Kaia's Rose Communion Dress

It's nice that my first white dress of the season gets to be this delightful confection. Delicately embroidered Swiss cotton organdy makes up the skirt and elbow length sleeves of this dress. Heavenly fabric!

Kaia wanted her dress to honor her grandmother, Rose, so I crafted three little Dior roses in satin to accent the waist. Each rose is stitched by hand with several layers of petals in different sizes.

Satin picks up the subtle sheen of the embroidery. The scallops are sweetly feminine.

I finish dresses with a couture zipper, set by hand for stability and accuracy. The sheer organdy fabric is underlined in cotton poplin for support and opacity. The dress is then fully lined with soft cotton lawn. The skirt layers are each finished with French seams. This dress will be as comfortable to wear as it is lovely.

Cotton organdy remains my favorite First Communion fabric. It has a light, innocent quality that I think speaks to the occasion. At the same time, it is elegant and very special. It would be nice to see this dress passed on to a little sister, a cousin and one day a daughter.

Tessa's Heirloom Communion Dress

 

After many hours of careful labor, Tessa's family heirloom was completely transformed. Instead of the neck ruff, she has a classic Peter Pan collar in silk satin. The sleeves were shortened and simplified.

 

The scratchy yellow lining was replaced with soft cotton lawn. The delicate original fabric was given much needed support with an underlining of cotton poplin. These three cotton layers give the skirt a gentle fullness that is still comfortable to wear.

 

A delicate bias tube with tiny bow at the waist ties the new satin collar and hem together. I really love how the satin brings out the embroidery. The original lace was heavy and coarse. It overpowered the fine detail. With the satin adjacent, the embroidery seems to shine like silk.

 

 

Still, I couldn't bear to completely separate the original pieces of the dress, so I attached the original lace to the skirt underlining.

 There wasn't another dress like this at Tessa's First Communion and she wouldn't have it any other way! Her mother and grandmother were equally pleased with the results. I was grateful for the opportunity to save a treasured heirloom.

 

 Maybe one day they'll bring it back for me to turn it into a Christening gown.

 

Photography courtesy of George Aubrey Photography

an heirloom Communion dress

Tessa came to me with her mother's dress from the early 1970's. It had been sewn by Tessa's great-grandmother, who was a professional seamstress. Tessa's mother remembers accompanying her grandmother to 4th Street to select the fabric. Tessa is an old soul and it was important to her to wear her mother's dress. But, like many of today's children, she had very particular ideas. She didn't like the collar, it bothered her. She preferred a Peter Pan collar. And she hated the long sleeves - too puffy! Plus, the dress was quite a few inches too short and the acetate lining had yellowed with time, making the dress appear a little Miss Havisham.

I took on the project of re-working the dress with excitement and a little trepidation. This was a family heirloom with great sentimental meaning. There was no additional fabric to work with and no room for mistakes! I washed the dress and removed some minor stains and then I spent a lot of time inspecting every construction detail and making a plan for how to alter it. Finally, I had to admit the only way forward was to dismantle the entire dress. It's rather like renovating an old house - you don't entirely know what you're going to find when you start taking things apart. The delicate fabric required great care.

 

Once I had it apart and the pieces pressed flat, I could start to plan the design. I wanted to retain all that I could of Tessa's great-grandmother's fine workmanship, but fulfill Tessa's wishes and bring the dress into the 21st century. The biggest challenge was adding length in a cohesive way. Finally one night I had this idea:

 

 

If I cut off the original lace hem, the satin Tessa chose for the new collar could also form a wide band at the skirt hem, allowing as much extra length as we wanted  In trying to save as much original detail as I could, I hadn't considered cutting off the lace. But in fact, the embroidery looked much nicer next to the satin, which was a perfect match. A delicate waist detail with a tiny bow in the same satin provided cohesion. Again, it's like an old house: to properly patch a very old wooden floor, you "feather in" the new pieces so it blends together. I pitched several ideas to my little client, but this is the one we all liked best.

 

Stay tuned for the final pictures!

 



introducing Penelope

With Easter gone, I am up to my elbows in whites for First Communion season. I can hardly wait to show you what special project I've been working on. Meanwhile, I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce the last of my samples for this year, the Penelope dress.

Penelope is made from a positively divine cotton voile. Many carefully engineered layers imbue this dress with an ethereal quality I find absolutely perfect for this sacred occasion. 

 Sleeves are demure with a gentle puff and a hand finished bias cuff. 

The dress is finished with my trademark hand picked zipper. The sash and bow are made from cotton lace fabric that brings a subtle textural contrast to this simple frock. The headband is made from the same lace.

I am completely smitten with the grace of this dress. Its simplicity and elegance perfectly befit the occasion.

Of course, most of the gorgeousness here is due to my lovely models! Without them, my dresses would be lifeless. Many, many thanks to them and their moms for all their help.

Many thanks also to my photographer, Amanda Hall Studios, for bringing my vision to life.

introducing Fiona

 

Fiona is really a very modern dress.  Instead of a princess skirt, it has a simple A line shape.

 

 

The interest lies in the dynamic pleats that move across the bodice and open up dramatically in the skirt. In color, I would use those pleats to showcase a pop of something exciting, like a fun print or an unexpected contrast. 

 

 Working in white, I wanted them to be equally dramatic. I pieced together lengths of five separate French cotton laces to create strips of fabric for the pleats. Dotted Swiss cotton lawn is a charming foil to the modern lines of this dress.    

The sleeves are unlined and finished with a tiny hem. Simple and delicate.

 

In keeping with the clean lines in this dress, I show Fiona with a simple satin ribbon as a sash. Of course you may have whatever you wish! A larger bow, a belt or nothing at all. I like to see some interest the back of a Communion Dress because people will see a lot of the back of the dress too.  

 And of course, Fiona can change her colors too. 

photography: Amanda Hall

dress pattern: Clever Charlotte

shoes: Zappos

jewelry: model's own

 the vintage prayer book was my mother's from her First Holy Communion!

introducing Mary

 Scalloped broderie elevates the simple princess silhouette to a charming and timeless heirloom. The Mary dress features demure sleeves and a slight bateau neckline for a classic style that is completely age appropriate.

 The sleeve hems match the skirt and showcase the embroidery. Unlined sleeves are delicate and graceful.

 This dress is lined and underlined in cotton for structure, opacity and durability. A few layers of tulle give the skirt an extra fluff, but the soft cotton lawn lining makes it smooth and comfortable to wear. No itchy legs will distract her on her special day!

 A soft, white satin bow finishes the dress for Communion Day with a gentle shine. The matching satin headband is available as well. This close up best shows the detail in the fabric.

 A quick and easy change of sash and headband completely transforms this dress to a party ready look.

photography: Amanda Hall
dress pattern: Oliver + S

shoes: Zappos

Little White Dresses - introducing my new website!

I am excited to announce the official launch of Melanie Watson Custom Children's Dressmaking. After a few years taking only select commissions, I am thrilled to be expanding my offerings! I have a brand new website with new photos, details and new sample dresses to give a taste of what I can create for you.

My 2014 First Holy Communion collection is inspired by traditional styles and materials. I wanted to develop an elegant look that suits the solemnity of the occasion yet celebrates the girl herself. Normally, everything I do is one of a kind. I start with a girl – her personality, her likes, her favorite things – and let her inspire my design choices. This time, I had to imagine. I imagined little girls whose dreams are just starting to take shape. They are sweet and fiery, smart and creative, strong and kind. They dance ballet and play soccer and paint. They have reached the age of reason, but still play at dolls and dress up. And I imagined their mothers and fathers watching their little daughters on this important day, wondering how they got so big and wishing they could stay little just a little longer. My goal is to make them both happy with simple, pretty designs that do not overpower the girl or the commitment she makes.

For First Holy Communion dresses, I am inspired by the delicacy of vintage styles, timeless shapes and demure details. Above all, I’m inspired by the sanctity of occasion itself and I strive to create something appropriate. The result is a group of dresses that honor our traditions yet fit the lives we live today. 

I’ve also created a party look so you can see that my dresses are suitable for many occasions. A colorful silk sash in a girl’s favorite color of the moment transforms a demure Communion dress into a fun party frock. She could wear it for Easter or a birthday party or a spring wedding. When a dress is this special, she should wear it more than once.

In the coming weeks, I will present each dress in more detail. If you’re wondering how they look in real life, you’re in luck! I’m hosting a launch party and trunk show next Sunday, February 9^th. Contact me at Melanie@mwatsondressmaking.com for an invitation or to make a private appointment.

girls in white dresses

Long before we start marking pages in bridal magazines, the first dress to really capture our hearts might just be the white confection we wear for our First Holy Communion. This is the first time we get to wear something very special.  Because we are growing up. We are old enough to make commitments and to understand them.

A communion dress needs to strike a very difficult balance between little girl and growing up person. It also needs to honor what is, after all, a holy occasion. The dress needs to be appropriate for a young girl, but also reflect her first steps into a grown up world.  When Lucy came to me with a wish for a simple and classic dress, I was honored and excited to be a part of it.

Usually when I begin a dress, I am inspired by fabric or pattern. I may choose a pattern that lets an unusual fabric shine or I may chose fabric that suits the style lines of a pattern. A communion dress presents a unique design challenge. The traditional full skirted shape and pure white fabric are preordained. Yet, there is room for personality.

To create interest in the all white landscape of the First Communion dress, I do what designers do in a white room – I turn to texture. There was no doubt in my mind about the main fabric: organdy.

Cotton organdy is hard to come by.  My mother fondly remembers the organdy party dresses my grandmother made her and my aunts in the 50s and 60s. Today this wonderful stuff seems to have faded exclusively to the realm of heirloom sewing and historical costuming.  Organdy is a very sheer fabric that is crisp and holds its shape. It is so very lightweight it simply floats. It has a gently ethereal character that perfectly suits a holy occasion.  It speaks of a fine, ladylike quality sorely missed in the ever cheaper, ever faster fashion of ready to wear.

For white work, it’s natural to turn to the world of heirloom sewing. Many people assume “heirloom” means old fashioned clothes with a suffocating amount of lace that look more like costumes than anything we might actually want to wear today. The truth is that heirloom sewing is really about the finest fabrics, exquisite detail and impeccable needlework. Heirloom style includes simple, tailored and elegant techniques perfect for a traditional setting. To honor tradition in a way that works now, I decided a modern interpretation of heirloom would offer Lucy the simple elegance she likes.

The sheer layers can be embellished in many ways, but our Lucy prefers a simple aesthetic. So I put aside ruffles and lace and borrowed from more tailored techniques. Rows of tiny pin tucks add texture and dimension without the frills. A tiny vine embroidery with Swiss entredeux was just the right amount of girly for Lucy. 

The bodice and skirt are underlined in poplin for structure and just a few layers of tulle for fullness. The whole dress is lined in fine cotton lawn, soft against the skin. All skirt layers are finished with French seams.

I left the sleeves sheer for formality and textural interest. Lucy chose sweet tulip shape over more predictable puff ones. The baby hem echoes the pintucks in the skirt. For the collar, I did something unorthodox. I took just one layer of organdy and finished it with same tiny hem as the sleeves. The effect is subtle, but the relationship of the sleeves and collar help pull the design together.

The final layer of texture is a shiny silk satin sash with a generous bow.  This makes a nice contrast the matte surface of the organdy.

Lucy is tall for her size and needed 6 extra inches of length! I made a sway back adjustment to better fit her excellent posture. These kinds of changes couldn’t be made to a store bought dress. Lucy has a dress that reflects her own personality, is made to fit her perfectly, and is unlike anything she could have found in a store. The finest fabrics ensure that this piece can be handed down to Lucy’s own daughter one day. Lucy and her mother are thrilled to have a simple and elegant dress with a traditional look.

While I am also pleased with how this dress turned out, at the end of this labor, what I like most about the dress is how it lets Lucy herself shine.

Thanks to Amanda Hall Studios for the photography in this post.

Pattern is Oliver+S Fairy Tale Dress, with license via the boutique sewer program.