New Look 6578

A simple pinafore in the last of this fabric, stashed for years and used a couple of years ago for a dress for the same little person, who was sad when she grew out of it.

The pattern is New Look 6578

A well used pattern, as you can see by the state of the envelope

Copying a vintage frock

I have always loved this barkcloth vintage dress I bought years ago.  It's a bit shabby so I haven't worn it much as a result.  I don't want it to totally wear out.  It was lovingly handmade by someone many years ago.

I found this fabric online (vintage they said, but it must be new old stock as it is pristine) and the weight was perfect to try to reproduce the vintage frock:

It is the same weight as barkcloth, but it has more of a pique-like texture.  

I folded the original frock in half and traced the front and back necklines onto a bodice tracing from another pattern with similar style lines.  I love the low back on this frock.  It seems saucy, but is high enough so the bra doesn't show.  The straps turned out a bit narrower on my version, I probably fudged adding the seam allowances or something.  I like the look though.

I made a one piece facing and used this tutorial to make a half-circle skirt

The original dress has a full circle skirt but my fabric was too narrow and I only had 3 metres anyway.  I only just realised in time that the fabric is directional too, so I had to cut two pieces of fabric and lay them out so the flowers wouldn't be upside down on the back of the skirt.  The skirt has side seams now, which is fine by me.

Here she is:

 Perfect for Christmas drinks parties, which are coming up scarily soon!

Marillyn's slim fit peasant dress.

I made this for a 5 year old friend's birthday from this free pattern and a new old-stock bedsheet.

I used one of my featherweights to make it, and used the ruffler attachment to gather the flounce.  It gathered beautifully, but the settings were either too gathered, or not gathery enough for this project, so I gathered on the tighter setting and then pulled some out.  It's a bit uneven, but Miss 5 doesn't seem to mind.

I am Heidi (and so can you!)*

I finally got back into sewing this weekend - it felt fab.

Why did it take me so long to get onto the Heidi bandwagon? She's a good quick sew, and just plain lovely! I shoulda know when such stylish and tasteful sewing ladies such as Livebird, Erin Dressaday and my sewing compadre kitty have made such nice frocks.

Here's my (very) wearable muslin:

Changes:
7cm length added to bodice (it's rather a highwaisted pattern, and I'm longwaisted at the best of times) - thanks to Livebird for this one!

I didn't use the Heidi skirt -as I've said before, Burda do seem to put fussy (in my opinion) details on their patterns that seem to make things fiddly to make. Also, you wouldn't have been able to see the centre panel etc it in the busy pattern. I used the plain pencil skirt from New Look 6699, and made the darts into pleats.

I made it in a stretch woven I got for $2.50/m at Spotlight - if (when!) I make this in a non-stretch I'll need to add a couple of centimetres. I might change the back bodice pleats into darts, but I'll see how I feel when I've testdriven the frock tomorrow.

I think I'll make it out of the rose on the right here. I've made a frock in the deer print on the left, but that isn't quite finished yet... and now I wish it was a Heidi.


* with apologies to Stephen Colbert.