(Vintage) McCalls 6798 - Tried and tested
One of the things I like about sewing with vintage patterns
is that I know that if I like the style it’s because I intrinsically like it,
rather than being swayed by what is trendy at any given time. This argument is flawed, I know, but hey-ho.
I bought this pattern from Etsy a few years back. I was instantly drawn to the smart casual
vibe of the dress – pretty yet easy to wear and practical to boot. The fabric was bought online so long ago that
I can’t remember where I got it from, but I know it was put in the basket on a
whim and that it was cheap. When it
arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the soft hand and sheen to the
fabric. It then took me AGES to use this
cheap whim of a purchase – for fear of wrecking it. How silly I can be at times.
The skirt is essentially two big rectangles, gathered and
joined to the bodice. The bodice itself
is a simple style, with just the right amount of ease on me to basically be a
sloper. The front of the bodice is
jazzed up a little (and becomes more casual in the process) through a band that
frames the face nicely. A bound
buttonhole and self-fabric button completes it – functional, but not used due
to the lapped zip in the side of the dress.
The sleeves hit just below the elbow, with cuffs that ended up being too
tight on me, so I unstitched the seam, hand sewed each edge closed (separately)
and now have little vented cuffs. The
entire dress is lined with soft, white cotton.
Only in Edinburgh would a fully lined dress still be too cool to wear by
itself in summer sometimes....
(No idea why I am pulling this face folks...) |
This also works in the cooler
months with black tights, patent accessories and a bright red lip. I definitely have to wear make-up when
wearing this dress. But I’m OK with
that.
A few little tips:
- Sew the rectangles together and hem them before attaching them to the bodice – it’s physically easier to hem the skirt that way, and it’s also easier to determine the length that you’d like the dress to be
- Use elastic to gather the skirt – this helps with attaching it to the bodice, but also gives a little bit of ease to the skirt
- Sew the bodice and lining together after the darts & side seams have been sewn, but before the facings, sleeves and zip are sewn in. That way, any handstitching required can be tethered to the lining without fear of the stitches showing on the outer layer
- Sew the sleeve lining slightly shorter, but attach the cuffs at the same point (as if both sleeves were the same length) – this gives the outer sleeve a nice little flounce (if you like that)
- Sew a waist stay over the seam that joins the skirt to the bodice – this takes some/most of the weight from the dress and helps it to hang nicely.
- Finish the waist stay with a button or a hook and eye, not a dome – the waist stay comes under some stress (even if a little loose), so a dome will just pop open at times of stress (such as hailing a taxi/giving a friend a hug/dancing)
The Good:
The fit, the shape, the style. Love this dress. It’s so easy to put on, and yet people always
think I’ve made an effort. Ha ha! Outfoxed!
The Bad:
Nothing. If I’m
quibbling, I’d say that I need to add 5-10 cm to the skirt. My hem isn’t as deep as I would prefer it to
be (in an ideal world) but it doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of this dress at
all. Oh, and I’d also put another button
(or two) into the front band to stop it gaping (I have tacked it closed now). When it gapes, the shoulders get pushed
apart, which in turn makes my shoulders look broader than they are.
The Ugly:
Cuffs are too tight (on me) as drafted – next time I would
either make the sleeve 1 cm longer or enclose a loop in one side and a button
in the other.
Sometimes it just pays to go with something tried and
tested.
What a gorgeous, fun dress! You look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, thank you Melizza! That has made my day :-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank you Oranges and Apples, what a lovely comment :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great dress! The print is so vibrant and cheerful :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyn. Cheerful is the new black ;-)
ReplyDeleteJust wandered over from the RTW fast page and I have to say - beautiful dress. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the print!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary! Nice to hear from a fellow faster too :-)
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