Sweetheart Sundress
- Tal
- Nov 10, 2016
- 2 min read
The next item on my handmade wardrobe is Gertie’s Sweetheart Sundress which was also my Halloween costume!! I don’t usually dress up for Halloween, but I was invited to a party so I had to figure out a costume. I went to the costume store and saw a cute pin up girl dress and absolutely fell in love with that idea.
I bought the costume and when I took it out of the package and felt the stiff and very see-through fabric I was immediately turned off. I still tried it on and it just kept going downhill from there… even though I got the smallest size it was still loose. I figured I can just take it in a bit and then said “NO!! You will make your own pin up girl costume and be 100% satisfied!” and so I did.
I obviously went straight to Gertie’s patterns and selected one I figured could be easily done bit by bit after work and class, the perfect one was the Sweetheart sundress found in “Gerties New Book for Better Sewing” by Gretchen Hirsch
I only did the bodice from this pattern and adapted my own skirt (slightly pleated of course). The dress was rather easy to sew and follow along. The only issue I had was when I attached the lining the top band didn’t line up. So I just did the slight gather to make the curved neckline and then pinched the top to connect the bands and sewed it together. Traditionally Pin Up dresses go down to the knees but mine came to be about ¾ down my thighs. Unfortunately I bought the yardage the book suggested for the fitted skirt and didn’t think to add extra since I was doing a fuller skirt. Either way I was pretty pleased with the outcome and the best part?! I can wear it again as a regular outfit and its soft and fits perfectly! I bought my fabric at Joanns and used one of Gertie’s fabric.
To give my costume more of a Rockabilly edge I bought one of those hair donuts and cut it in half to do the bumper bangs and added some awesome flower tats that I got from Tattify. My shoes were from Modcloth and pearls I found around my house. I really loved this look and can’t wait to make something else that is “Pin Up” inspired.
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