From Thrift Shop Find to Finished Garment Vogue 5782

Sewing garments over the past few years has added so much to my skills as a sewing enthusist overall.  The techniques I have learned as a piecer and quilter ( they are two very different things!)  have helped me in my understanding of garment construction. The terms may be different but the sewing is the same.

A couple of weeks ago, I wandered into a local thrift shop and was delighted to discover a bin of amazing vintage fabrics. All garment fabrics of different materials, many of which I have never tried previously.

I was intrigued!

In the vast collection in the sewing studio, I have amassed quite a collection of vintage sewing patterns. Not all of them are a perfect fit but with confidence, sewing more of what is not my usual is  drawing me in to try more challenging garments.

Say hello to Vogue 5782!

The pattern was purchased for .25, the fabric for $1.50.

After laundering the fabric and pressing it,  I figured out that there was enough to make the dress!

By the end of the day, I had accomplished the bodice. Not a pattern reader, I take one step at a time and do not usually skip too far ahead.

When the bodice was complete, the next step was the skirt.

Gathers...UGH! I dislike gathers on myself. I discovered this in 2011 when making a Jamie pattern by Sis Boom. It was one of the very first garments I had ever made and I made it into a tunic instead of a dress and chopped out about 1/2 of the skirt fabric.

I asked a group that I trust the MOSTEST, my Instagram friends, what they thought I should do...

Their voices were heard and headed! Darts was the overall choice. Not only darts but some mentioned using a completely different skirt pattern!

OMG! These friends are brilliant!

Y'all know that my most favorite skirt pattern is McCall's 3830.

So, you know what I did?

Messed up! LOL!

Everything was going along swimmingly and then it happened. I did my final fitting and realized that one of the belt straps was upside down and up too high.

Was I defeated? Definitely not!

I ripped everything out, put it to one side and worked on hand stitching the hem.

" After all, tomorrow is another day!" Thank you Scarlett O'Hara!

Today was a new day, proving that Scarlett was not a liar.

It also proved that my FABULOUS Instagram friends were right! The skirt was winner!

After a couple of adjustments with the darts, the fit was perfection. Not too loose and not too tight.

The pleat in the back is an inset kick pleat, which is new to me and I have to say it is brilliant! So easy to do adn looks amazing!

The dress did not call for an invisible zipper but it was all I had on hand that was long enough.  I like the back of the dress as much as the front. Good fit, clean lines and absolutely classic!

The pearl earrings belonged to my grandmother 💗 The bag is another vintage find by After Five handbags for $1. The shoes are black satin open toe bow ties by White House Black Market.

This is seriously my favorite dress ( this week).

I have more fabrics and other patterns to keep me occupied in the colder months ahead. The goal is timeless, classic or just outright fabulous!

If you find Vogue 5782 in your thrifting travels, I can say it is well worth the make!

Many thanks, once again to my in-house 11- year old for helping out with photos. He is the best!