Why do I agree to these things??? WHY??? OK so who can talk me through Godets?

[KatyMac]

DD needs another sodding dress

This needs to have a one panel top (as it's patterned) and knee length skirt

I was hoping to do the top & skirt in one piece and insert godets......but I don't think this will work

Help me please?

Anyone?

I'm a bit rusty on dressmaking but until someone better qualified comes along, what do you need to know? Have you got a pattern to use or are you going to make your own?

Well I have a leotard pattern

& I liked the shape of this

Then I have a pattern for godets

Really I'd like a 4 panel dress but the material has a pattern so I can't match it

So I guess I have to make the complete leotard and add a skirt

this is the 4 panel dress I like

Are you sure you couldn't match the pattern? Is it very bold?

I'm also wondering whether the dress will be fitted enough if it's only 2 panels - have you made something similar before?

That 4 panel dress is very nice.

Well it's a 4 way stretch so if I follow the leotard patten it should be OK

It's to go with a boy leotard which isn't in panels so it would look a bit daft

The body I'm OK with but the skirt worries me - these are possible skirts but they all attach (ideally I'd like to cut the leotard/skirt in one piece)

skirt 1
skirt 2
skirt 3
skirt 4

Off to bed as my brain hurts

I'll come back tomorrow - thanks for your help

I don't think I've been any help, but each time we bump the thread I'm hoping that a dressmaking maven will come to the rescue!

Good night.

You see my issues tho' can't you? I appreciate your help/listening

How are you getting on?

FWIW, I hate godets and inserts because it's so tricky to see the point neatly. Stretch fabric may be more forgiving though. Do you make many costumes?

Sew, not see. Grr.

I am more of an adapter than a creator - there are some dresses on my profile I think

But this is a complicated one for me (tbh they all are until I have done it once, then I can do it again whenever I want)

The idea is that this will be a latin dress & I will make a full circle georgette skirt for the ballroom to wear over the dress

But I am also worried about how the georgette will hang

You made those? Wow!

Noooooo I adapted them

The white is an underskirt I shortened & added a waist band
Umm I did make the short purple & green
& the pink & yellow is a prom dress I split into two
The short purple is the base for the purple & green
The green & black is a prom dress a friend added Godets to
The short black is a leotard & skit I amalgamated (& stoned)

if you see what I mean......

Have you thought instead of inserting the godets to cut the fabric on the bias if its movement in the bottom half of the dress your after. You should then be able to cut it in one piece. You wont get as full a skirt but in your scenario you have to compromise either way. I agree with comeinto godets can be tricky to insert as you need to get a very precise point

I have been speaking to my off-line sewing guru just now & she says to make the skirt out of georgette and attach it to the leotard as if I do it my way there will still be a seam where I add the knickers for the leotard

So all that angst for nothing

So I am not making a short georgette skirt & a long georgette skirt & a leotard & jewelling the leotard by Saturday plus making drapes & a cumberband to cover the join.

Shit!

Aaarrrggghh but I only have a white underskirt

damn

How about:

I make the leotard but on the hip line add about 4 inches of material in a pleat

Make a full circle skirt for ballroom with some sort of fastening (buttons/press-studs I guess velco wouldn't be firm enough) on and attach it under the pleat

Make a short full circle skirt for latin ditto

Which covers the join which is always a mess

Would that work?

I think I understand that.

Why do you need the pleat? Is it important to hide the fact that it is a skirt over a leotard and not a dress with integral knickers? Could you add the pleat to the skirt waistband instead? If you cut the waistband deeper and then gather it, do that it is ruched, would that work? It might look like a feature of a dress rather than a skirt, iykwim.

I think you're right to avoid Velcro unless you're going for a Bucks Fizz skirt ripoff moment. . The big hooks and eyes sold for skirt waistbands are probably your best bet.

Yes it is important that it is a 'dress' not a skirt & top

I'm thinking popper or a big button on the underside through the elastic maybe

Hooks & eyes might slip out as she stretches and moves

(maybe?)

Have a look at these links.
The first link is a step by step guide to a dress with godets.

www.lagassa.com/gowns/stepbystep.html

www.lagassa.com/gowns/find_patterns.html

www.lagassa.com/gowns/

Thanks IDontDoIroning they are great links and have really helped (despite my change of plan )

Also have a look on the USA eBay site and search for ballroom and Latin pattern. There's a seller who makes dance dresses and they sell a pattern - and a manual. I've bought them but am as yet to have a go at making one. Their ballroom dress pattern also has an option for godets. Search for item number 300348330961

My dd does freestyle disco latin and is in a formation team and has just gone into juniors so I'm having a go a making dresses but like you patterns are impossible to get hold of.