Lavinia is getting to the age where she enjoys wearing dresses, so I'm happy to oblige by sewing up a few! I happened to have this vintage pattern in a size 3 in my stash, so I used some cotton seersucker (also from my stash) and whipped this up for her.
The original pattern calls for tucks and rick-rack to add a little interest. I can't buy any rick-rack in soft, vintage colors locally, so I used the white rick-rack I had on hand. It doesn't "pop" very much, but adds a subtle touch of interest. I ended up taking out the bodice darts called for in the pattern -- I think it's pretty typical for a three-year-old's waist measurement to be the same as her chest! No shaping needed!
Fifties dresses for girls are fairly short, and Lavinia is fairly tall, so I lengthened the skirt by three inches. I didn't actually have enough fabric to do this, so I made a faced hem out of some scrap fabric. This is exactly what it sounds like -- instead of folding the fashion fabric up into a hem, you create a facing as a hem. Since it's a straight skirt, I also used my machine to make a blind stitch hem. This is my favorite quick way to do hems on straight skirts!
Vintage buttons down the back from the stash. Magnificent bridal wreath bush courtesy of my parents' yard.
Happy girl. More made-by-mommy dresses are in your future, Lavinia!
I'm a 31-year-old Christian. My hope is to live a quiet life filled with home and hearth, family and friends, loveliness and simplicity. I'm wife to Douglas (married October 2008) and mother to Edmund (born November 2009), Lavinia (born May 2012), and Rosamund (born February 2014).
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What an adorable dress! It looks like a perfect fit for Lavinia, too. Can you believe that I've never done a faced hem before? I like the idea though, and will have to remember it for future projects of limited yardage.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cheri! I hadn't either, until recently. I was making a border-print skirt and there simply wasn't enough fabric to turn up! It's a good technique if you need to scrimp!
DeleteThat is gorgeous fabric - I remember having a flannel pillowcase in those colours. But I think the seersucker is far nicer :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katy -- I love the fabric too. In fact, I wish I'd bought more so I could make myself a dress! Those are unusual colors to find in a seersucker, but very "vintage" looking!
DeleteI've sewn a few vintage dresses for little girls too, and they're *always* short. Super short in fact. I know that was the style, but I usually end up lengthening the ones I make too. The blind stitch hem is fabulous. I wish I had that option on my '57 Kenmore sewing machine.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know what you mean! I just don't want to have to make a matching pair of bloomers for her to wear under all her dresses! ;-)
DeleteI'm a sucker for those 1950's patterns, too! And I must add seersucker was my favorite fabric growing up because it was cool and crisp and never wrinkled. I had a pink and white striped seersucker dress that I would have worn every.single.day when I was seven, if my mother hadn't insisted on laundering it from time to time. :-)
ReplyDeleteRebecca, that sounds lovely. You're reminding me of a pink-and-white seersucker dress my mother made for me when I was three. It's a quintessential summertime fabric!
DeleteWe have a bridal wreath bush at our home, and I have been wondering what it was. After reading your post I was so happy to finally know it's name! : ) Lavinia's dress is lovely. It looks so cool and comfortable. Vintage patterns are the best.
ReplyDeleteSarah, glad I could inadvertently help you in that way! :) I've also heard it called spirea. Thank you for the kind words.
Deletesuch a sweet dress!! I adore all the elements and I think the white rick rack is perfect (although I wish you were my neighbor so you could root through my vintage rick rack to your heart's content).
ReplyDeleteAnd as the mother of a 9.5-year-old girl, I can tell you that the same waist/chest measurements will be around for a while. Several times I have used little girl patterns for my big girl, just by lengthening things. So easy.
I read your post days ago but I was holding the baby and just could not bear to peck out a short comment.
Thanks, Margo! I also wish I could root through your vintage rick-rack trove -- sounds delightful! :) I bought some soft pink rick-rack at Colorado Fabrics last summer, but most of what I have is the bright stuff you get at any old Jo-Ann's. I keep my eyes peeled at the thrift store.
DeleteThanks for coming back to leave a comment -- so funny. I'm right there with you.