Mari Gold Round

From 1966:


From 2007


Now 1966 in 2007, (my second ring collared dress!)



I am sending my big and humble thanks to the darling and talented Annette1 for very kindly encouraging and inspiring me personally to make another dress similar to my Simplicity version.

Em Summer also reviewed this blast from the past. Em Summer's groovy and clever version

A 2007 version of this dress by Elle Tahari Sorry Ellie, plan to spend my hard-earned money elsewhere!

Pattern Description.
From 1966 (guess who was born Sept of that year?), a dress with halter neckline has front gathered to faced and interfaced neckband, zipper and vent in center back seam. Dress, with panel saming in front and vertical back darts, may be underlined. Neckband is buttoned in back above zipper.

Size
Size 16, bust 36"


Fabric
A slightly stretch printed cotton with a sateen-type of finish. I purchased this fabric for 50% off at Joann's ($2.49/yd and no coupon needed!). I used about 1 3/4 yard (left over from a 60's Butterick jacket)

Approximate cost of with pattern: $9.31 and one evening of my time (that's with normal routines embedded).


Directions
Sufficient for an advanced beginner. A beginner might find some steps vague. Some steps were not mentioned in the written instructions but shown in the illustrations (i.e. making the back darts, gathering the neckline, inserting the zipper) I read all of the directions just in case and the illustrations were easy to follow. I paid closer attention to the collar construction and attachment to the neckline. I interfaced (fusible) the front and back collar pieces and sewed their seams together. I sewed the collar facing pieces in the same way sans the interfacing. Then I sewed the collar facing over the interfaced collar, right sides together, paying attention to where the stitches started and stopped (from one dot to another). Then I turned collar so that the right side of the fabric showed with openings left for the seam allowances of the back neckline and front neckline.


Likes
* The collar and cutaway arms style
* The front princess seams
* Was not form-fitting as I had expected. I was pleasantly surprised even with the 5/8" seams and the back darts that I had no problem zipping the back and worrying about what I call the "tummy tuck"!
* Easy to cut and sew. The pieces fit together so nicely! There was no mention of stay-stitching the edges prior to sewing the princess seams! I took my time in constructing the collar to minimize the chances of reaching for the seam ripper.
* Consisted of only 7 pattern pieces: front, back, front sides, armhole front and back, collar front and collar back.


Dislikes
Nothing to dislike, really, except that is somewhat loose fitting than what's pictured on the pattern envelope! It seemed that the pattern designer and pattern drafter at the time were not on the same wavelength.


Modifications
*I shortened the dress 1" at the "shorten here" line that was below the bust and above the waist area.
*I removed 4" from the bottom hem and machine stitched a 3/8" hem. Then I hand sewed a 3/4" hem.
*I moved up the initial point of the back vent.


Conclusion
I would definitely recommend this pattern if you could get ahold of it or something similar to it (one sold fairly high on ebay). Etsy is also another great source for vintage patterns! There are current versions of ring collared dresses that seem to have similar constructional methods. The popular Vogue 8229

Wild and Wooly!

PR Message Board, Vintage Sewing Contest

It was so fun to see and compare the pattern pictures with the real-life versions! What was old now is so "in"!!!!!!! My mom regrets throwing out her 60's and 70's shirts and jackets!

Check this out! I was having fun looking at some fun stuff from a July 1967 issue of Seventeen (when magazines had substance). Wow, 60's fashion that looks so wearable today! It's amazing to see popular fashion models at the time such as my favorite, dark haired and doe-eyed all-American-girl-next-door Colleen Corby, wearing clothing from McCall's instead of Rampage or XOXO? It would be fun to look for the jumper, gauchos, turtleneck, skirt, and hat patterns.






Imagine a "Make-It-Yourself With Wool" sewing contest open to high school/college girls (14-21) for an opportunity to win a 15-day holiday to Madrid, Rome, Athens, and the golden Greek islands! "You'll fly there on Olympic Airways' new Boeing 707 super fan jet as you dine on gourmet meals from New York's "21" club." Now this was 1967.....There were also prizes such as college scholarships, savings bonds, and sewing machines! Wow, that sounds exciting and expecially for a girl who enjoys sewing! I chuckled when I read that this contest that "was the only competition of its kind sanctioned by 'secondary school principals' "! It's disappointing that I rarely find contests/competitions that encourage the productivity and creativity of young minds. Unfortunately, many schools including where I teach do not have practical elective classes such as Industrial Arts and Home Economics (even my husband took a textile/sewing class as parts of his high school graduation requirements in the early 80's in Sweden)!

Times are a changin'!

Here's the ad for the sewing contest for girls, 40 years ago. Too bad I was not able to join. I was learning to walk at the time!:


I forgot to add that I definitely would like her far-out outfit! Hmmm. I don't see a pattern number!

Crazy Eights

From 1965:





Pattern Description
From 1965: "Misses' Dress in Three Versions. Long waisted dress, with double-breasted bodice and five section skirt, may be sleeveless or have above-elbow length set-in sleeves. Notched shawl collar, cut in one with bodice fronts, is faced and interfaced. Skirt has pleat at left front in wrap-around effect. Dress with sleeves may have contrast skirt. I made the sleeveless version.

Size
Size 16, Bust 36"

Fabric
Cotton printed with rows and columns of ittle splattered stars. I spent $6 for 3 yds of fabric at W - M.

Directions
* The instructions and diagrams were overall good for advanced beginners and beyond. Only two or three diagrams needed more specific verbal directions so that a step would not be missed or misinterpreted.
* I was able to construct some parts with little or no instruction.
* Pieces have extensive markings: 5/8" seamlines, bodice darts (bust, two long ones in the front, under collar area, two long ones in the upper back), slash marks and reinforced stitching for the lapels
* The constuction of the front bodice along with the collar is similar to current shawl collar construction of tops or jackets.
- The left and right front pieces are sewn together, creating a center seam
- Below the center seam, the neck corners are reinforced before getting clipped or shashed. The edges formed are then sewn at the back shoulders of the back bodice piece.
* The slash marking at the front edge of the bodice are for creating the notches of the lapel.

Likes
* The overall style: the double breasted bodice, low waist, notched collar
* The bodice is also secured by eyes/hooks and snaps in addition to the buttons.
* The flattering elongated back darts


Dislikes
* The actual construction was more time consuming than I had anticipated. Those design sketches of what seemed like basic coat dresses on the pattern envelope were misleading!
* * The actual construction was more time consuming than I had anticipated. Those design sketches of what seemed like basic coat dresses on the pattern envelope were misleading!

* I was careless in following the instructions to attach the
back facing to the front facing (nearly skipped it!). Because I was doing my own thing, I attached the front facing to the neckline of the bodice and the rest of the facing to the right side of the dress. However, I was supposed to sew the back facing below the center seam and neckline of the front facing and its left and right edges to the seam shoulders of the front facing (before turning the entire front facing to the inside of the dress, and hence the right side of the back facing would land just below the neckline). Instead of ripping out stitches, I attached the back facing to the front facing after it was turned to the inside of the dress. I handstitched the bottom edge of the collar facing over the back facing.



Modifications
* Eliminated the front darts
* Used eight instead of six buttons (Aligning and adjusting the buttons to fit is easier said than done!)
* Although the instructions for bound buttonholes are useful, I used my machine's buttonhole feature.
* Larger lapels (I used a seam allowance smaller than 5/8")
* Eliminated the interfacing (fabric was firm enough)
* Maybe because I decreased the width of the back darts by 1/8", I discovered that the back panel of the skirt did not line up with the bottom edge of the back bodice because there was extra fabric. I cut the back panel of the skirt through the middle and added a center back seam at the back panel of the skirt. Actually the center back seam looked nice on the skirt!
* Shortened the length of the skirt by 4".


Conclusion
This dress would also look great in light woolens or a soft corduroy.

If I do make this again, I would skip making the skirt and convert the dress to a top.

I would not say that this 60's pattern is easy, but of moderate difficulty that requires a lot of time and attention to detail!




Cast your vote for the vintage sewing contest at pattern review.com

Ring Around the Collar

 


That "Cleopatra" collar is making a huge comeback!

BCBGMAXAZRIA Beaded Charmeuse Halter Dress for $372 from Nordy's


Could this also be the same dress?











I was hesitant to share this dress (completed a week ago and done before my most recent entries) because it was very easy, and of the fact that I made a VERY goofy mistake which you'll find out in a moment.

I liked the look of Diane VF's Crochet Mini Dress. Then I fortunately found this pattern from etsy.com

Pattern Description
"Misses' one-piece dress: The sleeveless and collarless dress with side front and side back seams has lined yoke, back zipper and slightly lowered neckline. V. 1 has normal armholes. V. 2 has deep cut armholes. V. 3 has halter-type yoke."

Sizing
Size 14, Bust 34" (I thought it was originally 36", but then it was too late!). One side was a bit tighter than the other (I confess that I am asymmetrical)

Fabric Used
Woven cotton

Directions
* Consisted of one two-sided page.
* Brief, but easy to follow
* Illustrations/diagrams were helpful. I liked that there were labels on the corresponding parts of the dress for clarification. For instance, even the words "front", "back", "lining", "yoke front" helped.

Likes
* Absolutely easy to cut and sew!
* I like the cut of the ring collar, giving it a halter style. The collar does not come as wide on the shoulders as in many of the current dresses I see.
* The upper bodice is self-lined
* Aline style
* I thought I would not ever use the numbered notches along the seam lines, which seemed more common in older patterns. They certainly came in handy when in two instances, I used them to make sure that I was pinning the pieces in the correct orientation! It was not always the case that two double-notched edges go together as I discovered!
* Overall, well-drafted

Dislikes
Nothing much to dislike. I really did not mind handsewing the bodice lining to the seams and the bottom hem. In fact, it's a nice diversion from working at the machine.

Modifications
* Added 3/8" to the side seam allowance.
* Shortened the length by 5" so that the dress would fall just below the knee.
* Basted the seams before basting and stitching the zipper
* This dress will motivate me to lose some extra pounds through an intense workout program.

Conclusion
It seems as if a vintage pattern with a ring collar yoke styling gets sold immediately when it or something similar is on an on-line vintage pattern sites or on ebay (for a high bid, of course!). I was fortunate to find this on etsy.com, a site specializing in handmade items.

I definitely recommend this pattern if you are looking for a ring collar dress that sews nicely and easily!

The Wild Pair!



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Floral Freak, C'est Chic

The Feathered Friends (from 1978)!


I made the view on the right! Heather wanted to be part of the fashion scene!


The upward gaze!



Pattern Description:
"Misses' Blouses: Blouses, gathered into neckbands have raglan sleeves; long sleeves A, or bracelet length B, C hae elastic in lower casings. Pullover blouse A has V- neckline and drawstring in lower casing. Pullover blouse B has round neckline, pleat below part-way buttoned front. Buttoned blosue C has square neckline. I made view C.

Pattern Sizing:
Size 12, bust 34.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, except my blouse seemed to be a billowy tunic!

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. I liked that the instructions were separated by the particular views and that there was no overlap of instructions among the views. All the views have three distinctive necklines: "V", rounded, and square.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the square collarband and the roomy sleeves elasticized at the wrists. The raglan sleeves were a breeze to attach.

I did not anticipate the blouse to appear more like a roomy tunic instead of a shirt with a somewhat fitted silhouette as pictured on the envelope. The pictures on the envelope were misleading! But maybe view C was meant to be tucked in as illustrated.

The gathering part is tricky! I gathered each section from one point to another (front, sleeves, back) so that the gathering is sectional instead of whole (from one front end of the blouse to the other front end). When attaching the collar, I made sure that I lined up the notches, squares, and circles.

Fabric Used:
Sheer polyester from Joann's clearance section.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:

I skipped interfacing the front edges of the blouse because I was working with a sheer.

I omitted the second topstitching the neckband.

I took in another 3/4" at the side seams. I could use a belt to pull the look of the top together.

I slightly changed the placement of the buttons/buttonholes.

I decided to tie the front ends of the blouse, make a big knot and tuck it under. Then I folded the rest of the bottom edge of the blouse to create a "blouson" style. It seemed more wearable and fashionable this way.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I will not sew this pattern again. I am fine for just one of these tops!

Conclusion
I find the neckline flattering and I like the gathered front. There are current patterns that reincarnated such styling.

I wore this top recently. One of my students screamed, "I like your top!!!!!!" I did not expect her reaction - she's usually quiet! But it's nice to receive pleasant surprises, especially those that are so unexpected!

The blouse would also be great for a beach cover up or loungewear if worn unbuttoned or untucked.

Fly Robin Fly

The flutter sleeves,...




...bow and...


...ruching/pintucks are making a flying comeback!


Combine those elements with that distinctive fly collar and some ziggy zaggying...


to get the ultimate 70's blouse!



Second Version (August 18, 2007)











Get out your platform shoes and let's boogie to "Fly Robin fly.....up, up to the sky!...."

Pattern Description
From 1975, a "carefree pattern (tm)" from McCall's: "Pullover blouse with extended shoulder line (1" past the shoulders for me)and deep cut armholes, has collar and stitched front pleats. Long sleeves A, B, C gather into buttoned cuffs; flared sleeves D have gathered cap. Blouse A, B, D has tie included in collar seam." I sewed view D, the flared sleeve version.

Sizing
Misses' size 12, bust 34.

Fabric used
Printed poly-lycra knit from my local Yardage Town store. It was so easy to work with!

Likes
I find the extended shoulder style to be flattering. I also like the blouse's feminine look due to the bow tie and the flutter sleeves (cut on the bias) which were just the right size for my frame. The collar added that retro edge. I also liked the way the blouse elongated my torso and how it draped, concealing figure flaws!

Dislikes
There was really nothing to dislike except the silly mistakes I made!

The instructions were straightforward. I took for granted that I knew what I was doing and overlooked an important step: attaching the bow ties to one of the collar pieces before sewing the collar facing, right sides together! I was so eager to create the collar that I immediately sewed the collar facing to the other collar piece (which I did not interface). As I was attaching the entire collar section to the neck edge, I noticed from the illusrations that the ties had been attached to the blouse! So I back tracked and realized that I skipped the step on basting the neck ties to the collar piece before stitching the collar facing. So out comes my handy dandy seam ripper! After turning the entire collar section from the inside out, the ties came out nicely from the sides of the collar.

Another oops! After I was remiss in sewing the front facing to the neck, instead of hand basting. I had to take my seam ripper and carefully remove the stitching of the front facing (attached to the neck seam) before attaching the entire collar section to the neckline. Then I stitched the front facing over the collar and turned the facing inward. Here's the lesson that I learned: read all of the instructions and don't automatically assume, "Hey, it's easy because I did something like this before!" Sometimes one step forward = a setback. But later the setbacks are what we learn from to move further. The learning process is often very interesting...

Modifications
I skipped interfacing one of the collar pieces. I did not want extra bulk at the neckline.

I sewed tight zig zag stitches at the bottom edges of the sleeves instead of a folded hem.

I sewed a tiny hem at the bottom of the blouse, folded a 3/4" hem and slip stitched for a nicer finish.

Conclusion
Feeling bold, I wore this to work today. I really had fun wearing this and watching my students' reactions when they enter my classroom. They are so used to seeing and wearing drabby colors: blues, browns, khakis, greys. I enjoyed seeing their facial expressions as if they needed sunglasses! "Mrs. __________, you look mighty different today!" Hey, my grade school teachers wore outfits with similar styling and colors, and they looked normal back then! This top was very comfortable. Maybe this fabric has this "breathable" quality, which enabled me to withstand the heat in and out of the classroom.

I definitely recommend this pattern if you could find it or something similar to it. Blouses with ties are en vogue this fall/winter!



From Betsey Johnson's Fall RTW 2007 collection:




Some groovy comments:

Reader Comments

Linda G 8/15/07 Beautiful...and oh yes I remember the days of trying to get that bow just right...I see the September Burda WOF has a blouse with a bow.
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Birgitte 8/15/07 You look fantastic in that blouse!
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sewbehind 8/15/07 Thanks for the review. I made this one back in the 70's. Great to see the OOP pattern. You look great in your blouse.
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Seamingly Simple 8/16/07 I think you shouldn't hesitate to show your students your flamboyant style: the "different" teachers are the ones they'll remember. I recall thinking some of my teachers were pretty cool because they didn't care to dress like all the others. You have so many neat retro items, and this blouse is another fine example.
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Blooms 8/16/07 groovy baby!
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ryan's mom 8/16/07 Oh...what a great retro fabric for this pattern! You must feel great in this groovalicious top :) .
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busy91 8/16/07 Groovy! Marsha Brady would be so proud. I love the material. Good job!
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leanmeansewingmachine 8/16/07 Great fabric for a groovy style. Nice work!
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cecelia 8/16/07 Be bold--good for you--very nice looking, and your bow is just right. I think I made a dress from a similar pattern (in the 70's, yikes!).
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Costume & Retro Kellie 8/16/07 Thanks for the great review! What a fun blouse in a great fabric!! I love groovy and it looks fantastic!
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krissie 8/16/07 Wow that's a happening top! Great job, I love it!
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Busy Mom 8/16/07 Fun and carefree, just as the pattern promised. Thanks for reminding us on the importance of taking a few minutes to read over the instructions before delving in. Sounds like both you and your students enjoyed your top - that makes it all worth it!
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Lois K. 8/16/07 I think you found the perfect fabric for that top. It looks great on you!
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My favorite fashion icons!




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Butterflies and Flowers

This is the first we used the auto timer on my camera phone! What fun! I wish my cam phone could take better pictures, though!

A surprised Heather!


A very surprised Heather!


By my very personal photographer!




By an automated camera phone (impersonal):






The dress courtesy of McCall's 8700 from 1967. Imagine a 40 year old design that is wearable today!


Pattern Description:
Sleeveless dress or jumper, lightly fitted by princess seaming in front and vertical back darts, and front buttoned blouse with long set-in sleeves. Dress or jumper, with arm-faced holes and faced and interfaced neck, has center back zipper and may have pleats and underlays in front. I sewed the dress with the pleats and underlays.

Pattern Sizing:
Size 16, bust 36 (vintage sizing)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes (those camera phones can distort somebody's proportions!), except the models do not have a real-life figure! Check out their legs!

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. They were sufficiently clear and the overall illustrations were very helpful, particularly for attaching the underlay to the edges of the seam, below the waist. Although I thought this sewed like a basic sheath dress, I took my time to read and follow the instructions, especially for attaching the triangular underlays to the edges of the hand-basted seams that will later give way to the front pleats. After sewing the underlays, I removed the hand bastings, and voila, instant pleats with the underlay peaking underneath! The slight stiffness of the fabric allowed the pleats forming easily.

The pattern also called for hand-basting the princess seams and the back of the dress prior to inserting the center zipper. I thought that the hand basting was necessary to keep the princess seams together prior to the final stitching and due to the fabric not having much ease.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the sleeveless and princess seaming style that flatters all figure types (especially post-baby ones!). There was nothing to dislike.

Fabric Used:
Funky and weird looking floral fabric that was used to create a blouse. I thought that this fabric was better suited for the dress. The style of the dress balances out the harshness of the fabric.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I omitted the interfacings due to the nature of the fabric. I shortened the length by about 3" to make it just above my knee, as illustrated.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes! There might be current styles similar to this pattern. A change of fabric and embellishments can make this dress more formal. I would recommend this or similar patterns for those who like a piece that is both fun to wear and straightforward to make!

Conclusion
My daughter and I recently visited my parents who lives 10 minutes away from us. My mom asked me where I "bought" this dress. I told her that I made it and it overall cost well under $10 (fabric, zipper, and pattern). I was surprised that she did not comment on my bizarre fabric choice because she loves fashion and can be very critical! But then, she had probably seen such outrageous prints during that swinging decade. I was very flattered when she said "You should sew more of those!" I became more inspired! Thanks, mom! Lesson learned? Find and adhere to something that works well!

This heart warming pose says it all! Don't worry, be happy!

Chocolate, Raspberry, Blueberry, and Peter Pan Peanut Butter Medley

Look at that distinctive Peter Pan collar!





Many of us could not forget Petticoat Junction's fashionably trendy Bobby Jo. (Check out those tops with those nifty collars!) She definitely had that wholesome and alluring appeal all in one, a rare combination by today's standards.

Pattern Description:
From 1967, a pattern that includes a sleeveless princess-seamed dress or jumper and front buttoned blouse with long set-in sleeves, and two back darts (below the shoulders) and bust darts. I sewed the blouse.

Pattern Sizing:
Misses' old size 16 with bust 36.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?Yes with a chocolate and rasberry coloring scheme.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes! The illustrations seemed more detailed than many of the current patterns I had used! The directions were clear and overall well written!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I liked the style which is now current and the fact that it is a very basic no-frills shirt pattern. I also liked the side vents, the unique fit and overall look that I could not acquire from current patterns.

The only things I disliked was one of the steps in the construction of the collar and the bust darts came a tad higher than expected.

Fabric Used:
A slightly stiff printed cotton blend for $2 a yard. Usually I like to use cheap fabrics for my first use of a pattern. Yes, the bizarre and atrocious colors and print scream "so what if this does not mesh with the general public!" (or maybe Little House on the Prairie?)

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I did not use bias tape to finish the neck edge of the collar. I did not baste the collar facing to the interfaced collar piece prior to basting the entire collar to the neck edge as instructed. Instead, I clipped two ends of the facing edge that were shoulder seams apart, and basted from the ends of the entire collar section up to the little clips, thus keeping the top edge of the collar facing between the clips free. Then I folded the facing between those clipped ends 5/8" under the edge and carefully slip stitched the folded edge to the back neck seam.

I shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length, thus omitting the cuffs, due to fabric shortage.

I skipped the strip of interfacing between the front edge and the attached sel-facing. I slipped rectangular pieces of interfacing between the front of the blouse and its self- facing before sewing the buttonholes.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, but not in the very near future. I plan to sew the dress (I already have the pieces cut!. I definitely recommend this pattern if you enjoy sewing with vintage patterns or to create piece with retro flair that is very wearable today.

Conclusion
This is definitely a fun pattern! I plan to wear this more as unbuttoned lightweight jacket over a tank or camisole. This retro shirt reminds me of a smaller collar and fitted version of Simplicity's 4412 jacket.

Groovy Girls!

I wanted to surprise Heather with a retro jumper/sundress!

She wanted to proudly model mommy's new creation, starting with the criss cross back!





Then more smiles!







Golly gee willickers, the oldest and the youngest famous Brady daughters have upcoming birthdays in August (Marcia/Maureen will be 51 on the 5th and Cindy/Susan will be 46 on the 14th. In my heart they forever young in "TVLand"). The middle daughter already had hers in April. Here's a tribute to their "far out" fashions.

Pattern Description
From 1975 "Child's and Girls' Dress or Jumper in Two Lengths: The top-stitched dress or jumer with skirt sitched to bodice above normal waistline has back zipper, patch pockets and self fabric shoulder straps butttoned to front. Longer length V. 1 and 2 have self fabric rffles. V. 1 and 3 have rick-rack trim. V. 3, 4, and 5 are approximately 3" shorter than V. 1 and 2. V. 4 features embroidered eyelet edging trim."

I sewed view 3, the jumper/dress without the ruffle trim.

Pattern Size
Girl's size "6".

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, although the dress was knee length for my 4 y.o.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes for advanced beginners and beyond. Like many late 60's and 70's patterns that I discovered the instructions were organized into "units" and the specific steps beneath them. It's interesting to see illustrations of the pattern pieces on the back of the envelope.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I liked the aline shape of skirt portion which gives it a retro vibe, the criss cross of the shoulder straps at the back and the basic ease of constructing the jumper/dress. I have seen current jumper type dress patterns but not with these particular details.

Fabric Used:
Cotton with bold print and a splatter of tacked on sequins from Joann's for $3.49 a yard. I was able to get it at 50% off from the original price per yard because the bolt was placed in the wrong section!

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
My thin 4 y.o. normally wears a RTW 4 or 5, depending on the manufacturer, style or fit. I shortened the dress by 1 1/2". I graded 1/2" from the side seams. The directions for sizes larger than a girls' "6" required darts in the front bodice, but not for the smaller sizes. However, I ended up including what seemed like 1/8" wide darts to my modified bodice to make it better line up with the seams of the skirt.

I thought my 4 y.o. would choose a pair of happy face buttons that we purchased from Wal Mart's fabrics/notions section months ago. Instead she decided on a pair of colorful and attitudinal JMB's Jane Buttons and which one button bears the title of a currently popular penguin movie.

Surprisingly, I encountered just a little give as I zipped the back of the dress which is quite a change from a quick zip and finding the dress loose fitting on my 4 y.o! Fortunately, I could unbutton the straps prior to unzipping the back. I'll keep the pattern intact if I plan to make the dress again.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes in the near future with a different fabric (i.e. stretch cotton twill) I highly recommend this pattern or something similar to it (past and or present) if you are looking for sewing a "no-nonsense" dress with distinctive characteristics, that is both retro and current. Ebay and other retro/vintage pattern sites are wonderful sources!

Conclusion
My 4 y.o. and I just visited the McCall's patterns site and came across the "Stuff" by Hilary Duff patterns. We bought a few for $1.99 each at our favorite fabric/crafts store. The styles even for the 3-4-5-6 set still seem more appropriate for the preteens. I still prefer the Lizzie McGuire series.

Although my daughter insisted upon arriving home after shopping that I sew one of the new "stuffs" by the now brunette Hilary, it was really great to see her ecstatic reaction to her "new" jumper/dress that looked like something mommy wore 32 years ago!