Vintage Red Dress V2960

After trying for so long with the zipper in the last pattern, I decided to make another dress without a zipper. This time Vintage Vogue 2960.  A re-issue pattern from 1954.  I love that in the photo on the  pattern, the women are wearing gloves.    

                                                           
I chose an orange-red cotton (even though in the photo it looks more red than it is) and an orange satiny lining.

The bodice of the pattern in nice.

Front not bad.

It gapes a little in back.

A little less fitted than I would like.

Once again, I ended up cutting too large of a size for fear that I would cut too small.  I spent a lot of time trying the bodice on, taking it off and re-doing the seams and darts to try and get it to fit.  As you can see from the photo above, the back never ended up fitting quite right.  It gapes open and the shoulders fall off when I am sitting or when moving around.  Which pretty much describes any actual wearing of the dress.  I'd make it smaller next time.

I made the buttons to match out of polymer clay.  I am getting better at not making the inside of the dress look like a war zone, but after all the cutting, re-hemming and refitting, I ended up taking too much material off to get the buttonholes centered on the material.  Luckily, there is a lot of facing to hold it together and not have the buttonholes rip.

Made my own buttons out of polymer clay

Fully lined with satiny material

The pattern called for bound button holes, but I made them with a machine.  I couldn't figure out the instructions to save my life. I think the machine did a great job, but I'd like to do the bound button-holes at some point.

One more change... this pattern called for a full circle skirt and I just didn't want the bulk, so I used the skirt from the Vogue 2961 I made last month and used it in place of the skirt on this one.  They both have buttons down the front, so it fit really well together and made me feel super clever for making a franken-pattern.

I am not sure this is wearable out side of the house, but I am glad for the practice.