Sew for Victory // Three Sailors Went to Sea, Sea, Sea

Hooray! I have finally finished my Sew for Victory project(s)! In my previous Sew for Victory post, I told you all that I was making myself a sailor dress. But, I ended up making myself not one, but TWO sailor dresses. If you know me pretty well, you will know that the desire to make one thing twice is a rarity with me. So, I went ahead and made the second dress before my mind could convince me to do otherwise. Therefore, I am pleased to present to you my two brand new late 1940’s Sailor Dresses!

Now, the reason I decided to make this dress twice, is because the first one was “basically” a wearable muslin or mock-up, and there were SO many things I knew I could do much better if I made another one, and I had a super cute idea for a different applique for the collar.

I had originally planned to embroider, “Three sailors went to sea, sea, sea…” on the second collar, but it wouldn’t have fit quite properly, so I decided to leave it out. I like how both collars turned out, but I think that the turquoise dress is my favorite. Which collar/dress is your favorite?

Well, the second dress isn’t *quite* finished yet… I still have to add the neck panel.

Well, enough about the dresses, onto the details!

Just the Facts:
FABRIC: Brown and red plaid dress: Old costume skirt made from store-bought cotton homespun. Turquoise and red plaid dress: Vintage (I believe) cotton homespun (traded from Charlotte for some fabric of mine). Cost: traded material + cost of original costume skirt + the fact that the costume skirt was recycled = basically free. 🙂

PATTERN: My own. Drafted using the Haslam System of Dresscutting, and based on this dress from etsy.com

YEAR: about 1947

NOTIONS: Brown and red plaid dress: buttons-$1.40, snaps-25 cents?, interfacing-stash.
Turquoise and red plaid dress: buttons-stash, snaps-10-15 cents?, interfacing-stash. Belt buckle- 75 cents?

THE INSIDES: The seams on both dresses are pinked (to stay true to the 1940’s, and for time’s sake), the facings hemmed; the hems of the sleeves and the skirt on the brown and red plaid dress are finished with rayon seam binding tape, while the turquoise and red plaid are merely double hemmed.

HOURS: Pattern: about 2 hours + Brown and red plaid: about 4 hours + Turquoise and red plaid: about 3.5 hours = 9.5-10 hours total.

FIRST WORN: For the pictures.

Wear again? DEFINITELY!!! I love how the dresses turned out, and they are bound to get a ton of wear this summer, and hopefully for summers to come!

Make Again? Well, I’ve already made it twice, so I don’t see a need to make another one right away, but I can see myself making this dress again, so… yes!

TOTAL COST: Brown and Red Plaid Dress: about $2.00
Turquoise and Red Plaid Dress: about $5.00-$7.00 (with the cost of the fabric I traded Charlotte included).

Cake or Frosting? Cake! (which I am doing a happy dance about right now, by the way) Finally some pretty new-vintage dresses to wear every day! 🙂

Well, I guess all I have to say now is; a giant, humongous THANK YOU!!! to Rochelle of Lucky Lucille for hosting this sew-along! It has been a blast seeing everyone’s projects, and finding out all sorts of neat tips, etc. If you plan on doing another one, I’m pretty certain I will participate. 🙂

And just for your enjoyment… some *insiders* pics to laugh at… 😉

Blessings,

Brigid
The Middle Sister and Singer