Good evening all,

It has been a while since I've participated here. Before I ask my question I'd like to say a big thank you to the creators of Livingsoft Dressshop. You are doing some wonderful things please keep up the great work.

I have to make a prom dress for a client. It is a strapless dress but there is shirring on the top. From the picture it looks like about five rows up and down. Starting under the bust the shirring goes from side seam to side seam until you get to the abdomen then the shirring start to go out like a sunbust and stops at the hips.
She has chosen to use a crepe back satin fabric. I know how to shirr. What I'm having trouble with is how much more bigger to make the pattern so that when it is shirred it will be the size of the pattern.

This client is small. Her bust 33 1/2", waist 29" and her hips are 37 1/2". Any help would be appreciated I need to start this on Monday.

Happy Easter to all.
WillieMae
gcefashions@aol.com

Shir the fabric FIRST flat as a block- then cut out the pattern piece.
Kaaren

Thanks Karren, funny I was thinking about my shirring and thought to do the same as you said. But, doesn't that mean that I don't pull the elastic thread?
I have a picture of the dress she wants, is there a way I can show it to you?

Thanks a million.
WillieMae

You might also want to press a fusible mesh onto the back of the shirred fabric before you cut it out so that the shirring won't come out. Either that, or trace around the pattern onto the back of the fabric and stay stitch it before cutting it out.

sure send to patrns4u@aol.com

I used to do a lot of smocking for granddaughters party dresses and always presmocked then cut......

why couldn't you pull the elastics, pin on the pattern run a zigzag around the cut line and cut just outside the cut line- 1 finished the raw edge and 2 perfectly sized and be assured all those gathers are patted in smoothly. If you precut the elastic an inch or two beyond the zig zag line , and laid them back inside the patetrn area before cutting away the fabric..you would also be able to pull up the errant one that got away with the tail....

I hope this makes sense...

Kaaren