Video: The Society Dress
Hello, lovely! Let's sew the beautiful Society Dress together with this video tutorial. You'll learn how to sew the dress from start to finish, step-by-step!
Skills you'll practice this month include:
Sewing with stretch knits
Adding godets
Underlining with power net
Hope you love this video & find it helpful! Don't forget to download this pattern and instructions in the separate Society Dress post.
xoxo,
Gertie
P.S. Check out the video description on Youtube, and use the handy dandy time stamps to click directly on the exact part of the video you'd like to watch.
Comments (54)
Could this be made with the floor length but without the godets?
first time Patreon make, instant success! You mention swimsuit lining for the midriff as alternative to power mesh. I had some leftover by chance - worked perfectly. Thanks for the "action shots" at the end, helped a lot to assess the fit of the garment. I first thought my short sleeves were too wide/loose, but the final action shots confirmed they were just right :)
I'm finding the neckline facing a bit fiddly. Do we think converting it to a standard v-neck facing, without a seam in the center front, would still work and look ok?
When understitching, are you using a straight stitch or a narrow zig zag? I couldn't quite tell in the video.
understitching is done with a straight stitch
Oi, começo o meu hoje, com um tecido de renda filó branca bordado em miúdas flores azuis, folhinhas verdes e pontinhos brancos…vejamos como ficará!? Ah! Mangas e saia curtas.💜🌀🧵
Hi all, if you have a serger and a cover stitch machine too, which are the parts that can be done with them? I assume all the seams that needs to be ironed flat open have to be done with zigzag with the plane sewing machine…the hems can va done with the cover stitch. What about the serger?
I’m a new patron and I have to say, I love having this video! I wish every pattern came with such in-depth videos. I’ve been sewing for about two years, so I still consider myself a beginner and seeing how things should be done has been really helpful. I’ve just started the knee length dress with the bishop sleeves and realized I did something wrong thanks to the video—I may not have caught it otherwise. Thank you for making things attainable for beginners!
Dear Gertie (does Gertie read these comments??). Dear Gertie. I am a barely beginner and I’m about 40 minutes into this video and I have run into a couple of questions…. At one point you say you’re going to “stitch in the ditch” and then you skip right to “and I stitched in the ditch” with explaining or demonstrating what that actually means. When sewing the sleeves you mention the would be a good time to hem and then talk about top-stitching the hem and then cut to it already being done. I think I can guess from context what that means, but it would be nice if little thing like this could be included for us newbs. Or maybe even a companion video that includes these little tips and others, such as how to properly mark the pleat on the sleeve. Thank you for your consideration!!!
Stitch in the ditch is a term I learned with quilting. I’d stitch binding on an edge then fold it over to pass the original seam line and stitch over the original seam to catch the bottom. That way you only see one seam and not two. I hope that helps explain the process.
When pressing the seams open would a tailors clapper help to make the seams stay open? Obviously one would have to be careful not to flatten any gathers.
That usually works best for natural fibers like wool, but you could certainly try it!
This lovely dress does not appear to have a zip. I know it is sewn in stretch fabric but I would have issues with pulling it over my head. Could I insert a zi p instead? It would be a challenge to avoid waviness of the zip but at least I would be able to get the dress on!
Sure, go for it!
When making it out of velvet, what do you do for the facings? Would you use a fusible interfacing and just not care about the nap, since it's just a facing and won't be seen?
I was wondering about It too! As want to use black Velvet....
If you make this in a knit as suggested what would be an appropriate fabric to make a mock-up? a cheap knit of similar weight? muslin? This design is so awesome I want to take my time with it which includes a mock-up.
What I do in the first instance is mock up the bodice using a woven and just pin/clip myself into it. That allows me to get a sense of length (I've a super long torso), fit on my shoulders and bust. Unless there's planned negative ease (as in this pattern's waist, which I love for that cinched in look) knits are meant to be comfortable when we move and be able to get on without zips, etc. But they usually look better when not stretched over us. ;-) Then I'll do a wearable toile in a fabric with similar stretch % as my fashion fabric. I've a velour remnant that some of the colour ran when I prewashed it, I'm hoping I can cut around the spotches of colour to make a blouse version. Then I'll either go the fashion fabric or a full dress wearable toile. If I do the former I will measure the skirt to make sure it'll fit over my hips. (They're not particularly wide but I have a tummy that makes them bigger - sometimes I'll do a bigger size in the front or make darts in the back.) I rarely fit patterns straight out of the packet and usually have to do multiple adjustments but it's worth it to get to a great fitting pattern.
I'll be honest, I had been considering canceling my subscription because the themes and fits of the designs no longer aligned with my physical ability and needs. I have some medical issues that really make comfort my first priority. I've made some of the knit separates over the years but just haven't been feeling those vibes. I'm quite happy with this and look forward to trying it out. I'm crossing my fingers you'll convert/ create more patterns into knit friendly versions.
I have soo much cotton sateen saved for a beautiful dress.. wow I just love this! Alas not for woven fabric…. I NEED to find fabric for this beauty!
Sewing my second test today my first came up a little big I am short with narrow shoulders so here’s hoping my length and shoulders width adjustment do the trick so excited!
Hi, what material have you used as muslin? I've got some t shirt type and wondered if it could work before cutting my expensive velvet!
Love the return to the detailed in depth videos! I am going to make a version of this from stash remnants and swan around the house dramatically.
This is an immediate queue jumper for me! A few questions on construction: - Do you think a 95% cotton 5% spandex jersey is stable enough? I don't have enough yardage of any of the liverpool knits in my stash! - Could we get away with using tricot/knit interfacing on the midriff piece if we don't have powermesh on hand?
It's really all about the stretch percentage recommended so I would check your fabric against that! I think it should be fine. Hmm, not sure about using fusible on the midriff but you could test it on a scrap and see if you like the effect! You can also omit that for a less stable midriff.
Am I the only one who has closed captions unavailable when viewing through YouTube?
It's fixed! Sorry about that, we always have professional captions prepared and for some reason they did not populate correctly.
The new Video format is aaamazing 😍 with the in depth introduction and voice overs for the easy sewing parts 👏👏👏
Thank you for modelling the garments. When I see such fabulous fabric I am so excited to see what the finished product is. Thank you!
I’m so excited to make this!!!!
@Gertie quick Q please… I’ve watched the tutorial and love it - what a great make! I’m wondering how would I adjust for my sloping forward rolling shoulder with this please with there being no shoulder seam and the sleeve notch being at the yoke? 🤔
You could either make an adjustment where the shoulder seam would be or you could adjust the yoke seam, whichever works better for you!
The Video was Perfect! Great background music that is nice and soft now, plus you modeled the completed garments...Beautiful! I have my pattern for the Society Dress being printed, and my fabric ready to go :-D. Love It!
my new years resolution is to keep up with my patron patterns...!!!!
Raise your hand if you plan on modifying this into a top and making it in 100 different colors and patterns 🙋🏼♀️
🙌
Does anyone else have the same issue as me? When I go to Gertie’s youtube channel, it doesn’t show any of these latest videos, only ones from over a year ago. I wanted to add all these videos to a playlist so I can start playing catch up, but Youtube is really testing my IT skills. I’ve googled it and there does seem to be an issue happening, but just wondering if it’s a me issue, or an Youtube issue. And just to clarify, I can see these vids fine when I click on the links from here, but not on the channel itself. Aaaaand I’m just realising as I’m typing this, it might be because these are Patreon only…. Anyhooo, just leaving this here in case a) they are supposed to end up on the channel or b) someone makes the same mistake I did and this might help I guess, or not. Carry on.
Yes, the videos are for Patreon members only, not to be shared with the public :)
Omg, the time stamps are going to be so helpful! An awesome addition 👏👏👏
I missed this so much!! So nice to be back. I got soooo excited when I saw the new theme and pattern yayyyy
I am so happy to see the new hyperlinks and time stamps added to the monthly video!! Great job team Charm!!!
Wow I have loved past videos but can really see how hard y’all worked on upping the quality even further-so polished and I loved getting to see the finished versions at the end!
P.S. echoing the other poster’s comment about seeing both dresses at the end! Also love the new subtle background music. Looking forward to another year of Charm 👏🏼👏🏼🙌🏼💕
Love this first pattern of the year!! Plan to make several of these 💕
Loved the video and that you made both versions. Also, it's greatly appreciated that you modeled both dresses at the end. Thank you for listening to that feedback. In the dresses (especially the pink), you were giving absolute GODDESS vibes.
Well, not me having my first project of the year!
This is fantastic! Past me bought a bolt of stretch velvet last year having no idea what it would become. yay!
that’s it. i don’t need any more patterns. i’m done. i’m going to need to make a hundred of these and can’t be distracted.
ps love the new youtube bookmark feature!
I love the bustline look. No matter the bust size, it always looks good! I'm a bit scared to try it!
IM SO EXCITED!!! 😍😍😍
I love the fact that w you hair and you wore a white long dress your giving me Star Wars vibes
Oh my!!! What a fabulous pattern for the new year!! I so wanna make this one straight away!
!!!!!!!!!!!!