I’ve been in project mode again. When I get a bee in my bonnet about something and just have to have it, there is nothing more satisfying than being able to make it myself. So it was with this great 1959 dress. I had an idea in mind for some sort of wiggle dress, but in a less than predictable LBD style. There are a few vintage pattern sites I favour, but this one I found on eBay. Comparatively the prices are very reasonable, that is unless it is a popular pattern in a popular size, so I often find bargains for around $10.00 that otherwise retail on some vintage sites for closer to $35.00 Keep in mind if you are buying patterns from eBay, to always ask their condition – whether they are complete, cut, torn and still have their instruction sheet.
I love the versatility of this pattern and have in mind several variations making something for both summer and winter, so you may see this pattern again. This time I bought the fabric before I’d even found an appropriate pattern. I have a habit, as most of you crafty sorts do, of always keeping one eye out for the unusual and the appealing. So it was that I came across this satin fabric at the bottom of the bargain bin for the grand total of $7.00 a meter. When it came to making up this dress, there were a few modern habits I did without.
Firstly, I chose not to overlock any of the edges, rather opting to stabilize each edge with a row of straight stitches before sewing it together. Also, instead of using a fusible interfacing – which is the quick and easy route – I chose to sew it in instead to avoid any puckering or bubbling where it attached. To get the fit right, given the tailoring and the absence of stretch in the fabric (how quickly we’ve gotten used to that), I fine tuned all the darts and tacked things as I went.
And here is the finished product getting its first outing on the town. After all your lovely comments on this dress, I am inspired to try my hand at some more complex projects soon. Knowing that there are many of your that either enjoy sewing or just reading about it, I’ve decided to add a MAKING section to the blog. It is where you’ll find all the details of things I’ve made, customised and DIY tips and tricks. Once again I’ve started by accessing some archived posts, but I’ll be adding lots more in the coming weeks. If you have any questions about this or any of my other projects, feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment. This girl is always up for a chat.
