This is a real meeting of decades. A 1920s flapper print and a vintage 1960s pattern. 1967, to be exact. Sometimes, you just have to sew as the spirit moves you.
The fabric is a silk/cotton mix from The Man Outside Sainsburys, bought for £5 a metre. It’s really lovely. A fellow customer and I gleefully compared notes on what we’d make with this fabric. ‘Dare I sew a dress?’ she asked. Absolutely!
I bought two metres. In the meantime, a friend had gifted me some vintage patterns. Then, I had one of those nights. You know the kind. Eyes ping open at 4am:
Angel: Just lie here. Even if you don’t go back to sleep, stay here. If you get up now you’ll mess your body clock up for the next 48 hours.
Devil: Or you could get up and sew…
Can you guess who won?
It was one of those wild-eyed, dressing-gown clad sewing sessions. Very spontaneous. My dog watched me from the sofa, judgement deep in her eyes. You’re going to regret this.
I didn’t really deserve for this project to work. Which makes me immensely glad that it did.
This pattern is so deeply and emblematically 1960s. I love it! Short skirt, fitted with eight darts at the waist (four front, four back), boat neckline. Of course, the danger point is fitting with such a simple silhouette. Did I mention that the instructions were long lost? I was going to have to wing it.
Fortunately I know my own body by now. Lowered the bust darts by 1.5 inches, added some extra at the seams, cut smaller at the upper chest.
It’s always fascinating to open a pattern that someone else has used. This one was full of pins and the dart sections were cut out. Have you ever seen this before?
Also – warning! – as well as the lack of instructions, I discovered that pieces from a different pattern had been shoved into this envelope. Check the pattern numbers, when working with a pre-cut vintage pattern.
I’m currently wearing this layered with a 1960s crop cardigan and the two sit together perfectly. I think I’ve just found my go-to autumn make!
Do you ever sew in the wee, small hours? Any tips of your own for working with vintage patterns?
It is absolutely gorgeous!!
I agree with Sara-Lu. It’s gorgeous!
I’ve actually cut the darts out of patterns before! I hate marking them through the pattern tissue, so I thought cutting them out would make it easier. It did, but it also really destabilized the pattern. Not recommended.
Gorgeous. I love the fabric, and the simple pattern is perfect for it.
Oh this is fabulous. I really need some of that fabric. I almost had a midnight sewing session the other night, only I decided I wouldn’t risk disturbing my husband with the sewing machine.
I love this dress. Your ‘vintage’ patterns bring startlingly to mind dresses I made then that I had forgotten completely! How our brains work. I wouldn’t sew in those wide awake moments as I would screw up but happy to see you don’t!
Reblogged this on vintagethrifter51.com and commented:
Beautiful dress! Love the fabric and print.
You always look sensational in red. And as for sewing at funny times – I really suffer with insomnia and always find it easier to get up and do something useful rather than lying there getting cross. I pay for it the next day. This afternoon I nearly nodded off in a noisy, violent version of Macbeth at The Globe.
Nice job – looks really good on you!
I full on love this fabric! It looks so bright and modern. I often wake in the night thinking about my makes… 😊 it helps to sleep on sewing dilemmas too I find!
Lovely!
I sewed at 5 a.m. for weeks until the puppy was grown. I missed it for a while – now I’m glad of the sleep
I am a sucker for the variations in 1960’s vintage dress patterns. I have so many. The gathered skirt thing from the 50’s is not for me so shift styles work well with my short body. I always seem to get a pattern from 1967,68,69 even when I don’t check the date it must just be my thing. Your dress looks amazing and really wearable. Here’s to sewing at wild hours of the morning! Jo x
Great dress. I’ve had darts more or less be cut out by my notched marking wheel when. I don’t sew late at night but I’ve certainly looked through my pattern magazines or trolled sewing websites and blogs when I have an insomnia night.
what a fantastic dress, and the silhouette is perfect for that fabric !!! and you look smashing in it!!
Super dress, the stylish shift dress is always a winner in my book, the fabric is lovely too. I’m pretty rubbish in the morning, it takes a while for the caffeine to get my mojo kickstarted
What a lovely shape that dress is on you! I often cut my darts out in patterns – makes it way easier to mark them on the fabric.
Lovely dress. It looks great on you.
Fabulous colour and the perfect foil. It’s super!
Super cute dress. Working with used patterns you pick up can be a challenge, some have extra pieces from a different pattern, or might be missing a piece and you have to improvise. Also on older vintage patterns, the sizing is a lot smaller and many times have to add to the seam allowances or cut apart to make into a larger size or both.
I love it! Why is it that the man outside sainsburys had nothing like this on the 2 occasions I have managed to get there???? Will just have to try again! Like the 60s dress pattern too
That fabric! What a stunner.
I have always thought that the 1920s and the 1960s have a lot in common. I think you just proved it! I don’t really sew at odd times, but I do often use vintage patterns… Checking actual measurements even though the pattern is a well-known make, is a good tip. I’ve often ended up with the wrong size because I assumed the vintage patterns are the same as modern patterns.
Absolutely love that fabric!! And it works a treat in that pattern. Hurrah for the “midnight moments” of inspiration. Hx
A wise decision to use a simple 60s shift pattern for such a totally fabulous print. Love the results.
What a great make! Love the silhouette.
I find myself sewing late into the night more often than in the wee hours… But it does happen!
..it’s that “I must try it on” on that keeps me going late at night, then I can stop unless of course it is not quite right, then I have to keep on going until it is. Lovely dress! – the fabric and pattern go really well together. Where is the man outside Sainsbury’s??
I never see in the middle of the night but I frequently have dreams about working on a project before I start it…..taking myself through each step, a rehearsal, if you will!
I dream about sewing all the time!
I am curious what the effects of the darts was on the print, I can’t tell from the pictures. In the photo there seem to be no darts at all. Any close ups?
I love the fabric, but I really love the neckline on this!
I love your dress! Such a simple shape is very flattering and red is fab on you. I don’t get up and sew in the middle of the night – I think I would disturb my partner. But I very frequently lie awake planning a current project or future ones. Lots of planning has been done when I should be sleeping…
Fab print , looks great on you , very impressed you made this in the wee small hours ! I don’t tend to get the machine humming over night but have spent many a wakeful night pattern cutting , cutting out or knitting – why waste time awake not creating something ?
This I love. It is such wonderful fabric, and a gorgeous style for you. So flattering and stylish.
Fabulous make, Karen! It REALLY suits you! I don’t sew in the early hours but I have often dreamt I was sewing my current work in progress. Sometimes those dreams are so vivid that, next morning, I’m almost surprised to see I’m not as far advanced as I thought I was! Crazy woman. Hehe
I like cutting the darts out on pdf patterns or any others that are on a sturdier paper, but I only do fisheye darts on tissue–it’s just too fragile!
When is the man outside sainsburys there? I went on a Saturday and I couldnt find him 🙁
He’s there most Saturdays throughout the year outside Sainsburys, but it is a market and stall holders sometimes aren’t there if life gets in the way.
You are such an inspiration <3 beautiful work <3
I like the print that you have chosen !! Amazing job!!!