Style 129

This ensemble was inspired by Wallis Simpson’s 1937 wedding suit.  Pattern includes the instructions for the gown, jacket, and two hat styles, and short dress.

For more information about this outfit, click here.

Dress

Fuse the interfacing pieces to the lower jacket fronts and the collar.

Darts

Shoulder seams

Stitch around the interfacing on the collar, trim the seam allowance.

Turn the collar right-side out.

Under-stitch the bodice lining at the neckline.

Side seams

Skirt seams, do not stretch these seams while sewing them!

Skirt lining seams

Stitch the skirt to the bodice.

Hook on the back skirt opening

Hem the skirt lining.

Marking the skirt hem.  Notice the rippling seam on the side of the skirt.

Jacket

Jacket lining center back seam

Press seam open

Upper front jacket lining shoulder tucks and stay-stitching

Gather the upper jacket fronts and sleeves.

Stitch the upper jacket fronts to the lower jacket fronts.

Right side


Shoulder seams

Sleeves

Gather only the top of the sleeve.

Jacket front extension

Trim corners

Turn right-side out, press, and baste.

Baste the jacket extension to the left front of the jacket.

Stitch the jacket fronts and press.

Gather the top of the upper jacket fronts.

Stitch the sleeves to the sleeve linings.

Gather the upper jacket fronts to fit the upper jacket front lining.

Underarm and side seams

Stitch the bottom of the jacket and turn jacket right-side out.

Stitch the bias binding to the neckline.

Stitch back opening closed.

Fold the bias binding down.

Stitch the bias binding to the jacket lining only.

Buttons and hooks.



Hat View A

Stitch the hat veil together.

Stitch the hat veil to the hat along markings.

Gather and stitch the tulle trim to the center of the front of the hat.

Stitch the tulle trim to the hat and cover the stitching with beads.



Hat View B

Coming Soon!

Style 128

To see photos of this outfit, click here.

Style 127

This suit was inspired by a paper doll outfit and a 1954 Jaques Fath design.  Pattern includes the instructions for the suit, collar, fur collar, hat, and cuffs, muff, turban, and belt.

For more information about this suit click here.

Click on any photo to make it larger.

Jacket

 Stitch the side backs to the center back, and the side fronts to the center fronts.

 Lining

 Cut 1/8" off the bottom of the sleeve linings.

 Stitch the sleeve linings to the sleeves, stitch the center fronts and neckline.

This photo shows how the sleeve lining is under-stitched, but do this before you stitch the jacket front and neckline.

 Underarm seams.

 Marking the jacket hem.

 Pressing the hem facing seam.

 This photo shows how I graded the center front, and facing seams to reduce bulk.

 Mark the hemline with a basting stitch and trim the seam allowances in the hem to reduce bulk.

Hand stitch the hem.

Hand stitch the lining to the jacket.

 Fold the extra lining by the front facing....

and stitch.

Top stitch 1/4" from the edge of the right jacket front (I think I wrote the left side in my instructions, Oops!).  I did this because I didn't use buttons on this jacket.  If you want to use buttons, you don't need to top stitch the edge.  The top stitching anchors the facing and jacket together so they don't pull open when the jacket is snapped closed.

Snaps, the second snap from the top is placed right on the bust line.  all the other snaps are spaced the same as the top two snaps.  Sew the snaps on the right side of the jacket.  Make sure the stitching doesn't show on the outside.  Sew through all the layers on the left side of the jacket when sewing on the snaps.

Press the sleeve hems.

 Stitch the thread loops for the fur cuff hooks.

 Tack the jacket to the facing at the shoulders.

The bottom front corners stretched out a little on this jacket.  I suggest making a slightly deeper seem here to reduce the stretch.

Skirt

Darts

 Side seams

 

Cut 3/4" off the bottom of the skirt lining.

For more photos of the skirt construction, click here.

Velour Trimmed Collar

 Neckline

 Under-stitch the lining at the neckline.

Sorry this photo is so bad, photographing black is hard.  This photo shows the basting stitch one edge of the velour trim.

 Ease the trim to fit the collar without puckering or stretching.

 Trim pinned to the collar.

 Trim folded under and hand stitched to the wrong side of the collar.

Hook and thread loop

Fur Collar and Cuffs

Pin the linings to the fur pieces.  Use lots of pins!

 

 Hand stitch the openings closed.

Mark the middle of the cuff ends with pins.

 Sew the hooks slightly off center on both ends.

 Like this

 Hooks sharing the loop on the sleeve.

 Sew a hook and thread loop to the collar.

Fur Hat

 Fur is trimmed a little from the edge of the hat.

 Mark 1/2" in from the edge.

 Match the edge of the hat to the marking, and using a running stitch, hem the hat.

 Pull the stitching to gather up the hat a little to fit the doll's head.

This hat could be lined, but I think it is fine without the lining.

Muff

Fur is trimmed from the edges, and the lining ends are pressed 3/8".

 Pull the fur out of the stitches.

 Stitch the ends of the muff together.  Make sure to keep the lining free.

 Trim out the fur in the seam allowance, and clip the ends diagonally.

Slip stitch the lining together and turn the muff right side out.

Belt

 Belt top stitched

 Belt end

 Trim belt.

Sew buckle to the belt.

My genius way to paint and dry the belt buckles.