Lisa sent me the link to this one, another eBay glory listed by Capricorn Vintage.
Look at those dots! And the shelf bust, and the big ol' ruffle. I'm really obsessed with the big ol' hem ruffle right now — I must have four or five patterns that are featuring it. Not the 1970s prairie hem ruffle, but this exuberant, can't-help-myself 1950s hem ruffle. The kind where just sitting down in a chair turns into some kind of effervescent event.
Of course all those patterns are waiting until I get a ruffling foot for my sewing machine. (I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid.)
In fact, most of my sewing is waiting for one reason or another, with the 'one reason' in particular being that I'm coordinating the Dictionary Society of North America meeting in Chicago in June. And since June is like, next week, there's SO MUCH TO DO, none of which can be accomplished with a sewing machine. Gah. But if you're near Hyde Park on Saturday, June 16, you should come see the New Word Open Mic, which is (as you might imagine from the name) open to the public. Come hear people pitch their new words to dictionary editors! Or come pitch one yourself!
(Also, I seem to developed the dreaded summer head cold. Arrrrrrrrgh.)
Anyway, back to the dress — it's B36, and in great shape — take a look! (Click on the image to visit the listing.)
A Dress A Day 
The question is, what dresses will debut at DSNA? I’ll miss the conference this year (dang it) which is why I’m preemptively pestering.
LikeLike
And how could you pass this one up? I may not be able to, though the cut of it would make me look like Klaus Nomi.
LikeLike
I just have to say I have loved reading your blog the past few months. I usually have one of my girls peeking over my shoulder to see what dress a day has posted. We followed a link to a fabric site one day and my 7y/o browsed fabric for about an hour! My 12y/o is sitting with me this morning and we wish we lived close enough to come to the New Word Open Mic. Sounds like fun. My girls are fascinated by your job. They have recently taken up “Dictionary Pictionary” where they close their eyes open the dictionary and put their finger on the page. Whatever word they are touching they draw. Last night my son drew hydrofoil! On a sewing note, I am sewing my first vintage pattern this week, a 1950’s dress with a very full skirt. My oldest daughter requested it in red with a black crinoline. Thanks for the inspiration! -Amy
LikeLike
I just have to say I have loved reading your blog the past few months. I usually have one of my girls peeking over my shoulder to see what dress a day has posted. We followed a link to a fabric site one day and my 7y/o browsed fabric for about an hour! My 12y/o is sitting with me this morning and we wish we lived close enough to come to the New Word Open Mic. Sounds like fun. My girls are fascinated by your job. They have recently taken up “Dictionary Pictionary” where they close their eyes open the dictionary and put their finger on the page. Whatever word they are touching they draw. Last night my son drew hydrofoil! On a sewing note, I am sewing my first vintage pattern this week, a 1950’s dress with a very full skirt. My oldest daughter requested it in red with a black crinoline. Thanks for the inspiration! -Amy
LikeLike
I just have to say I have loved reading your blog the past few months. I usually have one of my girls peeking over my shoulder to see what dress a day has posted. We followed a link to a fabric site one day and my 7y/o browsed fabric for about an hour! My 12y/o is sitting with me this morning and we wish we lived close enough to come to the New Word Open Mic. Sounds like fun. My girls are fascinated by your job. They have recently taken up “Dictionary Pictionary” where they close their eyes open the dictionary and put their finger on the page. Whatever word they are touching they draw. Last night my son drew hydrofoil! On a sewing note, I am sewing my first vintage pattern this week, a 1950’s dress with a very full skirt. My oldest daughter requested it in red with a black crinoline. Thanks for the inspiration! -Amy
LikeLike
sorry for the triple post. I have dial-up and am often impatient! -Amy
LikeLike
{quote]The kind where just sitting down in a chair turns into some kind of effervescent event. [/quote}I know *exactly* what you mean. I had a ruffle in my wedding dress (cocktail length tulle confection with tulle dots… I got married in 1988).When we got in the limo to go to our honeymoon, that’s the feeling I had sitting in the limo. My husband commented that I looked exactly like a little girl in a party dress. It was so much fun!
LikeLike
I’ve been watching this dress on My Ebay. I want it I want it I want it.Jane
LikeLike
Will be in HP exactly a fortnight before for U of C reunion. I’m sure you wouldn’t have wanted to schedule your conference for the same time as reunion (competition for rooms and such), but I can imagine that New Word Open Mic would be an event many alums would kick out of.
LikeLike
Holy Scantron, Batman! That would be the perfect dress in which to take or administer multiple-choice tests, no? You’d have to have long hair, pinned into a bun with No. 2 pencils.
LikeLike
Ha! Scantron!I’m going to be lucky if I can make ONE new dress for DSNA. Luckily the meetings are every OTHER year, so I can coast on what I made in 2006. 🙂
LikeLike
Dont bother with a ruffle foot Erin, Just sew a zig zag stitch over a length of string then gather it up.Its so much stronger than just using a row of cotton stitching and you get to decide how ruffly you want to make it.
LikeLike
Just sew a zig zag stitch over a length of string then gather it upI have no idea who you are, but thank you for posting that tip! As a NeoVictorian goth lady addicted to frilly skirts, that will save me a LOT of time.
LikeLike
So. Beautiful. I gasped, out loud. Sigh.
LikeLike
hello erindid you not get a ruffler foot with your singer 66 redeye machine? ruth
LikeLike
My friend who sews many frilly little girl dresses and used to do home dec sewing, does ALL her gathering BY HAND. She claims she gets much better control, and a far superior result. I have tried it, and I agree. And, it’s not that much more time consuming than any other method. She is doing some home dec sewing for me and told me she will gather the dust ruffle by hand, too. I was amazed at that, but she says it makes a difference. I’m just glad she’s doing it (in trade for editing I did for her), because otherwise it’s highly unlikely that it would ever get done…Anyway, fabulous dress: ruffles AND dots. It’s definitely too much for the faint of heart.
LikeLike
Try zig-zagging over a piece of dental floss for superior control on your gathering. But I don’t recommend using old dental floss. That’s gross.
LikeLike
I make ruffles by hand too. Works much better, and even with all the pinning, doesn’t really take that much more time (especially considering I usually have to rip out seams when I attempt any other method).
LikeLike
Did you notice that the front bodice of the dress appears to have a heart-shaped smiley face with the nose pointing to the right as you look at it?
LikeLike
Speaking of specialized sewing machine feet, does anyone know where to get a walking foot for a mechanical Bernina 830?
LikeLike
Oh my gosh, LOVE. That’s just gorgeous.
LikeLike
Very cool dress!
LikeLike