Making a Formal Dress Modest - sound like a familiar problem? Anyone could look at a dress like this and instantly see that it needs help. Usually, one just throws on a short jacket/balero type thing and for some dresses that works just fine - but a lot of them have an additional problem that can't be solved by a normal little jacket: they are way too low cut - front and back. Such was this dress(courtesy of the local thrift store :) ). So, this is what I decided to do - it will take a little bit more sewing than a normal one, but if you take your time, it'll be fine - it's the same basic idea as fixing the casual strapless dress, only you make the 'shirt' that goes under.
First off you need to pick a sewing pattern (Tip: only buy them on sale, if you wait for a sale at a place like Joanns, you can get them for only a dollar or two) that's fairly simple - after all, you are only going be seeing the very top the bodice (fancy word for the top part of a dress). Cut the pattern out in your size (being that the pattern comes with such detailed instructions and they vary a bit, I'm only going to touch on the basic of how to put this together, not on the mechanics of making the bodice), pin the pieces to your fabric (which needs to be matching in color and type of fabric) and cut them all out. Then pick a color thread that goes well with the fabric.
Then you are just going to go through and sew the bodice together following the instructions your pattern has. I had to sew my side fronts (all of your pattern pieces have their name on them, so don't stress over trying to keep them straight, or what they mean, although most of the time it's pretty obvious) to the center front.
With all of my seams, I went back and did a tight zig-zag along the edge and trimmed the excess fabric, so that the bodice would hold up better.
Continued by sewing the front sleeve and back sleeve together (if you have a weird sleeve like this - most are nice enough to only be one piece - you can do what I do, mark the front one by sticking a pin it it).
Then hemming the sleeve, which is done by marking the sleeve (on the back of course, I would recommend a pencil, so you won't see it on the other side), folding the edge up to the mark and ironing it, and then folding it over again and sewing it.
Continued by sewing the front and back together, then the sleeve into the armhole opening, sewing the 'yoke' (yes, the actually call it that - it's just a band along the top of the bodice) on and so on and so forth - won't get too detailed as you will have all of this information in your pattern.
Then, once you have the bodice put together - but with no zipper/hook&eye/velcro in the back - you are going to try it on and try your dress on over it. Pin the dress to the bodice and sew along the top of the dress. Then trim all the extra part of the bodice that you are never going to see because it's covered with the dress, sew on some hook and eyes or some velcro to keep the back together - and there you have it! Oh, and have fun picking out your fabric and pattern, I did mine rather basic, just to give you the idea, but there are soooo many different patterns and fabrics out there!!
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