Sophie Mamma Mia
I made this costume for a friends daughter who wore it to their Mamma Mia themed 21st birthday part.
The design is based on the costume the character of Sophie wore during the credits of Mamma Mia where the cast sang Waterloo.
The original costume was designed by Ann Roth for the 2008 movie Mamma Mia.
image from Pinterest
Fabric usedPink Rainbow dot shimmer lycra from Tricia's Discount Fabrics
Hot Pink Glitter tulle from D K Fabrics
Stretch Silver sequin off-cuts, hot pink foil spot fabric, pink acetate lining and light weight white buckram and blush stretch fabric for lining all from my stash.
Sophie provided me with a padded bra with removable straps to build the dress onto. We decided this would give her the most support and best fit on the bust line.
I divided the costume into 3 sections
I used a photo of the costume from Pinterest and some notes I took after watching the movie.
Bra Bodice: The original costume looks to be moulded around or has a built in bra. I put the bra on my dummy which was the same size as Sophie and pinned Trace’n’Toile (T&T) to the bra and pleated the fabric across the cup then pinned and shaped the halter neckline. Because the bra was stretched onto the dummy this meant I had to make the final pattern piece smaller to include the ease and so the Lycra would stretch.
Midriff: The centre front of the costume has a keyhole opening. I divided the midriff into the centre front, the side front and the back. I added darts to the back for shaping. I planned to line the bodice with light weight buckram so I didn’t need to change the ease on these pattern pieces.
Skirt: The outer skirt is made of panels with splits and a silver sequin border trim. The under skirt is a lining yoke with gathered hot pink tulle edged with a darker pink border.
I pinned the T&T onto the dummy and hand drew in the general shape and length of the skirt I wanted. I made one panel then cut a total of 9 panels from this pattern. I don't do maths so I just experimented with the amount of seam allowance needed to have
Upper Skirt:
The skirt has a stiffness to it that I replicated with a light weight buckram. I drew lines on the buckram to mark the seam allowance and sequin trim placement. I pinned and then sewed the spandex to the buckram using my stitch lines as a placement guide.
I completed 7 panels with sequins on both edges and made the final two with sequins on the outside edges only allowing for the zip in the middle.
I used zigzag to catch the outside edge of sequin trim to the skirt panels. I straight stitched the inside edge of the sequins down as the would be inside the seam allowance.
Once the sequin border was attached I lined the panels with acetate. I made it so the bottom section of each skirt panel lined with neat edges leaving the upper sections with a seam allowance that when sewn to the next panel would allow me to press the seam open.
Under Skirt:
On the selvedge edge of the tulle, I sewed a strip of the hot pink metallic dot foil fabric as binding. The foil strip is cut 5 dots wide but the width of the finial binding is only 3 dots wide. The foil dot is very easy to fold under a row of dots and topstitch the edge. The tulle is gathered up to the finished length with running stitches then over stitched so it won’t move when pinning it to the yoke.
To give the most ruffle at the hemline without adding unnecessary bulk to the waist I made a yoke from the lining fabric and sewed the gathered tulle to this.
I divided the costume into 3 sections
first test run in Trace'n'toile
second version
I used a photo of the costume from Pinterest and some notes I took after watching the movie.
Bra Bodice: The original costume looks to be moulded around or has a built in bra. I put the bra on my dummy which was the same size as Sophie and pinned Trace’n’Toile (T&T) to the bra and pleated the fabric across the cup then pinned and shaped the halter neckline. Because the bra was stretched onto the dummy this meant I had to make the final pattern piece smaller to include the ease and so the Lycra would stretch.
Midriff: The centre front of the costume has a keyhole opening. I divided the midriff into the centre front, the side front and the back. I added darts to the back for shaping. I planned to line the bodice with light weight buckram so I didn’t need to change the ease on these pattern pieces.
Skirt: The outer skirt is made of panels with splits and a silver sequin border trim. The under skirt is a lining yoke with gathered hot pink tulle edged with a darker pink border.
I pinned the T&T onto the dummy and hand drew in the general shape and length of the skirt I wanted. I made one panel then cut a total of 9 panels from this pattern. I don't do maths so I just experimented with the amount of seam allowance needed to have
The skirt has a stiffness to it that I replicated with a light weight buckram. I drew lines on the buckram to mark the seam allowance and sequin trim placement. I pinned and then sewed the spandex to the buckram using my stitch lines as a placement guide.
I completed 7 panels with sequins on both edges and made the final two with sequins on the outside edges only allowing for the zip in the middle.
I used zigzag to catch the outside edge of sequin trim to the skirt panels. I straight stitched the inside edge of the sequins down as the would be inside the seam allowance.
sequin strips cut with rotary cutter using an old blade
sequin strips stitched to skirt panels
lining attached to hem edge, understitched then pressed up
the lower part of each skirt panel is enclosed with lining
skirt panels pinned together
I overlocked all the raw edges and sewed the skirt together leaving the centre back seam open.the middle of the centre front skirt panel at the CF, and then a seam in the centre back for the zip.
On the selvedge edge of the tulle, I sewed a strip of the hot pink metallic dot foil fabric as binding. The foil strip is cut 5 dots wide but the width of the finial binding is only 3 dots wide. The foil dot is very easy to fold under a row of dots and topstitch the edge. The tulle is gathered up to the finished length with running stitches then over stitched so it won’t move when pinning it to the yoke.
To give the most ruffle at the hemline without adding unnecessary bulk to the waist I made a yoke from the lining fabric and sewed the gathered tulle to this.
Midriff
I cut out the pattern pieces from lycra, buckram and some acetate lining. I added more light weight buckram to the midriff, this time a slightly softer version than used on the skirt.
The front keyhole detail has a border of silver sequins, I used the lining fabric to face the keyhole so the edge would be neat. 
pattern drafted by draping trace'n'toile on dress model
a strip of stretch sequins were pinned to the midriff cutout and zig zagged in place
lining stitched to the right side of the keyhole
the lining is pushed through to the inside in this photo
midriff showing the backing of buckram
Bra Bodice:
I cut my pattern piece for the bra from the spandex as one piece on the fold. Then I ran some gathering stitches up the centre front and gathered it to fit the cups.
The bodice is stretched out to fit the bra and is lined with a beige stretch fabric.
I cut my pattern piece for the bra from the spandex as one piece on the fold. Then I ran some gathering stitches up the centre front and gathered it to fit the cups.
The bodice is stretched out to fit the bra and is lined with a beige stretch fabric.
The midriff is attached to the bra bodice curving up in the middle then by stretching the bra bodice to fit the midriffs top edge along the sides.
the lycra covers the bra and the midriff is pinned in place to cover the gathering stitches in the centre
back pinned together
The bra is sewn to the midriff. It wasn't till I looked at their photo that I realised the keyhole is not symmetrical, all I could do at this stage was add some sequins to the top where they didn't meet.
boning pinned next to the keyhole opening and acetate lining the midriff pinned to the stretch bra lining.
I hand sewed the bra to the dress so Sophie could put the bra on and the dress would be mostly supported by the bra and not the halter straps.
The dress inside out showing the placement of the bra
The birthday girl and me. She decorated her boots with stick on vinyl flames.
I am wearing a Mamma Mia costume that I made in 2019 for another Abba themed party. search my blog for Donna and the Dynamos to see the other Mamma Mia costumes I have made.