Beautifly Strapless Formal Gowns Floor Length Evening Dresses A-09075

How to Measure:

How to Design an Evening Gown:

• Look at fashion magazines for the latest trends in couture. Attend fashion shows and collect books on fashion. Start by drawing a female slender figure or copy one from a book. Lay a piece of transfer paper ("8x11'') over figure and sketch your garment. Later on you will transfer the sketch onto a sketch book or drawing paper. While you're sketching, think of the fabrics you want to use. Think taffea, velvet and, sequins. Think about colors. Later on when you get really good you can practice drawing different figure poses. The final sketch you pick will be your guideline
• Go to the fabric store and pick fabric swatches that you like and which inspire you. Attach swatches to your sketch and take notes regarding accessories and other embellishments. You will have the option to make your own pattern or buy an evening gown pattern and alter it. Change it anyway you want it. Create your own design. If you happen to have a dress form, you can put the fabric on it, and play with it. Create, create, create
• Design the gown on paper and then decide on a pattern. There are pattern books that you can study to make your own patterns, or buy a pattern and change it's design. Patterns aren't that hard to make. It just takes practice. It's fun to learn how to make a pattern, because you know it's the basis for a fabulous garment

How to Sew Evening Gowns:

Evening Gown: Preparation

• Sketch your initial concept. Although researching designer runway collections will inspire your sketching, the key factor for evening gowns is construction, silhouette, draping, fabric and trim selection. Visit your local designer boutiques, and take note of the draping and construction of several gowns. For example, a streamlined evening gown with a high front leg slit will require less draping than a draped bodice with a full bottom sweep. Try an evening gown on, and turn it inside out in order to view the inner construction such as bone work, seaming finishes, novelty linings and trim application
• Select your fabric. Your choice will rely heavily on the type of gown you have designed and how much draping is involved. Hold the fabric by the highest point on the bias. You will be able to view the fabric's natural drape without pinning or draping on your dress form. For example, a silk crepe back satin, a silk four-ply woven crepe, a silk satin face organza or a silk faille, although higher in price, will offer you a different type drape than a silk chiffon, silk stretch charmeuse or a silk crepe de chine
• Select your trims. Check for any special looping for beads or novelty trim application. If you are adding a beaded applique or embroidery pattern, it is best to bead and embroider the pattern parts separately and cut your fabric pattern as a full pattern panel. If you are beading a specifically designed pattern on your fabric part, it is best to cut your fabric part separately and sew any necessary handwork, prior to machine sewing and constructing your gown
• Drape your gown on your dress form prior to cutting your pattern. Certain fabrics, such as silks or dutchess satins, will leave pinholes in your fabric. Test the selvage, and see your fabric's reaction to pins. Draping your gown will offer you the opportunity to alter your initial sketch and make necessary changes to necklines, back interest, slits, sleeves or contoured waistlines. Keep in mind that most of these fabrics do not have significant stretch properties and are challenging to alter once cut and hemmed. Leave sufficient seam allowance in the event you must alter the dress
• Draft your initial paper pattern. Make a sloper of your evening gown before cutting your fabric for construction. A sloper is a term used when sewing the dress completely in a sample fabric such as muslin. This fabric is relatively inexpensive, has draping properties and will offer you the opportunity to fit your gown and make paper pattern adjustments and changes to your gown without damaging your project fabric

Evening Gown: Construction

• Cut all your fabric parts. Carefully pin the parts together prior to stitching. Smooth textured and light fabrics, such as silks, satins, laces and velvet, have a tendency to roll. Fabric shifting during stitching will cause uneven seams. Cut your lining separate from your gown's shell
• Add your trims, beads or embroidery to your fabric parts. Do not attach your trims directly to your shell and lining. This will not give you smooth inner seams and appearance. It can also cause discomfort when wearing your gown
• Sew your gown's shell and lining separately. Change your needle size, thread and sewing tension to accommodate your fabric type. Pin the two parts prior to stitching. Fit your gown to ensure your lining is not longer than your gown's shell. Check for any seam work bunching or puckering. You can opt to run a long machine or hand-basting stitch to secure your parts and then run your straight stitch to construct. Fit your garment for any final changes, and your evening gown is complete

How to Draft an Evening Gown:

• Learn to sketch haute couture fashion. Fill class, workshop and seminar schedules with courses in black and white rendering, markers, line drawing, design, draping, construction, color theory and fabric selection to begin each evening-gown project with a creative road map
• Envision the woman destined to wear your gown. Keep her in mind as you sketch and revise, using age and body type to guide your vision and help you stay on target. Pay attention to the nuances of evening gown engineering
• Explore the work of other evening gown designers for inspiration and ideas. Peruse pattern books to consider updated vintage designs. Look for unusual couture
• Visit fabric stores. Take your preliminary sketch along. Touch, fold and examine material. Choose bolts of fabric that meet your drawing's criteria as weight, draping and stitching must follow the specifications of your rendering for the gown to be properly constructed and finished
• Start drafting. Follow the perspective rule preferred by many design professionals: rather than using the standard seven-head lengths to determine the height of the woman onto which the gown will be drawn, make your drawing eight-heads tall to accentuate the sweeping drama of typical evening gown designs
• Take your original line drawing from simple to complex. Use a swatch of the fabric you've selected as your guide to render a final version of your evening gown using your favorite detailing medium---markers, watercolors, pastels, artist's pencils or another drawing tool. Present your finished design draft to the client

Package Included:

• 1 x Evening Dress