During my search for patterns on Etsy, I came across my latest dream vintage dress pattern, Vogue 7956. I was instantly attracted to the full circle skirt and unusual neckline of this wrap dress. I had no choice but to purchase it there and then!
The Pattern
This rare vintage Vogue pattern from the 1950s has an asymmetric wrap bodice and skirt. There are two sleeve options: short or three-quarter sleeves. The length of the skirt is dependent on your height, whether it is just below your knee or calf. The neckline is unusual, and it features a large ‘Peter Pan’ style extended collar. The option of adding a detachable collar is also available, which would look great with crisp white linen or lace.
The dress is unlined, and for this reason I suspect they say it is ‘easy to make’.
The pattern pieces were pre-cut as they typically are for vintage patterns. I quickly realised that it had never been used and so it was wonderful to finally make it.
The Fabric
This pattern requires 4 yards or 3.7 metres. However I wanted to make the skirt ankle length and so it took around 4.50 metres of fabric.
I had a vintage style printed fabric that I was hoping to use, but unfortunately there was not enough. I made the decision to use medium weight cotton gingham for my first sample. The repeat was small and didn’t require matching.
I am keen on making this dress in a floral print that is reminiscent of the 50s, or even a damask for the evening.
The pattern cover suggests: gingham, chambray, linen, cotton satin, shantung silk, wool crepe, or lightweight flannel.
Making The Dress
The instructions on this pattern were very easy to follow and comprehensive for a vintage pattern.
To begin with as always, I overlocked and finished all the pattern pieces apart from the base of the bodice and hem of the skirt, which I do at the very end for a continuous finish.
The cut and eight darts work together to make the bodice fit beautifully. It is these kind of tailoring details that attract me to vintage patterns. When the front facing is added, it is exposed outside and looks like as though the leading edge is bound. I really loved this detail!
I found that the cotton gingham was firm enough not to require the interfacing. This resulted in a significant reduction in time and hand sewing. The collar and bodice were both easy to put together, as were the sleeves. I extended the sleeves to better cover the tops of my arms.
This is a true circle skirt which of course overlaps. To remove the bulk of fabric at the waist and achieve a smooth, flat finish, numerous darts are used. My fabric was extra wide, so I was fortunately able to cut out the back panel (piece 7) as one piece. The skirt’s leading edge is completed with a binding. This is crucial because it ties in with the bodice detail. However, I would not interface the binding as instructed unless you were using silk or other lightweight fabric.
This is a true circle skirt which of course overlaps. To remove the bulk of fabric at the waist and achieve a smooth, flat finish, numerous darts are used. My fabric was extra wide, so I was fortunately able to cut out the back panel (piece 7) as one piece. The skirt’s leading edge is completed with a binding. This is crucial because it ties in with the bodice detail. However, I would not interface the binding as instructed unless you were using silk or other lightweight fabric.
Before sewing the skirt together I added pockets, which were not part of the original pattern.
So far so good.
Attaching the skirt to the bodice was a challenge. Where it overlapped at the front, it billowed out and did not sit on the body. To sit flat, the leading edges had to sit much lower than the waist line. This clearly led to the skirt dropping at the leading edge and where it overlapped underneath.
The only method I could find to resolve this problem was to reattach the skirt at both fronts higher on the leading edge. To do this, I had to shorten and taper the bodice. I discovered that this allowed the bodice to sit flat and the skirt to drape as it should, but it was a challenging task to accomplish while wearing it, and I wish I had a mannequin to measure to!
Tips and Alterations
- I lengthened the skirt by some 20 cm
- I added pockets, which I cannot do without.
- There is a lot of fabric in this skirt and it is heavy to wear. Do take this into consideration when selecting a fabric.
- I omitted the interfacing as I felt that it was not necessary for the fabric that I chose to use.
- I extended the length of the sleeves to cover my arms a little more and balance the extended length of the skirt.
- I found that the bodice did not sit correctly and billowed out at the front. To correct this issue I had to shorted the leading edges of the bodice and taper the hem of the skirt before attaching it.
- I chose to sew a narrow hem as I felt that it sat better and omitted the excess fabric issue with a circle skirt.
- By adding a waist band to the skirt, it would make a fabulous wrap skirt in its own right.
Conclusion
I am in love with this dress!
It feels amazing and feminine to wear, you simply want to twirl around and dance in this dress.
It is however heavy to wear, even in cotton. I believe that using silk or light weight damask would make this dress perfect for the evening, particularly with the three-quarter sleeves. I could easily imagine this dress being made into a full-length evening gown, if only I had somewhere to wear it.
Fitting the skirt to the bodice and enabling it to sit properly was the only negative experience I had. Even for someone with some sewing experience, I would say that this project is not easy for this reason alone.
The uniqueness of this dress lies in its neckline, collar, and crossover body details. Once I find the perfect fabric, I will make this dress again without a doubt.
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