Comments on A Dress A Day: People are Good.

heya- just found your blog again while searching f...

2006-12-29T13:38:00.000-06:00

heya-
just found your blog again while searching for reviews of this pattern (4919). I'm currently sewing the new version myself. It is supposed to be my New Years Eve gown... having a terrible time figuring out how the top side flaps go together! ack!

anyway, love your dresses!
Dharia

That is too cute!

2006-11-14T12:43:00.000-06:00

That is too cute!

It ain't just you, zegi.

2006-11-09T00:18:00.000-06:00

It ain't just you, zegi.

I want that dress, in that exact fabric. You have...

2006-11-08T16:13:00.000-06:00

I want that dress, in that exact fabric. You have no idea how much I want that dress in that fabric. So cute!

That is a super-cute dress...I hope the real thing...

2006-11-08T11:08:00.000-06:00

That is a super-cute dress...I hope the real thing isn't disappointing. Doesn't it seem that sometimes the illustration makes it oh-so-heavenly but the reality of human ankles and hips makes it not so? Is that just me?

I dreamt last night that I made this dress, but I ...

2006-11-08T10:28:00.000-06:00

I dreamt last night that I made this dress, but I didn't realise I had (the dream) until I looked at your blog again...

This dress reminds me of this gorgeous summery num...

2006-11-08T01:23:00.000-06:00

This dress reminds me of this gorgeous summery number I fell in love with at Anthropologie.

I love the look of the wrapped waist, but the thought of constructing it myself makes my blood run cold...

I thanked two people, tipped my hairdresser 30%, h...

2006-11-07T20:13:00.000-06:00

I thanked two people, tipped my hairdresser 30%, held the door for someone, and I VOTED! Yay me!

Alright, I'll stop tooting my own horn.

For a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) for either of the...

2006-11-07T16:45:00.000-06:00

For a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) for either of these patterns (the vintage Butterick or the Retro reprint Butterick 4919) I'd look at instructions for FBA on a dolman sleeve pattern or a raglan sleeve pattern. The Fit for Real People book (FFRP) is a good resource, but there are many others.

Go to Pattern Review message board for Pattern Modifications:

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/board.pl?f=26

and take a look at the collection of saved discussions about Full Bust Alteration (FBA). An education in itself; many helpful resources. FBA is not terribly difficult (really!), but is essential for a good fit.

CMC

What would be really interesting is an empire trea...

2006-11-07T16:23:00.000-06:00

What would be really interesting is an empire treatment of that style! A little more flattering to those of us who have lost the battle with our figures over the years and don't have any bust to speak of. Hmmm..maybe a wrap over over the bust area instead of the waist?? Wow, I might even look like I have a bust then!!

I've read the pattern instructions for the Butteri...

2006-11-07T16:11:00.000-06:00

I've read the pattern instructions for the Butterick 4919 and they are confusing. My feeling is that once I have the material in hand, I'll make some sense. (of course, I'm pretty scared of the full bust adjustment on this one!

Adorable pattern! What a great idea to pay forward...

2006-11-07T16:04:00.000-06:00

Adorable pattern! What a great idea to pay forward the generosity, too.

Oops! Just re-read your comment "anonymous" - you ...

2006-11-07T16:01:00.000-06:00

Oops! Just re-read your comment "anonymous" - you were talking about the sashes on the Butterick 4919, weren't you. Looked at that pattern, and the pictures are not very descriptive, are they? Very confusing.

The sash is sewn into the side seams of the dress....

2006-11-07T15:35:00.000-06:00

The sash is sewn into the side seams of the dress. When worn, the sash is crossed in the front and then tied in the back. It fit perfectly at the time (cause I was thin). Would not work on this "fluffy" figure I have now, though.

I never pay full price for a pattern. I wait until patterns go on sale at Hancock Fabrics or Joann's for $.99 or $1.00 each. Sometimes they have Vogue patterns for 75% off also.

Have you heard the saying that "she who has the most fabric when she dies, wins"? Well, I'm working on winning that contest. Cannot pass up a fabric sale, or pattern sale either.

Have you seen the Liberty Mutual commercial where ...

2006-11-07T15:25:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the Liberty Mutual commercial where people see someone else do something nice, think about it, then do something nice for someone else, and it just keeps going. It practically makes me choke up. :)

Butterick 4919 looks lovely, but I can't for the l...

2006-11-07T14:23:00.000-06:00

Butterick 4919 looks lovely, but I can't for the life of me figure out where the side tabs on the front go (I assume you snap or hook those in the back), and how do the back ties, which seem to be NOT sewn in a side seam, wrap in such a way as to give that lovely torso affect on the front?

Ah, this must be one of those patterns where you must look at the pattern instructions in order to find out how to wear it.

It's lovely, though, if it really does look even slightly like the pictures on the envelope.

I'm another old lady whose mother an aunts were young women in the era when these 1950s retro patterns were originally sold. None of those women and teeny tiny waists like the drawings on the pattern envelopes, but real women, with real bodies - just like yours - looked lovely in these types of styles.

CMC

This is quite similar in some ways to Butterick 49...

2006-11-07T13:43:00.000-06:00

This is quite similar in some ways to Butterick 4919 (which is not a halter dress if you look at the technical drawing.)

I bought this (on sale for $2.49!) last weekend and plan to make it up in a blue/black/silver taffeta.

I'd love to see the back of the 4 yard dress pattern envelope to see how I could reduce the amount of fabric needed for Butterick 4919 (it calls for 5 1/2 yards in my size!) because I've got several 4 yard pieces that would look pretty good in this style.

Does guilting my co-workers into voting count as a...

2006-11-07T13:28:00.000-06:00

Does guilting my co-workers into voting count as a good dead? I can't believe how many of the useless layabouts haven't even registered - and they would all vote Dem if they thought about it.

At least I am prepared for 2008, now I know I need to get the voter registration forms ready to go, and offer free cupcakes and pizza for those lazy bums who make it to the polls.

That dress would be INSANELY flattering on. I'm a...

2006-11-07T13:27:00.000-06:00

That dress would be INSANELY flattering on. I'm anonymous 1:07 from the other day, who posted about how none of these patterns work for my thick-waisted figure? OK, even for someone as thick-waisted as I, that pattern works wonders. In 1980 I tried on a Ralph Lauren dress in almost exactly that pattern (the skirt was not quite as full). I was 15 years old. The dress was a revelation. I was blown away. It was like, "Wow, so THAT's what my body is supposed to look like! Holy cow!" The stripes worked magically to give me an hourglass figure. The Ralph Lauren dress was really too expensive (it was at Neiman Marcus in Houston), so I bought the pattern and asked my mother to make it. She futzed around and just never finished it. Sigh. That dress would have changed my life, I'm sure of it.

There's a retro Butterick that just came out with ...

2006-11-07T13:01:00.000-06:00

There's a retro Butterick that just came out with the same wrap idea. It is sleeveless, and I think the bodice is a little different, but it's the same idea.

It's featured on the Sew Retro blog: http://sewretro.blogspot.com/
(scroll down a bit).

cherylc

That is a cute dress and a nice story. I needed t...

2006-11-07T12:48:00.000-06:00

That is a cute dress and a nice story. I needed to hear one today, and I think performing RAoKs will also be helpful.
(In re: the dress, itsn't it funny how the football theme is echoed in the referee-like b&w stripes? My favorite part, next to the sash of course, is the chevron effect on the sleeves.)

And Gidget B, clearly the models are happy because they're wearing such great dresses! (Or perhaps their foundation garments are cutting circulation off to their heads, making them a little giddy.) But have you noticed how the Vogue models never get to grin and cavort and flirt? They only smile wanly, and lean languidly, and raise their haughty little eyebrows. I guess it's a class thing...

How thoughtful of Sarah. It's a cute dress, too. D...

2006-11-07T12:08:00.000-06:00

How thoughtful of Sarah. It's a cute dress, too. Does it take 4 yards of fabric, by any chance? I remember a lot of patterns that proclaimed 'Only One Yard!' back in the 60s.

The dress is nice, but right now I'd like a servin...

2006-11-07T11:39:00.000-06:00

The dress is nice, but right now I'd like a serving of whatever it was that made 50s pattern models so happy.

That is a very cute dress pattern.There is nothing...

2006-11-07T11:35:00.000-06:00

That is a very cute dress pattern.There is nothing more fun than looking at patterns old and new.

It's a lovely dress and a lovely gesture. I'll do ...

2006-11-07T10:54:00.000-06:00

It's a lovely dress and a lovely gesture. I'll do my best to pass it on today.

I would think that structurally speaking whether or not the wrap would stay up might depend on the type of fabric one used. Maybe less of an issue for something nice and crisp and more of an issue for something with a lot of drape.

ladygrande, did your bands stay in place on your pink and white striped version of this dress?