So this pattern was stuck in the back of a box and I unearthed it a while back:
It’s a really pretty dress, isn’t it? Although it looks as if pink dress is suffering from unrequited love for Blue Jacket. And the leprechaun version is a bit unusual. But I digress.
I looked at this pattern and thought, “Huh, I bet this would be fast to make, and it would fit.” And lo and behold:
I bought the fabric yonks ago on eBay — it’s cotton satin, and if it weren’t so lightweight, I’d say it was supposed to be upholstery fabric, or that maybe it’s from Ikea. Either way, I don’t care, because it’s really, really pretty.
This dress is definitely going to be made again — I have to make the pockets a little deeper (you can see how they stick out slightly here, with the bulk of my wallet, phone, pocket notebook, lipstick, etc. in them) and the skirt should be about two-three inches shorter. I may even take this hem out and re-do it, this length is a little dowdy. I think this pattern is perfect for Liberty Tana Lawn, especially with a very deep hem to give it some weight, so that’s what I’ll probably try next.
The only tricky part was getting enough bias tape to finish the neck and armholes out of the limited yardage I had — so it’s pieced in several places. Luckily, you can’t really tell. I also had to cheat a bit on the waist of the bodice … those side seams are 1/4″, instead of 5/8″, because I didn’t exactly check what the wearing ease was before I made it. The nice thing about a gathered skirt is that it’s very forgiving of this kind of math error. But this sucker fits pretty closely, now …
The flowers look red in some lights and pink in others, but it’s a true deep raspberry, and (I think) really pretty. The background is a taupe-y gray, so my gray Keds aren’t the best match, but I’m riding my bike in this dress today, and Keds are safer & more comfortable. Skinny belt is from H&M, watch is a silver-taupe Swatch that *does* match (unlike the Keds), and I’m wearing a black leather bracelet (which you can’t really see). I also put a black cotton cardigan on top of this, for work.
I will have an update and the winners of the Book Subtitle Contest early next week … I may be looking for beta readers, too, if you are interested drop me an email! Many eyes make light typos.
A Dress A Day 
Oooh! Beta reader! Beta reader! Me! Me! Pick me!
Heather
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That’s a gorgeous dress! I love the style, but agree about the length. I recently bought two dresses very similar to this and the shape is so flattering. I’m jealous of your sewing abilities!
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I would LOVE to be a beta reader!! I’m an English teacher who proofreads on the side, but I typically get weird sci-fi books from people who think they’re the next Dan Brown. Your book would be a delight to read instead!
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love the fabric!
and yes – the skirt should be longer or shorter.
…and the neck a little bit wider maybe? 1 cm???
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That is SUCH an Erin dress! 😉
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Beautiful fabric and a great sewing job. But I would go the other way on the hem length. If you shorten the skirt, the proportions of the bodice and skirt will be too similar and the dress will “widen” visually and seem to cut you in half and add weight around the middle. Lengthening the skirt by a couple of inches would look better, in my opinion, particularly if your next version has that deep hem as you planned.
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Yep. Seek ye out a wide embroidered eyelet lace edging in the gray, the raspberry, or black, and sew it on near the bottom edge –let the actual hem hang free for an inch or so, to look like a deep tuck. It’ll look like a petticoat that way.
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Super cute! Nice job! I really enjoy the photos of the dresses on you, instead of the dress form. I always hesitate to put my real actual self out there, so I thought I’d cheer a sister on.
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Oh, and Sue T.- that’s a brilliant explanation of why I’ve been so baffled recently at how strangely unflattering some of the very short, vintage-y shirt dresses I’m seeing are. If Erin was going to chop off 10″ or so, I’d completely agree with your assessment, but I think with just a few inches, this dress is still in the safe zone. Yeah?
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This looks GREAT! (That’s also my favorite pattern illustrator, BTW).
Looking at the green version with the jacket and big white collar, I couldn’t help thinking it would be a perfect modern-day Pilgrim ensemble for the holidays, if the pair were made in brown. (Not that your version looks anything like that…it’s pretty!)
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Ooops…I mean the blue version has a Pilgrim-style vibe…not the bitty green one (with matching bow)
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The more beta readers the better. I would love to be one of your readers.
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Hi from Australia – I loved your book and would love to be a beta-reader – my daughter lent me your book cos she is really smart
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Also happy to throw my hat into the beta readers ring. I’m one of the hated few at work to whom typos jump out and scream “I’m wrong here!”.
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I volunteer to read for you! Just finished a dissertation and got my PhD, so my typo-spotting abilities are quite powerful and well-exercised.
Love the dress, too! I have a similar problem with the length on full-skirted ones; seems to be a familiar issue with those of us who are somewhat vertically challenged. Try the length right at the bottom of your kneecap where your leg goes in right above the calf. That’s usually the smallest part of one’s leg and it really helps if the skirt ends there.
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Pretty dress! I’ll be a beta reader if you need additional readers.
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I would love to be your beta reader. I’m a recovering attorney and I used to edit a national newsletter.
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Love the bias binding on the neck edge, looks very nice when made from the same fabric. Really like the colors in this print, and the flowers themselves are right up my alley. Agree that a shorter length would be more appropriate.
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I’m h.s. Eng. teacher on vacation, reading, sewing, and gardening. I would be delighted to be one of your readers. EEE
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Cute, cute, cute. I love the print. Don’t shorten it too much because of the proportion thing, but up to the bottom of your knee cap should be good. I don’t agree with longer because it’s cutting across the wide part of your calf until you get ankle length. Bottom of the knee cap is the narrow part of the knee, and so more flattering.
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LOVE that dress. Absolutely gorgeous lines, and the fabric you picked is perfect. Well done!
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Love the dress!
I agree the length is a little too long for me too but I think that a plain coloured bias tape would work, maybe pick out one colour from the fabric …
I also love the print 🙂
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[…] I posted about this new-to-me pattern a couple weeks ago, and haven’t posted since because I am just too busy making more of them. […]
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Absolutely interested – am recovering perfectionist, but continue to love fashion & books. P.S. Great print!
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Wow I love this dress and fabric
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[…] I made another 9929. I promise I will start putting up more pictures of these dresses — including one in lined […]
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Great dress, just wondering if you know where I can find this pattern?
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I’m still looking for a good widely-available version of this pattern … in the meantime, there’s always watching eBay. 🙂
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[…] Another 9929! This is the first Vogue 9929 I ever made — here’s the post about it. […]
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Any ideas of where to buy pattern 9929?? Can’t find it anywhere a I’m dying to make this dress. Thx
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[…] This is my absolute favorite Vogue 9929: […]
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Hi!
Any idea where I could get a current version of 9929? I’d like to make it and I can’t get the vintage pattern. Thanks!
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