Sew for Victory Dress - the big reveal!

I've had this dress finished for about 10 days, but I was waiting for some nice weather to take photos. I was thinking a park, daffodils, the start of spring. Instead we have had days of torrential rain, followed by freezing temperatures and snow. I tried taking some pictures inside yesterday, but they didn't do justice to the dress. So today I braved the freezing temperatures as far as my backyard to get some daylight and hopefully better pictures. (You may be wondering why I am surrounded by kegs, I don't live in a brewery but as my boyfriend is a brewer it sometimes feels like it!)

Not wanting to be falsely modest I can safely say this one of my sewing project which I am most proud off. Partly because I knew I would be sharing pictures with lots of lovely fellow sewing bloggers I felt that I should up my game, as they would be able to see the little mistakes. Now, I'm sure they would all be far to kind to point them out, but I would know that they knew.

As a result I took a lot of time and care with this project, I made my first ever muslin (yikes!), learnt a number of new sewing techniques and skills and am happy to show the inside as well as the outside of the dress.

Inside out, and not a loose thread in sight!

Pattern:       Simplicity 3284, vintage 1939 pattern.

Fabric:     2.5m printed cotton (Hickeys), .5m of white cotton (The Cloth Shop), <.25m of suede (left over from my 1950s style belt).

Notions:     1m lace trim (A Rubanesque), 3x buttons (The Cloth Shop), 7" zip, vintage belt buckle (from stash).

 

I found the buckle in my stash, I think it came from my boyfriend's granny. 

I had to use it, but it took a while to find buttons to match

Does it look like the picture on the envelop?  Yes, I think it does.

Where the instructions easy to follow? Well, this is the first time I've worked with a vintage pattern, and well they didn't give instructions like they do now. 'Make bound button holes' - what use is that! Now luckily there are many useful tutorials that filled in the gaps, see below.

Pattern alterations? I didn't put the extra stiffening pieces into the shoulders, I felt they were puffy enough already. I also took about 4 inches of the bottom of the skirt - I knew that I would never wear it if it was mid-calf. It now sits nicely on the knee.

Would I make it again? Hum, yes I think I might. I really like the skirt shape, and the sleeves, but I might make some alterations to the bodice.

What did I learn from this project? What didn't I learn?!? I learnt how to work with vintage patterns, I learnt how to grade up patterns, using Casey's excellent tutorial. I made bound buttons holes for the first time, and inserted a side lapped zip under the tutelage of Gertie. 

Basically, I learnt a lot and got over many of my sewing fears! I've had this pattern and fabric matched up in my stash for over two years, but the Sew for Victory sew along pushed me into making it, and I certainly feel a lot more confident in my sewing ability than before. I also learnt what a lot of lovely sewing enthusiasts that are out there, and how encouraging and supportive they can be. Thank you ladies! 

Did it meet my sewing resolutions? Yes, I used up materials from my stash, and I learnt lots of new technique.