Pale Blue Gingham (Butterick 6469)

3/30/2018

I have sewn 1970s-era Butterick 6469 before, but it was long before Mr Rat and I started this blog, and I wasn't as pleased with that original long-ago dress that I made as I am with this one. Since it has been several years since I last sewed it, I forgot how fitted this pattern is. While the dress is comfortable to wear overall, the tight sleeves don't give me a full range of movement. I think the simplest way to solve this problem in the future is just to switch out the long, slim sleeves for a puffed or flared style.

The sewing process for this dress was simple and straightforward. The only changes I made were to widen the skirt for more fullness, leave the buttons and loops off of the center seam and the sleeves, and to add some more of the cotton crochet trim to the neckline and sleeves. These particular sleeves have never eased in quite smooth for me, so I made a slight gather at the top to make it look slightly puffed. The gingham is from a queen sized cotton-poly blend sheet that I found at Goodwill recently. The cotton crochet trim is from Hobby Lobby, and was pre-washed with the fabric before I sewed it on by hand after the dress was complete.

I think this dress will look nice in the summer with a big straw hat and straw purse. Even though it is still grey and cold out, and I had to wear it over stockings and boots and under a heavy cape and shawl, at least the color and the pattern of this dress remind me that spring is coming.

7 Comments

Imogheena link

3/31/2018 09:41:15 pm

I love that blue! It looks quite odd, in an intriguing kind of way against all the autumny tones. Or early spring tones? Whatever, those colours.

Mrs Rat

4/3/2018 09:39:50 am

Thank you, Imogheena! It is an odd juxtaposition, isn't it? I thought the blue might look very out of place in all the grey, but it is a little bit like getting a glimpse of sky through clouds.

Pam

4/2/2018 01:16:32 pm

Such a pretty dress, and it looks fabulous on you. My first thought when I saw the photos was, "Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennett, and tea!" And while the pattern isn't meant to recreate Regency fashion, to me, your dress captures the essence of that era.

From a distance, the blue gingham looks like bluebird's egg blue. A straw hat will be a perfect accessory. Hard to believe this is from a sheet. Another great find on your part. A Goodwill store opened on my side of town. I need to see what they have, especially in the sheet department.

Hope spring will visit you soon!

4/3/2018 09:47:51 am

Thank you, Pam! I've always liked the idea of dressing like a Jane Austen or a Bronte heroine. In all of the movie and TV adaptations the characters dress so beautifully: simply, but elegantly. I wish I could figure out how to dress (and feel) that way. I think it is maybe the raised waist of this pattern that gives it something of a regency feel. I think I will feel so fresh and crisp wearing this dress to church in the summer with a big straw hat.

I hope your new Goodwill has a good sheet selection! It is nice to have somewhere local to go to get large pieces of cheap fabric. Our local Goodwill has turned out to be the best place for that for me, although I occasionally find something at Deseret Industries. Back in California, it was Community thrift that I could rely on for fabric. It is always intriguing to me how I feel lucky finding particular types of things at particular thrift stores: Goodwill is where I go for fabric now, but Savers is better for books, DI has been the best place for my occasional searches for housewares and patterns, and there is another local thrift shop up the street where we look whenever we need any sort of furniture. I wonder why some places have a consistently better selection of certain types of items than others? Do you ever find that when you are thrifting?

4/3/2018 11:09:56 am

True thrifting opportunities are not so common where I live, but, yes, I agree that some places tend to carry better items in a specific category than other places. Over all, though, one must kiss a lot of frogs in my city before finding the proverbial prince!

I'm still waiting to stumble upon that fabulous sheet or fabric at a thrift store or even a garage or estate sale. Not to say I haven't found a treasure now and then, but the treasures are typically not sewing related.

Nicole link

4/3/2018 08:45:43 pm

I love your new dress! The fabric is lovely, and the style suits you so well.

4/5/2018 12:18:42 pm

Thank you so much, Nicole! Your comments are always so encouraging!

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Pale Blue Gingham (Butterick 6469)

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