The Olivia Gown, Day 1 and 2

Day 1

 I always love to work with my out of town brides.  Olivia is no exception!  I thought you might enjoy seeing a day by day report of Olivia and her mother's time out here.  She lives in Chicago and her mom lives in Lewisville.  Since they don't live around each other, the trip turned out to be a "mother-daughter" bonding time.  It is great that I get to be part of something like that. The above picture is what it looks like to arrive for your first measure.  It must be so daunting to fly out without knowing what is in store.  Hopefully this post gives you an idea of the process.

The first meeting involves sketching up the dress and making sure fabric choices are perfect.  I send out fabric samples ahead of time, but seeing a smaller piece is so different than seeing yards and yards.  

I measured Olivia using the most amazing technique I learned from Mr. Kenneth King.  Kenneth learned how to do "The Moulage" from quite the teacher back in the day.  He has written up instructions in a very easy to follow book.  It has changed my life!  If you are a dressmaker, you need this book!

Off subject, I know.  

Day 2

Back to Olivia.  We met later in the day, so I didn't see Olivia for our second meeting until the next morning.  This is what the first fit looks like.  It is made of a muslin and if I am lucky, it is close to the intended dress shape.  Olivia is living well, so there were only minor adjustments.  

I have to take steps to get the neckline to lay correctly.  Especially when you consider the weight that will be attached here later.  The pleats, darts, and tucks are adjusted now so the dress will behave later.  I also draw the shape of the neckline at this point.   

Olivia and her mom are off the hook for half the day after this fitting.  This is when I take the muslin apart and make all of the adjustments.   

Then I lay the real fabrics out.  The linings, silk, and any other supportive fabrics that are needed.  They are cut out.  I then sew the boning casings on to the inner layer.  Once completed, I hand sew the layers together before sewing the dress together.  Probably not making sense at this point.  It isn't you, it is me.  I shouldn't be trying to explain myself this late at night.  

Because this is an "out of town bride" I need to be working on all aspects of the dress at once.  So if I have a break, I work on the jewels for the neckline.  It is important that I have things coming along in case I am wandering in the wrong direction creatively.  

Quite a few hours later, Olivia and her mom are back for a fitting with the real fabric.  This is when you can see the essence of the dress.  We also look at the neckline jewels and make sure I am on track.  

I am the one trying to bring in the sides of the dress while successfully avoiding being in the picture.  It just looks weird, I know.  

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Between the two fittings,  Olivia and her mom went up to S.L.C. to do a bit of shopping and see the sights.  This is Olivia in the Tabernacle at Temple Square. 

Olivia did her homework before arriving.  She had a list of the best places to eat around here.  I do enjoy steering my brides towards places to eat.  Olivia's list of restaurants matched mine.  So I think they did Pizzeria 712 for dinner that night.  Dang, now I am craving their housemade sausage, caramelized onion, roasted fennel, tomato sauce, mozzarella pizza right now.  

I am getting pretty tuckered.  I don't know if it is because I am thinking of the intense 3.5 day wedding dress or because it is just getting late.  We will continue the story another day.  There are only 1.5 days left to complete the dress.  Will it get done?  Will there be a canine at the wedding party with a bow tie?  These questions will be answered at a later time.

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