Pillows and Retro Dress

I got to be home all day today, and I was able to spend a significant part of the day in the sewing room. I volunteered to make some pillows for good friend's daughter who will be a college freshman in a couple of weeks. She wanted big pillows to take the place of what I used to call a "study pillow." She couldn't find anything readymade to match her comforter so she purchased sheets that she liked and would match.

I found the 27" X 27" pillow form at J's for $9.99. I forgot to take my 40% off coupon, but I did use my ASG card for the 10% discount. Finished pillows:



I will deliver them tomorrow while I'm out running errands. I'll be glad to get them out of the sewing room since they take up so much space!

I got started on my retro dress, and I'm almost done. I need to hem the sleeves and the dress itself. I'm really happy with it. I cut exactly out of the envelope, a size 16.5 with a bust measurement of 37". The bust point was good (which surprised me as I usually have to lower the bust point on most patterns). I can probably take it up a bit in the waist/hip area, but I'll wait to until I try it on again.

I tried sewing the sleeves a bit different. I sewed "flat" between the notches. Then I sewed the seams of the sleeve and the dress and completed the armscye seam "in the round." That process worked well for me. I think I'll do that more often. Not sure if you can tell much from this photo, but it is showing the "flat" part of the sewing of the sleeve. The sleeve cap is at the bottom of the photo.



I really wanted to sew the collar, but I was cutting facings from "scraps," so I didn't have enough fabric unless I pieced it. I was afraid it might not lay correctly, so I gave up the collar on this one.

The "almost final" dress. You can tell I'll need to even out the hem of the circle skirt.

Front:



Back:



I am pleased with the invisible zipper. I used the method described in a previous Threads magazine. Sorry, I don't have the issue number right now.

I will use this pattern again. The french darts are very flattering, and it has a back neck dart that snugs up the neck nicely leaving more room across the back shoulder. I'll be looking for more of this same size pattern on the various vintage sites.