A Stitching Odyssey: A #VintagePledge for the #BVSewalong

Oh, the irony! Instigator of #VintagePledge here, yet it's over halfway through the year and this is my first vintage make of 2016! To be fair, it's only my fourth make of the year too, so I'm not being vintageist at least.

In any case, I want to thank The McCall Pattern Company and The Foldline for hosting The BIG Vintage Sew-along, which has inspired and motivated me while also raising money for the very worthy Eve Appeal.

With such a great selection to choose from, picking a pattern was hard. At first I went for the stunning 1930s V9127, but realised that the sweet 1960s B6582 would be more manageable with my limited time this year. I got pretty lucky with the fit of the size 14, my only alterations being shortening the bodice by my standard 1.5cm and pinching out a good chunk from the back and front necklines, as well as the 'side boob' area. It seemed to do the trick and I'm pretty happy with the overall fit.

Not being the biggest fan of gathered skirts on myself, I swapped it for my tried, tested and beloved Lilou skirt from Tilly's dress pattern in Love at First Stitch. I'm pretty smitten with its modestly full shape, gained from pleats instead of gathers, which you can also see in action here, here and here!

What I don't get, is how my neckline managed to end up asymmetrical, despite everything lining up during the sewing process. I'm going to blame it on my viscose double gauze fabric, which despite its beauty, was a slippery little sucker! I was warned by Sarah of A Million Dresses about the shifty layers of gauze, but it's allure was too strong for me. Even though I stay stitched the hell out of every piece, I still think some misshaping occurred...so be warned! 

In case you're wondering, I got mine from Miss Matatabi, but places like M is for Make also seem to be stocking it...in a range of delicious colourways too! 

The pattern is fairly simple to follow with a decent set of instructions. The dress is unlined with a clever facing for the neckline which I stupidly forgot to photograph. For an idea of how it looks, just check out my Betty Dress from Sew Over It. It gives a really clean finish on the inside, but I must confess that I don't actually like the way the shoulder seams are sewn up...I find it fiddly and it can be tricky to get everything to line up perfectly. 

I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out in the end, wonky neckline and all. Did you notice my baby border on the hem by the way? It's not as obvious as it would have been had I gone for a standard dirndl skirt, but I much prefer this shape on me.

Catch up on what all the other guest bloggers have made for the #BVSewalong and check out the schedule for upcoming makes. Next Friday, you have the pleasure of my #VintagePledge partner in crime, Kerry of Kestrel Makes!