For the two princess-line patterns shown above, however, you bet I can take a standard princess pattern (well, one of mine, because I want one that fits) and a ruler and produce the same thing.

Believe me, I know what’s entailed in the process of creating a custom wedding gown, because I’ve been doing it professionally for years. Had you read that post fully, or my other observations, you might have realized that I actually do understand what the process of creating a custom wedding gown entails. I am somewhat stunned that you would describe what I’ve posted above as “an oversimplification.”

This is a vast over simplification on the prcess of constructing a custom wedding gown.

If you’ve made a shirt, you can make one of these. If you (or your seamstress) makes a dress for you, insist on having a toile made, though. The “toile” is a garment made out of a less expensive fabric than your wedding dress, or “fashion fabric,” using the same pattern, but without trimmings (the structure, rather than decorations). All fitting changes are made to the toile, and transferred to the pattern, before the wedding dress fabric is cut into. Many seamstresses use muslin, which is an inexpensive cotton, and often a very good choice, to make toiles. I recommend using a fabric which will behave in the same way as the fashion fabric. My SIL’s dress was going to be in a very heavy satin, with a very fitted bodice and a full skirt; I wanted a fabric with more weight than muslin, so I made her toile in a soft brushed white cotton denim. Yes, basically it means making two dresses, but it’s really worth it in terms of fit and expense. Make certain you get MORE FABRIC for your wedding dress than you think you might need, and get all the yardage of whatever piece you’re buying at the same time; dye lots vary, and so does availability. You don’t want to wonder at 2:30 in the morning as you get down to the stretch, “Holy cow! I just estimated what I’d need for a train! Do I have enough???” and then find out that although when you bought the fabric for the train, three stores had the same thing, now none of them have it all.

Actually, the reason mom’s friend desided to go with an off-the-rack was because she wanted a dress she could just decide on, buy, and be done worrying about it. Which makes sense, I suppose, and she’s happy enough with what she got. So I suppose it works out. Mom’s making her own maid-of-honor dress, though.

http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog1.html

There are lovely patterns, whether you like covered-up, revealing, trains, plain, whathaveyou. And 99% of the patterns have sleeves.

TV’s patterns are accurate and freaking fabulous. Speaking as someone who’s navigated the treacherous seas of Independent Patterns, there are a lot of dangerous lunatics out there with pencils and pattern paper who ought to be locked up for the safety of all mankind. Not so the folks at TV. Mind, their fitting system is different from the standard, but that’s what makes it good, IMO. Folks, I’m here to say that, 99% of the time, when you need to alter a pattern, you don’t split the inches difference and spread it amongst all the seams: some of you are bigger in the front, some of you are bigger in the back, and some of us are bigger just in spots. Unusual spots. If you (and, hopefully, the friend helping with measurements) measure carefully, the patterns will fit with a minimum of fuss; I had much less trouble fitting my SIL and her DD than I would have had with the usual commercial pattern. (Some folks seem to have trouble with the fitting; I suspect they may not be measuring properly.) My goddaughter, who had done a minimum of sewing, was able to make a beautiful brocade and velvet bustle dress on her own (well, some over-the-phone help) with those patterns. If you want beautiful, flattering, not-too-revealing wedding dresses, and would consider having one made, that’s the place to go for a pattern. (Unless you want a Regency dress, in which case, Sensibility.com is the place to go.)

FWIW, I plan to collect their patterns. Just to have. Even if I never make them. Except, of course, I plan to make most of the jackety ones to wear to work.

Twistie, Cassie’s mom’s friend may have turned the offer down out of love. She may have found exactly what she wanted at David’s, and opted not to put her friend (Cassie’s mom) through the whole dressmaking process because she wanted to keep her friend. I made two fabulous wedding dresses one year, one for a friend and one for my sister-in-law, who unfortunately both picked the same date. The dresses turned out fabulously, and my sister-in-law was wonderful, especially considering she didn’t speak the language at all, so there could have been awful communications problems.

The friendship, OTOH, no longer exists.

The problem with a friend making a wedding dress out of love is that the bride, unless she sews, doesn’t really know the value of what she’s getting. It’s that simple. It’s like childbirth; you can’t really know it if you haven’t undergone it. You can watch it, you can read about it, you can admire the end product, but it’s not the same.

Oh, and those Marfy patterns - OH MY GOD. $105 for a pattern? For that kind of money, I’d rather have Kathleen Fasanella draft a professional pattern for me (I’m not undervaluing her, she’s fast and she’s good). And that’s for a pattern without directions, without seam allowances, without a freakin’ picture on the envelope, and one size only. Puh-lease.

*N.B. If someone makes a pattern to your measurements that fits you, $105 is chickenfeed. CHICKENFEED. But $105 for a commercial pattern which is going to have to be altered anyway? I think not. There’s many a pretty princess pattern which can be altered to create at least two of those outfits by anyone handy with a ruler.

NOTES TO ANYONE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A DRESS MADE OUT OF FRIENDSHIP:

Arrange your schedule for the seamstress’s convenience. Show up on time. Bring whatever she tells you will be needed in terms of shoes and undergarments. Pay for materials promptly and cheerfully. Make sure you all understand what’s wanted and what’s expected of the dress, with many hand-wavings and pictures for explanation.

Believe me, these will help preserve the friendship that prompted the offer in the first place. I know none of the ladies who come here would Bridezilla, because trust me, you don’t want to pull any of that with a seamstress who’s armed with a pair of shears.