For the opening of this academic year, I started work on a new dress. So I scrolled to my ‘dresses’ Pinterest board and found a pin that I really liked (the Rita dress). Since I still can’t actually draw patterns from scratch, I got out all my pattern magazines and looked for one that could approximately match the style lines of the Rita. Eventually I found the vaguely related Simplicity Naaimode 38, model 13 (New Look 6574 C). In contrast to the Rita, 6574 has raglan sleeves, no waistband, no neckline cut out and less skirt. I didn’t really want the longer sleeves of the Rita and I could do without the high collar, so I figured that the New Look could work out well.
I drew out all the pieces in my size and it just looked.. enormous. The underarms would end under my bra. So I did major surgery on the pattern. I removed around 3.5 cm from the tops of the bodice and sleeve pieces and redrew some armholes. This may have been a little too much, looking back, but it ended up working out decently well. I added the neckline cut out, which turned out a bit bigger than I expected. I used the tops of the skirt pieces to make a waistband. The New Look skirt was discarded in favour of a circle skirt.
On to the making! The bodice was sewn together and there was so much extra fabric in the back and sides. It would probably have been possible to wear a backpack underneath or something. So some additional major surgery occurred. Then I figured out that there was no way I was closing this thing with the center back zipper I had intended. So I performed more surgery on the sides and added the zip in the left side seam. This also allowed me to fit it a little better along those seams, so no harm no foul. Massive pockets were also needed and this skirt can hold a fair amount of stuff. The sleeves, skirt and cut out are hemmed with bias tape in an almost matching green. There is no lining and it’s slightly see through in the skirt, so I may need to wear a petticoat with it.
The final details were self-fabric buttons. One on each side of the collar and 2 x 5 along the front. They really elevate the dress and I love them. Making the buttons is fun, but attaching them certainly is not. What a tedious process that turned out to be. I finished it the day before the event and it was very nice to wear the next day. I added the zebra top because the weather still thought it was October. While the finished product is only a cousin of the Rita dress and not a twin, and I do really like how it turned out.