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Hello,

I decided to make these two patterns to go together after misunderstanding what I read here; http://trulyvictorian.com/photos/photo15.html

As soon as I got the patterns and read the instructions I realised something was wrong, and discovered my error. Is there any way I can possibly salvage this? Any other way to cover the top of the train or similar?

Thanks in advance!

[Heather]

Well, you can incorporate the train into the dress. Cut the back pieces of the teagown off at the hip, or desired height. Then sew the top of the train to the bottom the back pieces, making a new full length back.

Hi Heather,

Thankyou so much for your quick reply, it's very much appreciated!

I hadn't thought of doing that at all, thankyou! My only question is for sewing the Train piece to the sides of the Tea Gown, what do I do about the pleats? Should I sew that part to the top remaining part of the back of the original tea dress? Oh, and should I sew the train so that the top part (that should be hidden under a bodice) is under the remaining back of the tea gown? Or should I just alter it so it can be sewn straight on without the original attachment pat showing?

Thanks very much, and sorry for so many questions! I hope they weren't too confusingly written!

[Heather]

Before you start to assemble the teagown, you want to sew the top of the train to the bottom of the upper back section of the teagown first, with a simple seam. Just pleat the top sides section that you would have put into the waist band to fit, leaving the middles loose, like in the train instructions. This might be a pretty thick, but that is fine.

Then, I would pleat the sides of the train so that it will be the same length as the sides of the teagown, then sew the whole side seam at the same time, teagown and train together, with a simple seam. Last, pleat the middle of the train section as per the train instructions, to make the butterfly/bow section. Then attach that part maybe 1-2" above where you seamed the train on. The will pretty much hide the seam, and make it look like all one piece.

Thanks a lot for the detailed instructions Heather, you're the best!