How to Make a Ballgown + A Message Every Creator Needs to Hear

To skip the stitchy, stabby bits: 5:54
Hi, everyone! Sorry about the delay! It's been a hectic and crazy few weeks at the McNerdy Manor. I finally decided to go #cottagecore and take it to that thoroughly extra level because... why not? I also hope the message I'm trying to say reaches someone who needs it. You're a beautiful and talented person that deserves the grace you give to other people. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I've got some big changes coming up and I can't wait to show you everything!!!
Release the Kalkbräken playlist:
• Release the KALKBRAKEN
Reveal videos:
• Video
• Video
Daisy’s Channel: / daisyviktoria
Miss Philomena’s Channel: / missphilomena
Melissa’s Channel: / sewbiased
To support the goal of McNerdy Makes with saving one ton of plastic from entering the landfill:
Patreon: www.patreon.co...
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/mcnerdymakes
Music:
Heavy Interlude by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

It’s amazing how we always give everyone else a break but never ourselves! I would never say the things I say to myself to an other person!! Thanks for this

[@nicnaknoc]

"why am I like this?" - the most relatable sentence ever spoken

[@LadyNieske]

The raw real life is more appealing to me than the picture-perfect stuff. Great video and I love the dress! Ductape fixes everything!

[@StockmanOriginal]

Hey McNerdy, that was awesome,the world needs more honesty like that! A long time ago while I was studying flintknapping I learned that even if I broke the blade I was working on, every flake I removed up to that point was an education to be applied to the next blade. And I think your gown came out beautifully, duct tape and all!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

That’s fantastic!!! I bet you’re much better at it now than when you started 😊. And thank you! I had a lot of fun with the beautiful materials but I can’t wait to get back to the old ways and the unwanted materials

[@MaireColclough]

Disaster sewists unite! You made a beautiful gown, you look absolutely radiant wearing it, and sometimes modern solutions are required for old-school problems. Duct Tape is one such solution. 💕

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Whoo hoo! We should make tshirts for our club. With one seam unfinished on the outside 😂

[@clytemnestracloset3124]

First rule: If it doesn’t show, it doesn’t count. Great job!

[@catherinejustcatherine1778]

Idk if anyone is going to see this, but, what a great video & message! If it were me making decisions about th at dress & understructure, I might organize an entire LARP around grownup snow white! You look so much like her to me! What a beautiful reveal, and some awesomely motivational & empowered solutions you made along the way 👍🌟🌻😁

[@EnchantedForestArts]

That red satin with the Kalkbräken is so beautiful! You did an amazing job with what looks like a super tricky skirt structure (duct tape and all). You're so right about camera angles hiding things haha, half the interior seams of my garments don't get finished til a week after my videos post if not longer 😅 it's so hard sometimes to just get the thing done and not chase perfection, thank you for the reminder that that's ok

[@cheerful_something_something]

Absolutely. I try to keep mistakes in... if it doesn't make things too long, but I take them out all of the time too.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Oh, there’s a line there. It’ll slow the flow of the video if it’s alllll mistakes 😂 but there’s a way to prioritize ones that are learning experiences or relatability

[@canucknancy4257]

That was amazing. You are wonderful. Thank you for this.

[@jayneterry8701]

This is a new thread I'm enjoying and growing from! Costume drama 18th century pocket challenge brought me to Syncrisity( ok I know that's wrong lol) to your video. How wonderful ❤! I love your troubles and triumphs with your machine, boning and success with duck tape! Hurrah! 💖🌺🌷🍁😀

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

That’s fantastic! I’ve also been following along with the pocket challenge 😊 maybe I’ll jump in on the next one. Stringchronicity and Costuming Drama are fantastic creators!

[@susansernaker7003]

Terrific video! Proof that duct tape fixes everything (except ducts)! Excuse me while i run off to steal my fella's ample duct tape collection and add it to my hoard, err, sewing room.

[@JustJulij]

Great video! I acually screamed in excitement when I saw the hula hoop 🤣

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Haha it worked! I wasn’t sure if it would or not

[@coreygilles847]

I am such a disaster. Thanks for this video. (And honestly…the duct tape petticoat is pretty fabulous!)

[@JustIsold]

All the hugs. Im very tired so Im very not eloquent right now. But this is one of those things that make me not watch Bernadettes videos for example. Im sure shes a lovely human but her videos are just, too unreal. It feels like theyre an alternate world where money and energy and all of that isnt an issue. And it makes me feel shitty when I watch them because those things are an issue in mine! Rock on

[@MaridithSmith]

You are making me cry all the happy tears & laugh today. Your gown is amazing

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Awwwww 🥰 I love you! The things you make are so gorgeous!

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

Sweet daughter. ❤️❤️❤️

[@therewillbecatswithgwenhwyfar]

This is wonderful! Thank you! And you did a great job! Look how much you learned… and how much you’ve taught. 💕

[@DEMIPINTEcreations]

You sliding under the petticoat the same way you'd slide under a car ABSOLUTELY made my day. It's okay to be a disaster, and we're all beautiful disasters ❤️❤️❤️

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Haha it was the only way I could get the thing on! 😂 I’m so glad that it was entertaining and the message wasn’t lost ❤️ you’re an absolute gem

[@scotteickhoff4024]

Great job, Kayla; I made sure to share with Em!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Thanks!!! You guys are the best 🥰

[@Smedette]

Oh how I needed to hear this 💕

[@ellissardorian7834]

FYI that duct tape skirt is gorgeous and yeah I really needed to hear that today

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

I’m so glad the message was heard 🥰 your talents are worth it

[@ShannonMakes]

Omg, this video is absolutely amazing!! I need to collect my thoughts and write a more eloquent comment, but I just had to get something out right now, even if it's not the most amazing combination of words (I mean, that's what the video taught us, right? Done is better than perfect), because this message is gorgeous, and your lovely sense of humor alongside all the disaster is so perfect... thank you for this video

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Dawwww thank you Shannon! Everyone go check out her channel right meow. She is amazing!

[@mythlover20]

I'm so glad that Stringchronicity shared this video. As I'm staring down my bloody awful, piece of shit, adjustable, "plus-size" dressform that I have been trying to pad out for the last two months because half of the measurements are too small even when expanded to the largest size and the rest look like a broken, rusty circular saw blade so I can continue working on the 1898 walking skirt that I've been making by hand since bloody January.... *long sigh* I needed to hear that. Thank you.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Aw I’m so glad this helped! Those “adjustable” dress forms are terrible. Whose chest actually sits up that high?! Mine just holds stuff I don’t need to actually fit lol.

[@misshauntcouture]

Thank you. I've been working on giving myself the same grace I give others. Some days, I even succeed. It's only taken 49 years I keep mistakes in my tutorials too. Because we all make them. I have parts where I show me cleaning because I spilt something. Anyhow, I just subscribe

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

It’s always a difficult process, and maybe it will come in time for both of us 😊 I’ll be subscribing back so maybe we can both learn from each other’s mistakes lol

[@misshauntcouture]

@@McNerdyCostumesandProps Sounds good. I'm almost done editing my next video. Works gets in the way!

[@littlenothing1068]

I’m totally not crying you’re crying what do you mean why would I be crying ;n; You don’t know how much I needed to hear this, I’m an artist trying to spread my wings and these past few years have been so fucking hard. I constantly live in dread knowing my art isn’t made, my music fully written, my sculptures formed, my videos filmed, my paintings on canvas. I have so much of the frantic fragments of my small attempts to try and tackle the pile and I feel like a constant failure, I don’t even need anyone to want my art, I just want to see it in a gallery of its’ own one day, to know it’s out of my mind and fully formed the way I’ve dreamed for so long. I just, today specifically, I was thinking about it, and not thinking about it in a good way. And you and your lovely daughter’s words have comforted me, you have no idea. I’m literally speechless, thank you for telling me to keep going. I needed that so much. Thank you.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Oh, my goodness you’re going to make me cry too!!! I’m so happy that I could help and I can’t wait to see the amazing and beautiful things you create! Please let me know if you have a social media I can follow or send me pictures on Instagram. 🥰

[@linr8260]

The tape petticoat looks amazing in its own way tbh, I saw the rolls fall and was like YES. Sometimes you just need duct tape and that's okay, and the structure it gives in the end is incredible. I don't know if your move is already completed, but good luck with it and related things either way.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Thank you! We are right in the thick of things at the moment 😫. Ready to get back to making things lol

[@wendynordstrom3487]

OMG. YOU ARE MY HERO! I feel your pain and am subscribing! 💖💕 Hang in there and thank you for this video.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Thank you so much and welcome!!! I feel much more motivated and determined after this project 🥰

[@MonaSkovJensen]

That was a strong message!!!

[@katemarieturnipseed8918]

Thank you so much for message! I needed to hear this! I'm constantly being over critical of my work (darn OCD and perfectionism issues). Thank you! (And your gown is gorgeous!)

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

That’s so good to hear! It takes a lot to kind of ignore that little voice in your head sometimes, but I’m learning lol.

[@elewysoffinchingefeld3066]

Most of life's problems can be solved with superglue, baling twine, or duct tape. Fantastic solution, although I bet it made that underskirt pretty heavy! You may not wear the dress again, but your daughter may want to wear it for Homecoming or Prom or something. It's a pretty epic dress! Great job!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Thank you so much! I’ll add WD-40 and a hammer to that list 😂 it was very heavy. About 8 lbs. It’s not terrible without the petticoat, it’ll just need to be shortened a few inches lol.

[@cynthiadugan858]

Glad you powered through and finished the dress. It turned out really pretty and that skirt reminds me of a gunne sax dress I wore to prom one year! Get some really high heels and try it without the petticoat.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

It’s still a bit too long, even with the heels. But thankfully it’s an easy shape to hem up 😊

[@MizzMaree7]

@@McNerdyCostumesandProps Especially with duct tape!

[@LindaUrsin]

For someone from the other side of the pond, you did ok with the pronunciation :) The ä is in this case pronounced as the vowel sound in the English word fair (it's close enough at least), Just in case you're curious.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Thank you so much! I did look it up and practice days beforehand and was doing just fine. Then, I guess my brain just went, “haha you want to say words from other languages? Nope, you barely get your native tongue today.” 😂

[@emmakaycynova]

Everyone should have a duct tape petticoat!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Yessss! Lol

[@eebeegee8325]

😂 duct tape fixes everything!

[@kieraoona]

Great footage of just showing struggles that even the most advanced cosplayers still go through. How many times did the Mythbusters need to fix something on site during a shoot that went wrong? (or any time they set something on fire they didn't mean to) This is also in part why some conventions have people that act as costume repair people. The duct tape fix worked a treat!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Haha thanks! I always have my repair kit with me at events 🥰 even if I don’t need it, it’s a safe bet that someone else will

[@cheerful_something_something]

Does it move and it's not suposed to? Solution = ductape. I love it.

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Haha we have it in bulk around here 😂 #farmlife

[@SewBiased]

Don't cut duct tape with fabric scissors!!!!!! Aaaaarrrrrgggghhh! Seriously though, it turned out awesome!!!!

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

😂 sorry about that. And awwww thanks, lovey

[@vittorioballeriocastoldi6171]

Everything is fixable with the right amount of alcohol, duct tape and a hammer

[@McNerdyCostumesandProps]

Don’t forget zip ties 😂

[@vittorioballeriocastoldi6171]

I also forgot CA glue, old rugs and an heavy book