Wedding To Prom Dress Tutorial

DIY Wedding To Prom Dress Tutorial

While prom dress shopping, it was extremely difficult to find something that fit more beautifully in the bodice area (with its sequins layered on satin) than a gorgeous wedding dress we found in a consignment store.

As white was a color we found in some new prom dresses, that wasn't an issue- but we knew getting the train of satin and lace off would be difficult without taking it in to have the length shortened.

With only a week before prom, we knew that might be difficult, plus very expensive. So here is what we did to turn this lovely wedding dress (modeled by my daughter) into a very acceptable prom dress.

Challenges:

Since the bodice fit perfectly, and taking the dress apart was not a challenge I was ready for, we decided to concentrate on shortening the dress and taking off the train.

The front was slightly long for her to walk or dance in, and the sides progressively got longer to match the train in back.

To make matters more difficult, the beaded bodice came down to a point in the tailbone area, so measuring from the lower bodice to the floor was not going to work the same in the back as in the front.

Neither was lying the dress on a table and trying to even it out.

We decided that for this to work, we would have to use the floor as a guide, both for cutting and for sewing. This meant that she would have to stand in the dress, holding the layers up, so that we could work on one layer at a time.

When working on the dress, we laid a flat sheet out (for her to stand on) to keep the dress as clean as possible.

Notes

Cutting into a wedding dress is not easy to begin. Cuts must be carefully made (with your best fabric shears), working slow, avoiding jagged points, and using a measuring ruler with the guide set on your distance from the floor for the outermost satin layer.

Set aside as many days for this project as you can. Frequent breaks are necessary!

Step 1. Taking Out Excess Layers

As there are many layers in a wedding dress, you will want to first lay the dress on a clean, large table, and lift the layers to look at them.

If there are any thick cotton-type threads holding the train as a bustle, these need to be cut off first, so that all the layers can fall straight down.

On our dress, there were 2 satin skirt layers (the outer one was the train), plus many layers of toile, netting, and lace between them and on top of them.

One of our goals was to slim the dress down slightly- there were too many layers which gave it a Cinderella-ish look.

One of the satin skirts had 2 rows of netted ruffles, and I used a seam ripper to take these off. (These were not connected to the bodice but were sewn on various lengths down the leg). (All of the layers connected to the bodice were left on).

This reduced enough fullness of the dress, and so we were ready to move onto the length.

Step 2. Studying The Layers

Cutting the satin underskirts was very different than cutting the lace, netting, or toile, so I had to use different methods for each.

Lace:

Only the top layer of lace had a edge seam- all of the under layers of toile and netting were not seamed (thankfully) but cut carefully before the dress was put together.

The top layer (with the seam) would have to be re-seamed after the train length was cut off.

Satin:

Because the 2 satin skirt layers had serged-type seams (the outer skirt one had a train), they would have to be measured and cut carefully so that the length would be right, allowing for a double seam.

As I don't have a serger, I used a straight seam on the satin underskirts, because a zigzag seam puckered the satin fabric too much.

I also used a larger seam than I would have on cotton, because of its slippery nature. (I used a 1" hem, doubled).

Step 3: Choosing The Right Length And Finishing Each One

*Important: Start on the inside of the layers and work on only one layer at a time.

Work your way out, having your model hold the outer layers up.

Inner Satin Skirt

We decided that it was ok to make the inner satin skirt (not the one with the train) ankle length, for the best movement underneath the top skirts.

Disregarding the hem that was in it (which was a bit long over the toes), I laid down on the floor, laid one side of my shear on the floor, and cut carefully to the floor, all the way around her. (Try to avoid jagged edges).

When the dress was off her, I pinned this to 1", then pinned again to another inch, and then machine-sewed the hem, with the right side of the hem facing outwards. (For accuracy, it's very important to use your ruler when pinning the hem).

Inside Netting, Toile, and Lace Layers (Those Between the Satin Skirts- Which Have No Hem)

I laid down on the floor, laid one side of my shear on the floor, and cut carefully to the floor, all the way around her.

On these, it is important to be careful of jagged edges, and to cut neatly, as they will not be hemmed.

Cutting the length of these to the floor caused them to spring up slightly. As we were concerned about her not tripping over the dress when she danced, this was fine.

*Steam might have been useful in straightening the layers some.

When we got back in the train area, we simply cut it off as we did the rest. The sides and the back were where we mostly did our cutting. (Not too much cutting was required in the front area).

Outer Satin Skirt (With Train)

This is the layer which is the most challenging. In the front, it was just a bit long, but in the back it was very long, because of the train.

We wanted this to fall longer than the inside satin skirt- just slightly higher than where it originally was in the front of the wedding dress.

Again, it's difficult to comprehend what to do unless the floor is used as a guide.

Most of the back length needs to come off, first, before any hemming is done.

What I did was to pull the satin down straight from her, lay the point of my measuring tape (not ruler) on the floor where this fell, measure out 3" (on the floor), and mark with a pen on the dress. Then I would do the same thing about 2" away, and cut dot to dot. I did this around the sides, also.

I could have gone more with the back but wanted to make sure that the back wasn't shorter than the front).

(There was none to cut off in the front, as I wanted to use that length to hem).

So that left the back and sides longer than the front, but much easier to work with, as the train was gone.

Off my model and again on the table, I pinned the back and sides length to 1".

I had trimmed off just the serged part in the front of this satin layer, and I pinned it to approx. 1/2".

Then I sewed this hem around.

Obviously, this would be different lengths, but since I had to get the first hem in before measuring the final length by the floor, this was necessary to do.

The next step will get it even by the visible eye (ours was 1/2" from the floor all around the dress), but to someone looking at the hem closely, it will be of different lengths inside.

We placed the dress back on her, and this time, with our measuring ruler set at 1/2", begin pinning in the front, with a 1/2" space from the floor.

We did this all around the dress, and then eyeballed it to see if it looked long anywhere. We also brought down the top lace layer to see if the satin skirt length looked ok.

Once we checked and rechecked this hem, I went back to the table and repinned it to get ready to sew. Then I sewed the hem...

Outside Netting, Toile, and Lace Layers (Those Above The Satin Skirts- Which Have No Hem)

I'll repeat this as we did these layers exactly as we did the inside ones...

I laid down on the floor, laid one side of my shear on the floor, and cut carefully to the floor, all the way around her.

On these, it is important to be careful of jagged edges, and to cut neatly, as they will not be hemmed.

Cutting the length of these to the floor caused them to spring up slightly. As we were concerned about her not tripping over the dress when she danced, this was fine.

*Steam might have been useful in straightening the layers some.

When we got back in the train area, we simply cut it off as we did the rest. The sides and the back were where we mostly did our cutting. (Not too much cutting was required in the front area).

Outermost Lace Layer (With Hem)

As this layer is a train layer, it must be cut to the floor as previously done with the others. However, it does have the tiny, one-fold hem in the front which is sewn.

Basically I cut that off (seam ripping did not work on the lace) just beyond the seam, cut the back and sides of the lace to floor length, and top sewed a straight seam with a 1/2" hem. (The 1/4" hem did not work as the lace was getting caught in the machine).

I hope this tutorial helps you in case you decide to tackle this for a special girl in your life... as I did for mine. She looked gorgeous and she had a wonderful time!