A while back I remember you, Vicki, saying that you made prom dresses. My neice is getting married and my four year old granddaughter is the flower girl. After gasping at the prices of premade dresses we would like to make her dress. I have never sucessfully sewed on satin and I don't know what to do. Any hints?? My machine is a Singer, circa 1970 zig-zag. What needle size, thread etc. would you use??? Anyone else please jump in if you have info.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

Answers

What kind of time frame do you have to get this accomplished?

Satin is a VERY slippery fabric, and difficult to sew -- tends to slide away where you don't want it to go. One thing I would suggest to you would be to get extra fabric and do test seams, varying the stitch length and tension. I have a stitch on my machine (Viking, also from the '70's) that will do zig-zag with three tiny stitches to each zig and zag. If you have a stitch like that, you might try that.

The fabric will probably ravel, so you will need to finish the seams in some manner. Since this MIGHT show through to the other side, you'll probably want to experiment with that too. Fray-check might be an option. Also, use the thinnest pins you can find, and do ALL pinning within the seam allowances -- satin will take marks permanently from the pins. They used to actually sell pins marked "silk pins", but I doubt that's true anymore.

You might find crepe-backed satin easier to work with than 'regular' satin. It is also much more drapable, not so stiff. I THINK you would want the sharpest needle you can find -- the ball-point or modified ballpoint would tend to cause pulls in the satin. I would recommend a thinner needle, like a size 70 or maybe even 60. I think Singer uses a different sizing number (even though you can get interchangeable needles), so I THINK it would be a size 10 or even 9. Someone correct me on that if I'm wrong!

As for thread, you don't have too many choices any more. For the main sewing, I would use a polyester (especially since the satin is likely a synthetic these days, rather than silk). If there is any stitching that will show or decorative stitching, then probably one of the embroidery threads, maybe rayon, would be prettiest.

That's all out of my memory -- the last satin dresses I sewed were nearly 20 years ago. Flowergirl dresses, too. Oh, and I think you should press ONLY on the reverse and only lightly, and probably even want to use a press cloth. Be sure to check the fiber content and set your iron temp for it!

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

Thanks Joy, got until the first week in October. My problem is that I have TRIED to sew satin in the past and feel pretty discouraged before I even start. Somehow I was hoping that Vicki might have a "magic trick" or something that she used on prom dresses. If not satin, any of those shiny, dressy fabrics all go past my skill level. I am a cotton, cord, flannel, denim type seamstress and really avoid the fancy stuff.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

There is a great forum at SewingWorld.com -- although they currently seem to be down. Keeping trying this URL: http://www.sewingworld.com/newsw/frame_discuss.htm

When it's back up, if you post a question, you'll probably get some good answers.

Another thought: Maybe put tissue paper under your cut out pattern pieces when you are pinning them prior to sewing, to help stop the 'slippage' while sewing. Then tear off the tissue paper.

If I were close by, I'd come help you! What problems have you experienced? Is it that it slips around while trying to sew? Or you get pulls in the fabric? Or your seams pucker?

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

Wow, Dianne you go girl! My grandma could look at a dress and go home and make one like it! I didn't get her gift! All I do is break needles! I wish you luck and fun! TRen

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

joy, try all of the above :>(........have not really tryed in quite a while because the last time I tryed I really murdered the satin. I think I might try tissue paper for the whole thing.......used it once in kind of a sheer and it helped stablize the whole thing. I do wish you lived close........just so I could meet you :>) Thanks Tren, I sure don't have that gift either............I just stumble along because I am so darn cheap that there is no way I am going to pay 50 or 60 dollars for a dress that I can make for 5.

-- Anonymous, August 16, 2001

Hi Diane, first buy a good wieght of fabric, from a real fabric store. Bridal Satin is the best. The flower girl dresses I do are duplicates of the bridal dresses, so same fabric, same laces, minus the low cut or off the shoulder bodices. Satin is a woven fabric so you would use a Singer needle for woven fabrics, it will have a red shank on it, then get the multipack, so you can use a 14 to sew the body of the dress and then switch to the 9 to do any top stitching, it makes very fine beautiful stitches. They have the new sprays at your better fabric stores that actually temporarily "stick" material together, so sewing chiffon and fine fabrics is a breeze. A nice trick is to face the dress with lace so you are actually sewing all the hard bodice stuff as 4 layers, then have a full satin skirt, with side seams and hems being the easiest. If you invested or borrowed a surger, you would have the dress done in no time. Purchase thread from the racks, not the bins full of cotton thread. Now is not the time to be sewing on an freshly oiled machine, if you have to oil your machine because of non-use, spend 10 mintues or so running the machine on old material. Measure your subject carefully, especially under the arm to the waist measurements on little girls, cutting out and having a good pattern (I hate Butterick and McCalls) love Vogue and Simplicity) are the most important, I bill for a full hour to alter patterns and a full hour to cut. Thats all I can think of. Good luck!

Small funny story, did a very pretty blue raw silk dress for a little girl, had butterfly lace appliques all over it. The little girl got into the dress before the wedding, and spilled Koolaid all over it, I had to remake the bottom skirt, and all the appliques overnight! One stressed bride! Vicki

-- Anonymous, August 19, 2001

thanks Vicki, now I just need to know what a real fabric store is??:>) like I am assuming Joanne's would be o.k.?? Other than Walmart it is the only thing we have for over 50 miles.

-- Anonymous, August 19, 2001

Joanne's is still pretty good on the "fancy" fabrics. They're terrible on other clothing type fabrics (IMO) -- I can't find good bottomweight cottons to save my life. If they have the right fiber content and weight, they're something like hot pink or '60's type flowers (save me! don't want to go there again).

There are stores on line that have fabrics, but I don't know if there's time to get swatches and stuff, and still have time to sew. We also have a Hancock's here, Diane, if you need me to check and see what they have. What color are you planning on, and do you need to match it to anything else (like a bridesmaid dress or something)? Do you want me to send you online sources? I haven't actually used them yet, myself, just have the URL's saved.

Vicki, I didn't even think of those sprays -- I haven't used them yet. Sounds like they help, though!

-- Anonymous, August 19, 2001

Opposite here, Joanns is the better with Hancock with lesser quality. The good thing about our Joanns is the manager can order you anything you need, either in yards or bolts. Excellent for bridal sequins, trim and laces. We also have a really nice store in Spring Texas, that touts antique laces, though they are actually reproductions, they found a really pretty alacon lace (we always called it double embroidered in California) with a rose, instead of the tired old daisies! The new irridesint taffetas with the matching crinkle taffeta are wonderful to sew on!

I know the sprays are sold mostly to temporarily "stick" the patterns to the matierial for cutting, I like using small weights instead of pins. Our Hancock fabrics has great mini classes on all the new junk that comes out, some of it very handy, some of it not. Vicki

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

Have you looked for a dress at a consignment shop or bridal resale shop? The dress that the flowergirl wore at my wedding (back when the earth was still cooling) was actually a first communion dress.

I don't know if they're still in existence, but I got my dresses at Becker's Bridal Shop in Fowler, Michigan. It was a HUGE store, and the prices were about half of what the traditional bridal shops were charging.

Just in case you decide you don't want to go the sewing route....

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

YIPPY, SKIPPY...........just talked to the daughter and she, the neice and the granddaughter went shopping this weekend and FOUND the elusive, affordable dress. NO disappointed seamstress here let me tell you. Joy, the idea of shopping for fabric etc. is definately to be considered, since Joanne's is approx. 40 miles one way. I must explore that this winter when internet time doesn't cut into all the "have toos" that continue to pile up right now.

I sure appreciate all the answers and the truth is my best thought is AVOID sewing on satin!!!

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

Okay, Diane, when we're all bored this winter (yeah, right), remind me, and we'll talk sewing and internet sites. You lucked out on this one didn't you! ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001