vintage reconstruction

Megan Strahm was married this summer in a vintage gown that she purchased at Retrofit. The dress was a bit too big in the bodice. The underskirt full of holes at the hem. The outer skirt of tulle was ripped to shreds in one part, but the rest of the dress was perfect.

I took in the bodice about 2" and was able to do this with impecable hand sewing rather than take the zipper out and put it back in. Logic says that taking out the zipper might be the better solution for such an alteration, and on many a garment that may be so..... but the old fabric and lace could easily have been comprimised. They used little teeny tiny stitches back in the day. Unlike todays sloppy mass production and longer stitch lengths. It had several layers in the bodice, so with some deft stitchery I was able to keep it looking like I hadnt done a thing to it.

I cut off the lining along the bottom and hemmed it a little shorter thus losing the rips and tears.

And then I searched around town and even went to Lacis in Berkeley to see if I could find some vintage tulle to replace the tattered parts of the outer skirt. Couldnt find the right stuff at all and so where did I find the perfect solution? Some tulle at Darlenes on Mission st. It wasnt vintage, but it was close enough and nobody knew the difference.

We toyed with the idea of just ditching the skirt altogether and making a new one. But I and some friends who saw the dress figured that the old designers really knew how to enhance a woman's figure - and the line of the lace made the wearer look taller and leaner. I love saving these garments. Im glad we saved this one.

So her dress turned out perfect. It turned out that a friend of hers had just been at a wedding of the woman who's dress I had made from a family heirloom tablecloth and napkins. Im hoping to get a photo of that dress soon as it looked spectacular on the bride!

Well, dont they all look spectacular, but it does my heart proud to see these ladies beaming in things Ive made or made to fit.

Congratulations Megan!

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