In 2012 I went to Lorna's launch of her Miss Page collection in
Katoomba NSW and bought a Lilly Rose pattern. I loved the look of the
dress but wasn't confident for months about attempting to sew it. I only
started dressmaking in 2011 - before that my experience was fixing hems
and buttons. I'm self-taught with help from my Mum and sewing friends.
Until recently I'd only sewn knitted garments from KwikSew patterns and
used my overlocker a LOT. But I had some gorgeous vintage-look fabric
stashed away and over my Christmas break in 2012/13 decided the time had
come. My Lilly Rose was going to happen!
I
read the instructions carefully first to see that I was up to the task
and decided I was. Printing the pattern out was easy; my printer
automatically printed at 100%. You do need quite a big bit of floor area
to stick it all together though so be warned, you may have to move
chairs and tables! My cats helped me stick it together but it still
turned out OK ;-).
I made a toile in calico
first, and tweaked and adjusted it so it fitted perfectly. The pattern
is true to modern sizing so I didn't need much tweaking. I'm 157cm so
definitely needed to shorten both the bodice and skirt however, which
was a breeze. The one thing I didn't make with my toile was the collar,
and I should have. I set the collar a bit too far in on the neckline of
the bodice on the actual fabric I used, so the point doesn't come as far
down as it should. I did contemplate remaking the bodice and collar, as
I had enough fabric (being a beginner I bought more than I needed in
case I made a huge mistake!!!). In the end I decided to run with what I
had as I was very impatient to finish the dress and wear it. Patience is
certainly not my middle name.
I used pinking
shears to finish the seam edges etc, as it was the quickest way (see
that bit about patience again). However I truly enjoyed leaving the
overlocker covered up and just using the sewing machine or my hands to
make this dress. As well as pinking the edges I did a zigzag stitch to
finish them, just to be sure, as I could see the cotton wanted to fray. I
wanted to make this dress in a traditional way and researched that a
zigzag stitch attachment foot was available for machines in the 1940s.
With
the shoulder pads I did cheat and used a pair I'd had on a dress almost
30 years ago. I considered making my own using some of the dress fabric
but realised they would take much longer to dry when washed. Also -
impatient!
I decided to use a zipper in the
side seam, and this was my first go at putting a zipper in a garment. I
had to do it twice as the first attempt didn't turn out as I'd hoped, ie
it was a dog's breakfast. It's not an invisible zipper. I did break
with the traditional feel of the dress though and use a nylon one in a
complementary colour. My experience with metal zippers from my childhood
is that they tend to jam a bit and get stiff quite easily.
It
probably took me about 9-10 hours over several days to make my dress. I
pinned, then I ironed, then I tacked, then I sewed. Then ironed again. I
blind-stitched the hem by hand late in the afternoon, with the sound of
birds in the trees outside the window and a cat on the table in front
of me. All I needed was "In the Mood" playing in the background :-).
I
love my Lilly Rose dress and have worn it twice in the two weeks since
I've made it. I've received compliments from people, even strangers in
the supermarket. My Mum is gobsmacked; a superb dressmaker in her day
and pleased that I have finally got an interest in sewing, she was
delighted at the care I'd taken and the way it turned out, the style and
the fit. It's a design that goes well with today's wedge-heeled
sandals (aha, wedge heels were in in the late 40s/early 50s too), and
with modern accessories it looks timeless and lovely. With vintage
accessories it looks fab! It's funny - when I wear vintage or
vintage-inspired clothing I feel quite different to my everyday self; I
think more about how people behaved in the era of the clothes I'm
wearing. When I'm wearing this dress I want tea in a pretty cup and
saucer. And a home-made scone.
I don't have
vintage underwear but I find a sports bra, with the seam across the
front, gives a bit of a vintage shape. With the bust darts it definitely
looked better with a sports bra than a 't-shirt' bra or balconette bra.
Couple that with serious shapewear instead of 'step ins' to enhance
your waist (if you're like me and you need to) and add a suspender belt
and stockings as necessary :-).
I would definitely make another Lilly Rose dress, perhaps in a rayon, if I find the right fabric.
