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| The One Hour Dress (center) and 2 vintage pieces |
I needed a dress for a 1920's lawn party but didn't have a whole lot of time to put into it. I found the perfect solution in the One Hour Dress. That is a set of instructions created by famed home economics instructor Mary Brooks Picken in 1924 for making a dress in an unbelievable amount of time. There is a set of videos on YouTube where a seamstress demonstrates this, and yes, you really can make a dress in an hour. However, it requires techniques like not using pins or finishing the seams that I was not comfortable with. So, between using the usual sewing techniques and making some modifications to the pattern, it took me more like 4 hours to make. I met a lady at the lawn party wearing a fancier variation of the dress. She said it took her an entire week to make. You can easily spend much more time on it the more detailed you decide to make it.
I have to admit, I really liked being able to make a dress without using a pattern. Or maybe I just like being able to work on something without the cats dive bombing the pattern and chewing on it while I'm trying to pin it down and cut it out. The modifications I made were to change the skirt so that it overlaps in front and adding a wide bias cut strip at hip level for interest. Depending on the fabric choice and trimming, the pattern can end up looking like a hospital gown. The hip detailing was a good decision in terms of making it look more dresslike.
The end result turned out really well. It does have a very period look, as of course it should. Sadly, I only came in second place in the costume contest with it. The costume that won was a cheesy all over fringe dress worn with a feather boa and a pair of flip flops! At least I don't have to worry that I didn't win because my dress didn't look authentic enough.
I love that dress! I have been making vintage reproductions for a while now, and have struggled especially with the 1920s. I think the bias at the hip is ingenious, it looks great and gives the dress that perfect period attention to detail! I also sympathize with your sewing with cats - mine do the same thing! I'm going to try this, thanks for the inspiration. And thanks for not wearing the flipflops!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I found this blog/post so late (the comment is probably annoying, the post being two years old, lol), but I wanted to say I *love* your dress! I have this pattern, but I haven't tried it yet - it just looks fantastic on you, too!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your taking second place to a costume shop oddity, though. :/
Comments at any time are always appreciated, especially when they are compliments. ;) Thanks, ladies! I like getting different people's perspectives, regardless.
ReplyDeleteLove your dress! I'm so glad I found your version on the 'net, because I just bought an e-book that contains MBP's instructions for the one hour dress and have been thinking of making one in a plaid that is probably about the same scale as the one you used. So, it is good to see it in a photo on an actual body. I was thinking about adding two wide bias panels at the hem of the dress, and now that I've seen yours, I believe my idea can work. My other idea is not to cut the fabric into two separate pieces for blouse and skirt, but to keep it one long piece, and make the sides into inverted pleats where the "cascades" would be. Yeah, I think I'm going to go for it. I'm going to a 20s lawn party, too (this coming August)! Thanks for your post!
ReplyDeleteLove the dress and I am wanting to make it for spring. Thinking about making it in light weigh decorator fabric
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you would be able to give me any advice for making the hip dart? I'm really confused!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
'Sorry that I did not see you question sooner! I didn't put in a hip dart. I don't even remember that being in the instructions,so I guess I need to take another look at them.
ReplyDelete