Back in Time
Way back in May, I visited the Textile Museum of Canada's More than a Yardage sale. You can check out the museum here. It's a pretty great event, and all the proceeds go directly to the museum. In the past, I've picked up a book or two, and made a few donations - good times are had by all! This year, I was on the hunt for patterns. For the most part, I tend to avoid revisiting the Eighties; I was only a kid back then, really, but some things just shouldn't be repeated. However, when I saw this pattern, I thought "hmm, good basic, and I don't have a shirt dress pattern at home..." So I snapped it up. Here's the pattern I used, and here is the result.
I knew it would be small in the waist, but simply omitting the gathers in the skirt gave me the room I needed. But as for the top... yikes! According to the envelope, size 10 was meant to fit a 34" bust. I'm 2-3" larger, and after checking that it wouldn't be too small, and making my standard 1" tuck in the length, I went ahead and cut my fabric. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture - it was massive! I ended up eliminating the back yoke pleats by taking in 3" at the centre back, and still needed to take in about 1 1/2" at either side seam. The proportions of the original dress would have been hilarious! Almost 10" of ease? No thanks. And this is why I avoid Eighties patterns.
I'm very pleased with how the dress came out in the end. The fabric, also a Yardage sale find, has some unnatural bounciness, but for $5, I can't complain. I didn't want sleeves or front pockets, so I didn't use them. I bound the armholes in self almost bias, there wasn't enough fabric for true bias strips!
I really like how the skirt hangs, and even though I wasn't doing the 2-in-1 Sew Along with A Fashionable Stitch, I used this trick for button placement. Love it!
Although I finished the dress at least three weeks ago, it took me that long to find a belt. But now that it's all together, I'm looking forward to wearing it outside the yard.
Til next time...
I knew it would be small in the waist, but simply omitting the gathers in the skirt gave me the room I needed. But as for the top... yikes! According to the envelope, size 10 was meant to fit a 34" bust. I'm 2-3" larger, and after checking that it wouldn't be too small, and making my standard 1" tuck in the length, I went ahead and cut my fabric. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture - it was massive! I ended up eliminating the back yoke pleats by taking in 3" at the centre back, and still needed to take in about 1 1/2" at either side seam. The proportions of the original dress would have been hilarious! Almost 10" of ease? No thanks. And this is why I avoid Eighties patterns.
I'm very pleased with how the dress came out in the end. The fabric, also a Yardage sale find, has some unnatural bounciness, but for $5, I can't complain. I didn't want sleeves or front pockets, so I didn't use them. I bound the armholes in self almost bias, there wasn't enough fabric for true bias strips!
I really like how the skirt hangs, and even though I wasn't doing the 2-in-1 Sew Along with A Fashionable Stitch, I used this trick for button placement. Love it!
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| Odd head placement - but pockets! |
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| The back - sans excess blousing |
Although I finished the dress at least three weeks ago, it took me that long to find a belt. But now that it's all together, I'm looking forward to wearing it outside the yard.
Til next time...
Thanks for the tip about the yearly sale at the Textile Museum of Canada! This is my favourite museum in Toronto (surprise surprise). I'll try to make the next one. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour dress is cute! It doesn't really look 80s, though. You've really neutralised the shape. (You are right, the skirt hangs perfectly.) I found a bunch of wonderful 80s pattern in my mother's stash and I can't wait to experiment with them. :-)
Thanks Adrienne - neutralize, that's a good way of putting it. It definitely didn't start out that way!
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