Butterick 7653 version B

Do you have any of those patterns, the ones you must make everything you see on the envelope? This pattern is one of those for me, I made the slim skirted version A earlier this year, and with that deep ‘V’ neck line and the bias cut bodice I had to make it again.

Butterick 7653

 I was given some lovely blue – grey silk by a friend who was downsizing her stash, it had a slinky feel and lovely drape, so it was perfect for this dress. I interlined each piece, basting another slinky fabric to the inside, finishing the edges with a zig zag that way I could treat the lining and fashion fabric as one, preserving the drape.

There was not quite enough fabric to make the very full skirt the pattern called for (perhaps a project for 2016….) and I experimented with a couple of different ways of pleating and gathering the skirt before attaching it to the bodice.

With my lovely assistant Luna.

I settled on wide box pleats at the front, almost wider versions of the really beautiful pleats from the slim skirt version:

I am unsure how successful this has been!

But I do love this dress.

Posing like a woman on the envelope…

Lovely back of the bodice.

Front and back..

It really is too muggy for petticoats at the moment, but a petticoat gives the skirt a really nice shape and that 50s look.

And petticoats are fun!

I also added a wee pocket (which I cannot leave out of almost any outfit these days…)

I wore some vintage day gloves from my mum, my measuring tape bangles, a flowery hat of my nanas and some beige low heels, it dresses up for evening well with higher heels, and longer black gloves. Looking forward to wearing it out and about this summer.

This is my last official Vintage Pattern Pledge post, as there are only a matter of hours left of 2015 here, but this is what I have left to complete in the new year.

Vogue Special Design 273, all that is left is to hand sew the hem.

Saying I’m ‘quite excited’ about how this dress is turing out is an understatement!

Vogue 1195

I have been working on Vogue 1195 for ages, it’s going well, I have the hem, two more bound buttonholes to make for the cuffs, and finish the self fabric belt, and it’s done. Also very exciting.

I had planned to make a suit this year, and I have a skirt and bolero nearing completion too, in a soft grey wool, really lovely fabric, and not enough for a full jacket.

These are the patterns I’m using:

Simplicity 2269

Simplicity 3114

I love the Vintage Pattern Pledge, I have discovered other vintage sewists, seen even more patterns I love, and have enjoyed the bigger challenges I have set for myself this year. Even the incomplete projects! I have also sewn up three pairs of pants, two shirts and a couple of outfits for my children, using vintage patterns and fabrics, I just have not been able to get them all on the blog….

So, as I type, there are more pins being added to the Pintrest board which you should take a look at especially if you are thinking of joining in the fun next year.

In the mean time, Happy New Year!  xox

The MissDemeaner