Let's Bake a Birthday Cake! A 1930s dress and apron.
“Let’s Bake a Birthday Cake!” is inspired by an early 1930s pattern for a matching dress and apron set, published by Hollywood Patterns. The silhouette of the dress is typical of the early-mid 1930s: fitted and sleek, with a clean finish, wide shoulders, and an elongated skirt that visually lengthens the legs. Flared, pleated and ruffled short sleeves were the fashion, and this dress has an interesting sleeve detail that is easy to sew. The sleeves are not separate pieces from the bodice, rather they are an extension of the bodice shoulders with no seam or armscye. This style is sometimes called a kimono sleeve or an all-in-one sleeve. The ease of its construction greatly appealed to the 1930s home sewist. The double-breasted bodice of my inspiration dress has four buttons arranged in a square, with two at the top of the front bodice and two on the front waistband. The tailored apron has four corresponding buttonholes that allow the apron to be fastened to the dress. The apron is made in the same fabric as the dress, or in a coordinating fabric.
The apron is also slim-fitting, with pockets set into the side seams. It has bias tape waist ties. The bib front can be finished with buttonholes, as in the original inspiration pattern, to enable the apron to be fastened to the dress, or the buttonholes can be eliminated and neck ties can be substituted. The pocket tops can be embellished with bias trim, lace or rick rack if desired.
In the pattern introduction, a little background on the Hollywood Pattern Company is provided, and a discussion on the all-in-one sleeve style and its popularity is included. The pattern also looks at the notion of aprons that button on to dresses, a fun little moment in domestic fashion history.
Techniques included in the pattern: making a dart, making a pleat, sewing a facing, making a skirt vent, and finishing the interior of the bodice by hand.
This PDF sewing pattern, by Eighteen Cotton Lane, is designed to fit popular 18" dolls such as those shown in the photos.
Suggested Fabrics: Light to medium weight cotton, cotton blends, gingham, calico, shirting.
Supplies Needed:
• For apron and dress: 1/2 yard of 44" wide fabric.
• For dress only: 12" length of 44" wide fabric.
• For apron only: 12" length of 44" wide fabric.
•Single fold bias tape for apron ties, and optional apron pocket bias trim.
For apron with both waist and neck ties, you will need: 40”
For buttoned apron with waist ties only, you will need: 24”
• Buttons for dress front: Four ¼” wide buttons.
• Dress Back Closure: Three snaps sets, or 4 inches of soft ¼” hook and loop tape.
Useful Tools:
• A point tool for crisp corners.
• A long wooden skewer will help with turning the apron right side out.
• A lightboard or other tracing method, and disappearing marker.
• A ruler.
• A buttonhole foot for your sewing machine if you are making the apron with the buttonhole option.
Skill Level: Confident Beginner
What You Get: One 43 page sewing pattern that you digitally download as a PDF file so you can start your project immediately! The PDF sewing pattern provides full color step-by-step instructions and full size pattern pieces. A PDF reader is required to view and print the files (example: Adobe Reader or Preview for MAC). The download link is received immediately after the transaction is complete. Print copies are NOT available.
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