My little 1930s dress is done after much tweaking! I don’t have a lot of experience with bias and I guess if you don’t cut it perfectly on grain there will be a bit of wonkiness to be dealt with.
At first I hesitated to use such a busy print with this dress because you wouldn’t be able to see the that mid-section detail. But I really wanted this fabric in the same silhouette so I just went for it.
Originally the dress was the same length as pictured on the envelope but after photographing it I thought the proportions would be better if it hit above the knee; because otherwise it kind of pulled me down (does that makes sense?). I also decided to go with a more simple sleeve that was also bound at the hem. I had to make the front of the armscye much deeper so there was some trial and error there. The collar turned out way too short and I didn’t have enough fabric to cut out a newly drafted one so I made do; I turned the collar around (it just fit better that way) and left a gap on the front. The fabric is actually more rosy than pictured but to get a closer match in the photo my skin turns out too pink for some reason.
In the first view I fashioned a bow by safety pinning 2 pieces of ribbon to the shoulder seams underneath the collar. But I can wear it unadorned too.
And belt it! There was not enough fabric to make a belt (unless I piece it together) so a skinny leather one it is.
I would totally make this again though next time I’ll take out about an 1″ in the midsection, horizontally, to raise the hipline up, and use a solid fabric or one with a more simple print. Maybe something slightly sheer with a lower hem.
