Friday 9 March 2012

Things to Make & Do - Butterick 6506

Oops another little blogging absence there, though I've got a good excuse honest (looks a shuffling feet) I've been really busy at work and feeling really rotten over the last week or so (note to self, don't wipe friends toddlers noses unless you want to share the cold too!) which has left me with very little energy to do anything I had planned (I'll apologise in advance if this post makes less sense than normal, as my brain is still away with the fairies.)

I have managed to do some crafting though so all is not lost, most of it is a bit mundane so I'll save that for a separate post, this post is all about my favourite of the lot, and this week (or last weeks) finished UFO...

Butterick 6506
(Stash Buster & UFO)

The pattern is one of my mums, I found it when I was nosing through my mums pattern collection last time is was on the Isle of Wight, she kindly let me have it (I made that sound like she had a choice) it's one she bought for herself as a teen and never made up as the fashions had changed and the sixties were beginning to swing!
CASUAL: BODICE CUT-IN-ONE WITH SKIRT
The new fluid lines of this dress make it your important town and country casual. Released sunburst tucks fit the dress to you in front, form soft unpressed pleats in the skirt and darts in the bodice. (B) Cropped sleeves.
I started this dress two weeks before my French holiday last year with every intention of swishing around many a French village in my wonderful creation, there are no prizes for guessing, that didn't happen. I over committed myself to finishing other bits and bobs, so my dress was destined not to be ready in time, it did go to France with the intention that I would finish it off, but with it being hotter than hell most days, I had no desire to melt underneath it whilst I sat stitching or to be sightseeing swathed in a dark fabric.

All I had left to do was to tack down the interfacing on the neck line, insert a new zip, tidy up the 'Sunburst Tucks' (that sound soo much nicer than 'pleats' doesn't it!) and sort out the hem.



All of this took no time at all, my only nemesis was the broken side zipper...
Original Plastic zip
I learnt the hard way, no matter how true to your vintage pattern you want to be, nothing beats inserting a streamlined invisible zipper. My initial zip was a standard plastic one, which had been far too long for the opening (4 inches too long in fact), so I had cut off the bottom to ensure it fit. BIG MISTAKE. The moment I got a bit exuberant on opening it, the slider shot off and refused point blank to be re-attached.

I removed it and tried to insert a vintage metal one I had to redo about 5 times before it looked even slightly respectable. I gave up and I toddled off to buy a new one only to be faced with a shop full of zips but not one in the correct colour or length. Again I opted for the longer version (of the invisible kind) and instead of cutting the excess off the bottom I cut it at the top (why did I not think of this before) and am happy to say it works like a dream plus it looks so much neater!

The front
The fabric I used was a bargainous £1 a meter, it is a heavy rough satin which works quite well as it hangs nicely. The envelope says it's 'quick and easy' and I would agree it is easy, as it only really has 4 parts, though it's not necessarily quick, some bits were a might fiddly...


...yes fancy 50s collar I'm looking at you!







The Back - Can you tell this is the only tidy corner in my home:)

All in all, I really like it, thought the pleated front is a bit strange, I am not sure whether to lengthen or shorten the pleats...sorry...Sunburst tucks, as when it's on they feel odd, kind of corset-like, which I'm not opposed to (holds everything in an all) but I can't decide if they look right on me...anyway I have not managed to get a picture of me in it yet, which I will hopefully be able to rectify tomorrow as I'm having some friends round for a little dinner party (two friends and me does that count as a party?...well threes a crowd so I guess so!) so it should give me a good opportunity to fancy myself up a bit and get a photo to show you all what it is I'm waffling on about! Time for another Lemsip I think...

Wendy x


PS I have a long overdue giveaway coming up in the next few days, I'm just trying to round up a few more nice bits, so watch this space x

18 comments:

  1. I hope you feel better soon x

    I love that dress, the colour is delicious!

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  2. Its gorgeous!! I think learning to sew is on my list for next year (this year is full!) because I love vintage dresses but they never fit me right and this is probably the solution.
    feel better x

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    1. Thank You x Sewing is a doddle compared to knitting, as you are soo good at knitting I am sure you will take to sewing, like a duck to water!:)x

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  3. Hope you feel better soon- no fun being poorly :-(
    Your new dress is very dreamy- I love the colour and pleat detailing... ahem, I mean sunburst tucks!
    Tupney x

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  4. Love the dress - great collar and sleeves, and of course the sunburst tucks :)

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  5. Hope you feel better soon.
    I love that dress its gorgeous.
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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  6. What a lovely dress, and I hope you feel better soon hunny! X

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  7. I simply ADORE the dress!!!
    Gushing, would not overstate it.
    Any chance at all that you might consider selling a tracing of the pattern?
    I've already checked Lantz living and Esty, to try to buy my own pattern.

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    1. Thank you! If you send me an email so I know where to contact you I'll see what I can do:)

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  8. Gorgeous dress! I hope you feel much better soon; I'm down with the sniffles too ... :0(

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    1. Thank you:) Aw no I hope you feel better soon, too:) x

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  9. This looks absolutely lovely! Great choice of colour and fabric for the pattern. Can't wait to see it on you though - hope you got some good pictures at your dinner party for three x

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  10. Awww...this is such a beautiful garment! Loved it so much that I pinned it to my Pinterest board! You are so good at needle craft my dear....wish I could sew like that. I've been plagued by a cold too and utterly detest the taste of lemsip right now.....hope you are getting much better...lots of tea and rest!
    May x
    walkinginmay.blogspot.com

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  11. Ooooh gorJUSS! Do we get pics of you swishing around the house wearing it once you're feeling better?

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