3 Ways to a Girl's Party Dress

Three dresses, similar looks! Any popular fashion look can be achieved by any number of sewing techniques. The following three patterns (dating from the late 1940s to early 1950s) each feature a similarly-looking dress, but yet each uses a different method to achieve the look, in this case a scalloped yoke and scalloped lantern sleeves.

Hollywood 1616 (view 2, specifically) simply applies trim along the bodice and along the middle of the puff sleeves to produce a faux scalloped yoke and faux scalloped lantern sleeves effect. Cute and easy-peasy to sew!

Mail Order 3856 from The American Weekly magazine actually has a scallop-edged yoke and two-piece lantern sleeves that are joined with a scalloped seam! Seams are joined with a French, or lapped, seam, in case you were wondering! Lace trims the seams of the yoke and sleeves. Very cute! While not difficult to sew, the scalloped seams take a bit more effort.

McCall's 1654 is heirloom-quality and features a button-on guimpe (chemisette) to achieve the effect. The upper bodice and upper sleeves button to the scallop-edged bodice and scallop-edged lower sleeves. Dainty hand-embroidered roses accent the lower bodice and lower sleeves. Exquisite and takes careful sewing!

Now, which dress would you sew?

Scraps from the Past: Toddler Coat in Sunny Corduroy

I so enjoy finding fabric scraps tucked into vintage sewing patterns. They provide a window into popular fabric trends to match the vintage pattern style itself.

The pattern: This pattern for an adorable dress, coat, and cap for a toddler just begs to be sewn. It is easy to imagine these fetching items from Simplicity 3807 and 1951 in any number of fabrics and colors. It's very inspiring!

The scrap: A small scrap of a very fine pinwale corduroy was included in this pattern. It is a soft fabric, and a warm color, perfect for spring. Certainly the fabric was used for the coat and hopefully for the hat. It does make one wonder, though - what fabric did they use for the dress? 

Pattern of the Week: Darling 50s Summer Ensemble for a Girl

Everything about this McCall pattern from 1951 for growing preschoolers makes it special.  I simply love this matching ensemble of short sun dress, bloomers, and bolero, decorated with cute little poodles or rosebuds for that special touch. Such smoochy cuteness!

McCall 1616

Some of the charming details include:

• faced bodice
• sweetheart camisole neckline
• gathered dirndl skirt with scalloped trim of your choice
• back button closing
• scalloped edges on the bolero
• your choice of hand-embroidered poodles or petite rosebuds

Check out the details of the adorable poodle transfer:

The tiny rosebuds on simple vines make a delicate and dainty motif:

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Scalloped Trim for Summer Silks

This very charming frock is trimmed with scalloped edging - a very wonderful tip well illustrated and clearly explained by Ruth Wyeth Spears for her 1920s audience. The contrast fabric make this technique especially distinctive and appealing. Kudos for a great tip, Ruth!

And if you need a template for the scallops, just check this earlier Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s post on adding scalloped trim.

Originator Sketch - Spring 1946 - Scalloped Details Add Elegance

I have to admit, the top-stitched scalloped detailing in this sketch is very inspiring. I love it!

Teen Spring and Summer Fashion from 1964

These two patterns (and images from a McCall's fashion flyer that illustrate them) provide popular teen fashion from 1964. Perfect for spring and summer, they are easy to sew, provide flattering fit, and are simply an inspiring style in a fast-moving decade that loved all things sleek and modern. Hemlines aren't "mini" yet, but just wait a few years. ;) Read on!

McCall's 7709

This dress with a drop waistline illustrates the "new standard" of the A-line in skirts and dresses, which became enormously popular in the 1960s and well into the 1970s. The scalloped edging adds an extra "cuteness factor".

 

Check out this pattern in my Etsy shop

McCall's 7606

This pattern for a sporty ensemble shows the slim, skinny lines in pants in the 1960s (a significant trend), and includes the popular A-line skirt.

Check out this pattern in my Etsy shop.

And as a side note, yes, wearing scarves back then was popular! ;)

Home Sewing Tips from the 1920s - Adding Scalloped Trim to Frocks!

I have to admit, this tip has to be one of the most versatile of Ruth Wyeth Spear's tips for 1920s home sewer. A scalloped edge on a garment is a favorite no matter what the decade. With Ruth's template you can change a garment to include scalloped edging painlessly. Sweet!

This tip also includes some general guidelines when dressing for shopping and the street - subdued style and moderate colors are the keys. :)

As always, click on the image to enlarge it for printing out the template, and just easier reading.