1948 Simplicity dress - making it work!!

This is what I wore last night on a date with my husband to see "All is True". I think this will be a keeper. It's comfortable, nice but not too fancy and the print will hide stains ... ha ha.

​It was pretty easy to sew, but needed some modifications.

p.s. The movie is good. Especially if you are interested in the life of Shakespeare.

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So, to start off, I did something I've never done before ... a tissue fitting. That is I pinned the main pattern pieces together and tried it on.

The circumference measurements for this pattern are very close to my measurements, but that's not the only thing to work about. I found out that it was quite long waisted on me.

It is a big time saver to be able to fold out that extra length in the bodice before cutting.

SO! pieces all cut and ready to go.

​Need to read through the instructions so I can work on multiple sections at once. My favorite way to work. But, wait!

I seem to be missing a piece ... hmmm. Why can't I find a pocket facing piece?
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Side note: Look! no shading to indicate right and wrong side of fabric, just interesting.

That would be because there isn't a pattern piece for a pocket facing, just measurements to cut a rectangle. A modern pattern would have a piece, which I don't think is necessarily clearer. I can become overwhelmed by too many pattern pieces sometimes.

I like this pocket though. You clean finish the side seam where the pocket goes and then slip the one layer pocket behind and topstitch it to the front skirt.

 Another comment on the instructions for the facings in this 1948 pattern. No where do they ask you to use any interfacing, which I did, or instruct you to do any trimming/clipping of seams or understitching, which I did. 

I made this dress using all modern techniques including serging and machine made buttonholes. It is what I'm used to. It is faster. And, I'm not a reenactor, just sewing for fun.

I need to do some research on when we started using interfacing and understitching though.
​AH! next blog. 😊

BUT!!! this is not the story I want to tell today.

Here is the story. I tried on the dress and HATED it! It looked like something my grandmother wore. And this is when grandmothers really looked like old ladies. I think she was about my age ... sigh!

The dress fits well but ... what do I hate about it????

I remember something my aunt Erna told me a while ago. She said she always likes garments to have an "openish" neck. And that is exactly what this needed. The neck on the dress pattern was unattractively too closed. ​

So I pinned on some white ribbon to experiment with a new neckline and then cut up a craft envelope because it was close to the color of my dress form so I could get a good visual idea of this new neckline.

Then I made a tracing of the pattern without seam allowances. Don't want to ruin a nice 1948 pattern!

Next, laid it over the white ribbon marking the new neckline and traced that.

Checked it on myself to be sure it wasn't so wide my bra straps would show.

Went back to the original pattern to make working front and back facing patterns and to  make sure everything fits.

I used these patterns to cut new facings with the little bit of fabric I had left.

I also pinned the facing patterns to the dress to cut my new neckline, after I picked off the bodice from the rest of the dress.

Then, of course, I had to carefully pick off what was left of the facing down the front of the bodice.

Sew it all back together and ...

I am MUCH happier, still something ... the skirt looks too long to me. But, that's an easy fix.


I find it so interesting that now a days, one can really get away with wearing a dress made from a 71 year old pattern with hardly changing it.

In perspective, I graduated from high school in 1971. There is no way we could have worn a dress made from a 1900 pattern then.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. I find it so interesting.

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