Confession time

Yes, I know that I'm meant to be working hard on my dissertation, and most of the time I am indeed working hard on my dissertation. But I've discovered (no great surprise here) that not doing any sewing at all really doesn't agree with me. So to get my stitching fix as efficiently as possible, I decided to make something using a pattern which I'd already made up: that way it would already be altered to fit, and I could get straight on to the sewing.

I'd come across a lovely, buttersoft and very drapey cotton several weeks ago when I was in my local fabric shop - I got chatting to two of the assistants who were 'dressing' one of the window display mannequins, and somehow ended up helping them with the trim placement. Apparently they were going for 'old lady chic'; a look which I think pretty much describes my entire wardrobe!

Remembering this fabric, I decided to remake Vogue 2787.

Vintage Vogue from 1948

I had all sorts of problems making this originally, not helped by my never-mind-the-drape-feel-the-print approach to fabric selection. Oddly enough, the crisp cotton I chose didn't hang in the same manner as the toile made from an old bedsheet! I managed to fix a lot of the problems, and frequent laundering of what was now a favourite dress eased the crispness.

The first version of 2787, aka 'The Feedsack'

In fact, the problem now is that after several years of said laundering, and despite a few mends to fix wear and tear, it is definitely past its best. So a replacement, in a far more suitable fabric, seems like the way to go.

In a couple of weeks, all I've managed to do is the front. Although to be fair, that is quite a job in itself. I remembered that sewing round the curves was really tricky, so used my 1917 hand-crank Singer for the job - it worked a treat.

Progress so far

Now onto the back.