December 16, 2009

Colonial Dress

Unfortunately, this lovely Georgian pattern is out of print.  Butterick 3071 is the pattern we're talking about here, and it is really cool.  Anyway...
Once upon a time, what feels like a very long ago, there was a girl who didn't have a blog.  But she liked to sew, and had friends who liked to sew, and these friends had a lovely pattern.  (They still have it.  I wasn't on the ball enough to get it before went out of print :-( )  Anyway, there was this thing called Macktown in the area where bunches of families and kids go every year to see what life was like even longer ago.  So this little girl and her friend and her mom and here friends mom made dresses and went to the event and blended in with all the smart and historical fashiony people...

Sorry, that was weird.  I made this dress a long time ago, and my mom helped me a lot (I didn't even know how to gather).  But I realized that I never posted it.. so, no time like the present.  I got it out the other day and wore it to church.  Must to my chagrin, the dress was almost 6 inches to short.  Oh well.  I made the design on the left, except that mine was not a skirt, bodice and overskirt set.  It was one dresss, and we never really figured out how to make the bussels (spelling?) work on the dress version.  Without further ado, the dress!

Front and side views..
What is would look like if we figured out the bussels and what is looks like now. :-)
Look at the ghastly hem!
More views...


Like many dresses, the neckline was far to low for my, so we moved it up.  It still needed a ruffle though.  I think the ruffle adds a lot.

11 comments:

  1. I think that it is beautiful, Joanna!

    I do not know how to sew AT ALL, but I am DYING to learn!

    You did a great job on the dress, so I think.

    Blessings,
    Cassie

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  2. Hi Joanna!
    What a *lovely* dress! I simply adore old-fashioned outfits! :) What also caught my attention was your hairdo in the last photo. Could you tell me how you did it or post a tutorial? It looks very beauitful!
    Blessings,
    ~Annie~

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  3. That is a beautiful dress!

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  4. Beeeeeautiful! Love it! Did you use home-decorator fabric? I've been thinking about using that kind of fabric for my next colonial dress.

    So you made this last year, or two years ago? And you can still fit in it (even if it is a bit short)?

    I love the clips in your hair! Mama just got me some new octopus clips and I love them! They are perfect for long, thick hair. I need about five or six to hold up a bun, though.

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  5. That's very pretty! I am so wishing I could sew like that! lol

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  6. Beautiful dress...you did a lovely job on it! I would like to know how you did your hair in the last photo, too...it is very pretty! :)

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  7. That dress is SO pretty!!! I am very impressed! =D

    Sarah

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  8. Thanks ladies!

    I guess I could do a tutorial for the hair...that is pretty sloppy there, but I think that it is the combs that make the big difference...I'll see what I can do

    Jo,
    It wasn't home decor fabric but some sort of cotton. There was a series at Joanns a couple years ago...keepsake prints maybe? Quilting fabric. :-)

    Do I fit in to it? As you can see form the pictures, tolerably well. It is short, because I got taller and it is big on me because I lost weight and slimmed out when I got taller. Thankfully the tie fixes that problem.

    ~Joanna

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  9. GORGEOUS! I love the fabric! Costumes are so much fun to make, agree?

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  10. Love your work,
    would think it ever so kind if you checked out my site, and possibly joined as a member :)
    http://www.rjdenham.webs.com

    There may be something there you are interested in

    Thanks
    Rob.

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  11. Wow, that must have been a lot of work! Lovely, Joanna. :)

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