A Christmas Dress....

So, doing all this sewing for everyone else for Christmas (alot of which I cant post yet to keep presents a secret, hence the recent radio silence) has got me thinking I really need to sew myself a Christmas Dress. I made myself a poinsettia Christmas skirt last year, and made a gored skirt with coordinating red panels for my bestie, but my skirt seems to have disappeared in the madness of 2014.

My good friend Beccie of Sew Retro Rose Fame has made some beautiful Christmas dresses over the last couple of years, and in particular 2013's Christmas Dress has had me pretty jealous. The dress was based on Beccie's Fall for Cotton Dress which was based on a vintage dress she saw at the Rose Seidler House Fifties Fair that was sadly too small for her (too small for her? No wonder I cant find true Vintage, lol)

Beccie's 2013 Christmas dress, Isn't it Fabulous?

So I've decided to kinda steal the design from her (sorry Beccie) but probably with a circle skirt, rather than a gathered one and maybe a different neckline. And without the amazing Christmas Shoes and Hair flower, sadly my budget doesn't allow for that much fabulous-ness.

I purchased roughly 4-5m of a gorgeous red velour fabric from Vinnies (op shop) a few weeks back, then I bought the same (I think it's the same) Gold Lurex binding from spotlight to do the gorgeous waistline embellishment with (and probably the hem as well)

Then I decided, maybe that dress wont be very suitable for an Australian summer........ so its been put on the shelf for a later day (or a Christmas in July)

 I also recently purchased some christmas Polka Dot Cotton which I thought would look great made into one of Gertie's patterns, butterick B6019. Being cotton, this will be a much more wearable dress for the hot Australian Christmas.

Butterick B6019. I'll be making the full skirted version

I even had some help cutting out

His name is Prince, and he is a big mumma's boy

I went for the full skirted option, to allow a bit of breeze and swishy-ness. I read Gertie's blog post about it, and made the same adjustments to the pattern she did. I added 3 inches to the length of the skirt, underwires in the bust area, as well a waist stay and extra boning. I also did not cut the size that the pattern envelope said I should. According to my measurements I should make a size 22, but I made the size 18 instead, and it's a perfect fit.

I forgot to take many progress photos of this dress, I was too busy watching bones on my tablet

A few mirror selfies before heading out

The bust is really pointy on this pattern, but I kinda like it now, very 1950's! 

I finished making this dress yesterday, after church, but before my church's carols night. I got loads of compliments, and it fits like a glove, so this dress is definitely a win for me, I'll make it again!

Dixie xoxo