Thursday, 3 July 2014

Hooray! Summer Dress

I bought this fabric at Minerva and the pattern from a light gauge railway charity shop (well, it was rainy on one of the days on our recent boating holiday!) The pattern is from 1969 and was totally uncut - who else would leave it there for a £1? not me.



I have struggled to get it finished because if it is sunny, I want to be outside gardening but I also want to wear it on these sunny days so today I bit the bullet and stayed inside this morning to put the sleeves in ...again. It was the third time.


I tried to make the sleeves from the rose fabric but it was too bulky to set in the sleeves and although I can't feel it along the bottom, the back stitching of the roses irritated the white skin under my upper arms so I took them out. 


Then I tried to line them, unsuccessfully. Finally, I cut some more out of the spare fabric I was trying to save enough of to make something else. The rose applique runs up both sides of the fabric to I had to cut them out of the middle. Tut! a bit wasteful for me but never mind.

I wore it today to work and it was really great. The Zip down the front has an authentic style 1970's circular ring on the end.

Hope you are getting sunshine. Thanks for looking.

Jo x








17 comments:

  1. Beautiful summer dress!
    Have a nice day!
    Lucie x

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  2. Stunning, I love the fabric and the pattern. I do wonder why is was never used....I'm always saying it "if only patterns could talk". Have a great day.

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  3. It's another beauty, Jo. Well done on preserving with the sleeves. Xx

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  4. Just beautiful, and you wear it well, too. The fabric is lovely. I have a dress just like it in yellow. I call it my Fairy Liquid 1970s mum outfit. I didn't make it but found it in a vintage shop, it is from C&A originally. Unfortunately it is also completely synthetic and feels a bit funny on the skin. I have a few unopened patterns that might well end up in the charity shop (unless I manage to shed a good few kilos that is).

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  5. Wow you look amazing in it, perfect fabric, I swear I want yards and yards of it, and super cute shoes Jo.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  6. The dress looks great on you Jo!! I love the choice of fabric too, I have never seen it with that sort of embellishment before. I hope that you enjoy wearing it, especially now that you have the sleeves situation sorted out! That pattern was obviously a great buy. xx

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  7. Wow - your dress looks great. I love the border at the bottom. And I definitely have 'shoe envy'!
    Caz xx

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  8. That rose applique is inspired and I love the rose fabric!
    Frankie
    http://www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.co.uk/

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  9. Beautiful dress, beautiful fabric, beautiful girl wearing it. Well done Jo, you always win in the end and the little bit of struggle with the sleeves paid off - enjoy wearing it, and those gorgeous shoes. xoJoy

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  10. It's a beautiful dress Jo-so retro! Love the roses. Oh the times I have had to unpick sleeves doesn't bear thinking about! It looks lovely and sunny in your garden , Alison xx

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  11. The dress looks pretty good! Maybe it would be better without the collar.

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  12. Beautiful! Such a pretty dress and it looks wonderful on you! xx

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  13. Very stylish on you, and very clever and persevering of you to make it, Jo! Well done, and thanks for letting us admire it. :) xx

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  14. The pattern was a wonderful find and you look lovely in your beautiful dress. Oh the number of times I've had to unpick sleeves, especially those with gathering! Enjoy wearing it with those lovely shoes :-)
    Tracey xxx

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  15. Love the fabric well done you it's fab
    Clare xx

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  16. It's a 1960's house coat!! Looks infinitely better in person Jo :-) xx

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