We used a "novelty" nylon taffeta embossed with patches of velveteen and interlined the bodice panels with cotton batiste.
Even though we both sew, most of her work has been with quilts, so this gave me an opportunity to teach her some of the things that I've learned about sewing garments, such as cutting, interlining, and stitching darts. Here's a copy of the details I posted at PatternReview.com:
Pattern Description:
A Retro Butterick pattern from 1960. The envelope description reads ". . . Lined dresses. A,B have close-fitting bodice, flared skirt (cut on crosswise grain of fabric), side zipper and very narrow hem. A: attached bows. Purchased petticoat". My sister needed a party dress, so we made this together for her special event. We followed the design for view B on the front, while using the notched neckline and bow from view A on the back.
Pattern Sizing:
Misses'/Misses' Petite, sizes 6-22.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Basically; we made a few minor changes.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, although we chose to construct the dress a little differently.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
The classic design and neckline detail. No "dislikes."
Fabric Used:
A length of "novelty" nylon taffeta, embossed with patches of velveteen. It didn't exactly fall into the category of recommended fabrics, but it worked for this dress.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
Fit and Design:
- Made a 1-inch short-waist adjustment to the bodice, using the lengthen/shorten lines.
- Took in the bodices side seams a little.
- Raised the back neckline by 4-inches.
Construction:
-Lengthened the skirt panels.
-Interlined the bodice panels with a layer of cotton batiste to lend a little "body" to the taffeta.
-Under-stitched the neckline and armholes by hand; this allowed us to reach the narrow areas that the machine could not.
-Used an invisible zipper at the side seam and brought the opening all the up way to armhole, rather than starting below it.
-Seamed the skirt lining to the bodice lining at the waist, instead of basting it to the waist seam of the outer dress.
-Finished the outer hem with a narrow self-made bias facing (we needed as much length as possible to cover the petticoat). This seemed to work well with the taffeta and gave the hem a little more body.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
We don't have any immediate plans to, but it's such a basic design that we could possibly sew it again with a different fabric. Yes, we would recommend it to others.
Conclusion:
This is a cute dress that is simple to construct, and my sister is very pleased with the results.
