Making a custom dress for a friend

Hi guys, Happy New Year.
I’m new here, and this is my very first post, so I’m really excited to finally share my work with you all. I hope you enjoy reading about the process of creating this piece as much as I enjoyed making it.

I recently made this dress for a friend, the task because she needed the dress for an event that was coming up the following week. At the same time, I had a busy academic schedule with several tests lined up for that week and the next. Thankfully, most of those tests ended up being cancelled, which gave me more breathing room to focus on the dress. Even with the time pressure, I genuinely loved every step of the process, from start to finish.

Materials I used
• Ankara
• Crepe
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Chalk

The journey began with fully understanding the style my friend wanted. She showed me an inspiration picture, and from there, I made sure to ask detailed questions about the dress. I wanted to be certain I understood her preferences clearly, everything from the overall vibe to the little details that mattered most to her.

Luckily, she already had the fabrics needed to bring the design to life, so we didn’t spend time deliberating over fabric choices. The main fabric was a thick orange crepe material, which gave the dress structure and elegance. She also had leftover Ankara fabric from a previous project, and we decided to incorporate it into the design to add character and contrast. The combination of the bold Ankara print with the plain crepe turned out to be a great choice.

After taking her measurements, I moved on to drafting the pattern. Once the pattern was ready, I cut the fabrics carefully and began assembling the pieces step by step.

The assembling process started with cutting out the applique from the Ankara fabric. After cutting it out, I added cloth gum to give it firmness, trimmed the edges neatly, and gently burnt the edges to achieve a clean, finished look. Then stitched it to the front of the crepe.

Next came joining the shoulders and adding extensions to the sleeves, still using the Ankara fabric. This helped tie the design together and made the Ankara details stand out beautifully.

I then focused on shaping the bodice, ensuring it complemented her body shape while remaining comfortable.

After that, I added a pocket, which was both functional and stylish, and finally moved on to hemming the edges to complete the dress.

The entire process took a couple of days to finish, mainly because it wasn’t the only thing I had to handle at the time. Despite having a lot of things to do, I made sure to give this project the attention it deserved.

Once the dress was completed, my friend came in for a fitting. There were a few minor adjustments to be made, but after those were sorted out, the dress fit her perfectly. She absolutely loved it, and that made all the effort worthwhile for me.

I was really happy that I was able to deliver exactly what she wanted. Watching the dress transform from loose pieces of fabric into a finisd outfit was incredibly satisfying. Each stage came together gradually and beautifully. Moments like this remind me why I enjoy creating custom pieces so much.

This is the finished work, and I’m proud of how it turned out. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Lots of love from jhymie 🥰

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Photos belong to me.