Molly's new dress and Ethel gets cranky.

I have had a bit of this reproduction floral print around for a while and I knew I wanted to use the last little bit for a dress for Molly. The first dress I tried didn't work out the way I wanted to so I waited until the right time to make her birthday pinafore dress. I had been procrastinating on this one because of the ruffles and how to properly finish the edges. I do have a serger but it didn't seem right to have that type of finish showing on a 1944 style dress. A zig zag didn't even seem like the right thing to do. So, I waited until the right time, and that turned out to be last week. My singer 99k from 1927 came with a tiny rolled hem foot and holy moly do I ever love the heck out of this machine. This rolled hem foot is amazing and just the right thing for Molly's ruffles. I used it on the sashes too. What a lovely and historically accurate finish! Pictures..

 

I did not have any appropriate rick rack so I left it off and made a little color detail in the pockets to match the waist band and the sash.

I tacked down the ruffles on the front and back of the shoulders to minimize the dual satellite dish look. The fabric I used is quilting weight so it really wanted to stand tall and proud. Tacking it down really helps it look more relaxed.

See the tiny 1/8" rolled hem. I love this foot! This is proof that it does not require a serger or even a zig zag capable machine to make a professionally finished garment. A simple straight stitch machine will do it. My vintage machines don't even have a reverse function.

The sash at the back. I should have used a different thread for this but it's too late now. I was just excited to see it finished because that means I can start on my own dress soon.

Ethel's hand crank came in the mail last evening. I took her electric motor off and attached the hand crank. I think it suits her wonderfully. The pear shaped plate on the back is visible in all of it's beautiful glory now. I love the grape vines etched into the plate. The old motor and light only covered those up.

I think Ethel will join us at the cottage during the summer. We have frequent power outages there and it would be nice to be able to sew, even if only by daylight on the deck.

I love this simple beauty.

Bonus from Valentine's day. I made this shirt for my husband who is the most excellent partner I could have ever asked for. He wanted a shirt that isn't billowy around the body. Mission accomplished! Next he wants a white one.