A little white dress, the reason why I started sewing

When a friend of mine told me she is going to get married soon, the first idea came to me is that I can make a vail headband for her as a gift. Later on she asked on twitter where to buy a cheap dress for a very very simple ceremony, then I wondered maybe I can try to sew a little white dress.

I bought a white summer dress from Gina 2 years ago. It was a straight cut dress, with cutton fabric on top and laces at bottom. There were thin spaghetti straps across shoulder, which can also be tied to some circle ring at the waist. It was nice summer atmosphere but really weird design. Did not remember why i bought it, since the cut and design is a truly disaster on my body. I put it on once and then gave up. So it has been hidden in my wardrobe for quite a while.

Since my friend's wedding is going to be a simple one with only 4 guests, no church or formal ball, but just going to register at the office, a proper long grown is too much. I found my old white dress 2 weeks ago and though it might be a base to start making the wedding dress. I cut off the spaghetti straps, sewed an elastic band around top line, put another wide elastic band around the waist and made the waist line 10cm higher than before. Added a layer of vail between the laces and underskirt, the vail can not be seen from outside, but it has make the dress more puffy and round, especially from behind. I also bought some white ribbon roses and sewed it along the breast line, to make body look more feminine curvy. At last, tied a wide white ribbon around waist and made a bow knot at the back.

I made the denning backless top and the beige linen top first, to get some practice with sewing. Then started to work on this dress. It went very tough with the elastic band. Part of the stitches are horrible. Later I found a new way to handle that, i sewed the elastic band into a circle first, then measured my waist, put a pillow in a blanket to make it exactly the same size as my waist, then put the dress and elastic band circle around the pillow, and sewed them together. I also used the same way to sew the elastic band on the beige linen dress later on, it worked better due to previous experience. I still don't know the right way to sew elastic band, wonder how does it work with a sewing machine?

After made another 2 pieces of clothes, it feels like I could do it better when I look back at the white dress. But anyway, it was the reason why I started sewing. Maybe I can make another dress for my friend if she is getting married again, but hopefully not, or save the chance for her daughter's wedding.