This dress is not exactly on my to do list, but since I mentioned there that I would like to do this pattern in plaid with the side panels on the bias, it's not exactly off my list either! So I can sort of say I'm still sticking to my list, and crossing things off. 🙂

After making the gray and coral print version of this dress, I kept envisioning a plaid version so when I realized Thanksgiving was coming up, I needed no other impetus to put this at the head of the list. I checked out my fabric stash and found to my surprise I only had one large plaid.

It's a wool blend I've had for ages. Originally intended for a 1950s 2 piece suit but procrastinated on because of the potential plaid matching needed, I decided to use it for this instead. It's quite heavy, so it would have been suitable for a suit or a coat dress, and I'm glad this piece was as structured and simple as it was, or the fabric wouldn't have worked as well as it did.

(How's the gold and blue of Idaho hills and mountains for a perfect Thanksgiving-y color coordinated backdrop?? 🙂

It took twice as long to cut out since I was pattern matching as much as possible. I opened the fabric out flat and cut each piece twice. My first bias piece I cut 3 times because I laid it wrong the 2nd time and didn't end up with a mirror image since the plaid is rectangular. Thankfully I had enough fabric to do that, and even have some left over (hopefully enough to trim a 1930s jacket and dress so I have a 3 piece coordinating ensemble! But first I have to find a suitable black fabric.)

And – bonus! – I actually cut out the front pieces correctly this time, so I could do the front overlap as the instructions intended! It made a lot more sense this time. And working on the straight grain of the plaid was really nice to keep my lines straight.

My only real pattern matching with this dress was the front – it worked out pretty well!

As always, with a 2nd time making a pattern things go together quickly and easier. I put the front and back together in no time – in fact, this may be my speediest project yet since the baby came. It's encouraging to find out how quickly things can be finished even with just using up snatches of time. Even if I just got a few buttonholes made, or a sleeve assembled, I was that much farther along for the next time I had a few minutes to sew.

I love the color, and the bias play turned out just how I had hoped!

The 2nd time around I corrected the neck fit issue, but am still not completely happy with the fit. I know I don't have a classic 1930s shape, but even so am puzzled by how the pattern illustrations from the era commonly show the skirts lying smoothly front and back yet they are way too wide at the waist! This one was fitted at the hips (understandably) and snug at the bust, but inches too big at the waist, despite me taking it in at the side seams. Another time I would just omit the back belt and wear a regular belt, allowing the surplus to gather a bit at the waist if needed.

I double top stitched the yoke front and back this time too.

This time I used the sleeves on the pattern illustration. I really liked them – they have tons of gathers but only just at the top, for a perfectly 1930s puffed sleeve. I used white linen for collar and cuffs, and though they are interfaced with a very stiff cotton twill, it wasn't stiff enough and I had cuff malfunctions as you can see on some of these photos. At least it's an easy fix – I'll just tack them together.

I had debated using a different color for the contrast but when I looked at 1930s plaid dresses on Pinterest it seemed they all had white collars no matter what the overall color scheme was. But I went with gold and black buttons because white  buttons made it seem too school-girly. Besides, this is a semi-holiday dress, so a bit of glitz seemed to be appropriate.

Our Thanksgiving Day was unseasonably warm (hence the muddy roads which give you a bit of an idea what it's like to live on Idaho back roads!) so the short sleeves but heavy fabric were a suitable combination.

My mother said it's the prettiest dress I've ever made, so despite my peeves with the fit, and cuffs which wouldn't behave, I really am pleased with the dress and love to see the giant plaid that's been on my shelves for years put to good use.

Nice to see an idea take shape. Now on to another era for my next sewing project!