[arlyna]

Hi! I am sewing this pattern for my daughter for her First Holy Communion and wonder if anyone has done the back with buttons instead of the zipper approach?

Thanks.

[meleliza]

You will need to draft a button placket. You could use one of the patterns with buttons for a guide. I’d be inclined to just button the bodice and not all the way down, but it’s really all a matter of preference. I just finished a Communion dress for one of my sons classmates. What are you making it out of? I’ve made it for Communn in cotton organdy as well as eyelet.

[arlyna]

Thank you @melelizza for the tip. Yes was thinking of using Hide-&-Seek for the button placket and just have buttons on the bodice as per your suggestion. I’m using embroidered organdy layered with a plain organdy and lined with cotton. For the bodice I plan to use cotton as my daughter is a bit sensitive with non-cotton fabric. Would love to see your version 🙂

[DebbyJ]

Can anyone provide a little more detail on how to change the back of the Fairy Tale dress from a zippered closing to a button closing? I’ve read the post that says to use a pattern with buttons for a guide, but I’m not exactly sure where to start or how to do that. This is for a First Communion dress, and I’d really love to use the Fairy Tale dress for this project. I just don’t want to have to tackle that invisible zipper again if I can help it. I’d like to the use a cotton organza overlay for the bodice and skirt, and the thought of having to put that zipper in over multi layers of cloth sends lightning bolts through my brain.

[Lightning McStitch]

I think the problem with a button placket would be that it will need to cross the waist seam. Since the bodice and waistline are fairly fitted I’m not sure a partial button placket would allow you to get the waist past shoulders or hips.
My very first fairy tale dress was a sheer crinkly fabric which I underlined and then lined. It wasn’t any more tricky to set the zip on that one…..
I’ll try and link to the dress later

[Lightning McStitch]

Here it is. It wasn’t the most invisible of invisible zippers

[Nicole]

Basting is your friend Debby 🙂

[meleliza]

Do you mean organdy? I’m always terrified that the buttonholes will go wonky and completely ruin an expensive and beautiful project. Truth be told, I use a hand picked zipper for special things like this. It’s extremely strong, allows me the most control and I don’t have to worry about buttonholes ruining the fabric. It’s worth a little extra effort to make sure it turns out nicely. In fact, after a little practice, I can actually do one as quickly as an invisible zipper. An invisible zipper will work perfectly fine too, but personally I wouldn’t make fine expensive fabric my first (or even third) attempt with an invisible zip. The instructions in Fairy Tale are the best I’ve ever read, but it does still take a little practice.

For buttons, you would do only the bodice and leave a slit in the skirt portion. The bodice will overlap when buttoned, closing the gap in the skirt. However, I also have doubts that buttons would really look nice in this fitted design.

@arlyna some of my white dresses were on the blog yesterday.

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by meleliza.

[DebbyJ]

Thanks to everyone who replied. Looks like I’m going to bite the bullet and use a zipper. Meleliza, since the dress is going to have an organdy overlay, I’m leaning toward taking your advice and use a hand picked zipper. Keep your fingers crossed!

[meleliza]

Basting will still be your friend, as Nicole says. Also, for a hand picked zipper, a 1/2″ seam allowance isn’t really enough. I widen the center back seam allowance to 1″. I prefer the YKK lightweight or children’s zipper to the coats and clark ones. It’s more flexible and interferes less with the natural drape of the fabric.