Butterick Retro Patterns

The reprinted Vogue vintage patterns are oh, so tempting, but at $18 - $25 each, it's a little steep for a pattern, I think. Imagine my delight when I found in the Butterick catalogue some lovely reprinted vintage patterns for only $5.99 each! Bargain!

Here is my first attempt at a full skirted dress and using bias tape. I love learning about new notions and then going to the store and finding a section I've walked by dozens of time open up to me in a new way, and such is the case for bias tape! as the pattern boasts, it was easy and I guess relatively fast. It's only three pieces, so the cutting and attaching the bias tape and snaps took the longest.

The most painful thing about making this dress was doing the snaps and buttons. I hate hate sewing. I hate it so much. I really need to learn to embrace it, but it's so hard when everything I hand sew is a complete mess! Luckily you can't see any of that in the final product, so it can remain my dirty little secret. Well, not really if I post about it publicly.





Here's a close up of the buttons. The middle is held together with snaps, so the red buttons are pure decorative. I thought of leaving them off, but I knew it would look so much better if they were on, so I did it and I'm glad. You can also see how pretty the fabric is, nice and close. The pattern in called 'Emilie' from Alexander Henry Fabrics' 'Vienna' group.