Drumroll, please! After going over the final poll results for the sew-along, we have a clear winner: the swing dress! (A big thank you to everyone who took a moment to cast their vote!) I have to admit, I’m more than a bit nervous about leading a sew-along, having never done anything like this before. So I do hope I don’t royally mess things up or prove to be the most frustrating sew-along leader ever! lol. Despite these reservations, I am excited that we’ll be doing the dress, and dearly hope that you’re not too disappointed if you were looking forward to the circle skirt sew-along. (I’ll be keeping that in mind for a later sew-along possibility!) So are you ready to jump into it? Here’s the tenative schedule I worked out:
Start Date: January 11, 2011
End Date: March 3, 2011
January 11: intro and supplies list. Inspiration from period sources
January 13: sources for fabric/suitable stabilizers
January 20: preparing for the muslin
January 27: making and fitting the muslin/adjustments
February 3: finalizing the pattern + cutting out the fashion fabric
February 7: applying stabilizer and sewing the shoulder seams
February 11: topstitching the midriff and finishing the bodice
February 14: sewing the skirt + attaching the skirt and bodice
February 17: closure application (invisible and regular zipper, as well as a “period” method)
February 24: setting in the sleeves
February 28: hemming and finishing touches
March 3: final dress show-off party!
Does that sound like a reasonable timeline? I wanted to keep it spread out enough since I know many people will want to order the pattern and possibly fabric as well–so that hopefully gives us enough time. But if all goes well, everyone who is participating can join in a little blog party on February 28th (I’ll be putting up a post with final photos of my version as well as a way for everyone who finished theirs to add links to their pictures/blog)!
So the first official post will be up sometime tomorrow–keep an eye out for it!
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Not come across this sew-along concept before. What a brilliant idea! I’m in!!
Oh, man. This is destiny. One of my new year’s to-dos is to make a dress out of some vintage yardage I was gifted. Obviously this is meant to be and I am in.
This will be my first sew-along and I’m excited!
I’m so excited to join this Sew Along. I’ve never done one before but this is a great dress and yours is a great blog so I can’t wait. Thanks for doing it!
I promised myself no more sew-alongs as well, but I’m joining this one.
Is this project easy enough for a beginner? It looks gorgeous and work appropriate, but my sewing skills are at the low to mid-level.
This is my first sew-along, so I hope I can keep up! I’ve been admiring this dress since you posted your very first version of it! Excited to have one for myself
I too promised myself I wouldn’t join any more sewalongs because I keep promising and never do it. However, this is a dress I’ve long admired from last year since you made it in red for Valentine’s (I believe). I can’t say no, especially when I just bought the pattern and could really really use an easy swing dress style to add to my wardrobe. I’m terribly excited for your posts. Your ideas are always so inspiring! Count me in. For. Good.
Wow, I’m in the middle of another bog project but I really really want to try this! Very glamorous, I love it.
So glad you’re back Casey!
I think I’m going to join in, too! I’ve been eyeing this pattern for a while, and I might just suck it up and buy the e-pattern. I’ve made a couple dresses in the past but can never get them to fit properly (I’m always too lazy to make a muslin). Maybe this time will be different! I love 40s styles.
~Kristin
hooray! I voted for the circle skirt, but I’m willing and ready to make a swing dress. I need some step by step guidance to improve my sewing skillz. Bring it on!
ooh fun! I’m in!
I’ve never done a sew along but I will do this one and have ordered the pattern today as I can’t deal with piecing e-patterns. I live up in Alaska so it will take a few days to arrive. I’m really excited to do this as the adult women in my life were wearing this dress when I was a child in the 40′s. I have a long waist and broad shoulders which never need pads so I’m going to make a muslin of the top section for sure. Thanks for the idea of this. Nan
I just stumbled upon your blog today and I would love to participate in the sew-along. May I? I am always busy sewing 18th century outfits for us to wear to Colonial Williamsburg as well as sewing costumes for me and my kids for other historical eras. When we did WWII last year, I looked everywhere for a pattern like this and couldn’t find it. I would love to do this. I’m not quite sure how I would find the time but as they say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” It looks like I could learn so much from your postings!
Laurie
I love this pattern! I am very excited (and a little nervous). This will be my first sew along. I haven’t done a lot of garment sewing before, just a few skirts and lots of aprons and such. I know it’s not a learn-to-sew-along, but any tutorials on potentially tricky pieces for beginners would be great.
Is it too late to join in? I would love to participate! It gives me an excuse to buy the pattern I’ve been wanting to buy for a while!! Not just buy it really, but to make it for myself also!
I’ve been wanting to try this pattern for a long time now. This is the perfect inspiration. Count me in!
I just bought my copy of the pattern, and I’m all ready to start!!!!!!!
(the paper pattern is available in europe trough http://www.sewingpatterns.eu/)
I started this dress as a first sewing project YEARS ago and quickly abandoned it (to say 14 year old Christine was over ambitious is putting it lightly). This is just the motivation I needed to finally make this up. Woohoo, I’m excited!
What a great idea! I’m sooo in!
This is one of those in my Must Do list!
I’m in! Though I need another project like I need more snow.
Would love to take part, but I’m already set for Peter’s Sewalong, and I haven’t even started Gertie’s Crepe dress yet (I chose the fabric, then got stalled by a work deadline!) Mind you, I wouldn’t want to miss this one, so count me in. I’ll just have to catch up when I can!
I wish I’d seen this sooner! I’ll still follow the posts and get some hints and tips as I make mine.
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