It’s done! It’s done! I’ve shrunk the dress!!
And a HUGE thank you goes out to Dana for lending me the amazing dressmaker’s doll, without which this would not have been possible.
I have managed to achieve a brilliantly snug fit, without it being too tight or too loose. And for the kind of fabric I’ve used (fairly stiff) this is exactly what is needed for the garment to sit properly and look like it’s made for me. I’m SO happy!!
Tonight is a double birthday party. My boyfriend and a good friend are celebrating together tonight. And in order to look nice, I decided to wear my birthday dress. Thing is, from April (my birthday) to october (these birthdays) I’ve lost 10kg! So I had to take out quite a bit of fabric.
Mini tutorial. How to “shrink” a dress: With the dressmaker’s doll, this was a piece of cake. I put the dress on the doll inside-out, and using some white (or any contrasting colour) thread, I basted (hand-stitched with very loosele-spaced stitches) down each side, evening out the excess fabric into the new, slimmer shape. Before going in with the thread I used pins to make sure i’d block out the fabric evenly on each side (instead of pulling it all to one side!). Worked like a charm.
I then tried on the dress (right side out) to make sure I’d gotten everything (I had) and sat at the machine to put in 2 long seams down each side of the dress. Easy peasy. I also decided to remove the side slits I’d put in, and to re-hem it at a different length. So I sewed all the way down (inside of the slits, so they were cut away with the excess fabric), flipped the dress, put it back on the doll and hemmed it. Simple stuff. And the result is in the picture. A gorgeously fitted dress!! I may post pictures of it after the party tonight.
Let the good times begin!!