Fashion. Culture. Community.

My first dress.

Hi ladies :)

I recently finished my first dress and would love to share it here with my fellow crafty pinup lovers. I quit smoking in February and needed something to keep me busy. I can knit, but I don't want to knit everything, so I asked my Gma if I could have her Singer 99K (she never used it anyway) and she obliged. Her mother bought it new in 1956, I love making vintage inspired clothing on a vintage machine.

I'm either crazy or ballsy, probably a bit of both, but I decided to jump right in and joined the Fall for Cotton challenge on Flickr. I was going to use a vintage apron pattern that my G-Gma ordered in 1957, but when I opened it, I was scared. Anyone who is new to sewing who looks at ANY pattern, let alone a vintage one, can understand where I'm coming from ("What in the.. do all these marks mean?!"). So I decided to try a free "easy" pattern I found online. It turned out... Interesting, to say the least. It not only looked nothing like the pattern apron, NONE of the seams were straight, but, it WAS a functioning apron. In my mind that meant "Success!! I can make a dress now". Ha! I was literally Googling how to use the machine and what different pattern terms meant between steps.

I couldn't quite figure out how to do the pleats at first, so I got flustered and ended up just pleating it like a kilt (all one direction), and I added a contrast panel in the skirt, just because :) The zipper isn't the prettiest either, using the zipper foot is admittedly still a challenge for me. I did make the bias tape myself though, yay!

Pattern - McCalls M6745 (view A with beginner's twists aka mistakes)

So, you made it this far, congratulations! Sorry for the blabber, I can't help myself. Here's the dress! Please mind my terrible selfies.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ginine Tonic on October 27, 2013 at 10:50am

Very nice! I love your fabric choices. This is adorable!

Permalink Reply by Scanlan Darlin on October 27, 2013 at 10:58am

Good girl! Super cute! :-) Keep going... and zippers are always tricky so feel really good about it!

Permalink Reply by Jenni Black on October 27, 2013 at 11:14am

So lovely!! I recently learned to install a zipper by hand picking. One would think putting a zipper in by hand would take longer but with the usual taking it out and doing it again until it's right, it actually takes me less time, a whole lot less frustration, and I love the results! I use a 1/4" quilters double sided fusible tape to hold the zipper in place as I sew.

Permalink Reply by Sammi on October 27, 2013 at 11:32am

Love it! You have just made me even more excited for my first vintage pattern purchase to arrive :)

Permalink Reply by Chrystal Allen on October 27, 2013 at 11:37am

Thanks so much guys, I'm super proud of it and can't wait to make more and improve my skills. I LOVE the tape tip, I'm adding that to my to-buy list, thanks Jenni.

I basically stole this fabric for $4 a meter and used ~ 5 to make the dress and bias tape, so it's a $20 dress :) I love bargain bins!

Happy Sunday, everybody! :)

Permalink Reply by Emmy Stone on October 28, 2013 at 1:06pm

The self made bias tape looks great - it gives it a great finish.

Like Jenni, installing zips on a machine is not my idea of fun either, and find it easier to get into those tricky seams doing them by hand!

Congrats on giving up the ciggies too - I can think of nothing better than distracting idle hands with sewing and knitting: plus now you have something beautiful to show for it (for the cost of a couple of packs too!)

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