McCalls 4728 - 1942 summer dress

I started my New Years Resolutions off with a bang this year, by making 2 of the 12 garments I've set myself to finish in 2011. On New Years day, feeling not in the slightest but hungover and with nothing to do, I started sewing around midday and finished at 11. It's amazing how much you can achieve with solid, uninterupted sewing time!

This pattern is a direct copy of an original 1942 issue that I bought last year (annoyingly I can't remember where from, and I can't find it via google!).

**Edited to add - I found the pattern! www.pastpatterns.com**

It's a simple day dress with a 6 gore skirt and gathered blouse top. It has 3 buttons in the front with bound buttonholes and a side zip.
The pattern has been well copied and I found all the darts, circles and tacks in the right places, which was a relief as some features like the collar relied quite heavily on accurate placement.

The fabric was a cotton tana lawn that I picked up in John Lewis in the summer. I managed to find thread and a zip to exactly match the greenish blue shade and I used white plastic buttons.

This was my first attempt at bound buttonholes and I'm very pleased with how they came out!

As you can see, the top has darts on each shoulder and gathers top and bottom.

I think that the cotton I've used could be a little too heavy, and I think these could drape better, but they still give the fabulous 40s blousy effect.

The sleeves have these lovely darts round the top edge which give a very structured shape.

The pattern does show you how to make your own shoulder pads, but I didn't bother. There's also a belt to make with this but I don't have a buckle I can use yet, so I haven't started that yet.

All in all, good dress and nice pattern which I'll almost certainly sew again!

The other thing I ran up before bed (and finished off on the 2nd) was a gathered dirndl style skirt. I've been meaning to make this for ages and knew how quick and easy it would be, but needed the new year to kick me into action!

 I used Gertie's instructions for a gathered skirt, only I made the waistband with a tab and button at the top using the instructions from the simplicity 3688 skirt, which I know pretty well now!

Easy and pretty natty if I do say so myself! The fabric I used is an odd loose weave cotton (I think) so it's summer wear only, but it's nice to have some new items waiting in my cupboard for the good weather!

My next projects are a winter dress, lining a jacket I already have and possibly a second house dress. So much to sew, so little time!