Readers,
A little over two weeks ago I finished this zippy orange-red linen-cotton blend dress. I am so happy with it.
This is a good example of a fit-and-flare dress, a great silhouette for my figure type. It’s so easy to wear, and a classic.
I’m also very satisfied with how the belt turned out, too, especially since I had to develop my own set of instructions.
The pattern I used was Vogue 1424, from 1965. I found this vintage pattern a little more than three years ago.
I had gotten exasperated with the dress I was sewing and finally decided to go looking for something I liked more.
After browsing the current dress offerings of the major pattern companies and finding nothing that really appealed to me, I looked at vintage patterns on Etsy. I probably looked at hundreds of dress patterns before happening upon Vogue Basic Dress 1424. The options for skirts, sleeves, and bodices were so nice. I could even imagine developing the collared bodice of View B into a little jacket for a chic ensemble with sleeveless dress View E.
About four months later I bought a copy, in the smallest size the pattern came in: a 10.
Then came many rounds of fitting and testing.
Recently I pulled together the test garments that preceded my happy red-orange summer frock, to give you a sense of this progression. Even I was surprised by how many versions I created. When I was reading over my copious notes this morning I was reminded that I made even more versions than appear here.
However, today I won’t bore you with the minutiae of the fitting and construction. (You’re welcome.) We’ll just look at pictures.
In the beginning was the muslin. This must be Muslin 3, because Muslins 1 and 2 didn’t fit as well. Whenever possible I reuse whatever parts of previous muslins that I can, so version 3 here is probably incorporating parts of its predecessors.
The original pattern, like almost all patterns for me, was too long in the bodice and too large in the bust.
My notes say I made muslins in September 2020, July-August 2021, and January-February 2022.
Then came a wearable test from this aqua linen. The fit was good enough for me to add this to my wardrobe. (Plus, I really needed a summer dress!)
I made my first belt. For a first attempt, it turned out well. I was encouraged. And I got to use a vintage buckle!
In September 2021 I tested a wool version with sleeves. This wasn’t meant to be a finished dress, so it’s not hemmed and the side zipper and sleeves weren’t set in nicely. No belt.
Next came a dress of many colors, from linen and cotton remnants, in April 2022.
In this version, I tested a neck facing, moved the zipper from the side to center back, reduced the ease in the sleeve cap for easier installation, and tested in-seam pockets.
Next, I was finally ready to sew the real deal. In May 2022 I sewed this version in a linen crepe.
Shopping online for fabric, I was looking for a neutral, and, unfortunately, wool makes me itch, so my choices were more limited. I found this linen crepe, which has a nice texture, weight, and drape.
The color is a brownish gray, and if you called it mousy I wouldn’t disagree. The right accessories would make a difference.
I improved my belt-making with this project. Now I’m hooked.
And then I made my orange-red dress, in June 2023, finishing it July 1.
Sewing this last dress was a real pleasure. After all the testing and documenting in notes and process photos, whenever I had questions, I had the answers at hand. The color, fit, and style all suited me.
This dress felt like it was made just for me–because it was. And, because I have developed this pattern to work in all seasons and for a wide variety of occasions and activities, I’ll be sewing versions of this dress for years to come.
That’s something to cheer about!
Thanks to Cynthia DeGrand for the photos!