Dressmaking is more than just being able to sew a straight line - you need to have a good understanding of how different dress styles ‘work’ and how to make alterations to suit the bride without changing the overall design.
A good example is this dress, which needed alterations made to the length. Without the right knowledge, a lot of people would ‘take the hem up’ in
the traditional sense, shortening the skirt from the bottom. However, this would change the proportions of the skirt, with the width of the top
ruffles no longer being balanced by the length of the skirt.
To keep the proportions balanced, I shortened the skirt from the waist seam, and left the bulk of the frills falling vertically, which tricks
the eye into thinking the skirt is longer than it is. The first photograph shows the bride on a pedal stool, whereas the second photograph shows
the shortened hem with the bride standing on the ground.
It is a good lesson for soon-to-be brides: if you need to stand on a pedal stool when you try on your dress, make sure you speak to the seamstress
about how she intends on shortening the dress, and how this will potentially change the shape. There is nothing worse than purchasing a dress that
cannot be altered without losing the overall silhouette!