Friday 28 December 2012

Mad Men Dress - Butterick 6582

I've been absent for awhile, but have been sewing!  I find it hard to find time for pics, but I guess I need to start using my dress form more . . .


I made this dress as my 'Christmas' dress.  It's retro Butterick 6582.  I had my husband's work party, and a friend's 'mad men' themed party to go to.  I splurged on the fabric (a silk-cotton blend) because I figured if I bought a dress in a store it would cost much more :)  .  Turns out  and I didn't buy quite enough, so I had to split the back pattern pieces into two (top and bottom).   I also put the zipper in by hand, I like the feel of it (it feels more flexible than an invisible zip) and the zipper is cheaper.  I also put in a kick pleat at the bottom, using instructions from Threads.



The dress is underlined, but not lined, as it's a summer dress, and I didn't want to take the time to sew
a lining and insert it by hand. 

I'm not sure about the fit, I think I got it right through the waist and hips, but I had issues with the bust and shoulders. It really needed a FBA, I did a lazy FBA by increasing the side seams by 1/4" on each front piece and taking in the darts by 1/4", but it wasn't enough.  I just wasn't sure how to do a real FBA with the lines of the pattern (it's like a one-shoulder dress with a piece added for the other shoulder, and double darts).  I wanted it to be pretty form fitting, like a 'wiggle' dress, but man, women must have had to make lots of alterations, or wear lots of shapewear back then. 

 I can't really tell how it's supposed to fit, here's the pattern envelope (I made the blue version): 

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