Since I don't have a pattern for that exact dress, I pretty much have to come up with one!

For the corset, I'm starting with this as a base pattern:


For the underskirt, I'm using this pattern, mostly because I had it lying around. It's the pattern I used for my wedding dress. I'll also use this pattern for the sleeves.


And I'm using this pattern for the overskirt/train:

Yay Mz!


It will be fun to watch someone else work.

First, the fun part: shopping!

We need a corset and petticoat to go under everything (I'm only making the outside of the dress!), fabric, lining, interfacing, grommets, and a hook.

The corset (aka "torture device") and petticoat:



And the fabric:

I take Miranda's measurements (for her sake, I won't take pictures of that). Then it's time to make the patterns. I trace all the patterns onto DoSew which is like a lightweight interfacing used just to trace patterns, and make modifications as I trace.

Tennessee Gal wrote:

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I can't wait to watch the work in progress.  I'm quite impressed that you can sew from scratch.  I only know how to mend.  Very basic buttons, patchess, hems (only with wonder-under tape) etc.

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It's not too hard, but takes a lot of practice. I'd suggest taking a beginning sewing class form a craft store. I think JoAnn Fabrics or Michaels offers them.

Trace the pattern, transfer the markups, and cut.



We've cut 3 panels for the skirt. I picked the best one for the front panel, and sew the other two panels to it.


Then sew the back, but stop at the notch (transferred from the pattern). The remaining gap will be where the hook goes.



Then it's time to iron the seams away from the front, and the rest of the fabric since it tends to get a bit wrinkled in the sewing process.
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That's all we're doing for today. I'll wait to sew the band on until I try it on Miranda so I can make it the exact size. So now she has two things to try on.

I get red x's. why?