Introduction: Handmade Homecoming Dress


1- I am a 16 year old aspiring fashion designer. Just a girl who loves to sew! I was inspired to take on a big project, so I chose to make my Homecoming dress! It made Homecoming much more fun and special, knowing I was wearing a dress I designed and sewed myself. It was a very fun process coming up the with sketch, making a pattern, and then creating the dress!I went to my fabric store to get my supplies! I chose to use a light purple and hot pink crepe back satin for the body of the dress and then chose several different colors of a glitter tulle for the skirt.

2- First step, was the idea! I got inspired by seeing some ruffles! And then the dress popped into my head! I sketched it up, got my supplies and started sewing it! I worked with my mom, who is also a seamstress on this dress. If I was struggling on the concept of a part of the dress, she would help me work  it through!

3- I made this dress at home, in my little sewing studio. I also worked on it in my sewing club at school! It was fun to show everyone the step by step process and of course, the finished product! I hope it inspired some girls to make their dresses in future years too!

4-I learned so much during this project. I learned to be more patient while working with fabric. I also learned to accept that not everything will go perfectly as planned, and if it doesn't not to freak out. You can always cut a new piece of fabric and start again. Some of my biggest challenges of this dress was design a pattern to my dimensions. I had never designed something from scratch before (I had always used a pattern), so it was challenging to figure out how big to cut a piece or how to construct the bodice. It was also very challenging dealing with the tulle to make the ruffles. The tulle was very cheap and so it would stretch out or get snagged easily, so it was challenging to sew without making it look bad. I am most proud of how the ruffles came out though, because I feel they are so different and unique. If I had to make this dress again, I think I would have used a nicer fabric for the ruffles, because after my dance was over, the ruffles did not look as great, because they got stretched out. So if I use a nicer fabric, I feel the ruffles would have survived much longer. This dress was an amazing experience and I have learned so much from it!!

Step 1: The Sketch

First step, was the idea! I got inspired by seeing some ruffles! And then the dress popped into my head! I sketched it up, got my supplies and started sewing it!

Step 2: Supplies

I went to my fabric store and got my supplies! I chose to use a light purple and hot pink crepe back satin for the body of the dress and then chose several different colors of a glitter tulle for the skirt. 

Step 3: Construction

When I began constructing the dress, I did not know where to begin because I've never started anything from scratch. I began looking at other patterns that were similar to my design to get an approximate size. I basted everything and made sure everything fit before stitching the dress together. Some things were not very easy, but overall it was a fun, quick process. The bottom ruffles are made out of the tulle. Because tulle does not unravel when cut, I was ok with having open edges. The ruffles are made by cutting a half-donut out of the tulle and then stitching the top straight across. By stitching the half-donut straight across, it allows the ruffle to fall and naturally curl into a ruffle. It did this in various sections of the dress, creating a sea of ruffles! They are the highlight of the dress.

Step 4: The Finished Product

I was very proud of the dress and it was such a fun experience to make! It was so special to wear the dress I made to my dance!

Dream It, Draw It, Wear It Contest

Runner Up in the
Dream It, Draw It, Wear It Contest

Fashion Contest

Participated in the
Fashion Contest

Make-to-Learn Youth Contest

Participated in the
Make-to-Learn Youth Contest