Isn't this a lovely pattern? I love the stripes, obviously, and I love the weird football theme of this particular pattern line (I saw a couple others online, all with the 'four yard line' slogan.) Sarah sent this one to me, along with several other gorgeous and/or funny ones. Why? Just because. She had them, wasn't going to use them, thought I would like them, so she sent them along. Just like that.
I am continually surprised and gratified by the enormous generosity of Dress A Day readers. Not just in the comments, where you help me and each other with links and information; or in the links that you send me to share; but also in the packages you send me!
Anyway, a little something will wend its way in the mail back to Sarah (who foolishly included a return address, ha ha!) but — would all of you help me thank her? I figure the best way to thank someone for performing some random act of kindness is to encourage others to do the same. So, today, if you could, would you do something nice for some random person? Maybe hold a door or an elevator, or pay someone a compliment, or even just give a sincere "thank you" to someone who never gets one? Nothing huge or extravagant or elaborate, but just a little push-back against entropy? I'd appreciate it …
A Dress A Day 
Such a fantastic pattern. What a great act of kindness!Love your blog, Erin. I’ve been following it for a couple of weeks and I only wish I’d come across it earlier! 🙂
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Love that dress! I have only recently become a full on convert to your wonderful blog. Remember to vote today! We live in a participatory society!
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That dress kicks. (No pun intended.) Have fun with it. Maybe you should add a pattern exchange area to your blog. Trade straight up. It would encourage all of us to rescue patterns in peril, regardless of the size!
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OOO I like that dress and I like svenskaflicka’s idea!
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Oh, my! I had that pattern when it was new. Made it in a pink and white stripe and a headband to match!
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I love the drawing of the dress, and I love the design in theory, but I know if I made it, those wrapped ties that make up the charming faux-midriff band would always sag or ride up. Something. I’d spend hours figuring out how to safety-pin them in place. *sigh*To ladygrande: was this an issue? Or am I being pessimistic?–Lydia–Lydia
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An issue? Nope, just a comment from an old lady who loved that pattern way back when.Happy sewing!
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Yay Sarah! It’s a lovely dress. Erin obviously, like many of us, Sarah gets so much enjoyment from your blog that she wants to show her appreciation.
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It’s a lovely dress and a lovely gesture. I’ll do my best to pass it on today.I would think that structurally speaking whether or not the wrap would stay up might depend on the type of fabric one used. Maybe less of an issue for something nice and crisp and more of an issue for something with a lot of drape.ladygrande, did your bands stay in place on your pink and white striped version of this dress?
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That is a very cute dress pattern.There is nothing more fun than looking at patterns old and new.
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The dress is nice, but right now I’d like a serving of whatever it was that made 50s pattern models so happy.
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How thoughtful of Sarah. It’s a cute dress, too. Does it take 4 yards of fabric, by any chance? I remember a lot of patterns that proclaimed ‘Only One Yard!’ back in the 60s.
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That is a cute dress and a nice story. I needed to hear one today, and I think performing RAoKs will also be helpful. (In re: the dress, itsn’t it funny how the football theme is echoed in the referee-like b&w stripes? My favorite part, next to the sash of course, is the chevron effect on the sleeves.)And Gidget B, clearly the models are happy because they’re wearing such great dresses! (Or perhaps their foundation garments are cutting circulation off to their heads, making them a little giddy.) But have you noticed how the Vogue models never get to grin and cavort and flirt? They only smile wanly, and lean languidly, and raise their haughty little eyebrows. I guess it’s a class thing…
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There’s a retro Butterick that just came out with the same wrap idea. It is sleeveless, and I think the bodice is a little different, but it’s the same idea.It’s featured on the Sew Retro blog: http://sewretro.blogspot.com/ (scroll down a bit).cherylc
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That dress would be INSANELY flattering on. I’m anonymous 1:07 from the other day, who posted about how none of these patterns work for my thick-waisted figure? OK, even for someone as thick-waisted as I, that pattern works wonders. In 1980 I tried on a Ralph Lauren dress in almost exactly that pattern (the skirt was not quite as full). I was 15 years old. The dress was a revelation. I was blown away. It was like, “Wow, so THAT’s what my body is supposed to look like! Holy cow!” The stripes worked magically to give me an hourglass figure. The Ralph Lauren dress was really too expensive (it was at Neiman Marcus in Houston), so I bought the pattern and asked my mother to make it. She futzed around and just never finished it. Sigh. That dress would have changed my life, I’m sure of it.
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Does guilting my co-workers into voting count as a good dead? I can’t believe how many of the useless layabouts haven’t even registered – and they would all vote Dem if they thought about it.At least I am prepared for 2008, now I know I need to get the voter registration forms ready to go, and offer free cupcakes and pizza for those lazy bums who make it to the polls.
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This is quite similar in some ways to Butterick 4919 (which is not a halter dress if you look at the technical drawing.) I bought this (on sale for $2.49!) last weekend and plan to make it up in a blue/black/silver taffeta. I’d love to see the back of the 4 yard dress pattern envelope to see how I could reduce the amount of fabric needed for Butterick 4919 (it calls for 5 1/2 yards in my size!) because I’ve got several 4 yard pieces that would look pretty good in this style.
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Butterick 4919 looks lovely, but I can’t for the life of me figure out where the side tabs on the front go (I assume you snap or hook those in the back), and how do the back ties, which seem to be NOT sewn in a side seam, wrap in such a way as to give that lovely torso affect on the front?Ah, this must be one of those patterns where you must look at the pattern instructions in order to find out how to wear it.It’s lovely, though, if it really does look even slightly like the pictures on the envelope. I’m another old lady whose mother an aunts were young women in the era when these 1950s retro patterns were originally sold. None of those women and teeny tiny waists like the drawings on the pattern envelopes, but real women, with real bodies – just like yours – looked lovely in these types of styles.CMC
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Have you seen the Liberty Mutual commercial where people see someone else do something nice, think about it, then do something nice for someone else, and it just keeps going. It practically makes me choke up. 🙂
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The sash is sewn into the side seams of the dress. When worn, the sash is crossed in the front and then tied in the back. It fit perfectly at the time (cause I was thin). Would not work on this “fluffy” figure I have now, though.I never pay full price for a pattern. I wait until patterns go on sale at Hancock Fabrics or Joann’s for $.99 or $1.00 each. Sometimes they have Vogue patterns for 75% off also. Have you heard the saying that “she who has the most fabric when she dies, wins”? Well, I’m working on winning that contest. Cannot pass up a fabric sale, or pattern sale either.
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Oops! Just re-read your comment “anonymous” – you were talking about the sashes on the Butterick 4919, weren’t you. Looked at that pattern, and the pictures are not very descriptive, are they? Very confusing.
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Adorable pattern! What a great idea to pay forward the generosity, too.
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I’ve read the pattern instructions for the Butterick 4919 and they are confusing. My feeling is that once I have the material in hand, I’ll make some sense. (of course, I’m pretty scared of the full bust adjustment on this one!
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What would be really interesting is an empire treatment of that style! A little more flattering to those of us who have lost the battle with our figures over the years and don’t have any bust to speak of. Hmmm..maybe a wrap over over the bust area instead of the waist?? Wow, I might even look like I have a bust then!!
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For a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) for either of these patterns (the vintage Butterick or the Retro reprint Butterick 4919) I’d look at instructions for FBA on a dolman sleeve pattern or a raglan sleeve pattern. The Fit for Real People book (FFRP) is a good resource, but there are many others.Go to Pattern Review message board for Pattern Modifications:http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/board.pl?f=26and take a look at the collection of saved discussions about Full Bust Alteration (FBA). An education in itself; many helpful resources. FBA is not terribly difficult (really!), but is essential for a good fit. CMC
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I thanked two people, tipped my hairdresser 30%, held the door for someone, and I VOTED! Yay me!Alright, I’ll stop tooting my own horn.
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This dress reminds me of this gorgeous summery number I fell in love with at Anthropologie. I love the look of the wrapped waist, but the thought of constructing it myself makes my blood run cold…
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I dreamt last night that I made this dress, but I didn’t realise I had (the dream) until I looked at your blog again…
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That is a super-cute dress…I hope the real thing isn’t disappointing. Doesn’t it seem that sometimes the illustration makes it oh-so-heavenly but the reality of human ankles and hips makes it not so? Is that just me?
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I want that dress, in that exact fabric. You have no idea how much I want that dress in that fabric. So cute!
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It ain’t just you, zegi.
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That is too cute!
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heya- just found your blog again while searching for reviews of this pattern (4919). I’m currently sewing the new version myself. It is supposed to be my New Years Eve gown… having a terrible time figuring out how the top side flaps go together! ack! anyway, love your dresses! Dharia
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I AM DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR THIS PATTERN… If you have any leads, please, please, please let me know.
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