Custom Wedding Sewing and Alterations
Written by carolknipp on July 7, 2008 – 6:56 pm -Hello! My name is Carol Knipp, and I’ve enjoyed sewing for weddings since I designed the dress for my flower girl, to look like my wedding dress, nearly 30 years ago. I enjoy making dresses from patterns, magazine photos, or just from ideas you have. In addition to making many bridesmaid dresses, formals and mother-of-the-bride suits, I’ve been able to alter dresses purchased from stores and through e-bay, to make a custom fit for the bride. I enjoy challenges, one in particular being a dress that was about 3 sizes too small with a bodice about 3 sizes too long. Once I removed the zipper, I was able to take a wedge of fabric from the length of the back of the bodice, sew it into the width of the back, rearrange the satin covered buttons and add pearl decorated ribbon to criss cross over the fabric addition, hiding what had been the side seams of the added fabric. The bride was so happy to have the dress she loved, fit her perfectly!
Another favorite was an $8000 designer couture dress from e-bay that was slightly too tight for the bride to get the zipper up, and the front of the bodice was too large. For a view of this dress on the designer’s website, click here. I was thrilled to find darts that had been taken in the dress, with the original fabric intact. Once I released the darts, I removed some of the lace and beaded rosettes, sewed new darts, remade and replaced the rosettes. I added a narrow satin ribbon to the lining of the top front of the bodice, then threaded narrow elastic through the satin ribbon, and pulled it just enough to make the bodice hug the bride. She looked spectacular, and was thrilled to be able to be comfortable in her dream wedding dress.
Beads always prove to be a challenge, however, I enjoy fine detail work. It must be from the 17 years of intensive-care nursing in my past! A gorgeous gown with a long, beaded bodice, needed to be taken in at 6 different places, along with removing the zipper and taking in the back hip 4 inches. The result was a perfectly fitted gown on a perfectly beautiful bride!
My favorite experience happened recently at a wedding, about 45 minutes before the wedding was to start. The zipper on a purchased bridesmaid dress broke. I happened to be there, and that zipper REFUSED to be fixed. Thankfully the mother of the bride had a small sewing kit with thread the exact color of the dress. I cut out a small wedge at the bottom of the zipper, threaded the zipper teeth back together, and slowly zipped the zipper up, while sewing the zipper closed, all the way to the top. I told the bridesmaid she was having a red carpet moment, being literally sewn into her dress! We finished just in time for the bridesmaid to get in line and walk down the aisle!
I subscribe to the Tim Gunn philosophy - “Make it work!” (For those of you who don’t watch Project Runway, that might not mean as much. But, I will always, make it work!)
Check out my personal page right here on KC Wedding Scene!
Carol Knipp
kcknipps@hotmail.com
816-454-5197 (h)
816-916-0841 (c)
Posted in Alterations, Gowns & Dresses |
