Butterick 6866 - part 3, completed

I can't believe that I've not yet mentioned this little detail that I discovered when I first took the pattern pieces out. Clearly the previous owner was a smoker, albeit a careless one! The burn hole goes through two layers, so hopefully she only dropped ash on the folded tissue, not on the fabric.

Oops!

Meanwhile, back to the dress. I cheated a bit with the sleeves. The instructions are for the "new" method of gathering, rather than shrinking, the head of the completed sleeve to fit the armscye.

New! Quick! Easy!

I went with the even newer and easier method of attaching the sleeves to the bodice before sewing the sleeve and side seams. Although the sleeve uses gathering to fit, it is not a 'gathered' sleeve, the head should lie smoothly.

No gathers should be visible

For me, this would be a challenge with either a treadle or a flat-bed machine, and a recipe for disaster with both. There's much that I like about old patterns, methods and machines, but I'm not obsessive about period accuracy.

One thing I do like on old patterns is the elbow pleat detail on sleeves - it's not something you see on modern clothing or patterns. Possibly because slim, bracelet-length sleeves now only appear in stretch fabric, so there is no need for the extra ease.

My favourite sleeve style

The belt was made using my trusty furnishing-buckram-and-cotton method, and has a modern buckle. All of my suitable (by colour and size) vintage buckles had quite small holes, and the brushed cotton was going to make the belt too bulky to work with them. After all of last week's button auditions, I went for something different - dyed shell buttons which I spotted when buckle-shopping.

One thing which I just couldn't find was a suitably coloured thread for the buttonhole on the upper tab. So instead, I sewed the buttons onto the right front, and used press studs (snaps) for closure.

And here is the end result. It gaps a bit below the lowest button - when I reread the instructions, I discovered that I should have sewn the fronts together for about 2.5cm/1" above the waist. Given that, like 1940s dresses, it's already a bit of a challenge to get on and off, I think I’ll add a fourth press stud instead.

First completed project of the year

The skirt consists of three panels on the back and three on the front, with the seams aligned with the bodice darts. I really like the degree of flare; it's comfortable to sit down in, but not massively full.

#sewnshownseated

Naturally, I gave in to the temptation to #poselikethepatternmodel!

Just standing here chewing my glasses

So, a mere one fifth of the way through March 2022, that's the fourth, and last, of my UseNine2021 makes complete!

* coughs in an embarrassed manner *

It's also the first entry in the right-hand column of the Stashometer. Joined by two new entries in the left-hand column of the Stashometer.

Second 'oops' of the evening

As well as true vintage and vintage-inspired fabrics, Til the Sun Goes Down also sells their own designs, based on original prints, and produced in limited quantities. So when they announced a restock of some of these fabrics, I just had to snap a few metres up while I could. Honest, guv.

This floral cotton print on a sketchy background is pure 1950s, and I have no shortage of possible patterns for it.

'Yellow', 'ivy green', and 'cactus blue' - in case you were wondering

This crepe, on the other hand, is a bit trickier. Most 1920s and early 1930s styles, which is the era of the print, do me absolutely no favours whatsoever. But I loved the design, so got some anyway. I'm sure I'll think of something.

'Saxe blue', 'sapphire', and a magnificent print