Another 1940’s Dress Finished

Gah, that hair is
out of control!

And about time, I might add!  The June gloom lifted a little so I thought it was time to take pictures and document this dress as done.  So I threw it on and found a belt went to take pictures.  The belt chosen does not work…at all.  Need to piece a self belt and find a buckle….but I really did not want the belt to be a stopping point on this dress.  It can be worn without a belt and I may have to do that.

With the neckline they way it is supposed to be according to Simplicity 3162.

Annoying neckline as patterned

Some thoughts:

• No FBA needed.
• The bodice was too long.  Note to self, check this before cutting out the next pattern regardless of whether an FBA is needed.
• I found the neckline silly and annoying so I modified it.
• Still am loving the sleeves
• Need to figure out a belt.
• Perfect summer dress if only the weather was summer like for more than an hour a day.

Nice static shot.
Love the buttons.
No belt.

Buttons on the dress:

So, there I was outside snapping these photos with all the people in the park across the street watching me set the timer on the camera and run.  I look up and what do I see?  My nosey cat trying to get in on the photo shoot action from inside the house!

If you let me out, I could help!

Have I Angered the Sewing Gods?

These buttons went
missing because I
put them in a safe place

 Things have been going swimmingly.  My last dress together simply and with no problems.  This dress was going down the same road.  I was a happy camper just naively enjoying the creative process we call sewing.

It was too good to last.  The past few days have been rife with small sewing annoyances.  Pattern pieces going missing when you just laid them down.  The buttons which cost more than the fabric, missing as well.  Every time I try to put in a buttonhole, the thread breaks.  Seriously, am I going to have to make my buttonholes by hand?  Say it isn’t so!!  I measured the hook and eye tape, pin in the eye tape and the hook tape goes missing.  I spent hours looking for the measured hook tape with no success.

I know I have been enjoying my sewing too much lately.  The sewing gods had to keep me in line.  I must appease them before the really wreak havoc on a sewing project.

Where I am now.

Skirt and bodice joined.  All bias binding finishing is completed.  Side closing is finished.  The buttonholes, finally, are done.  I have to sew on the buttons and hem the skirt.  This is taking much tooo long! 

More Patterns

The other $1 patterns I picked up over the weekend. 

Anne Adams 2664

Anne Adams

Simplicity 2728.  I think this dress is so cute and my friend with whom I was shopping just turned up her nose at this one.  I do not get that!

Simplicity 2728

This is Simplicity 1184.  There is no envelope for this one.  My friend also did not like this pattern but I think it has a lot of potential.  Of course, the line drawing tends not to be as inspirational as the envelope art.

Simplicity 1184

You might also wonder what the heck is going on with Simplicity 3162.  I have been plugging away on this dress but only a few minutes at a time.  Seriously it has been, 5 minutes here and maybe 10 minutes there with the resulting very slow progress but constantly moving forward.  I have put in the plackets and am sewing in the hooks and eyes.  I am cheating again and using the hook and eye tape.  It really is so much simpler with the hook and eye tape.  Once the hooks and eyes are in, I only have the hem and buttons to finish up.  I am hoping that I will have the dress done tomorrow night……maybe.

The Narrow Hem

How do you make a narrow hem?

When needing a narrow hem in the past, I would merely pull out my rolled hem foot and use that to make a narrow hem. (This is not a rolled hem using a serger but what my sewing machine company calls a rolled hem foot.)  The rolled hem foot worked; however, my results varied…sometimes it would turn out quite nice and other times, it turned out quite wonky.   So, why not try something different?

Back

Front

I have read about a different technique and when my facing called for a narrow hem, I thought why not.  

I straight stitched quite close to the edge of the fabric.  Then, the fabric was turned twice and stitched again. 

I am quite happy with the results and may need to retire my rolled hem foot.  I cannot say that this technique is faster.  Quite the contrary, it really is slower.  What it is, is more precise resulting in a finish that does not have problems.  

Who Doesn't Enjoy Quick Sewing?

Another 1940's dress that is coming together quickly......such a pleasure.

Construction notes:

• Did not do an FBA since it is a 34 inch bust.
• There are pleats in the bodice and darts in the shoulder.
• I did not like the pleats in the bodice and turned them into darts.
• I made a huge cutting error on the skirt.  One piece is not wide enough through the hips.  It is my fault; I did not make sure the fabric was even before I started cutting.
• I cut the sleeves on the bias.  Not sure why; the pattern is too subtle to really show up with a bias cut.
• I love love love the pleats on the sleeves. So simple but pretty.
• I had to stare at the instructions for a long time to figure out how the pleats in the front bodice worked and then after figuring them out I turned them into darts.  Blech.

Where I am:

Not sure I like those lapels

Pieces are sewn together…..kinda…

Bias cut sleeve with pretty pleats!

Yup, there is the back.

Another 1940s Dress

Whew…that was one busy Memorial Day Weekend.   Not a lot of resting going on here.

But I did decide on my next project….another 1940s dress, this one a shirtwaist style dress.

This pattern looks easy.

This is the summery fabric I plan to use.

I rather love this fabric.  So light and airy.  The dots look like poppy seeds, not a true black but a grey/black.