Do you remember my Cherry Dress? I used a vintage pattern with lots of ruffles. The fabric is heavy silk charmeuse, with the shiny satin side facing in, so wearing it feels ultra luxurious. I sewed it about two years ago, and love it just as much as I did when I made it. The Cherry Dress has become my Thanksgiving dress, and I might start wearing it for Christmas, too. It feels festive, and because it’s silk, it’s pretty warm.

When I made that version of Vintage Simplicity 5956, I said I wanted another one in cotton lawn. These things take time! I had to wait until the perfect fabric crossed my path. And it finally did!

This Starry Night print is from Liberty London’s “New Collectables” series for Autumn/Winter 2021. I snapped up 2 meters of this Tana lawn at full price right when the print was released. I sew with a lot of Tana lawn, but I rarely pay full price for it. You can always find it on sale if you are on the lookout. But with a print this good, I had to snap it up right away.

The multi color floral fabric is also a Liberty Tana lawn, but purchased locally at what used to be Remnant Kings here in Glasgow - they are sadly going out of business and sold off the last of their Liberty fabrics for £8, an unbeatable price.

As soon as I had the Starry Night print home in my sewing room, I began testing combinations for print mixing - I will stack fabrics together, or fold them up so one makes a stripe through the other. This gives me an idea if the prints will work well together. I narrowed it down to three options, but this was the obvious winner. The bits of blank and white in the multi color print pull the two fabrics together. There would be contrast ruffles.

I pulled out a few patterns to consider, but I knew. It had to be Vintage Simplicity 5956! I love this pattern so much. Aside from the killer styling, early 70s era Simplicity patterns are drafted on a bodice block that fits me really well. Sometimes the envelopes advertise a “new”, more narrow shoulder draft - and that means I don’t need to make a narrow shoulder adjustment, as I almost always need to do with other patterns. I usually just buy my size 12, add 1” to the bodice length, lower the bust darts 1” (both adjustments I need due to my height), and I am good to go.

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As always, cotton lawn was a pleasure to work with, especially with some of the fiddly techniques of this dress. The pattern asks you to hand sew in a few places where it is easier and cleaner to machine sew. I still hand sew the inside facing of the cuffs and neck band, and I hand catch stitched my hem for an invisible finish.

I used my rolled hem foot on all of the ruffles, which gives the neatest little baby hem every time. You can see the cuffs have a sweet little bias cut facing at the sleeve opening - it is not visible when the garment is worn, but is a fun detail to sew. I added little Mother of Pearl shank buttons and buttonholes to the cuffs. The pattern calls for snaps, likely to avoid making home sewers hand sew buttonholes (many home machines wouldn’t have had buttonhole stitches in 1973).

By the way, remember how I said I bought 2 meters of this fabric? I was happily sewing along, gathering ruffles, pressing darts, having a great time. The bodice was almost complete when I realized, I had only cut out the front skirt. I had not cut out the back skirt, and I didn’t have any large scraps. I had been so pleased with myself for squeezing this dress out of a small cut of fabric. Ha! It had been too good to be true! I immediately ordered another meter from Liberty, and it arrived a couple days later. All’s well that ends well.

I added an invisible zipper, which meant changing the order of construction, but that’s always an easy update. The only other visible change I made to this dress was to leave off the sash. While I think it really works on my midi length silk Cherry dress, it felt too sweet here. It ties in a big bow at the back waist. I made it, but ended up not sewing it on. I think I might make myself a hair bow or some kind of neck tie with it.

I haven’t gotten around to it quite yet, but I am planning to line the skirt with rayon Bemberg to prevent the cottony skirt from sticking to my tights. That is such an annoyance to me! I don’t like to work with rayon, but Bemberg provides a static free, slippery lining that can’t be beat.

You might think that two versions is enough, but it’s not. Ha! I still want to sew this dress in needlecord. I think it’ll be warms and cute for fall and winter. I haven’t found the ideal fabric yet, but it’s in the back of my mind, so I’ll be on the lookout.

Even though I am the one who sewed this dress - I chose the fabric, I made the alterations, it was a lot of effort! I am still surprised by how perfectly me it came out. I am delighted with it! I’m looking forward to wearing it a lot on cool Glasgow days. XO, Martha

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