Edelweiss Patterns A 1950s Easter Dress – Butterick 7172 Pattern Review
I just love all those vintage images of families walking into church on Easter Sunday, with the little girls and grown-up girls sporting their fanciest dresses, gloves, purses, and hats. I’m told that in the 1950s most ladies got a new outfit for Easter every year, so I’ve always endeavored to follow this tradition by sewing a vintage dress each spring.
The year’s 1950s dress was made using a Moda Fabric print, and the out-of-print Butterick Pattern 7172.
I followed the pattern pretty much exactly, except for the fact that I substituted a rounded collar from Butterick 6835. (This pattern, you may notice, is quite similar to Butterick 6835 – the only difference is that the bodice of Butterick 7172 has gathers rather than tucks, and the skirt is gathered as opposed to circular.)
Now that I think of it, I did make one other change to the bodice by adding a button closure down the middle. I also inserted contrasting piping in the mid-bodice seam, and stitched English netting lace underneath to follow the curved seamline. (The lace extends around to the back of the bodice, but the piping does not.)
While this pattern is quite rare, it is an excellent pattern if you can get your hands on a copy! I’ve worked with dozens of 1950s patterns over the years, and I would give this one a 5 star rating. It is simple to construct and fit well without many adjustments at all.
The dress closes with a side zipper as was standard in vintage dresses. The skirt is fairly full, but because it’s not a circular skirt, it doesn’t create as full of a silhouette as some of my other dresses, even when worn with a full petticoat. (This is my go-to petticoat for every day vintage dresses.)
The hat and gloves are originals from the 1950s. (The hat came from Ebay, and the gloves were found in an antique store if I remember correctly.)
Finally, here’s a closeup of the material – it’s Moda Fabrics’ “Honeysweet” Print by Fig Tree & Co.
So that’s this year’s 1950s Easter Dress!
Happy Easter & Happy Sewing!
Katrina
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You look lovely! I am in awe over all the projects you get done!
Happy Easter! He is Risen!
Hi Courtney!
You’re so sweet! To tell you the truth, I feel like I don’t get *enough* projects done! 🙂 I guess no matter how much you do, there are always more ideas…
Happy Easter to you as well!
Happy sewing,
Katrina
Charming. Simply charming.
Truly lovely, soft and girlish. Only a few years ago Walmart had decorated hats, gloves and nice ladies dresses at Easter
, and this year, nothing, at least in Oregon.
Since March was kind of an Irish month, I got interested in making Maureen O’Hara’s blue-green courting dress in The Quiet Man. Have you attempted this? I posted some of my plans on my blog today.
Please come for tea someday!
Susan, you are too kind! 🙂 Thank you!
Esther, thank you so much! It was one of the wonderfully fun projects where I had extra time to put work into the details like the piping. 🙂
Lydia, oh, thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed the blog post. I had never seen the green dress you referred to before, but I read about it just now on your blog and it looks lovely. Thank you so very much for your kind invitation to tea! I’m assuming you must live in the Great Northwest as well? 🙂
Happy sewing,
Katrina
That is such a gorgeous dress, Katrina!! You did an amazing job (of course!) and it fits you perfectly! It’s so beautiful! 🙂
I enjoyed seeing the accessories, also, as many stores in the northwest do not seem to have the Easter hats anymore, and this year I did not find any decorated hats or gloves or Easter dresses for grown-up ladies.
Since March was kind of an Irish month, I had it in mind to make Mary Kate’s green courting dress, and posted some of my preliminary plans on my blog.
I hope you will come for tea someday!
Yes, in Oregon
I have lately been using scrap pieces to make larger portions on which to lay a pattern piece, trying to spend more time sewing and less time going out to get additional fabric. My post is here
http://homeliving.blogspot.com/2015/04/piecing-fbric.html
When my daughter wore the dress with the prices sleeves, someone asked her where they could find a pattern like that!
I meant pieced, not priced!
Lovely as ever Katrina! Best wishes for you this upcoming spring and summer!
Hi! This dress is so pretty! I’ve been quietly reading and enjoying your blog for a few years and might have left a comment or two in the past.
I wanted to let you know that I am making the Simplicity Walkaway Dress, found your tutorial, and I’m making it now! Thank you so much for sharing all of that work! (I tried to comment on those posts but I think comments are closed now? So I popped over here to say, thank you!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi! I’m sewing the walkaway dress with your modifications (as noted in previous comment). Right now I’m trying to pin the circle skirt to the back bodice, however it doesn’t fit because of the modifications I made to the back bodice. Now that the back bodice is a bit wider, there is too much of it when I try to pin it to the bodice. I reviewed your notes but I can’t figure out what I did wrong or what I need to do.
Hi Laurie!
Hmm – so what is it exactly that the bodice back is too wide for? Is it too wide for the skirt?
Let me know! 🙂
Happy sewing,
Katrina