Sew, Wear, Worship: A Tutorial on Creating a Beautiful Sunday Gown

Hello fellow designers! I'm glad to share with you my latest sewing project, a beautiful gown I made for Sunday service. In this tutorial, I'll walk you through the steps I took to create this stunning piece.

The Inspiration

It all started on Saturday when I was contemplating what to wear to church on Sunday. My thought landed on this particular fabric that has been in my care for a while now. I do not have any specific design in mind but I knew I wanted a modest flowy gown with a free bottom part.
In this tutorial, I'll share the steps I took to create this gown. While I won't be able to provide shots for some parts because I was trying to work against time, I'll use paper illustrations to fill in the gaps.

Sewing Materials Used

Cotton Lining
Soft Paper Stay
Matching Thread
Zip
Pearl Bead

The Process

Step 1
I cut out the front and back bodices, extending the length to the hip line.
I initially wanted to make a princess dart but changed it.

Step 2
Originally, I planned for a high neckline, but I decided to go for an inbuilt high neckline instead.

Step 3
I added a soft paper stay to the neckline to stabilize it.

Step 4
I fixed the cotton lining on both the front and back bodices and gave them a proper ironing.

Step 5
I joined the front and back bodies. I used an invisible zip for the back bodice.

Step 6
I don't want the regular straight line bottom so I did this. I came in by 3 inches on both dart lines to achieve the curve.

Step 7
I multiply my hip measurement x 4 to determine the length of fabric needed for the gather, aiming for a full effect.

Step 8
I used a 180-degree circular flay to create the rose. After lining the fabric, I folded it into four equal parts, secured the shaded area with a seam, and then attached it to the dress.