27 April 2011

A 1970s Dress for Summer


I've been sewing! Hurrah!






I made this dress using vintage pattern Simplicity 7341 from 1976, which was pretty simple to follow with only one side of instructions.

The fabric is a lovely Japanese double gauze, Nani Iro Fuccra in eggplant, a gift from Aunt Bea's Fabric before they unfortunately closed. Double gauze is formed of two fine layers, making it light and airy, snuggly to the touch, sturdy but with a nice drape. It's very easy to sew, although it frays quite quickly so it's a good idea to finish the seams as quickly as you can. It's also a bit transparent, despite the double layers, so make sure you're wearing sensible underpinnings! The pattern suggested using a different fabric for the cuffs, neckline and belt, but as my fabric was already fairly busy I just used some fancy top stitching for definition. Ooh and it's got pockets!

[Soundtrack: 'The Look' by Metronomy]