WARDROBE REFRESH #2
I made this pink dress ages ago. It’s from a 1960’s pattern that was a bit too big for me, so I sized it down to fit me. In my re-sizing, I didn’t take the neckline into consideration and made it a bit too small. With the mandarin collar, it not only looked too small, but it felt really uncomfortable.
In all these years, I’ve only worn it a few times which is a shame since I just love the pink stretch cotton fabric, the button detailing and the sleeves. In order to refresh this dress, I decide to cut the entire collar off. When I think about it, I don’t even like mandarin collars!
I tried the dress on and marked a new neckline with chalk. When I took the dress off, I refined the neckline to be symmetrical and cut away that tight mandarin collar. Rather than create a new collar, I thought I would just do a simple bias tape trim. Unbelievably, when I looked in my stash of fabric, I found the scrap fabric from this dress and there was enough to make my trim from it. It’s nice to know that my scrap hoarding comes in handy every ten years or so!
Now, I’m totally excited to wear this spring perfect dress.
17 comments
adorable! i like the round neckline much better.
i come to you via Fieldguided, and oh my! am i glad i did – that dress is perfect. it looks really wonderful. well done for rescuing it!
wah, the dress really cute karyn! you got skills
Yay Karyn!
I love the pattern, the dress and the new collar!
I also want to make a few dresses for myself from vintage patterns but since I’m such a novice at sewing clothes, I’m starting out by simpler patterns. At the moment I’m making the Anda dress (Burda Easy 7969) inspired by you!
wow! what an adorable dress! i think you’re all set for spring!
Nice hair cut Karyn. Do you ever lend out your patterns?
that dress looks bangin’ on you karyn! so pretty!
Lovely dress! Such a pretty colour
So perfect. It looks so much better with the round neckline. You look lovely in it!
What a great new collar! LOVE the pinkness, LOVE the dress. You are inspiring so many of us (because I can’t believe I am the only one) to sew and make our own dresses!
-Juanita
So pretty!!! With just a touch of retro and so 2009 at the same time…. pretty!
i’m in love with this dress. very inspiring to me, i have a bunch of old patterns i have collected but have yet to make something. hopefully this will give me motivation.
nice work.
Gorgeous! This dress looks even better in person.
I love it Karyn! it looks so pretty on you! I like the new collar a lot!
The pattern is brilliant. I love the one with the lace ruffle down the front…And the era reminds me — check out this 60’s-tinged kids’ dress on katydid — http://katiedid.squarespace.com/katie-did-journal/2009/4/27/once-there-was-a-peddler.html
Cute stuff.
thanks everyone. i’m enjoying looking through my closet for new projects.
gillian – yes, of course. i’d be happy to lend out a pattern to you!
ella – sigh.. i think i’m in love with all the clothing she makes for her kids. i REALLY love the first dress. i want to copy every single one of them.
You look absolutely amazing in it! Good decision about the collar