Pattern Description
From the "simple to make" series: "Girls' sun dress and bolero: The dart-fitted bodice features shoulder straps which from a square neckline. The softly flared skirt joins the boedice at the natural waistline. A round collar and extended shoulders finish the bolero. Style 1 has an applique trim for which a transfer is included." Th
Date of Pattern
There was no date written on the envelope. I researched sites for finding the date of a pattern by company and number. Some vintage patterns either have no date printed, have the date printed on the envelope, or printed in the instruction sheet. I found a faint copy right date of 1948 somewhere on the bottom of the instruction sheet known as the "Simplicity Primer."
Size
Girls' size "7", chest 25", waist 22 1/2 ", hip 32" this is close to a size 6 from a Simplicity Lizzie McGuire pattern with chest 25", waist 22" but different hip measurements due to the style below the waist. I assumed that my experience with another Simplicity girl's dress that 1940's pattern would also would run smaller by today's standards. I was incorrect after my daughter wore the dress!
Fabric Used
Red dot charmeuse fabric from the Vogue Fabric Store.
Directions
The cutting layouts and the directions were all printed both sides on an approximately 11"x 18" paper. The directions and illustrations were easy to follow and clear enough for the sewist who is familiar with basic techniques such as making darts, basting, seam binding, gathering, and hemming. The directions for attaching the bias strip (to the side opening of the dress) before the snap fasteners were more specific.
It was interesting to note that printed below was printed below "Simplicity Primer, Guide for Cutting and Sewing...Detailed Dressmaking" was "The Simplicity Sewing Book" and just underneath: "Gives complete instructions and illustrations on all phases of sewing. It is a sewing tool as necessary as as your scissors or needle."
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
* I like the fact that the dress was overall easy to construct. Sewing little girls' dresses are fun and for the true beginner, a great experience before sewing for "older" girls' dresses!
* I like the wide shoulder straps, square neck and circle skirt which is a timeless style and works for all occasions depending on fabric choice and embellishments.
* Although I adore the look of the circle skirt of this dress, the finishing of the lower edge or hemming takes quite a bit of time due to of course the much larger "circumference" compared that of the waistline!
*The straps were constructed the same way from a vintage pattern I worked with just recently. The front straps were extensions of the the front bodice and the two back straps were each made from two pieces joined right sides together and turned inside out (unlike folding a fabric in half lengthwise and turning). I basted the back straps to the dots marked on the back of the bodice. After I sewed the bodice lining to the bodice at the top edge, right sides together with the back straps carefully tucked in between, and turning the lining to the inside, I gently tugged the back straps from the back of the bodice and voila, they were neatly attached to it the lined seams.
* However, I really did not like the fact that the shoulder straps were not continuous from the front to the back (have shoulder seam) and that joining the front straps and back straps seemed somewhat awkward due to the shoulder seam in which the top edges are machine stitched (somewhat difficult for not having much width to work with) and the folded in edges underneath are slipstitched.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
*Instead of using the short front and back facing pieces for the bodice, I cut pieces from a slightly stretchy cotton fabric to line the entire front and back. I used the same pieces reserved for the front and back of the bodice.
* I shortened the shoulder straps by about 1"
*I lined the entire circle skirt using the same pattern piece but in the same cotton. I sewed the skirt's lining the same way as the skirt. Then I pinned and sewed the lower edge of the lining to the edge of the skirt right sides together so that the right side of the lining fabric appears on the inside of the dress. This was so much easier and seemed as if it would take less time than folding up a hem (especially a circular hem!) before stitching.
I trimmed the seams to lessen the effect of the lining peeping out from under.
*I attached a zipper to the right side opening instead of seam binding and fasteners. Heather had difficulty slipping on the dress, especially where her arms were concerned with a short side seam starting from the top edge sewn above the actual side opening. I undid the seam just above the opening and decided to just insert the zipper between the outer fabric and lining.
* I tied on two red bows at the shoulder straps.
Conclusion
I absolutely recommend this pattern or something similar if you enjoy sewing vintage styles! This dress is easy to construct, even for beginner sewists!
The dress was slightly large for my daughter Heather (who normally wears a 5/6/6x) due to my assumption that the pattern would run small as a previous vintage Simplcity but still wearable, especially with an undershirt. Heather wore her new dress to a family get together and was thrilled by all the compliments she received (my mom and I did not mention who made the dress). She and some cousins enjoyed having some fun at my grand uncle's back yard on a sunny day. She and the dress survived.
I made this dress in one evening and part of my morning, which by my standards is a simple but slightly time consuming project. I would not think omitting the lining would make any difference because it actually simplified issues with dealing with those little facings for the bodice and finishing the circular hem!
