A 1930s Christmas Dress

Merry 3rd day of Christmas!

Christmas is far from over at our house on the 27th so it's still quite season-appropriate to post about the dress I made for Christmas Day this year.

 

Last year I made a festive dress that was more dressy and elaborate, and actually wore it the Sunday before Christmas instead of the day of. This year I wanted something more comfortable, for chasing children and getting meals all day, so I opted for a house dress with a lovely 1930s reproduction print.

 

This print is not so obviously Christmassy as many holiday prints...I actually didn't realize it was until after I bought it and saw somewhere that it was once part of a Christmas line. I looked at it closer and realized, Oh, it is red and green! But that gave me hopes that if I accented the green instead of the red, I could potentially wear it for other seasons as well.

 

I needed a pattern that was suitable for the era of the fabric, and also one that had some contrast, because I was trying to squeeze out a dress for me and my baby girl from just 3 yards. Thankfully, the 1930s abounds with contrast detail. I settled on a pattern with contrast yoke and half of a sash; that plus cutting the sleeves from the infant dress out of contrast, was enough to squeeze the rest of the pattern pieces onto my length. But it was close! No room for error here.

 

I would have liked to match the medium green in the print, but was working with my stash like a good little seamstress, and didn't have anything the right color. So I pulled out my dark green cotton pique for the contrast.

 

(Incidentally, I find that dresses often look less homemade when you use something textured as a contrast, instead of another color of quilting cotton. Something like corduroy, velvet, embroidered eyelet, linen, or in this case, pique, is often a better choice that really upscales your finished garment. So there's your sewing tip of the day.)

Also incidentally, I realized this is my 3rd project in a row that features a contrast yoke! Funny how that accidentally happens...I often tend to sew in groups, it seems - whether era, color, or some other factor like yokes in this case.

 

This was a pretty basic pattern with a few cute details. I loved the little points on the yoke. I didn't feel like switching out my thread - and also had none the right color - for top stitching the dark green, so I left my light thread on and made it look purposeful by using a decorative stitch. I haven't used this stitch before, but I really like it. It looks a bit like tiny feathers and adds just a touch of trim to the bodice.

 

The sash in half a contrast is something I'd never tried before, but it was sketched in on the pattern picture, and I decided to try it. I do like how it looks. Definitely something unusual, but it actually works. I love how creative fashion was - another reason to love vintage style.

 

I tied in the green with bands on the sleeves, but used white buttons - cute vintage ones thrifted for just 50 cents at my favorite thrift store back east. I think overall it does look Christmassy, but not so much that I will mind wearing it at other times. Just what I had hoped.

 

Of course, paired with vintage holiday jewelry and my red Marilyns from Royal Vintage Shoes, dressed up with vintage bow shoe clips, it does pull out the Christmas theme. It was so bright outside I could hardly keep my eyes open, but with the busy madhouse here on Christmas, it's lucky I had time to snap pictures at all! :-)

 

I also made a matching infant dress for my baby girl. I messed up the closure on the inside, but thankfully since it was on the inside it doesn't really matter. I was really happy how it turned out overall.

 

Our first matching mother-daughter outfits!

 

I made it big enough that she should be able to wear it for a while. Green is such a good color for her!

 

Thankfully they were both easy and quick projects, because though I left myself a week before Christmas to stitch them, with all the other Christmas baking and events, a serger that stopped working, as well as a crochet deadline rapidly approaching, I began to wonder if I would have time after all. But once I could block out a few hours during children's nap times, I was able to get most of the major construction done - a weight off my mind. I did finish up just two days before Christmas, but without too much stress involved.

 

I'd had this pattern for a long time and it never got pushed to the top of my queue, but I'm happy I found a good match for it. The dress was festive, comfy, and fun to wear on a busy family Christmas Day with all its food prep, eating and drinking, games, dishwashing, baby nursing, and curling up for Shop Around the Corner. Yet I expect to get more wear out of it than just one season a year.

 

Besides, it's so nice to find a suitable use for this adorable 1930s print!

Comments

[Lynne A Johnson]

Sweet dresses! I have always loved contrasting fabrics when sewing garments. It does add so much interest. Christmas is such a busy time and you managed to pack in even more things. Amazing! Have a terrific New Year! Do you have any definite plans for the year with sewing?

[Carla]

Darling dresses for both of you! And green happens to be my favorite color, so...

[Catherine]

Oh, your baby is adorable!!! I love the matching mother and daughter dresses!