I'm getting so far ahead of myself here with dresses I'd like to make (as opposed to dresses I actually have time to make), but whatever.
I owned this pattern in the past and made it. It was semi-successful: I had to tweak the fit quite a bit around the shoulders and neckline (I think now that was I needed to do was up-size the bust, but I didn't realize that at the time); the bodice was too short; I didn't seem to comprehend the bias aspect of bias binding, so the neckline and armscyes didn't lie right; I improvised the skirt and made it too short; and it was all before I had been converted to the idea of finished seams, so the yarn-dye stripe I used unraveled like nobody's business.
All things considered, though, it didn't fit too badly and it definitely had potential. I am still half in love with the blue calico version so I got another copy of the pattern on the cheap (I had totally mangled the first copy).
I ran across this 1938 Louella Ballerino "California casual" day dress a while back, and was completely smitten. Cotton huck fabric, embroidery, totally wearable shape . . . what is not to love?
I have the fabric I intended for Butterick 9141 (1940), which was green when I bought it, and which I overdyed, hoping for saturated teal, so be embroidered in cream and terra-cotta red. It came out too dark; it's nearly black. Nearly black is not bad, but it's not what I wanted for that particular dress.
Simplicity 4173, however, comes with fewer preconceived notions, so its fabric and embellishment choices are more flexible. Right now I'm thinking nearly-black with white and chrome-yellow, or possibly green, cross-stitch.
I owned this pattern in the past and made it. It was semi-successful: I had to tweak the fit quite a bit around the shoulders and neckline (I think now that was I needed to do was up-size the bust, but I didn't realize that at the time); the bodice was too short; I didn't seem to comprehend the bias aspect of bias binding, so the neckline and armscyes didn't lie right; I improvised the skirt and made it too short; and it was all before I had been converted to the idea of finished seams, so the yarn-dye stripe I used unraveled like nobody's business.
All things considered, though, it didn't fit too badly and it definitely had potential. I am still half in love with the blue calico version so I got another copy of the pattern on the cheap (I had totally mangled the first copy).
I ran across this 1938 Louella Ballerino "California casual" day dress a while back, and was completely smitten. Cotton huck fabric, embroidery, totally wearable shape . . . what is not to love?
I have the fabric I intended for Butterick 9141 (1940), which was green when I bought it, and which I overdyed, hoping for saturated teal, so be embroidered in cream and terra-cotta red. It came out too dark; it's nearly black. Nearly black is not bad, but it's not what I wanted for that particular dress.
Simplicity 4173, however, comes with fewer preconceived notions, so its fabric and embellishment choices are more flexible. Right now I'm thinking nearly-black with white and chrome-yellow, or possibly green, cross-stitch.
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