Creating a Muslin

...except this "muslin" is a rather heavy denim blue chambray, and my current bride is going to actually wear it doing old time dance when it's done.

It's standard procedure to make a muslin to get the perfect fit before chopping into the silk or satin when making a wedding dress, or any other type garment where the fabric is expensive and where it needs to be just perfect.

So, here are a couple of pictures. This thing is totally thrown together, with dirt cheapo walmart lace so that I could practice my construction techniques (what order to do the seams in). I altered the bodice so much that the instructions were rendered useless, and the lace goes on while I"m constructing, not afterward. The front of the hem is merely pinned, and the back is still just a raw edge.

The bride was very happy with the results so far, and the only changes we'll make for her wedding gown is four small darts in the front and no darts in the back of the bodice.

Additionally, the wedding dress will be white dupioni silk, with lace trim on the bodice, sleeves, and hem, insead of just the bodice. I might add some beading, too, if it seems appropriate.

And here is a close up of the bodice: