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
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.
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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.
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Mrs Rat
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.
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Pam
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!
Mrs Rat
4/5/2018 12:18:42 pm
Thank you so much, Nicole! Your comments are always so encouraging!
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