Monday, April 19, 2010

Simplicity 4887 pt 2

I really love this little vintage dress! It's adorable, I think, and was so easy to fit & make! Just as a reminder, here's the pattern envelope:


Just to recap, I'm using a 100% cotton print fabric. It's a quilting/apparel cotton by Amy Butler called "Lotus" in the blue/cream/grey colorway. I just love this fabric! I bought it from my local quilt shop a long time ago and have been hoarding it for the perfect project.

Here's a couple of pictures of the dress on me, while the sun was setting this afternoon.



This is a "half size" dress pattern, in size 20-1/2 or bust 41. I did make a muslin of the bodice to check fit, and found that it was wonderful through the bust right out of the envelope! I just had to lower the "point" about 1/2 inch. The waist hits just above my natural waist and because of the style I left it as drafted. The neckline was just a bit too wide, which leads me to believe a vintage 18-1/2 would probably be perfect.

A couple more changes...the neck was choking me on my first fitting, so I dropped it by about 1/2" in CF, tapering to nothing at shoulder seams. But I'm particularly sensitive to things tight at the base of my neck. It really doesn't "look" that different after the change, but it feels different!

The skirt was drafted for 6 pleats in front and 6 in back. I just barely had enough fabric to cut this dress out (I even had to seam the CF!) and I ended up a bit short when I went to pin in the pleated skirt to the bodice. The math to reduce the pleats equally all around hurt my head, so I went with a gathered skirt instead! I love the "just to the knee" length. I took a 3" hem, stitched by machine.


I really wish I had a nice yellow ribbon to use for a belt, a'la the pattern illustration, but I just don't have any the right color on hand.

I love this dress for its simplicity, and for the classic boat neckline and fitted bodice, even if that closed up neck/chest and sleeveless armholes aren't the most flattering look for a busty girl with rather full upper arms. I don't mind though, it's a pretty style and easy enough to add some things to accentuate the good parts yet still keep me cool in the hot summer months!

I also have a vintage set of large yellow faux-pearls (I'm wearing the earrings in these photos!) and they look grand on the high neckline.

One interesting thing about the pattern that I just haven't seen before (but I haven't made many 60s era patterns either) was a "dart" line on the back neck. It's just a printed line, not an full "dart". The directions instruct you to sew up approximately 1/8" on either side of the line to fit the back neck. I always have trouble with the back neckline gaping, so this little dart was a lifesaver! The back neck fits perfectly!

Tonight, I added a J Crew mustard yellow "Jackie" cardigan (from ebay! Love ebay!). This is probably how I'll wear this dress most of the time.


And my mustard ankle strap pumps from Target. My favorite shoes!


My cardigan is held with a pair of 1950s gold & pearl sweater clips. So sweet! (Also from Ebay, although I have a pair or two in my jewelry box from Etsy too.)


I've moved on now to another awesome vintage pattern. Hopefully I'll have something new to share by the weekend! And this project was so easy and quick, I think I might whip out another dress or two in a fun spring/summery print really soon! This post is cross posted at We Sew Vintage!

And my lovely photographer, Lu:

38 comments:

  1. That is toooo cute!!! With and Without the sweater. Nice Job!

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  2. Oh, so very cute. The dress looks fantastic and then it you put the cardigan and the shoes with it. Wow, the perfect color combination. Great job.

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  3. You look gorgeous, Angie!!! LOVE love this simple design with the beautiful print. I also love all things yellow and think your sweater and shoes the perfect match.

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  4. You look so fabulous.......I love the dress with and without the cardigan, the print is just right for the pattern...Great job

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  5. Anonymous10:56 PM

    That is a very sweet dress. Good job!

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  6. It looks great on you. Particularly like the contrasting cardi and shoes (wow, I love those shoes)

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  7. This turned out so nice. It looks wonderful on you. I love the blue, gray, and yellow combo. Your accessories are perfect!

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  8. I love your dress, especially with the yellow cardigan and shoes. I would not have thought of that color, but it's a treat.

    BTW: My Kyoto skirt pattern shipped Friday, so with luck it will arrive sometime this week.

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  9. what a wonderful dress!! The fit is absolutely flattering. Those shoes are also fabulous! i wish Target had them in my size :O( ah well i will live vicariously through your fashionista stylings

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  10. This is a case of the perfect style on the perfect body for it and I am saying this as a fuller figure gal myself who could not wear this style at all. The length is perfect and so flattering to your shapely legs. The yellow makes the whole thing pop. There is fashion and there is style and I think you've presented us with your style - ageless, distinct and flattering for you. Well done!

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  11. That dress is so gorgeous on you! You should wear blue all the time (with yellow, of course!).

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  12. You look really beautiful. What a lovely dress and combined with the yellow accents it's really a perfect outfit.

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  13. This dress has all the things I love - full skirt, fitted bodice, floral fabric...check, check, check. Not to mention that you look adorable!

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  14. Ditto above comments. You look fabulous in that dress. Your accessories are perfect, shoes and cardi. Looks like a great dress for summer. I see that your kitty is admiring it also!

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  15. That came out great. I love half-sizes, fit is great for me, too.

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  16. The dress looks great, and so cute with the yellow sweater and shoes!

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  17. You are so cute in that dress. I love it all- the shoes, the earrings, the pearl clip, the cardi..... cute, cute, cute.

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  18. Lovely. You are absolutely lovely and chic in this dress! BTW, you're making me think I could offer my "math services" on the side and make some serious cash from other sewists with headaches!

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  19. You look great! It suits you to a T!

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  20. Your dress is great. I love that style on you. A yellow ribbon would be nice. Perhaps you'll find one soon. I love the cardigan, the shoes, the sweater clip all together with this great dress! It's a winner!

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  21. that dress came out so pretty!!! Love it. Jennifer

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  22. Very cute dress!!

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  23. It is really cute. Love your hair like that!

    BTW, I finished the outside of the dollhouse. I don't have the camera or the blogging skills you have (Novelists are not natural bloggers. LOL), but I did post pics over at my blog. :-)

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  24. SO cute! Great job! I love all of the elements of that dress. Would love to see a close-up of the gathered waist (did you gather uniformly or only where the pleats were supposed to be?).

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  25. Love it! The colors are perfect and the whole outfit looks fabulous on you! I want a dress like that!

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  26. A very pretty dress, I love it with the mustard cardigan!

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  27. mightynancy10:36 PM

    You look so pretty in that wonderful new dress!

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  28. Angi,
    I heard your wonderful interview on on Lori's podcast. It was fun to listen to and I learned a lot about vintage.

    You also mentioned that you stay away from invisible zippers because you don't have the correct foot. I'd say it's totally worth it to spend the $$. About 10 years ago I got one for my Bernina and bought 100 invisible zippers on Ebay. I'm still working on that stash of zippers and have given many away. While I was pretty good with a lapped zipper, I can put an invisible one in within minutes. Go for it and you won't be sorry.

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  29. Well, despite your irritating habit if making me look bad (and we all know, it's always all about me), I love this dress.

    And my word verification is...

    "sness"

    That's when you make something that looks great, I tell you you're irritatingly good at something and then make a snarky commetnt: it's a sness.

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  30. OMG, is that cute on you! I love every bit of it...the dress, the cardigan everything!!!

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  31. holy cow. Or as my two year old daughter used to say, "Oh, my cow."
    I love everything about this. The dress pattern. Your fabric choice. The combination of color. And last but certainly not least, those flippin cute shoes.

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  32. Love this dress, the colors, and the accessories. Visiting from Sew, Mama, Sew. Great job.

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  33. I love the dress on you, but I agree, as a big woman, I hate wearing things with no sleeves. This looks good on you, though. Good job!

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  34. This is an absolutely gorgeous color on you. The dress is very flattering on you.

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  35. I saw your dress on Sew Mama Sew and had to come to your blog to tell you how gorgeous it is! You look lovely in it!

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  36. I saw the post with your dress on SMS and had to wander over... Your dress looks awesome! I am ever fearful of sewing clothes because I don't want to do all of the work only to have the item not fit :-) I guess I'd rather sew bags. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I *heart* your dress, especially paired with the mustard shoes (a color that I've really been vibing on lately!)

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  37. Bravo! I am so impressed that you were able to look past the the outdated look of the dress on the front of the pattern and see what it might be. It looks beautiful on you! Why is it though, that the only vintage patterns I see or own are for tee-tiny sizes? Like 24" waists and 32" busts?? I need to start looking harder!!

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  38. Anonymous11:16 AM

    I love your creations! Especially this one!
    Keep posting ! :)

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