Prairie Girl Dresses

This Prairie Girl dress pattern from the Favorite Things pattern company caught my eye recently, and I gave it a try. It's very forties-based, with its little shoulder ruffle, its underbust gathers, and its knee-length skirt. But it looks very farmgirl made up in a fresh cotton print.

First I made it up straight out of the package, using a chocolate-brown polka dot, the ruffle trim at the shoulder, and filling in the neckline with a dicky made of cotton voile trimmed with vintage crocheted lace. The dress is cut with lots and lots of ease to slip over the head with no buttons or zippers (perfect for a beginning seamstress), and ties at the waist to take it in at the back.



Then I drafted much of the ease out of the pattern, shaping the back bodice and skirt with darts, adding a side zipper, and omitting the ties, and using the cap sleeves. I did this one in a cheery French blue with red floral sprigs. I didn't get the bodice shaped as closely as I wanted, and will probably try again with a shaped waist inset piece.


The dicky is a plain voile triangle that snaps out.


Naturlich, I bound the inside seams with red.


It's a nice pattern, and great for beginners. The directions aren't the best (never could figure out how they wanted the sleeveless armhole facing sewn, and just used common sense), but the dress itself is easy to construct and is easy to fit. You timid seamstresses, this is a good place to start!