Help with dress alteration

stimpy27

Hi,

Please could someone help, I am getting married in three weeks time and have dug out my favourite dress, unfortunately it doesn't fit me around the bust area (breastfeeding, new baby too much chocolate etc!!) Do you think it is possible to have it taken out around the chest area, or even better a panel added in ( I will be wearing a cardigan so it won't be seen) so that i can return it to its previous state once eventually. If so how much should I be looking to pay, and where should I take it as I am very nervous of leaving it with just anybody in case they ruinthe dress completely!

Thanks

PS - I am in the south london/surrey area in case anyone has a recommendation

Hardup_Hester

No recommendations I'm afraid, best to look in local newsagents or parish newspapers to find someone who does alterations or maybe the local dry cleaners. Be prepared to be shocked by the price, our local places charge £10 to shorten a pair of trousers & to insert a panel is a very complicated process.
Hester

Katie-Kat-Kins

Alterations are not cheap if you need something complex doing, letting something out is also not easy and normally it is difficult to let something out much as manufacturers don't leave much spare fabric, you can also find that the shape of the dress is altered so that it no longer hangs right.

If you want to put it back to its original shape after a time you may find that you are left with permanent creases, stitch markes, fading, uneven wear, fraying etc where the alterations were.

So my advice would be that if this is a dress you are fond of and wish to wear again when your weight has returned to normal don't risk it and treat yourself to something new! You are getting married after all!

What is your budget like? there are some amazing bargains to be had!

Fourcandles_3

If you need it altering more than the existing seam allowance it wont work I'm afraid. Size isn't just about inches it's also about the cut. This is quite a lot of work and anyone capable of doing this will probably charge more than a new dress unless you have a friend or reletive willing and able.

I agree that you would never be able to return the dress to it's original state.

If you want a bit more advice you could try the sewingforum.com

Good luck and congratulations.