Making a dress with a zip into a laceup back

Tigerlilley1980

Hi there, no sure if this is in the right place!

I have just been to my sisters and had her try on her bridesmaid dress and it fits great apart from the zip won't go all the way up at the back.

I really don't want to pay for alterations and I have a sewing machine which I am capable of using, but was wondering if someone can help me.

I want to either take the zip out completely and put loops in to make it a laceup back or leave the zip in, (it isn't noticeable at all), and put the loops in.

What do I need to make the loops, the dress is black satin, and what do I need for the lace? Which is the best way to attach them so they don't come undone, or fall apart through the day!

Or are there any good websites which will show me how to do this?

Thanks in advance Tiger xxx

Floss

You may be better posting on the Weddings board, as Lindaatno9 will be able to help....

picklepick

I second what Floss says Tiger. Linda is a wedding dress maker. It might be more complicated than you think and you'd also have to add a modesty panel aswell.

Ches

I am no expert but I would think you would need some sort of ribbon if you want to make loops that you can lace up. And I would think that you would need to take the zip out and replace it with binding to reinforce the seam and sandwich the ribbon loops between that and the actual dress. Alternatively you could make eyelet holes and use ribbon to lace through them. Good luck.

Tigerlilley1980

Hi thanks for your replies. I will ask Linda! xx

freakyogre

Could you post back here if/when you get a reply if possible please?

I have a dress which fits perfectly except for the back and was wondering if I could do the same thing (even bought some ribbon to try but never did!)

westcoastscot

Morning,
I had an "emergency" back up plan for this for a bride recently who wasnt sure she would have lost all the weight she had planned :-) ((she actually did and looked stunning)). I bought some narrow satin ribbon, and a metre of beautiful lace - cost around £10. My plan was to sew little loops of ribbon for lace-holes, thread the remaining ribbon to lace up the back loosely, and then position the larger lace panel between the bride's back and the lace - if you know what I mean - in a kind of ruched way to look deliberate?? this way she would look really pretty - when we experiemented we had a fishtail hanging down from the waist, and no strain would have been on the dress itself.
Pauline :-)