to make my own bridesmaid dress alterations even though I can't sew?

[curlyHedgehog]

I'm bridesmaid for an old friend in two weeks, with another lady I don't really know. Bride has just given us our dresses as she wanted to choose them, I think she ordered them online so no chance to try on. When we tried them on both were too big, so bride told us to sort out getting them altered.

I'm a bit annoyed as I've already forked out £500 to stay in the country house that bride stipulated we need to be at for the wedding. I don't know any dress makers and have never used one, plus two weeks is sounds quite a short timescale. I'm thinking of using safety pins as the dress is too big round the top, then cutting a few inches off the length and trying an old sewing machine to take up the hem. It's satin material with a gauzy type net over the top.

Aibu to do this? I may look crap on the day but I doubt bride will notice...

Don't cut it if you aren't confident altering it. Try a local dressmakers and at least see what they can do for you first

Don't do it. It can be surprisingly inexpensive to get a dress altered professionally. Or do you have a more experienced relation/friend who would do it for wine and/or a free dinner?

Next to your £500 outlay already alterations will pale into insignificance.

You don't want to be at a fancy wedding feeling shit about how you look because you cocked up the alterations.

Wonder web the hem place a old tea towel over the material when you iron it on, in case the material melts,
hems are very difficult to cut straight even if you know what you are doing (although that might just be me?)

Put the dress on inside out and get a friend to pin it evenly on both sides, many a person has pulled a dress to fit on one side!
Then tack this can be done on the machine using the longest stitch if you are short of time try on right side and if it looks okay then sew, then cut excess material

There is no going back once you have cut the material

Or try on FB selling/wanted sites you might find lots of people who can do this for you.

Good luck

If you know that it's going to look crap but you're happy to look crap then that's fine.

I'd personally rather not spend the day thinking I look crap because then I'd feel crap and probably wouldn't enjoy the day.

A dressmaker could probably make the alterations very quickly and cheap enough.

I would try out the safety pin alterations and see what this looks like. As a teen I used to alter a load of my mother's clothes like this, then wear them. Worked perfectly .

If a top is a bit gappy around the neck I still safety pin it too may bra to prevent it falling away. Then it is fine to wear.

Find an alterations place and ask them, at least you can find out how much it costs (probably not that much) , and you will be much less likely to look crap/have clothing malfunction on the day.

Just take it to a local seamstress (try a dry cleaner if no ideas) and see what they can do in a week

Really depends if you have enough time to order a new dress then pay for someone to do the alterations

The fabric sounds like it would be difficult to sew I you've never done it before. Gauzy fabric can be a nightmare IME it can be very easily caught and ripped by the machine.

Try yell.com or Facebook to fine a local dress maker. If it just needs taking in at the top and the gem taken up it should be easily done in two weeks and shouldn't be too expensive.

I got my wedding dress altered last year (got a zip taken out and tie up back put in. Only cost £40 at a local alterations shop and it took less than a week. There is no way I could have done it myself.

The hemming sounds like a nightmare. I wouldn't do it and I'm happy to alter some things. Look into getting it done properly.

Just take it to a dry cleaner, they often have tailors working there. Don't ruin a new dress out of spite for the sake of maybe £40 or so ??

Echo the advice on here - yes to safety pins and no to trying to do the hem yourself. Although wonder web is fab, I wouldn't risk it on the fabric as described as it could show really badly and affect the way it hangs. There are loads of places that do alterations near me - you should be able to find one.

Satin material and gauze?

Get it done professionally! I can sew (as well as knit crochet, cross-stitch) and I do stuff myself. But I know my limits. For this I would pay out for someone else. It'll probably be less than £30, too.

Is it me, but should'nt the Bride be getting them altered??

Otherwise, get a local seamstress or a mate who can do.
I have made wedding dresses and many bridesmaids dresses and live in Southampton - any good for you? No charge (bring vodka)

The bride should be getting the dresses altered and paying for that. She brought the dresses.

Dont cut it!!!! Honestly, go to your local dry cleaners, they normally have good alteration services and are cheap.
Im with tilly, I can do it but I would not touch satin and gauze at all. It can pucker and pull so easily, and really look horrible

and of course the bride will notice ... There's only 2 of you standing up with her. She's bought the dress, don't destroy it.

If you "can't sew" then you will look terrible.

That's not actually what you want, is it?

Yabu. Being a bridesmaid is such fun, right?!

Maybe try Debenhams? They altered a bridesmaids dress for me last year for £20 - took the sides in and shortened it. They took it on Wednesday and I got it back on Sunday but they rushed it through for me - usually they said it would be a week. Worth a shot if there's one nearby.

If you've no sewing experience then don't do it, as others have said a lot of dry cleaners have an alterations service