FO: Fish Trap Tiki Dress (Design by Clotilde 3170)

FO: Fish Trap Tiki Dress (Design by Clotilde 3170)

We’re having some crazy hot weather at the moment (37c/98F), so it’s definitely time to start sewing some summer dresses.

The pattern is a ‘Design by Clotilde’, No 3170. The original mailer was included with the date stamped 12 May 1960, don’t you love that? BTW – the pattern is now available as a download here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At last, another dress down from the To-Sew List…

Now, you all probably know my feelings about sewing with patterns later than the mid-1950s, but that crossed neckline really spoke to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fabric is an aboriginal design called ‘Fish Traps’, another Babbarra Women’s Centre print from Spotlight. Thank goodness I got it for $7 a meter on sale, as this sucker took five meters! (The fabric was originally $20/m).

I think it looks really 1950s/tiki!

This one was a lot easier to pattern match than the mock-Shaheen dress I made a few months ago. Check out the pattern matching – it’s definitely getting easier to match those seams!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MODS:

• Enlarged pattern from a size 36 bust, to a 40 bust (just added an inch to each side)
• Added an extra dart above the bust to make the top fit really tight across my boobs.
• Side boning
• Changed skirt to box pleat as the original would be impossible to pattern match
• Completely lined the bodice
• Self fabric belt, using a belt kit

Probably one of the most important mods I made was shaping the under bust dart, so the bodice hugged my rib cage and gave me that slightly pointy 1950s look. The shaping looked like below, in red (original dart in black).

•  Shoes – Miss L Fire Tijuana
• Jewellery – Bakelite, Etsy
• Bamboo Handbag – Southern Antiques Centre
• 1950s Sunglasses – Vintage Allsorts
• Hairclip – Mimco