The Red Shirtwaist Dress: Done!

Here are a couple of pictures of the Red Shirtwaist dress, finished after a marathon sewing day. It just needed to get done. The red is so vibrant that it is difficult to catch all the details in a photo. Plus, it is hard to photograph yourself!

Here is the pattern I used:

I am really proud of the work I did on the dress and the way it turned out, especially with all the alterations I did. Some touches I added: bound buttonholes, hand-picked lapped side zipper, sleeve darts, covered buttons, full lining, and a cute narrow belt. And, despite the fact that it is very fitted, it is comfortable to wear and I can sit and walk without fear of ripped seams. I think this is because it actually fits.

You can see more pictures and read more about the dress, details and sewing process at Modern Twist.

Thanks for looking!
Jacki

Bound Buttonholes: Retro AND Easy

I am working on a Red Shirtwaist Dress made from this pattern and fabric:

Literally the second thing I was to do after applying interfacing was to sew a bound buttonhole. I had never sewn one before and had never even really given them a thought, except that they looked complicated, and since the button would cover it anyway, Why Bother?

I am here to tell you that they are both EASY and FABULOUS.  Here is a picture of the front band of the dress with the buttonhole. I love the way it looks and am so happy I didn't just do a machine buttonhole.

I have posted a tutorial with pictures based on the instructions in the pattern at my blog, Modern Twist!

Jacki