you would a facing using same techiniques. Stitch, trim the seam, understitching. Press it all nice and pretty at the neckline/sleeves and then baste the unsewn edges together. When attaching sleeves or the skirt just treat it as one layer. If you have added in the lace layer, you attached the lace to the bodice before you sew on the lining.

 

Clear as mud right.

 

I think I understand, but wouldn't that make it kind of bulky?

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I think I understand, but wouldn't that make it kind of bulky?

Not at all. The lining fabric and the lace are very lightweight. If you would normally be putting on a facing, it usually is of the same fabric as the dress is, and lining fabric being lighter weight would acutually make it less bulky. Besides, it looks lovely and very professional on the inside. :001_smile:

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The waxed paper trick is intriguing...I think I'd like to see a video about that. :)

 

Otherwise, I would do as previously mentioned--cut duplicate pattern pieces from the lace; baste the lace over the pattern pieces at all edges (right sides up) and then sew them together as you normally would.

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Though I'm not the OP, I'm glad to have learned something new! Thanks.

 

:iagree:

Thanks to everyone!

 

You're welcome. I guess sewing is a passion of mine and I love to pass on things I have learned so others will become confident in their efforts.

 

I have never heard of the wax paper trick so I learned something new as well.

:D

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