1. No category

making know how
1950s
party
frock
’50s style but on-trend,
this easy dress can
be made fancy or
workaday – it’s all down
to the fabric choice.
By Jeanne Spaziani
115
the seam allowances if they are feeling
thick. Turn the facings to the inside of the
bodice sections and press the neckline and
armholes flat.
6. The shoulder seams are attached next.
Pin each shoulder right sides together and
hand baste if necessary to keep the facings
from rolling out, then machine sew. Press the
seams open and hand stitch the raw edges in
place onto the facings with close stitches so
they look neat and no fraying will occur.
7. Attach the front skirt to the back skirts
and the centre back seams up to the zip
notch. Press these three seams open and
neaten the edges in a way appropriate
to your fabric. Form the eight 5cm pleats
and the centre front 15cm box pleats by
following the direction of the arrows marked
on the pattern. Stay stitch the entire skirt
waist so the pleats are held in place and
won’t push out when sewn to the bodice.
8. With right sides together, pin and sew
the skirt to the bodice matching the side
seams and centre front notches. Cover the
seam allowance edges with a piece of the
bias binding to clean finish and help from
stretching. Press the seam allowance up
towards the bodice. Catch stitch it in
place on the bodice side seams
to hold.
Tips
You will need
2.25m of 145cm wide fabric for included
pattern size
Fabrics with some body to them are most
suitable ie brocade, taffeta, velveteen,
crisp cotton, firm wool, corduroys
3m double fold seam binding (plus more
if you want to use it on the hem)
18in zip (set-in or invisible as preferred)
Small hook and loop for top of zip
Sewing equipment
1. Print out the pattern on page 146 and
cut the following from your fabric: one front
bodice, one front facing, a pair of back
bodices, pair of back facings, one front skirt,
and a pair of back skirts.
2. Begin sewing by stay-stitching the
neckline and armhole areas of all bodice
and facing pieces close to the 1cm stitching
lines. This is particularly important on the
back neck ‘V’ but will help all areas keep
their shape.
116
9. Insert the zip in the
1. If your fabric is on the soft
centre-back seam using
side consider interfacing the entire
1.5cm seam allowance.
bodice with a medium weight iron-on
interfacing and mounting the skirt onto Best not to sew the
facing in with the zip,
organza or net to give it more body.
3. Sew the six bodice
2. The bodice can be used with different it gets hand stitched
in place after. Place so
darts – press all
skirt patterns – add a tight pencil skirt
the zip head is 7.5mm
vertical darts towards
for a wiggle dress or a circular skirt
below the finished
the front and back
for a rockabilly style. The skirt
top
edge. The seam
centres and the side
pattern can be used on its
allowance section below
bust darts down. Attach
own too – just add
the facing can be clean
the front to the backs at the
a waistband.
finished with bias binding or
side seams of the bodice and
pinking as you think best. After the
sew the facings side seams with the
1.5cm seam allowances. These seams are all zip is sewn in the seam allowances of the
facing get turned back and slip stitched in
best pressed open. For fabrics that fray the
place along the zip tape.
seam allowances can be clean finished with
some of the bias binding. Other fabrics can
10. Sew the small hook and loop in place
simply be pinked or zig zag stitched along
above the zip. Tack the facings in place at
the edges. Leave the shoulder seams open
the bodice side seams to keep them from
until after the facings are sewn on.
flipping up. The hem turning allowed on
the pattern is 5cm. Adjust as needed. The
4. Attaching the facings is the next step –
hem can be machine or hand sewn in place
with right sides together pin each in place
as your fabric needs or time allows. Thread
at the bodice neck lines and armholes and
belt loops can be worked at each side
sew with a 1cm seam allowance. Be sure
seam to hold a pretty ribbon or purchased
to sew the back necks all the way to the
belt in place.
centre back edges.
5. Edge stitch each section on the facing
side. Clip curved areas well and grade
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Resources
Brocade from author’s stash
Dress fits bust 88 cm, waist 69 cm (M&S size10)
Hem circumference: 230 cm, Skirt length: 61 cm
centre back
Back Facing
cut 1 pair
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
check square
straight grain
B
c
Front Facing
cut 1 on CF fold
centre front
place on fold
place on fold
entre front
Grain
Front Bodice
cut 1 on centre front fold
Back Bodice
cut 1 pair
straigh
straight grain
Fr
cu
cent
Straight Gra
raight grain
pleat
pleat
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
straight grain
centre b
zip to here
re back
straight gr
Front Skirt cut 1 on fold of fabric
ht grain
pleat
ple
Centre Front
cut on fold
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
square
d
pleat
pleat
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
centre bac
cenk tre bac
cenk tre back
centre bac
cenk tre bac
cenk tre back
Back Facing
Back Facing
Back Facing
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
Dress fits bust 88
Dress
cm,fits
waist
bust
6988
Dress
cm
cm,
(M&S
fits
waist
bust
size10)
6988
cm
cm,
(M&S
waist
size10)
69 cm (M&S size10)
Hem circumference:
Hem circumference:
230 cm, Skirt
Hemlength:
circumference:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length: 61 cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
print accuracy
print accuracy
check square
check square
check square
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
print accuracy
print accuracy
check square
check square
check square
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
print accuracy
print accuracy
check square
check square
check square
Back Facing
Back Facing
Back Facing
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
Dress fits bust 88
Dress
cm,fits
waist
bust
6988
Dress
cm
cm,
(M&S
fits
waist
bust
size10)
6988
cm
cm,
(M&S
waist
size10)
69 cm (M&S size10)
Hem circumference:
Hem circumference:
230 cm, Skirt
Hemlength:
circumference:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length: 61 cm
centre bac
cenk tre bac
cenk tre back
Dress fits bust 88
Dress
cm,fits
waist
bust
6988
Dress
cm
cm,
(M&S
fits
waist
bust
size10)
6988
cm
cm,
(M&S
waist
size10)
69 cm (M&S size10)
Hem circumference:
Hem circumference:
230 cm, Skirt
Hemlength:
circumference:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length:
230 cm,
61Skirt
cm length: 61 cm
Back Facing
Back Facing
Back Facing
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
centre front
centre front
place
centre
onfront
fold
place on fold
place on fold
front
centre
front
place
centre
onfront
fold
place on fold
place on fold
Straightcentre
Grain
Straight
Grain
Straight
Grain
Straight Grain
Straight Grain
Straight Grain
Front Facing
Front Facing
Front Facing
cut 1 oncut
CF fold
1 oncut
CF fold
1 on CF fold
centre front centre front centre front
place on foldplace on foldplace on fold
Front Facing
Front Facing
Front Facing
cut 1 oncut
CF fold
1 oncut
CF fold
1 on CF fold
centre front centre front centre front
place on foldplace on foldplace on fold
Front Facing
Front Facing
Front Facing
cut 1 oncut
CF fold
1 oncut
CF fold
1 on CF fold
centre front centre front centre front
place on foldplace on foldplace on fold
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
cut 1 on centre
cut 1 on
front
centre
cut
fold
1 on
front
centre
fold front fold
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
cut 1 on centre
cut 1 on
front
centre
cut
fold
1 on
front
centre
fold front fold
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
Front Bodice
cut 1 on centre
cut 1 on
front
centre
cut
fold
1 on
front
centre
fold front fold
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
front
centre
front
place
centre
onfront
fold
place on fold
place on fold
Straightcentre
Grain
Straight
Grain
Straight
Grain
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
Back Bodice
cut 1 pair cut 1 pair cut 1 pair
straight grainstraight grainstraight grain
straight grainstraight grainstraight grain
straight grainstraight grainstraight grain
zip to here
zip to here
zip to here
zip to here
zip to here
zip to here
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
pleat
cut on fold
pleat
Centre
cut on Front
fold
pleat
Centre
cut on Front
fold
pleat
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cut on Front
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pleat
Centre Front
pleat
cut on fold
pleat
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cut on Front
fold
pleat
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cut on Front
fold
pleat
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
pleat
square
Centre
cut on Front
fold
pleat
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
pleat
square
pleat
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
square
pleat
10cm xple
10cm
at
print accuracy
pleat
square
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
square
Centre Front
centre back
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
straight grain
cut on fold
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy print accuracy print accuracy
Front Skirt cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
fold
Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
fold
Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on fold
of fabric
square
square
square
centre back
cut on fold
straight grain
cut on fold
pleat
Centre
cut on Front
fold
centre back
pleat
Centre
cut on Front
fold
centre back
pleat
10cm xple
10cm
at
print accuracy
pleat
square
Centre
cut on Front
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zip to here
zip to here
zip to here
pleat
zip to here
straight grain
pleat
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
square
Centre Front
zip to here
zip to here
pleat
zip to here
straight grain
pleat
Centre
cut on Front
fold
zip to here
zip to here
pleat
pleat
pleat
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pleat
10cm xple
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10cm xple
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at
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at
print accuracy print accuracy print accuracy
pleat
Front Skirt cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
fold
Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
fold
Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on fold
of fabric
square
square
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cut on Front
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10cm x 10cm
print accuracy
square
pleat
pleat
10cm xple
10cm
10cm xple
10cm
10cm xple
10cm
at
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at
print accuracy print accuracy print accuracy
pleat
Front Skirt cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
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foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
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Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
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Skirt
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cut 1 on fold
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square
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cut on Front
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zip to here
pleat
pleat
pleat
straight grain
Back Skirt
pleat
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
pleat
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
pleat
cut 1 pair
Back Skirt
cut 1 pair
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cut 1 pair
Back Skirtpleat
pleat
cut 1 pair
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cut 1 pair
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cut 1 pair
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10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
10cm x 10cm
print accuracy print accuracy print accuracy
Front Skirt cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
foldSkirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
Front
fold
Skirt
of fabric
cut 1 on
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Skirt
of fabric
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Centre Front
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straight grain
straight grain
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Centre
cut on Front
fold
Centre
cut on Front
fold
Centre Front
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
straight grain
straight grain
centre back
centre back
centre back
centre back
straight grain