Yesterday when I showed you the 1950’s dress I was working on for Maryellen, and what I had gotten done there was something that was bugging me. I don’t know why I didn’t fix it when it was easier to do, but I didn’t… I guess I was in a hurry to have something to show you… Well, I knew I would be changing it…I just didn’t realize it would take me as long as it did.
This was the back of the dress yesterday… 
It looks a little loose, doesn’t it? Well, loose wasn’t the half of it… it was TOO big and it was too sweet of a dress not to fix it…
Here’s what it actually looked like under the bow…
See what I mean? I guess I was thinking it would be under the belt and I could have left it, but it just seemed awfully baggy to me….so I got out my handy dandy seam ripper and started ripping out seams. I had to make room for a dart in the back bodice. Well, I had to remove the skirt from the bodice to do that. That meant the belt had to come off, which meant I had to undo the underarm seam and the seam going down the skirt. I won’t bore you with all the details, but basically the front seams, the sleeves and the collar weren’t bothered, but just about everything else was… *sigh*
So when it was all put back together, it looked like this…
It was so much work, I’ll have to show you another picture, just in case you missed something… :o)
I was determined to get more than just the alterations made, so I went ahead and turned up as small of a hem as I could. Here’s the front…
…and a full shot of the back… once more…
Okay, now I can move onto her slip and whatever else I put with this to complete the set.
That’s it for today…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Darts! What could be more 50s? Nicely fitted clothes from before when we counted on the give in knits for fit. Now you’ll have to alter your pattern as well, it’s such a nice design that you’ll want to make it several times. And there’s always that book that we nag you about. The darts add more than fit to the dress, they add to its style.
I hope you have some sewing time today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and the new petticoat and your shoe choice. Do you have any of Maryellen’s meet shoes? They’d be cute with this and so would Ruthie’s Mary Janes.
This was a lot of work, but it paid off.
HI Marilyn,
Yep, darts solved the problem of the back being too big and most definitely I will be adjusting my pattern piece! I think when I adjust the pattern I’ll also make the front inset just a little bit narrower…it seems just a tad wide…compared to the pattern.
I hope to get some time for sewing too… I don’t think it will take too long to finish it when I figure out what to do for her accessory…
No, I don’t have any of Maryellen’s shoes… but I’ll try what I have and see what works best.
Thanks for your kind compliments Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Yes, this was alot of work for you to alter, Jeanne, but it does look so nice now…not that I noticed the excess previously.
It’s wonderful to see your progress. I assume more fun stuff is on board for you today as you near completion of this pretty dress.
Take care.
Thank you Becky,
I should have done the altering much sooner in the process but *alas* I didn’t, so I had to make it hard on myself. I’m pleased now though.
I’m hoping today is more “fun” than yesterday… Slips… no problem for me… :o)
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Boy, what a lot of work to rip all that out, but it is a more fitted dress, not a little girl’s float style. Eden’s dress will be lovely when it’s finished. I agree that darts are an iconic feature of 1960-1950’s clothes. My grandmother sewed a lot of clothes for my mom when she was a child/teen and the dresses she didn’t wear out and still has all have darts. I love the big bow in the back and it will always look perfect this way and the puffy sleeves are so cute.
Yesterday was gorgeous here, plenty of sunshine and 68 degrees. Today we are expecting heavy t-storms. I spent most of the day outside yesterday and will spend today in.
HI Laura,
Yes, it was work, but it needed to be done. The 50’s dresses were pretty close fitting in the bodices… I remember in 4H learning how to make the perfect dart so it came to an exact point!
We had a beautiful day yesterday too, but we too, are expecting storms today.
Thank you Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m sure it will all be worth it in the end, but that was a lot of ripping/stitching. It is such a cute pattern style and adorable dress.
Thank you Joy,
It was work, but well worth it now that I see the way it fits her. Thank you very much for your comments, Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
You did just the right thing, Jeanne, and it turned out to perfection, as usual! I must say that whenever I got a new dress, it was always bigger on me than I would have liked, since my mother always got things we could “grow into”! Those short, puffed sleeves looked so good on girls who filled out the sleeve, but my skinny arms didn’t do that! How I longed for a dress that fit!! Eden looks so cute, and best of all, her dress now fits perfectly!
HI Linda,
I know about hand-me-downs too… I got Cindy’s things and I know a thing or two about not having “enough” to fill things out too. I was such a skinny little thing back then.
Thanks Linda…now to get it finished…
Have a great day,
Blessings, Jeanne
I join the skinny teen club. I spent a summer on a family farm and ate whipped cream almost each day hoping to gain weight. I have done this as an adult too. It is just as hard on thin people as those who are larger than many think are at a healthy wright. Bananas and whipped cream make a tasty breakfast.
HI Jan,
I’ll join your skinny teen club as long as I can have bananas and whipped cream for breakfast! Sounds great!
Blessings, Jeanne
Was there a day you suggested we show a doll with an Easter outfit? Unbelieveably I have an outfit made years ago but photographed again today.
HI Jan,
Yes, I was going to show them tomorrow… if you want, you can send your Easter pictures to my email…. jeannewiedlocher@gmail.com
Thanks, Jeanne