Vintage sheets and a free printable dress pattern - Happy Easter!

From the moment I spied this vintage doona/duvet cover in my local charity store - I imagined it as a pretty 50s sundress, perfect for Easter lunch. I love to sew but the price of fabric can be a bit limiting - especially when there's a 50/50 (okay.... 70/30) chance that you're going to invest hours of your life only to totally cock it up. So, if you too want to create your own flirty 1950s frock for the bargain price of $3 (or perhaps even FREE depending how attached you are to the sheet sets in your linen cupboard), please dear Possum, read on....

*Insert picture of sheet draped over bed for added drama*
Okay, so I didn't snap many pictures following the process of this - largely because I was doing it for pure personal enjoyment, and mostly because I - as mentioned before - assumed it would all go a bit tits up. I've also not contributed to this blog for months but we won't dwell on that! Many of you assume me to be a much more adept sewer than I actually am, I P R O M I S E you, you can do this - if you want to (and if you have a sewing machine, that really helps). Just, give it a go! For, what we both lack in technical skills, we can make up for in enthusiasm and a willingness to unpick and re-sew our mistakes again...
and again...
and again...
and again.

You'll Need:

1) A doona cover, preferably Queen or King to give you more room to play with additional fabric.... but in this instance, I used a double sheet (unfortunately it limited me using the beautiful gradient design to its full potential, but, I just made it WERK). Keep in its original duvet form to make cutting your pattern pieces really easy!  . 

 2) This free downloadable pattern 

sew-essentials-pattern.pdf
File Size:	442 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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3) A dress zip

4) Sewing machine, scissors and cotton.

How to Make:

1) Print the 4,678 (or thereabouts) page pattern and follow the handy pattern map showing you how to lay out all the pieces! Huge thanks to Let's Knit for this awesome free pattern I may or may not have found by Googling "free 50s dress pattern" after discovering all of my own purchased patterns were irritatingly complex. As a side, note, I'm going to try this awesome free pattern from the V&A next! 

2) Cut out pieces and follow the instructions. Let me caution you just quickly on the patten.... I am TERRIBLE with text-based instructions, I’m all IKEAesque-do-by-picture. So, if you’re like me, you may struggle just a little given the lack of pics. In terms of sizing - I’m wearing the 16. Don’t forget, you can YouTube tutorials on how to increase pattern sizes too!

3) After taking potentially 13hours of sewing due to incessant mistakes caused by your total inability to focus on any one task..... rock the bejesus out of your new frock, with or without a petticoat!
4) Advanced cIass: if you too are obsessed with dresses with pockets, cut your side panels in half and insert your own pockets.

And we’re done!

Do let me know if you decide to make the pattern, Possums! I’d love to get your feedback on how it worked for you.... better yet, to see a snap of it on your beautiful self. xxx