Don’t Make It Bad

“Hey Jude, don’t be afraid, you were made to go out and get her.”~The Beatles

The year was 1968. The Beatles released “Hey Jude”. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy are assassinated. The Vietnam War was becoming increasingly unpopular, leading to more and more anti-war protests. In the fashion world, Simplicity releases this mini length dress pattern.

I decided this would be a great dress to make for myself. I decided to make View 3, but with the sleeves of View 1. So, 57 years later, I’ll be seeing how it sews and if I can pull the look. Or will I “..make it bad…”? (Hey Jude pun intended.)

I had this light blue, vintage, linen in my stash. Where and when did I get it? Who knows! I’ve had it floating around my sewing room for a long time. It was waiting for the right pattern! I laid the main pattern pieces out.

Front darts, easy enough.

Sewing the two front pieces together.

There are two darts one on each shoulder. There are also two long darts down the back. I got those marked and pinned.

When you are finished sewing a dart, always take your two pieces of thread, and tie them in a knot. This will make your dart have a nice finished edge that won’t come apart.

The pattern called for a 22 inch zipper. I had an 18 inch zipper that matched perfectly. I gambled and decided to use it. It was a gamble because if the back won’t open wide enough to go over your hips, you could end up stretching the dress, ripping the seams, or not being able to get it on at all.

I laid the zipper next to the back opening. I had to sew the back seam up as far as the bottom of the zipper. I marked it and pinned the back of the dress together.

Next I sewed the front and back of the dress together at the shoulders.

I sewed the front and back neck facing pieces together. I used iron interfacing scraps on the backside.

Now for the part I had never done before! Remember, I decided to do View 3 of the dress. It features a scalloped neck and hem. I liked the look of the scalloped edges, and I like to challenge myself to do new things.

The pattern piece “C” showed the lines for the scallops that should be marked onto the backside of the neck facing. Someone in the past had cut the pattern to be able to trace it. I thought this was finicky, plus the pattern was so old I wasn’t sure it would hold up to all the tracing I had to do. I looked around my sewing room for a circle. I found that this bottle of white acrylic paint was the perfect size!

I lined the bottom of the bottle up and trace all of my scallops.

Once they were all traced out it was time to pin it to the neck line, and sew along the scallops. I really didn’t want to mess this up!

I triple checked that my scallops were drawn on and pinned in the right direction. I then, very carefully, sewed along my drawn lines.

I then cut off the excess above the sewn lines, and clipped the curves. Once that was done, I flipped the scallops right side out and ironed them. I pinned down the ends by the zipper and slip stitched them into place.

Time for the sleeves! I hemmed them, and sewed the end together. I put a gather stitch along the top so I could ease the sleeve into place.

Here we go again with the scallops! I almost wanted to give up and just hem the dress but I didn’t. I had adjusted the pattern slightly to fit me, so this hem facing was going to have to be adjusted, as would the scallops.

I did the same thing to the hem facing that I did to the neck facing, except I didn’t use interfacing. The neck needed the extra support, but the hem wouldn’t. I got my bottle of paint and started tracing.

I sewed along my traced lines, and cut and clipped along the edges. I flipped the scallops and , although the pattern didn’t say to, I decided to slip stitch the facing down.

I must say, that even with the invention of the sewing machine, it’s still best to do some things by hand.

My dress was done and I was in love with it! My gamble with the zipper paid off, it fit with no problems and matches! Please excuse that my photos are a bit grainy. I dropped my phone and cracked right beside my camera. Such is life!

I made a clutch to match using scrap linen and a piece of scrap vinyl that Michael used to upholster my car. The car is a 1958, and dress a 1968, but it will match!

I was very happy at how the scalloped edges came out, and am excited to add this design element to other projects!

Well I pulled off the sew and think I can pull off the look too! I took an old pattern, “…and made it better…”! (So puny!)! I love my dress and will wear all the time! I know that fashion trends come and go, but if you like the look of something, go for it! Life is too short to not wear what makes you happy!

It seems like in this day and age, you’ve got to get your happiness where ever you can! And if you find some, try your best to spread it to others, they might need to borrow some of yours!

“And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders. For well you know that it’s a fool, who plays it cool, by making his world a little colder.” Wise words from The Beatles in 1968 that you just might be able to consider today. (By the way, I do love the song “Hey Jude” in case you couldn’t tell. So much, that I named my son after it.)

As for me, onto the next!