Ever wondered what 7m of fabric looks like as a dress?

If you have wondered you are about to find out!

Back in February (seems like such a long time ago...)  I wrote a post about a dress I'd seen on Laura Mae's blog Lilacs & Lace, which in a serendipidous manner, coincided with a sale at Spotlight where I was able to buy the pattern AND some amazingly gorgeous fabric.

The Vintage Vogue Pattern, originally produced in 1957

 My GORGEOUS fabric!  It is a quilting fabric so not very wide, just like vintage fabrics

Now making this dress hasn't been without its issues.  First up I was cutting out the pattern (not something I have to do often) and since I'd just bought it, I cut out the size 10 (my modern size) without even thinking... until at some point I checked the back of the pattern envelope only to realise that the pattern was in vintage sizes, not modern sizes!!!  So not only had I cut out the wrong one, I'd purchased the wrong one!!!

I got out the tape measure and measured the waist, and it came to 28 inches, not 24 inches like the pattern envelope said - so it should fit.  THANK GOD FOR EASE!!!  But just to make sure I got out some scrap fabric and made up the bodice to check... and it fitted - thank goodness!

Next issue was adjustment and placement of the pattern pieces for the bodice to match the stripes up on the seam lines.  I haven't done this before so I took my time.  Then I was cutting out the skirt  (lawd there was a lot of it!) and I ran out of fabric for the last goddet.  Sigh!  Luckily I was still able to get another metre of the fabric at the store.

So really you could say that this is what 8m of fabric looks like when its made up as a dress...

My pattern envelope recreation.

Now I know that in the original pattern envelope girl in the main image is wearing a hat... but I only

noticed that when I had a REALLY close look.  From the placement of her hands I thought she was holding

a parasol.  And since I have an appropriately coloured parasol, and no large hat, I went with the parasol.

I'm extraordinarily happy with how this dress turned out!  I think the stripes match up pretty well where it counts (the front and back of the bodice), and the sheer amount of fabric in the dress is divine to wear, if a little heavy.  It swishes beautifully as you walk!  So much so that I am going to make a couple of skirts using this pattern.

Oh, and to finish off the dress I made a self-covered belt using one of the stripes in the fabric, and a vintage (probably 1930's) pink belt buckle.

I have garnered a lot of comments wearing this dress.  So many people have stopped me to tell me how beautiful it is and how lovely I look in it.  Its so rewarding to see the looks on their faces when I say that I made it!

So originally I was inspired by Laura Mae's dress.  She in turn had been inspired by a post on Sew Weekly.  Here's me hoping I can pass the inspiration on to someone else.

Beccie
xxx