DuBarry 1952B (1937?)

Listening: Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.

So, after a continuous stream of unfulfilled promises, false starts, unfinished projects, and general indecision, the winner for Next Sewing Project turned out to be a dark horse.

DuBarry 1952B (circa 1937):

I splurged on fabric. I should have used something from my stash but nothing was volunteering itself for the assignment, so off to GRS I went, and came home with Moda Happy Camper green plaid. I've had me eye on this for a long time.

It's adorable, don't you think? Happy Camper was a vaguely-1950's themed series and this is a modernized plaid with wavy lines, but if you don't look too closely I think it's still passably Thirties. It's, well, happy, and is a good scale for the dress--busy enough for a plain pattern, but not enough to give you a headache.

I'm going with white trim, as suggested by the pattern packet: White twill collar and pocket bands, white flat-lace trim. Those pointy split cap sleeves are going to need serious hand-basting, though. Wow.

I'm going to make the sash, of course, but I think this would also look good with a belt.

Amber Jean and I have a bit of a running joke about our fondness for making linings and facings out of scrap fabrics that don't actually match our fashion fabric. I behaved this time: The neck facing is self-fabric and the sleeve and collar edge bindings will be off-white, but the underside of the collar is unbleached muslin because it was less bulky than a second layer of twill would be, because I didn't want to waste good twill where it wouldn't be seen, and because I would hardly recognize my own clothes if something didn't look makeshift. Amber Jean figures it's probably more period-correct that way, anyway.

I have progress pictures but haven't uploaded them yet. I spent today at lunch basting sleeve edges. Whew.