Wedding dress cover-up

Yikes! Anyone got any ideas for a wrap/jacket/shawl type thing to toss over a sleeveless wedding dress? I have 10 days (don't say it, I know) and I'm not a quick sewer, so the simpler it is, the better.. The dress is ivory, satinish, with pearl beading above the waist, a short train, a gathered waist.

We thought we'd find something over the holiday season, but pickings of this sort seem nonexistant (we found a very light velvet jacket that might do but it will be chilly at night where we're at). It should be warm enough for temps range of 32-54F, or 0-12C for those on the other side of the pond. Material suggestions? Trim? I hope to whip something up over this weekend.

Reply to
jo
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What about a magyar sleeved bolero jacket interlined with Thinsulate? Make the jacket out of velvet...

Reply to
Kate Dicey

"Kate Dicey" wrote

Don't know about magyar (hungarian?) But something like this?

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think it would be fine for daytime wear, but it will be in the lower rangeof temps at night and I think not warm enough.

Reply to
jo

Link didn't work, but it was Simplicity 5561. While I was looking, would a cape like simplicity 5786 view A work? It's ankle length, hooded, with slits for hands?

Reply to
jo

I think 5786 would work well. You could use ivory velvet. If it were me, I would look for some ivory crepe backed satin, easiest satin in the world to work with (try Hancock's if you have one near you.) And I would look for some velvet or crushed velvet to match. Then for the ultimate in sneaky, I would look for some white or ivory (or heck, even light yellow) polar fleece or heavy flannel. Cut out the pattern from all three. Sew the satin's wrong side to the fleece/flannel around the edges and treat the two as one piece of fabric with the flannel/fleece side as the wrong side. Then make the velvet cape, and slap them together. ;) That way it will look GORGEOUS and still be quite warm.

If you want to do some embellishing, try to get some beading or beaded trim that matches (or comes close to!) the beading on her gown. That could be done around just the hood opening, or around the hood and down the front opening. Even around the hand slits if you want. The beading will be the last thing you do, so gauge the scope of it by the time you have left over. You could just find a really pretty clasp (look by the button wall in the fabric store) and leave it go at that for embellishment.

I tried to think of fabrics that would be easy to find in one mad dash to the fabric store. ;)

HTH! Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

How about a shrug-type thing? Start with a piece of 45" fabric about 18" long. Put it right sides together so it makes a long tube and sew the long edges, leaving a gap about 18" wide in the middle.

That's a basic shrug. You put it on like a jacket. It's like a shawl but it won't fall off. You may need to make the gap in the middle larger or smaller, depending on how big or small you are.

You can get fancy: sew only a few inches together, leaving the rest to fall. Make it of satin to match your dress, lined with soft wool, or Polarfleece is you can find some that looks nice. Use lace instead of the satin: whatever you use underneath will show through so you can add a touch of colour if you want to. Add pearls, all over or just at the ends or edges, to match the dress. Sew the whole underarm seam shut and gather the "cuffs" if you're using non-bulky fabric.

It will cover your shoulders and upper arms. How much of your lower arms it covers depends on how long your arms are, how much of the seam you sew and how wide the fabric is.

It's pretty quick.

Good luck.

Sally

Reply to
Sally Holmes

Magyar sleeves were originaly Hungarian, but the term is used generally in dress making to denote a sleeve that is cut as one piece with the body of the garment. Characteristically, the shoulder seam is extended to the end of the sleeve, which can be anywhere from just off the shoulder to the wrist. They were very popular in the 40's and 50's, and a bolero jacket could be cut to cover the shoulders and come down to just above the waist line, have long sleeves, and be made of something like velvet, which looks nice and rich and is quite warm. Thinsulate is a fine insulating material, often used in light weight Outdoors clothing. It could be hidden in quite a close fitting little jacket that would look very elegant over a wedding dress, and be warm as toast!

I have a magyar sleeved tweed jacket, made about 5 years or so ago, that is definitely a winter garment!

I've tried to google up a picture for you, but can't find one! I know I have something similar in the pattern stash, so if you like, I'll fish it out and send you a scan of the envelope. If you want it and the size is ok for you to use, we can arrange a loan of the pattern.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Is:

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... what you had in mind, Kate?

Reply to
Reedwalker

Not quite... There should be no seam between the body of the garment and the sleeve. Imagine it as being similar to 2 T shaped bits of fabric seamed together, with an opening made all the way up the front. Giving it the seam along the shoulder and down the arm allows for modifications such as curving that seam down round the shoulder and arm, taking a wedge out under the arm like a smile shaped dart, and other neat tricks to allow it to fit the body more closely.

Versions of this that included 3/4 length sleeves were very popular in the 50's. Sometimes there is no seam down the shoulder/arm, and a dart from neck to shoulder point helps shape the garment. The classic Bog Coat is an example of one made without a seam, and with no other shaping

- it's all just a neatly slashed rectangle or two, cleverly seamed.

__________________________________________________ | \ / | | \ / | | \ / | --------------- | | --------------- \ | | / | | | | | | | | | / \ | ------------------

The 'Batwing' sleeve is an exaggeratedly loose fitting version of this sleeve style.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Ooh, that sounded so pretty! I found my local Hancocks about 15 miles away and got Mc Call's Easy 8936 for half price (but just noticed it doesn't come with a lining pattern and hopefully I can wing it). I got winter white fleece and the crepe backed satin in a light toast color because the cream looked yellowish to me. 5 1/2 yards each. I didn't get the velvet as yet. With over 15 yards of fabric for triple layers, the bolero would have been less costly for sure!

Conveniently, there is a huge bridal place next door and I stopped in to look at what they had. They had a satin lined satin cape with a short train edged with some inexpensive looking white fake fur for $129 USD.

I'm thinking of keeping the fleece as a lining and putting the satin on the outside? Or make it reversible, so that it can be worn satin side in on a less formal occasion. Would that look chintzy? Does solid color fleece even have a "right side"?

Well, I don't know how this will work, but I bought a downy winter white boa thing (not the big feathery thing!) and hope to edge the hood with it? Or should I do the entire cape edging? I have absolutely no idea of how to attach it, however.

Couldn't find an off white frog closure, what about a satin ribbon closure? I could make one out of the left over satin.

Thanks Sharon for all the ideas! I moved to a new state shortly after getting my sewing machine and I didn't have much mileage on it (read practice), so I really appreciate the help as a sewing newbie. jo

Reply to
jo

"Kate Dicey" wrote

I thought it might be easier to make the cape (no fitting to worry about) but will definitely file this idea for future use. You've already added a new word to my vocabulary, magyar, sounds like a good word to use next time I play a game of Scrabble.

It is so nice of you to offer, Kate! But I am in a bit of a time crunch, so I'm going to make do with whatever I can find locally. jo

Reply to
jo

"Kate Dicey" wrote > Versions of this that included 3/4 length sleeves were very popular in

Ah, got it! I needed the drawing! jo

Reply to
jo

So would I be correct to assume it would be a hollow tube thing, unsewn in the middle of the tube, of about 9 inches wide on the sleeve and 18 inches wide in the back, when it is finished? I did decide to try making the cape, but this sounds interesting for future use.

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I just searched for a picture, and it helps alot!

Reply to
jo

I'm so glad you liked the idea. :) I can't get the McCall's website to show me a picture of your pattern, but a hooded cape is pretty much a hooded cape. ;) You're right, the bolero would have been less costly, but this is for a very special occasion and therefore, it should be an investment type garment. (there now you have a handy excuse to toss around. lol) As for the lining, easy as pie. You just cut all the pattern pieces out of both fabrics, like you are going to make two of them. Then assemble each one and then put them together at the edge. I would leave the hem edge open and hem them separately. Then you can slip stitch the hems together. (or however you want to do it, it's not rocket science---wing away. lol)

See, you know you're on to something when the bridal shop is marketing a similar garment.

Darling, it's your unique garment, that means you can wear it any way you'd like to wear it. :) Isn't freedom a wonderful thing?? I was thinking satin as the lining, fleece as the innerlining, and velvet as the outside. You do what looks good to your eye. I like the idea of the boa contrasting so strongly against the satin, so that might bear some thinking about. That would really make a nifty look I think. And you are right, the fleece is a less formal look. So it might be best all the way around to keep that on the inside of the cloak.

Oddly enough, it does. Lay it out on your cutting surface. Grab hold of the selvage with your hands about 6" apart from each other. Now pull in opposite directions. The selvage will curl to one side or the other. The side it curls towards is the right side. With fleece from Hancock's you want to make sure you have the right side facing out. The wrong side may pill eventually. (The only polar fleece I've ever worked with that doesn't pill sooner or later is Malden Mills. Don't worry about that though, you didn't have time to order fleece from them for this project. Bookmark this site:

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for when you have time to surf and when you want to make yourself a nifty fleece jacket.) The fleece you have will be more than fine for the cape, I heard you start to worry. Quit that right now. ;)

I would probably put that on by hand. You ought to be able to hide your stitches under the boa. The best way to decide hood -vs- whole opening is twofold:

  1. Do you have enough to do the whole thing? If not that answers your question real quick. :)
  2. If you have enough for the whole thing. Make the cape. Then take some safety pins and pin the boa in place around the opening. Put the cape on and look in the mirror. Too much? Just right? You will know with one look. And you wont' have to spend time (you don't have) ripping out stitches.

Absolutley that would work. If you still would like a frog, look at this site:

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It will show you how to make a Chinese knot. Really great pictures if you click on the "series of websites" button.

This one:

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tells how to make the cording. Then you just make a loop on the other side. You can make that as fancy or plan as you like. Try using a round shoelace (like from a tennis shoe) as a practice piece for your knot.

Here's some more:

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Ok. Well that ought to be enough. :)

You're very welcome. I'm always glad to help. So is everyone else here. Really marvelous bunch. You will be racking up miles on that machine in no time. :) Holler if you need more help!

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

You'd think that Bridezilla would plan things better than that. January wedding and sleeveless. "I've got my love to keep me warm." Won't those goosebumps look nice in the photos? Someone else suggested a shrug, made with a simple rectangle sewn together at the long ends to make the sleeves. I second this. Easy to whip up and trim. Go find a nice embossed home dec remnant. (This is for a customer, right? Charge her the idiot fee.)

--Karen M. cynically, watching several inches of partly cloudy fall outside

Reply to
Karen M.

I made a shrug just like that for my daughter's ballet class, since I couldn't find a ready-made powder blue one anywhere around here. It's a half-hour project for the simplest style...

Reply to
Poohma

"mamahays" wrote in

Hhmm, I couldn't either. But you're right, they all do look the same.

I was thinking

I'm still considering that too, I cut the fleece today and will cut the satin Thursday. On Friday, I'll either buy the velvet or just go with the satin on the outside. 3 layers in this bulky cape is a bit overwhelming as I don't have the experience to back up my ambitions. My "experience" is in easy window treatments, bedcovers, and pajamas!

Interesting, as it is very hard to see a visible difference.

With fleece from Hancock's you

Wow! You have exceptionally good hearing! The fleece obviously isn't the best, but it will add warmth on a cold night. I don't think my version will look any worse than the inexpensive bridal shop one I saw. If it does...well, I have a nice warm cape to wear over my pj's and a few days to start over.

You ought to be able to hide your

I don't, but easily could have. OTOH, thinking of all that hand sewing..., around the hood should be sufficient ;-)

LOL, yes, I think I'm starting to get it! Seriously good sites to bookmark!

I doubt I'll be able to stay away! Thanks again, jo

Reply to
jo

Bridezilla has actually done extremely well for herself. She's got a job she loves, a man she loves, she doesn't do drugs, smoke, or drink to excess. She's got good friends, supportive family, and few worries. It seems she's planned the things that really count in her life well enough.

LOL, we all hope the photographer isn't into using the macro lense! Being a midwesterner she scoffed at the idea that Nevada would be cold enough to require a warm winter coat, until she heard it actually snowed there recently. Hhmm, maybe a coat *is* a good idea after all!Temps have fluctuated quite a bit, but nights are consistently near freezing even if the day is relatively warm.

Much worse. Family.

Is there a standard idiot fee? Family or Senior discount? Is it possible to collect back pay? Is this legal?

Great Lakes area? Paint the home office yellow, put up some big orangey pics, and add some full spectrum lighting. Then slather on some coconut lotion and, wrinkles and skin cancer be dammed, hit the tanning booth with your favorite steel band or such CD in tow. Be sure to dance around in the booth, it helps insure even browning. Once home, fix a couple of tropical cocktails. Not too many or you risk CNS depression and you're right back to where you started from. *Or, just move somewhere warm and sunny, like I just did. Keeps me out of alt.bitter and rec.depression.

Reply to
jo

Thanks Beth, I'm busy trying the cape idea right now. If it fails, it will be good to have some back up ideas!

Reply to
jo

Fleece as an interliner is a fabulous idea. Why did I never think of that? I've used cotton flannelette, wool challis and Viyella, but never thought of fleece...

In these old houses we all live in, it gets pretty draughty, so I'm always looking to line and interline garments but prevent bulk (got enough natural padding, thanks...).

:) Trish

Reply to
Trishty

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