Top piece is ready!

After meeting my model, there was some tailoring work to do.

Galina helped me pin the new dart lines and I sew the new lines with the machine.

So here we have the finished, tailored side darts.

Now, ready to do the final touches: neckline, shoulder lines, zipper and bottom.

Let’s start with the neckline – getting some pro help 🙂

I’ve sewed the facing together – this will be the inner part.

Pinning the neckline together and ready to sew.

Now, it’s sewn together.

We just need to do a little trick: clipping. By this, you can make sure that the neckline will end up flat.

Clip a little more where you have more fabric.

And there we go!

Woah, looks awesome on the mannequin!

Just gonna do the same on the two arm holes: cut out the fabric, sew the parts together into a facing, pin to the dress, sew it together and clipping in the end.

A look from the inside. Neckline and arm lines clipped!

Another trick taught by Professor Galina: layering!
Because there are multiple layers sewn together here, it creates a thick hump on the outside. We can cut the excess fabric so that you have different widths of layers that will keep flat when the fabric is flipped.

Here is an insider picture of the layering and clipping work.

But it can look more finished if you look at it from the other side 🙂

Unfortunately the dart lines did not align 🙁 But the facings look nice at least!

Let’s get the zipper done now! Galina showed me that you need a different presser foot for the zipper, which is the transparent one on the left.

Ready to sew after changing the presser foot.

This presser foot allows you to go by the line of the zipper. The regular presser foot does not have the space.

It is so cool to watch the master!
The zipper is done!

Wah, looks nice!

So here is the end product! The neckline!

The arm hole!

The zipper!

The end of the zipper!

Finishing touch: hand sew the bra cups to the seams.

And it is ready! Ay, I just forgot to take pictures of the bottom line. I was too excited to finish it up so slipped my mind to document 🙁 Please just look closely to the bottom end 🙂

Second Production Class: Top and Bottom piece

Assembling the parts of the top piece: pinning the sides to the front part to sew the princess cut.

Still in the pinning process…

Done with pinning the sides to the front.

Ready for sewing the parts together.

Turns out this princess cut is not as easy as I thought. In fact, the hardest part of production until now…

Give it another try to correct.

Still not there yet…

Getting some professional help! Turns out the vintage template was a little off so we are adjusting the size.

After a few more trials and some ironing, finally ready to sew the front part together with the back parts.

And the top piece is READY!

Looking good 🙂

Now experimenting with infusing plastic to make the bottom piece material.

Sandwiching two sheets of plastic bags between baking paper.

Adjusting and aligning the plastic bags…

Putting the top baking paper on and ready to iron. Temperature is between Silk and Synthetic.

And the tentative design is taking shape!

Still a long way to go though.

First Production Class: Top piece

Starting with the top piece today: white cotton fabric.

Tracing the outline of a vintage dress template on paper: front part, side parts, back parts.

Ready with the tracing, let’s get to cutting the paper along with the template lines.

Cut out paper template parts pinned on fabric ready to be shaped!

Looked up for a sec and realized how everyone was “into” work 🙂

Done cutting out the individual parts of the fabric and made the darts: 2 on each back part and 1 on each side on the front part!

One side of the back part. I realized later that this is actually the back part…^^

Great first production day though! Feels like the dress is becoming real.