Have you made this dress?
Yes, I have.
What fabric(s) is this dress made of?
Chiffon mostly, but I think there must be some satin for the bodice.
What pattern(s) will I need for this dress?
If you can get your hands on Simplcity 8399, that is a good pattern. It is no longer made though. Sense and Sensibiliy Patterns also carries a '1910 Teagown' that is a very nice swim dress.
What extra touches does this dress take?
A portion of the bodice is made of lace, and the lace is beaded.
How much time will this dress take?
Depending on how good you work with chiffon, how many skirt layers you do and if you bead the bodice, anywhere from one to three weeks.
How much will this dress cost me?
Chiffon can be pretty costly (about $10.00 a meter) when you are getting enough of it to do 5 or 6 skirt layers as well as a sash. You won't need much satin (about .5 meters) and that is about $15.00 a meter. Lace is also pretty costly, but you only need a little of that. So, about $50.00-$100.00 depending on your size and if you get a sale or not.
What alterations will this dress need?
The Sense and Sensibility pattern is the most accurate of the two I have suggested, so I would reccomend using that pattern.
Anything else?
Be sure to sew the chiffon with a 3.5 thread tension of you wil severly mess it up. I would also recommend sewing the chiffon with french seams.
Ok, how do I make it?
1. Bead the lace trim, and stitch across the front of the bodice with the top at the neckline.
2. Sew how the pattern directs. Make sure to add as many skirts as you want.
3. That's it! Simple, huh?