Sewing the perfect fall dress (using a vintage pattern)
It’s now the middle of November and I am officially another step closer to completing my Autumn/Winter 2021 capsule wardrobe! This week, I am sharing the details of sewing this perfect fall dress.
The pattern
I made this dress using a vintage 1968 Simplicity 7864 sewing pattern. The pattern is for a sleeveless, princess seamed A-line shift dress with cut-away shoulders. After comparing the dress pattern with my bodice sloper, I decided that no modifications were needed for the sizing of the bodice. However, I had to shorten the length of the dress to make it an above-the-knee length for my height.
For my height of 5' 2" / 157cm, I shortened the dress by about 3.5".
The fabric
The fabric I used for sewing this dress is a corduroy in a deep, rusty red shade. I got this fabric at an estate sale a few months ago. This is the same estate sale haul as the floral fabric I used for my 70's style puff sleeve blouse.
In my opinion, both the texture of corduroy and the colour of rusty red are the perfect combination for sewing a fall dress!
Sewing the perfect fall dress
My process of sewing this perfect fall dress took a lot longer than I expected because of all the special finishing touches I used for sewing the dress:
making bound buttonholes
using seam binding to make bound seams (aka Hong Kong finish)
shaving the corduroy to reduce bulk in the shoulders
handsewing the armhole facing in place
handsewing the hem
adding the patch pockets with slip stitch by hand
The armhole facings, the front facings and the back neck facing
The right front, the left front, and the back of the dress
Watch the details of sewing this dress
All the details of my perfect fall dress
The bound seams and the handsewn hem
Shaving the wales to reduce bulk in the shoulder seams
The front view of the dress
The back view of the dress
Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I did this much handsewing for a single garment! Of course, as with any handsewing, my work is not perfect. It might not be the perfect fall dress, but it's definitely perfect for fall!
I’m really excited about this new addition to my Autumn/Winter capsule wardrobe. I think I’m going to have a lot of fun styling this dress. I’m really looking forward to show you all the ideas I have for styling this perfect fall dress!
Stay tuned for more Autumn/Winter sewing projects. I’m getting really close to the finishing line and I can’t wait!
What projects are you excited about lately?