The “Aunty Peg circa 1973″ dress
Fabric: Spun rayon from www.croftmill.co.uk, £3.50 a metre
Pattern: Colette Truffle, minus the flounce
Year: Contemporary
Notions: 22” invisible zip
Time to complete: about 6 – 8 hours (yay! finally a quick make!)
First worn: for a pub meal with my brother and his family
Wear again? Of course, I love it
Total price: This is the third make from the Colette Sewing Handbook (a Meringue and a previous Truffle) so at this point I am calling it free, the zip was £3.40, the lining was left over bits and the fabric about £10:50. So £13.90. (Online converter says this is $22.46)
This is my second Colette Truffle. For my first Colette Truffle I spent some time making a muslin and fitting the pattern. Ha! I thought. I’ll make it again. (This may seem obvious to you, but I think I am a slow sewing learner. I have only just twigged that remaking the same pattern makes sense.) Voilà.
I have used some lovely rayon I got online. It is a spun rayon and only a yard wide, the nice man at croftmill.co.uk says this makes him think they are vintage as they don’t have looms that narrow now. I fully lined it (as I did last time) with some leftover dark blue acetate and I didn’t add the ruffle as I thought that detail would be de trop what with all that busy pattern going on.
The day I got the photos taken I had so much fun. I went to the Festival of Vintage which was held at York races. It was such a lovely day full of vintage fashion, music and dancing. Many people were dressed in vintage outfits. I wore the 1950s dress I made last year for another sewweekly challenge and I had a vintage makeover (hair and make-up) at the pop-up vintage salon. I had my photo taken with two lovely gents from the Home Guard. Later on I went to the pub with my brother and his family for a meal so I took the opportunity to put on my new dress. My brother said (unprompted, I promise) “you look just like Aunty Peg used to”, which is just as well because that was exactly the look I was going for.
My inspiration is this photo from Christmas 1973 of myself, Humpty, Uncle Bill and Aunty Peg, wearing a blue and green dress. She always dressed like this when I was a child. In fact, I spent the day wearing her vintage clip on earrings and I appear to have her hairdo. She is nearly 90 now and I rang her to tell her what I was up to in her earrings. She was very amused indeed!
Ohhh… Lovely! I have that same pattern book,but I haven’t attempted the truffle. Now, after seeing yours, it”s a have-to and sooner than later. Looks like you had a fabulous day enjoying the vintage themed festival. Your auntie was probably tickled pink to hear about your use of the clip on earrings. Nice job!
Thanks Barbara, it is a lovely pattern, very simple and fun to sew. I dod prefer it with a full lining though rather than the bodice lining called for in the pattern….
Hi Charlotte, the dress looks amazing, actually both of them, love the photos.
Thanks Krista, I had lots of fun having the photos taken!
That’s such a sweet story. Love your dress!
Thanks Liz (! hope that’s right), glad you liked it.
Charlotte, this is beautiful.. I love the truffle with out the flounce too. A very smart idea.. Looks great on you.. I love using the pattern, the second or third tie around…so much easier..all the hard work of figuring out the fit , is done for you.yea!!! Happy sewing..
Thanks lovely Judy, it has taken me ages to work out that remaking a pattern is a good idea…. x
I love your hair and matching shoes. It all looks so great together!
Hi Charlotte, what a lovely dress and your hair looks smashing! x
Oh wow Charlotte.. you look absolutely stunning!!! Your dress is lovely and looks great with the cardi and shoes. Your hair and makeup is amazing. Oh how I wish I had someone on hand to make me look like that. Love the photo of you with the home guard boys. You’re so darned pretty!