Dressmaking Ponderation

This morning during my pattern making class, I asked my teacher if she knew of any local dressmakers who could make my wedding dress. She suggested that I try making it myself, if the design isn’t too complicated (it isn’t). I’ll already have my basic blocks* and know-how from pattern-making class, and since I was planning on doing the sewing class anyway I can do it as a project there – thus getting some help from a pro and not showing it to The Boy. There’s still a few issues though:

• If I lose as much weight as I plan to, my blocks and measurements I’m doing now will need to be redone. Not a big deal since I’m taking kickass notes though.
• Each block of classes is $220 for 6 classes. I’m not sure how doable finishing a wedding dress, right from drafting the pattern, in 6 weeks is, and if I do several blocks it’ll potentially be costing as much as getting a dress made. I would come away with tons of knowledge though, and it’s something I’m genuinely interested in learning.
• I can see myself being too much of a perfectionist for my skill level, and winding up hating the dress by the time I get to wear it (this happens with lots of things I make…).
• I’d have to be really really careful transporting the thing to and from classes – and I’m not reeeeally a very careful person.
• It could still come out crap.
• I’ve received skeptical reactions to my plans to do my own flowers, hair and makeup, so I’m fairly certain people will think I’m completely crazy for trying to do this.

But on the positive side…

• Bragging rights for making my own freaking wedding dress. Come on, how cool is that?
• Complete creative control.
• My dress would be made from scratch with my body in mind, as opposed to buying made-to-measure or off-the-rack and having it adjusted.
• Apart from the cost of the class, it will be far cheaper (in terms of money at least!)
• I’ll have a professional who has made garments for tons of people before to turn to for help.
• I’ve made dresses in a similar style to what I want before, and completed them in just a couple of weeks with quite a good result.
• Sewing, particularly sewing fun dresses that fit me nicely, is something I really want to get good at – and what greater challenge than a ball dress?
• I’m honestly not so obsessed with the ‘perfect’ dress that I would be completely upset if my handmade dress didn’t work out, I couldn’t get anything else made in time and had to buy something off the rack.

I think I’ll really have to just see how my sewing goes over the next several months, then determine if I can handle the challenge or not!

* a pattern making ‘block’ is a template based on the person’s measurements and shape, which can then be used as the basis for more complex designs. Working from a block means you don’t have to work with a commercial pattern and can get a better fit faster. Currently I’m working on a bodice and a straight skirt block, which would form the basis for most dresses.