Take in gown with boning
Take in gown with boning is not difficult. It seems like it might be, but at the end of the day all it is, is a strip of plastic (sometimes encased in fabric) that is attached to the seam allowance.
Boning is used to support the garment on the body. Almost all garments with boning are strapless, however sometimes it can be used to create definition in a garment or if a garment hangs loosely on a body. One body shape that will have problems would be a person with little or no waist. With this body shape the garment could be pushed upwards creating folds in the fabric. Check that the straps do not need shortening, and if this does not help, perhaps a little boning on the lining will create strength to the garment.
Take in gown with boning is the same as taking in a garment without boning when you look at each process individually.
The first step is to pin the excess fabric of the garment whilst it is on the person's body. Successful clothing alterations come from recognizing that we are all different body shapes and your job is to fit the garment to the person's body shape. Pins are used to achieve this, but not just any pins. Small silver pins, or small pins or any type will not work because you may have to pin through the boning.
When pinning a garment with boning, you need to use pins that will push through the boning. This is why I always use Quilting Pins which are 4.5 cm (1¾ inch) long. They are strong and long, which means you can pin into and out of the boning with this pin. I do not have any pin size less than this in my sewing room. No matter what I am pinning, these pins works the best, because I have less area to pin, and they take the garment in as if it has been sewn with seams. This gives the customer a good idea of what it will feel like when altered. When customers come with a garment already pinned, I will save the pins for them and return them to the customer, or throw them away if they do not want them back.
If you use small pins, and you place them a fair distance apart, the person will definitely not get the "feel" for how the garment will be when taken in.
The next type of pin I use, particularly for pinning boning is the "Hat pin". This is a very long pin (6.3 cm or 2½ inches) and is excellent for pushing into and out of boning. It is also excellent when pinning thick fabrics like denim.
When a strapless garment is too big at the top, the first place you should try to pin is the side seams at the centre back on either side of the zip. Have the person facing a mirror and take hold of both these seams and pinch the fabric in. See if it takes in the front section. If it does then proceed to pin this area until you have taken up the excess fabric.
The side seams can be taken in, however you will have to reshape the front bust area because the back panel will not fit into the front panel when taken in. That means reshaping the front panel to fit the back panel. The side seams should also have boning.
Another option is to take in through the centre back which would normally have a zip. Try pinning the excess fabric down the zip. The zipper should be closed and in the centre. Once pinned, place another pin over the top of the pin that is pushed through both sides. Do this all the way down until you can undo the zipper but still have one side pinned for your reference points.
Your pins are what tells you what needs to be done. Let's say you pinned the centre back zip area, or the side seams or side back seams and the front is still too big. Take all the pins out and pin over the bust area. Almost every strapless dress or gown will have panels over the bust. Be careful when pinning over the bust area. You do not want to accidently pin the lady. Pinch the excess fabric with your fingers and slide the pin in so that you can feel it with your fingers.
The person should be able to look at the garment and see what it will look like when it is taken in, and because you use a good long pin, and the pins are one underneath the other, she will feel what it will be like when taken in.
For a comprehensive understanding of my Taking in Technique, please refer to my book Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed, but briefly this is what you need to do.
Make a stick drawing of the garment and the area you are going to take in. Measure from the top of the fold to the edge of the pin and right this measurement down on the stick drawing. For example Start = X" Now measure down 5 cm (2 in) and measure from the fold to the pin and write down on the piece of paper 2" = X". Follow this process all the way down your pins. In this way you are transferring the amount you have pinned the garment onto a piece of paper. It is imperative that you get these measurements accurate, so that when you take in the garment, you will be measuring from the original seam stitching and marking in the amount you have on the piece of paper.
If you are dealing with a top that is lined (and most garments with boning will be lined) then you may find an opening inside the garment somewhere. If there is none, then the last thing to close the garment would have been the zip area. Do not unpick the lining from the zip. Unpick the outer fabric from the zip IN THE CENTRE ONLY (not the top or bottom) Only unpick enough to pop the garment through. You should be able to slide your hand in and turn the garment inside out.
If the garment is a dress you should be able to get access in between the lining and the outer.
If the garment is a dress or gown and the bodice is encased, unpick at the join (generally the waist) close to the zipper. You should notice a small section that is not sewn close to the zip. This will be where you will get access to the garment, so unpick sufficient that you can get into the area you need access to.
The boning can be sewn on a number of ways.
Encased boning
A separate sleeve has been made for the boning to slide into. This will be sewn onto the seams at the centre back side or the side seams or the front. where ever you are altering, you will need to unpick the casing with the boning in it and put it aside.
Attached to seams
Some manufacturers will sew the boning directly onto the seams. In this instance, unpick the boning and put to one side.
Seam allowance stitched on lining and boning encased
This will mean a little more work for you because you will have to re sew the seam allowance and you will have to make sure that you do allow enough room to insert the boning.
ALWAYS unpick the under stitching around the top of the garment, BEFORE you taken it in. This under stitching should be unpicked before the seam that joins the lining to the outer, and always unpick the under stitching a little bit more than the seams joining the lining to the outer.
Unpick enough of the seam so that you can take in the amount it is being taken in. The best method for this is to use a tailors pencil, and place dots as per your measurements. For example if the Start = 2.5 cm (1") then place a dot that is 2.5 cm (1") IN from the original seam. The second tailors pencil dot should be 5 cm (2") down from the first dot, and will be the same as the measurement you had on the paper for this amount down. Let's say it was 2cm (3/4"), then you will place a dot at this position. You will work all the way down the seam transferring the measurements from your paper to the garment. You will then do exactly the same with the lining.
Repeat with the opposite seam.
Sew the new seam on your sewing machine, following the dots all the way to the end. always taper off gradually.
Over lock the excess off, or if the seam is opened out, then unpick the old seam, and iron the seam flat BEFORE you cut off the excess, allowing for seam allowance of course.
SPECIAL NOTE - ALWAYS SEW THE NEW SEAM FIRST BEFORE UNPICKING THE OLD. THE OLD SEAM IS YOUR REFERENCE POINT, AND IT HOLDS THE GARMENT IN POSITION FOR YOU.
A sleeve board works excellent for seams on the bodice of garments, or a ham.
Attach the boning back onto the seam allowance. It is usually attached to the lining, but I have come across garments where it is sewn onto the outer. Again it depends on the manufacturer.
Always make sure that the top of the boning is covered with some fabric. Occasionally you will come across boning that is cut with no cover and it can push through the fabric and dig into the person. Very uncomfortable.
As you can see there really is no difference between taking in boning and taking in a garment without boning. The same principles apply.
It's really nothing to be worried about. Take it in like any normal top, the only difference is you have a little bit of extra work because you have to take the boning out, and then when you have taken it in, you need to repeat the encasing for the boning. Have a good look at it before you begin to unpick. Make sure you have your measurements written down on a piece of paper before you unpick.
Put the garment back together as it was originally. For this type of alteration of take in gown with boning, I would charge a minimum of one hour which is at AUD$40.00 per hour, however for a job like this it would probably take around one hour 30 minutes which would be AUD$60.00.
Happy altering
Judith aka genie