For my mom's graduation from college, her parents gave her a Singer Featherweight. She bought a surplus silk parachute and made her wedding dress. The dress was beautiful. She hand smocked the front of it. Then she sewed 200 loops down the back and covered 200 buttons and sewed them on the dress. The dress had a wonderful long train. I wish there was still a picture. Any way here is a link to the copy of an ad I just saw on line:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art23275.asp