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"When in doubt, leave it out." Since you have several backup dresses you are ok with probably better not to add stress to your life right before a big weekend by trying to make another dress on a deadline - take a break, enjoy the trip, and the fabric will still be there when you return! Best wishes to all your family and safe travels!

1- before you cut out the bodice, make sure you’re happy with where the embroidery falls on the front of the bodice. Two - I think you might’ve answered your own fears and work through them… If you’re happy with the bodice go for it. Cut out only the bodice on the pink, and sew it… if you’re not happy, you can always cut out a different bodice. Perhaps measure how much you need for the circle skirt and see how much fabric you have left. 3- it’s always hard to cut on a precious fabric. I guess you know about the challenge this month about that exact thing. I have made several dresses as mother of the bride and mother of the groom and it is very stressful but in the end it always works out. I’m praying for you!

Oerhaps buy a remnant linenenbroidered fabric, small pirce. You could cut and sew with it just to work through the f😊ear.

😮chuck the zippers. Enjoy the wedding! You'll look beautiful.

Wish I could say "go for it" but "when in doubt....". Enjoy your upcoming trip❤

I’m usually a “just go for it” type of person, but in this case I don’t think you should cut into the precious linen. Between the doubts you’re having and the short deadline, I think it’s a recipe for mistakes to abound. You have a beautiful backup dress and I think it’ll be totally appropriate based on how you’ve talked about the formality of the wedding in previous videos.

Hello Diana. Welcome home from your vacation in Belgium and the Netherlands! I think stalling on making the dress 👗 means just going with your backup plan. Trust your gut! Don't sweat it if you're feeling rushed. I love the way the backpack turned out and your dress! Enjoy your trip to the States and the wedding. Your granddaughters dresses will look lovely too! I love the idea of not having to put a zipper in every dress! What a great idea! Enjoy your trip! See you soon!

Considering it was an expensive material buy I wouldn't do it if I doubted my ability to get it done proficiently in such a limited time frame. Bearing in mind if any mistakes are made along the process it will add to your time constraints. Knowing you will feel rushed in getting it completed might also impact on the outcome and look of the dress. In saying that though I have no doubt in your ability to do it and get it done to a high standard which you show case in each garment you make. If you decide to go ahead just take a breath and a minute at each step to think about it and plan it out as you do to minimise the likelihood of making a mistake. Whatever you do I hope your granddaughters love their dresses and you and your family make some wonderful precious memories. My daughter was married in 2019. I chose an ankle length beautiful blue straight ruffle dress for an outdoor garden ceremony/ inside reception. My mother made me doubt my colour choice and I ultimately went with her suggestion of a mauve which was nice but I regret not sticking with my choice to this day as the colour was a bit harsh on me I feel being a pale blonde. Don't let that doubt stop you from later regretting your choice is my point.

Going to be praying for you and the "wedding dress". Maybe you shouldn't cut this London fabric. 😵‍💫. Go with your gut instinct BTW, separating my comments to help the algorithm, instead of one loooonnnggg comment. Wish you could stay longer in the States... 💔

Glad you had a wonderful time with family and friends (except for air b and b). We missed your video tho

Re: your backpack, I keep thinking your backpacks will become a "cottage industry"... Backpacks made to order.

I love how the dress turned out, so pretty.

For the dress you are wearing, I'd make a pretty little modesty panel and attach it with snaps at the top, middle, and bottom sides from either the same fabric, or a contrast fabric. Pinning it high up makes it pull across your bustline, so a modesty panel would be much more comfortable. If you aren't sure how to make one, or how it would look, there have been several sewists on TH-cam who have made them, so you should easily be able to find it. If not, respond to me and I will let you know who I've seen that made them. They really are quite pretty and look like they are part of the pattern, and they don't add any bulk.

I'd go with the Upton Dress bodice and circle skirt option. You are already successful on both, and you don't have the major alterations that you have on the dress you are wearing. Also, you might want to do the sway back adjustment on this dress, but until you try it with a structured fabric like your linen, you won't know if you actually need it in that kind of fabric. I think you will be much happier with the end product of the Upton with the circle skirt.

You purchased the pattern because you loved the look. Keep the original bodice, just widen the crossover. Love the idea of a circle skirt.

Just add an insert, measure size for it whilst wearing the dress.

If you have enough scraps, or a contrasting solid fabric, you could perhaps create a modesty panel that is sewn into the opening.

Halo 🇿🇦

I just bought this pattern, and plan to sew it soon. When originally viewing the pattern specifications, it did appear to have a fairly deep V-neck. I definitely prefer more coverage too. Thanks for the helpful visuals! Appreciate the assistance offered in the comments as well.

You might want to consider using a shorter zipper than the pattern calls for. Since you have a wider neckline it shouldn’t affect the ability to get it on and off. It will help smooth out the back along with a slight sway back adjustment.

I’m thinking that if you do the circle skirt, the repeating embroidery pattern may look ached in the skirt. (I could be wrong) I would do the gores, cut out separately to get the embroidery exactly where I want it. Best of luck

Hello there, grading your pattern will help you achieve a better fit and I think a 2 inch ease is enough for comfort.

Have you thought about snaps or hooks and eyes?

Love the dress. Would it be worth making just the bodice from an old sheet or calico for the adjustments that had a similar weight to your stunning fabric.

Circle skirt is a great idea! Avoid having a seam on the embroidery (too hard to match the pattern on the embroidery pattern).

The front is low on the model, and on top of it the dress is a B cup. All big 4 patterns are a B cup. I think another muslin would be good before cutting into that pretty linen. Thank you for sharing. ❤

I am binge watching your videos, so I don't have time to read comments, so...not sure if anybody addressed it, but the symbols you pointed to show which figure is the pattern suitable for, and on the bottom is hourglass figure. This pattern works on all types of bodies, but the symbol has nothing to do with which type of fabric is to be used. ... on , to the next video :)

The dress is beautiful! For the next one, I would 100% use a strip of fusible interfacing along the back seam, about 1 inch past the end of the zipper. I have been interfacing this way lately and all my invisible zippers have turned out perfect. It's like magic. I do it even if the fabric is not cut on the bias, because otherwise I would always get that wavy effect along the zipper.

I love the fabric you used for your toile

Hi Diana. I love the dress you made this week, and I think your idea to somehow stitch the bust closed a little is definitely the way to go. In fact, when you first put the dress on, that’s exactly what I was thinking you should do when I saw how you pinned it shut. I hate when patterns end up having a different end effect than what is shown on the photos and line drawings. For your linen version, I like the idea of a circle skirt to keep your embroidery together … that way, you can also cut it with a little less full skirt if you want. I feel like the linen might not drape quite as well as your first dress so a less full version might be better suited for the linen. With regard to your other question about the bodice to use, I can’t answer. I think you may have published your video this week without inserting the photos and links you meant to pop in. Might just be a glitch on my end, but I didn’t see any of those things you mentioned you were inserting as I watched. I also love the fabric your son picked for the backpack … that’s going to be very cool. Can’t wait to see the finished product. My son just arrived in Netherlands on Tuesday. He is there completing his fall college semester in Eindhoven at the Fontys school. I miss him like crazy already! He has never been away on his own anywhere for more than a couple days, and he’s also never been out of the U.S. until now. At home, his college is in our town so he even lives at home rather than in a dorm. I’m so nervous but also so proud of him. So far everything is going great for him. My daughter and I are coming over for the holidays to be with him, and some of his friends are planning to visit him throughout the semester - one is planning for October, one in November during Thanksgiving break, and the third in January. So with all the visitors, his time should go rather quickly … if he gets lonely, the longest stretch will be from now until the October visit. Have a wonderful time with your friends in Netherlands, and I can’t wait to see the linen dress, and the backpack, and find out how you took care of the plunging neckline on this week’s dress.

I like the 2nd practice dress. It fits better.

LOVE THE HAIRCUT! 🥰

I'm sitting here sewing and felt just like I was in a sewing "circle" with you and Joy! She is aptly named - seeing her excitement and happiness was wonderful! The backpacks are great, too, of course - you can buy a backpack, but you can't buy the pride of making one!

Completely different ides...Rather than making the crossover fix less obvious, make it more obvious Take a strip of scraps...I would personally go with 3-4" the length of the overlap side. (I ve been known to cut it off the hem) fold strip in half...maybe interface it with a light knit ...put on the dress, pin the folded strip under the bodice overlap side only. adjust so it looks like a long triangle. In other words, adding an asymmetrical detail that has the benefit of creating more coverage (I have a mimi g pattern I like-Simplicity 8093. The overlap has a wide band, the underlap has a narrow bias. I have widened the band on most versions) I hope that makes sense BTW: The shoulder line on that is dead on

Hi Diane, I agree with you on the circle skirt. It's better for that beautiful fabric. Now, for the bodice, you should make the one that you're most comfortable wearing. There's nothing wrong with some pattern hacking💖💖💖. Enjoy your trip!! Karen

Go with the circle skirt! ❤

Your new hairstyle is very becoming.

Diana, I like your idea of hand sewing the front bust green with large flower dress closed, you will feel more comfortable.

Diana, I enjoy your smiling face every Friday. You amaze me with your sewing skills.

Diana, I was wondering how the dress for the upcoming wedding turned out.

Your son's backpack is going to be gorgeous. I'm very interested in the advice you get re: the linen dress from the experienced sewists on the channel. AND are you aging backwards? Your skin looks fabulous...any secrets to share? 😊...

Hi Diana! I love the green dress with the poppy like flowers. The cut of the front is ridiculously low. I hope a stitch up the front will suffice. Summer vacation is almost over for your children! I didn't realize it until you mentioned Labor Day is just around the corner! Enjoy your weekend traveling to the Netherlands!

I don't think we thank you, your husband, and other diplomats enough for the service you provide our country, and the hardships you endure (not to mention the actual danger). We don't think about you folks enough, but thank you very much for being there.

Your embroidery looks very nice. My husband has been hand embroidery everyday since Christmas. I bought him an embroidery set and it just took off from there.

I read someone's comment about your hair and it does look absolutely beautiful! I love your top. The colors compliment your haircut.

Joy is such an enthusiastic young lady, eager to learn. It made my heart happy watching the two of you making your backpacks. You both just radiated happiness during this process. Thank you, Diana, for bringing us along on your and Joy's journey.

Love the glow in her face, nothing like it. Both of you, really. I volunteer at the local Library and Recreation Center teaching both adults and older elementary kids how to sew. For some, it’s been a springboard of interest that, not to mention putting 50 years of sewing experience to use, it makes my day. Will be meeting a young man of 10 tomorrow to finish up his cargo pants. I have made lifelong friends through my outreach, and you and Joy will too. ❤

You two were great !!!

It's great you're sharing your skills with Joy...very cool that she enjoys the process ❤❤

How wonderful to mentor a young, beginning bag maker! Both of your backpacks are awesome. 😀 Those zipper pulls make the bags really special. 😘