The Beginnings of The Happy Heart Dress

Setting up station in the dining room when I sew has it's pros, like natural light, and also cons - the most significant of which is that it's a location we use multiple times a day.  Ordinarily I can work around it, and if need be, declare a picnic dinner!  But lately we've been having a few people over, sometimes spontaneously, which means all the sewing gear gets packed away again into the closet.

I don't mind, really, except that for some reason in my brain, it seems to take extra effort to get back into the flow of things, y'know?  So I have a few procrastinated tasks like hand sewing, and buttonholes that seem to loom over me right now, preventing me from moving on to the next fun things like the Colette Spring Palette Challenge, the 80's garments for my 8/100, not to mention summer dresses for me and...

this dress.

I can't remember quite how it happened.  My middle girlie and I were sitting watching some runway shows, and looking at vintage advertisements, and suddenly her heart became set on this exact ensemble.  She nicknamed it "The Happy Heart Dress" and has since been telling everyone I'm making it for her.  She's also kept tabs on exactly where we are in the process.  Have you found the pattern?  Has the pattern arrived?  Do we have the fabric? Do you have the thread?  And the kid is only 4!

I'm happy to report that I indeed have all of the above.  I was able to come up with both a pattern, and the fabric.  The pattern ended up coming in the form of two:

Simplicity 4823 c. 1954

Simplicity 1733 c. 1946

Interestingly at the time I was looking for these, it was far easier to come up with a back button jumper/pinafore, than it was to find a back buttoned blouse with a peter pan collar and puffed sleeves - hence why these patterns are about a decade apart.

Seeing them again though renews my drive to get to this project and finish it up for her.  At least then she can start telling people I already made it for her!