Easy way to shorten a Formal Prom Dress

So this has not a thing to do with the beach, but it was my idea after much searching the Internet and stressing over cutting into a formal dress. It came down to the day of the dance, and I had to put scissors to the dress. Maybe this can help another mom who thinks this project should be grounds for Valium or Xanax - not a whole bottle but 1 pill. But since that idea isn't likely to be very popular with your doctor, let me prescribe what I took to enable me to cope: Dr Pepper and chocolate. True Story. And what's more - it worked. I got in the groove and got it done without mishap.

My daughter had 2 formal dresses. One was purchased by her grandparents at the Mall of America, and they graciously paid for professional alterations. The length that was cut off was given to us, and I used it as a guide. A skirt or maybe even a round tablecloth could have sufficed. Having a rounded edge really helped. 

I had her put on the dress with her shoes and measured how much it needed shortened then went just a bit longer, I believe it was 1/2". I cans lined up the hem and pinned the front layer to the back along the edge so it wouldn't slip during cutting. I measured along the hem, but I honestly mainly eyed it as I laid the fabric scrap down as a cutting guide and weighted it with cans.

                 I used lots of cans to keep the slick fabric from sliding out of place.

     I lined it up until the curve was off or I was running out of cutting mat, whichever came first.

   I was able to do a large section, but as I got one shot at it, I did all of this slowly and carefully.

I used a rotary cutter and went slowly, smoothly, and pressed hard. There were places it didn't cut all the way through, so I'd suggest a brand new blade or just being prepared to do a little cutting here or there. Carefully pull the extra away slightly, so if you need to cut it will be smooth and blend right in.

Even though I was slow, careful, even methodical, this went quickly. It was a fabric that didn't require a finished hem, so cutting was all I had to do. In fact, had I tried to finish the edge, I would have had a fight not to have a mess. I experimented on the scrap and was very glad to leave the edge raw.

And here's the finished dress after my masterful cutting of the hem! Looks like we needed some masterful cutting of grass judging by the dandelions at her feet. 

The dress didn't actually drag on the ground. Really makes me wonder just how tall the landscaping, and I use that word loosely, was.

And the dress that donated the cutting guide - The top layer was a raw edged hem, but the bottom layer needed finished. I'm so grateful to my in-laws for not having to sew that!

So, that was quite the hiatus, but time flies when you're too busy to have fun! Nah! We always work in some fun, and by fun I mean time at Disney! Got to make sure those annual passes don't collect cobwebs. 

      Since Sept we've moved all the way across .....

                             the zip code! 

          Where we celebrated Halloween - 

 

                 Thanksgiving & Christmas 

   And we fought over this one gift. Yep, that's it. We were all so naughty that Santa left just one package. Santa happened to have a Silhouette Cameo and was pretty excited about cutting out Christmas shapes. 

After New Year's we joined cousins in a Grand Villa at Boardwalk - sorry, I can't tell you much besides it was TDF amazingly Mickey Mouse magical! My cousin, Laura, who works for Fairy Godmother Travel knows all about booking these, but this was booked using DVC points, a whole wazoo of points! How many is a wazoo? No idea, but nightly rates are more than our rent, so this 2,500 sq ft, 3 bed, 3 bath may not be as cost effective as 3 separate rooms, but who stays at Disney Deluxe resorts to save money? If that's your plan, you need a new accounting system. OK, I just have to show you this, because this is kind of incredible. See the 4th floor of the red building? That was all ours. All of it. The whole floor on this side. That's 5 balconies! (in the middle is one gigantic balcony) It was ALL ours. All.

Now here's the view that I didn't know existed at Disney, because it's different up there than down on the boardwalk. You can see EPCOT's Spaceship Earth and Illuminations fireworks from up there. Across the bay are Yacht and Beach Clubs.

Only because I never thought I'd step foot in one of these, am I posting pics here so the curious can have a peek! This is one of the largest Grand Villas at 2,500 sq ft. You start off with double doors and a sitting area outside. There's an additional door for the unit. I put the do not disturb sign out on the big door, forgot it was there, then wondered why Disney staff kept going to the small door by the 2Q bedrooms instead of the obvious, big doors. 

     Wherever you see windows is balcony space. Each bedroom has their own balcony.

                    And to wrap it up, nighttime shots from the end balconies -

 

And so everyone in the magical castle lived happily ever......no they didn't....they got forcibly ejected by reality and had to return to their humble homes and jobs and school, and they weren't happy about leaving at all but had lovely pictures and memories to take with them.