Vintage Booty Dress

It was a demanding Pattern Puzzle this week that ran live across all time zones and gave everyone a chance to join in.  You can see by the pattern shapes below that the final move of adding the front side panel to the backside panel was just enough to make it a very challenging game.  Huge thanks to all fans and friends for dropping by and making it a great day.

The inspiration behind this particular design was from a photo snippet from The Tailors Desire tumblr blog.  A visual vintage fest!  The focus is the gathered drape over the seat of the dress.  The balance of the design is about a stylish but understated garment leaving all the attention for the drape.

Using my fitted dress block or similar basic dress pattern:

1. Extend the shoulder line to make a shaped, cap sleeve.
2. Adjust the underarm point at the side seam for a sleeveless fit.  
3. Mark in the front princess panel seam shaping it to toward the waistline, to connect with the back waist seam.
4. Draw in the front neckline and add the rectangles to both necklines for a built-up collar.
5. Mark in gape darts for the front armhole and neckline.
6. Taper the dress side seams from hip to hem approx. 3cm at hem.
7. Shape the back shoulder yoke seam making allowance to fold out the back shoulder dart.
8. Shift the top half of the back waist dart closer to the centre back line and draw a half-sphere from the waist level to the centre back line.
9. Draw in cut lines through the back and front skirts, radiating from the sphere, for the inclusion of extra fabric for the gathered drape.
10. Add 1 cm of shaping at the waist level on the centre back seam.
11. Cut along the style lines and fold out all dart allowances.  Add extra fabric for the gathered drape in the back skirt.

The final pattern pieces below represent half the pattern.  The larger pattern piece for the front and back dress can be Cut 1 Pair with a CB seam to keep the CF on the straight grain.  It is possible the cut the CB line on the fold if the fabric is stable enough to be off-grain on the CF seam where the zip is inserted.  The medium size pattern piece is a combination of the side front panel and back bodice.

  It is possible to cut these pieces separately if required.  The cutting instructions are Cut 1 to Fold.  The back yoke has a centre seam and is Cut 1 Pair.

Note the placement of the grain on the front dress is parallel to the original centre front.  This will place the gathered drape on the back skirt on the bias grain with a CB seam.  You can also cut this pattern with the CB on the fold but you’ll need wide fabric or a smaller hem circumference.  Other considerations are the finish of the dress.  I think I would cut a facing for the front neckline and opening.  The back yoke could be cut as a double layer and what is left of the armhole can have a 6mm/¼” inside bind.  The dress may also be fully lined.

Hoping you all enjoy the post and this new style.  Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments section below.  Always happy to help.  If you’d like to buy a copy of these pattern making notes for your own personal use at home you’ll find them here:  Vintage Booty Dress – Pattern Making Instructions   🙂