53 weeks later

Regular readers (thank you!) with good memories may recall having seen this fabric before.

Looks familiar?

It last appeared on this blog just over a year ago, when I was planning to experiment with batch cutting three projects at once. I said at the time that I wasn't sure how well this would work, and I was right to be dubious. I cut out the top fabric, for Simplicity 4463, and then - I started making it. And that was the end of the experiment.

One third of the plan worked!

Earlier this year I decided to revisit the other two projects. I discovered that I didn't actually have enough of the striped fabric to make Style 1271, so it has been put to one side. Which just left this cotton poplin, which I had earmarked for another Butterick 2535. This time I did have enough fabric to make the longer sleeved version, but decided to stick to short sleeves as I wanted to make a summer dress.

From 1943

One issue with using true vintage patterns is that fabric widths have changed over time, so the cutting layouts provided are of no use. Instead I tend to lay the fabric out on the floor, work out my layout, photograph it, and then cut out on the table working from the annotated image.

Part of my cutting layout

I first made this pattern five years ago and that version, made from Liberty Tana lawn, is still going strong after a lot of wear. This time I did make a couple of adjustments to the pattern, though. The main one was altering the bodice front. I had made it wider to accommodate my larger post-menopausal bust but, for an experienced dressmaker, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that I also needed more fabric top to bottom! As a result, several of my older dresses fit around the back and sides but are rather short-waisted at the front. Duh. It's an easy alteration to add length at the centre, tapering to the sides.

Showing the longer bodice front

Other than that, it was pretty much a repeat of the first make. I had almost lost the tie belt of the first version when it came untied, so I made sure to add belt loops to this dress. I also used a skirt hook and bar at the waist of the placket rather than just a hook and eye, and feel that it gives a more secure fasten.

Belt loop and waist fasten

There were the usual button traumas. Nothing in my stash or available locally seemed quite right. Fortunately, I found some I liked at The Swagman's Daughter, and the typeface on the card made me think that they were probably right for the period.

Looks 1930s/40s?

Attached to the dress

The buttonholes were, as ever, hand sewn. (I really must devote some time to learning how to use my Singer buttonholer properly.)

The completed dress

When I first made the pattern in 2020 I wasn't taking seated shots, so here is one this time. The pleats at the front make the dress comfortable to sit in, without there being lots of fabric to contend with.

#sewnshownseated

According to my project notebook, I started this dress at the end of February. That's a long time to make a basic 1940s dress which I have made before, but never mind. Partly it's because I have less sewing time these days, and partly it's because I deliberately took my time. This is a good, basic dress which I know I'm going to wear (and launder) a lot, so I made sure that everything is properly stitched and neatly finished, to maximise its life. Plus, it's another 3.2m out of the stash.

Still a long way to go

Old and new

I'm combining a new-to-me method with some tried and trusted favourites.

My big worktable on which I do my cutting out is temporarily out of commission, so I'm having to use my dining table instead. Obviously, this gets used for lots of things, and if I want to do any cutting out, I have to clear it first. So to minimise the time spent clearing things off and putting things back, I have decided to try batch cutting. The intention is to cut out the pieces for three separate dresses at once, and then sew them.

My starting point

I know that lots of people do this, possibly for the reason for which I'm giving it a go, but I have never tried it before. Given my fondness for squirrel projects, I have always been worried that I will end up with multiple cut-out but unsewn projects lying around. So I will have to be disciplined for once, and actually do the projects I have planned!

To improve the (limited) chances of this actually happening, I am sticking with patterns which I have used before and which I therefore know I can make reasonably easily and quickly. Like the Grace dress, the existing versions are all in heavy rotation in my wardrobe.

First up, Simplicity 4463. I have found that I greatly prefer this, with its simpler skirt, to its reissue version 1777.

The original illustration

It's very much a winter dress however, made in a thick, slightly fluffy, cotton. I decided that I want a summer version as well, and I am going to use a cotton lawn which has been in my stash for a while. I originally had other plans for it, but decided that it would be perfect for this project. As a slight change, I am going to make view 1, albeit all in the same fabric.

The original plan

Butterick 2535 is another easy-to-wear 1940s dress which gets a lot of use. (My taste seems to be moving away from full-skirted dresses, and I don't think that it's just because of all the ironing involved!)

I haven't decided on sleeves, yet

For this I'm using a cotton print which is, gasp, not blue! I rarely wear brown, so I'm not entirely sure how this will turn out, but I do need to try other colours occasionally.

Another fabric bought because I liked the print

Finally, Style 1271. I don't feel that view C of this has really worked. I don't know exactly what the problem is, but it just feels frumpy. It has been put aside while I consider how to tweak it. View B, however, always gets compliments when I wear it.

My versions of B and C turned out very differently

I wasn't really planning to make another one of these, but then I spotted this remnant, which I thought would be perfect. The stripes are across the fabric, but I will cut it out with the stripes running lengthwise.

Jaunty!

It's going to be a challenge to cut out, as there isn’t a lot of fabric. At least that has limited the damage to the Stashometer.

It was going quite well!

I must admit that even I am dubious about how well batch cutting will work for me, but here goes!

April dress (Butterick 2535) finished

It's a little late (which I'm putting down to scrubs-making), but I have finished my April dress for the Vintage Sew A Dress A Month, and I'm really pleased with the end result. The pattern envelope describes it as a "casual frock . . . so wearable for innumerable occasions", and I'm inclined to agree. It would be just as suitable for nipping out to the shops as for afternoon tea with friends - when we're able to do all these things again.

Better late than never

I forgot to mention last week that when I laid the fabric out to cut it, I discovered that there was a hole in it - it's an occupational hazard of using remnants. Because the print is so dense it was easy to miss, especially when the fabric was folded double. I was worried that I would somehow forget about it when I was cutting out, so I made it noticable by tacking an obvious patch over it.

There was no missing this

The hole meant that I had to go for the short-sleeved version of the pattern. However, the fabric is a Liberty Tana Lawn, so lent itself to a more obviously summer dress anyway.

And the answer to last week's button dilemma? When I tried the bodice on, it was obvious that it needed a contrast button; otherwise it was just a flowery mass. So green it was. Thank you Lynn, I shall refer all my button queries to you in future!

I was so pleased to find these vintage green buttons in my stash

In order to get the dress done, I used ready-made shoulder pads. The pattern does include instructions for making your own, and I may well do this at some point. One thing which I really noticed was how much the bodice fit was improved by wearing one of my What Katie Did bras underneath it, rather than a modern bra. I shouldn't really be surprised that something made from a true vintage pattern fits better over a vintage silhouette, but as I often use vintage rather than reproduction patterns, it's worth remembering.

Along the same lines, if I want to dress things up for a proper vintage look, the colour scheme of the print goes with lots of my coloured-seam stockings; pink, purple, green and claret to be precise, as well as black and neutral. On top of that, the dress is a perfect match for this fabulous cardigan, knitted from a vintage pattern, which I commissioned from the very wonderful Crafty Elsie. Knitwear which actually fits me, yay (and it has amazing buttons, too)!

Made for each other

Making this dress has removed another three metres of fabric from the stash - although obviously the arrival of 18 metres of scrubs fabric has ruined my progress on that front!

A big fat zero

Finally, this was the first of my #UseNine2020 fabrics. Vogue 7422 and the striped seersucker are lined up for my May dress, but first I have some more scrubs to make.

One down, eight to go

Miscellaneous sewing

There's not a lot to report this week, as my sewing has mostly been scrubs. So far I've completed two sets, complete with scrubs caps made with matching fabric on one side, and a jollier print on the other. They are not especially hard to sew, but it's not interesting work. And while undeniably necessary and useful, they don't look terribly exciting, either.

The first two sets

On the plus side, these were made from stashed fabric, so can be added to the Stashometer totals (which have also been updated to include the Ditto Fabrics yardage).

15 metres in credit - but not for long

Up until now I have been using old bedsheets, and one thing I have noticed is that these blunt sewing machine needles really quickly. I'll be glad to make the rest from the 'proper' fabric, which has recently arrived. There was far too much to pre-wash in the washing machine, so it had to be done in the bath, instead.

The ducks are helping

For the good of my mental health, I have decided to intersperse scrubs-making with a bit of my usual sewing, in this case my April dress for the Vintage Sew A Dress A Month.

My April dress

The fabric was a remnant, and there is only enough for the short-sleeved version of the dress. So far I have cut everything out (including an added in-seam pocket because - pockets), and made up the bodice apart from the side seams.

Progress so far

I'm also engaged in one of my habitual dressmaking dilemmas: agonising over buttons.

The four possible choices

I really like the two-tone pink (second down), but while it looks striking close-up, it rather vanishes into the fabric at a distance. In fact, only the green stands out.

Spot the buttons

Fortunately I've still got a lot to do, so I can leave that decision for a while.