Sewing The 1920s Famous One Hour Dress - part 1

[@NoraMurrell]

So happy you are here. If you all want to jump into the hair stuff or the Haslam Sewing System, check the description for links!

[@theresaanndiaz3179]

I've never seen the 1-hr dress as a printed pattern before! The original booklet from Mary Brooks Pickens has you draft the very simple pattern from your measurements. What you did seems much more difficult!

[@NoraMurrell]

I could not agree more. I think that the measurement way is The Way to Go.

[@tineg8057]

I made this pattern too! The trick for me was finding the right proportions. I had to shorten the bodice and the hemline a great deal and find just the right spot for the hip gathers (at my high hip). I also opened the neckline to have a v-neck and lapels, wich I think suits this silhouette a little better. It's a fun pattern to play around with.

[@NoraMurrell]

The amount of options that you have with changing this pattern up is incredibly high. I’m starting to really enjoy working with this as I’m doing the finishing.

[@catherinewong157]

I think if a softer fabric and different print would have been a lot better. Also needs to be shorten a little more

[@jamielandis4606]

Thank you for a well explained experience. I’m going to try this one. Also, thanks for ironing your fabric before cutting. Pet peeve of mine when people sew wrinkled fabric.

[@NoraMurrell]

Glad it was helpful! ALWAYS iron. The next time I buy an iron, I'm going to look into one of the fancy professional ones. An iron is essential to the entire process of sewing. *emphatic nodding*

[@jgiard9030]

I made this dress using the book. I used a crepe de chine that draped beautifully but it took me a while to get used to the aesthetic once it was done. "Bag with hip ruffles" indeed, lol. Once I styled it with a sash at the hip it was much better.

[@NoraMurrell]

I do hope you watch my more recent 1920s dresses. They are so so so so much better. This was truly just the place I started. And I love that I actually have such a stunning comparison of growth. It's very encouraging!

[@hypatia4754]

The one hour dress it measured straight onto the fabric, normally, as its basically a couple of rectangles.

[@NoraMurrell]

Yes. Exactly correct.

[@pinkropers]

This is an ongoing challenge for me right up into the current age. I think that the fabrics used in the styles of the 20's have to use thin fabrics that drape such as georgette. It will skim the figure without clinging. More flattering. I'm sure in real life that cotton was used for housedresses. I remember my grandmothers wearing cotton dresses with natural waistlines, set in sleeves and collars. Rayon and blends were used in that era, too, which would drape for dresses that weren't meant to be housedresses. Silk too, of course.

[@NoraMurrell]

I think I chose a very challenging fabric for this. I think that softer and more drapey (spelling????) fabrics would absolutely help with the general image and hang of the dress.

[@JeanneLugertLadyTatsLace]

I sewed this pattern last summer, I then set it aside to try to figure out how to make it look better. I am a bit short and dumpy and right now the "sack" does not look good. I want to do a bit of "jazzing" up so will go look for your next episode to see just how you dressed it up.

[@NoraMurrell]

I suggest watching the most two recent videos on my 1920s dress sews. I've got new opinions!

[@peachespinup]

I am really enjoying how your brain works please keep it up 👍

[@NoraMurrell]

Thank you! And absolutely! I’m currently figuring out Silk!

[@caesiusgeo]

people saying they don't have the body for 20's fashion miss the point of fashion by a mile. Every era had all the same body types, just crammed into different garments Look at monroe and Hepburn, they had similar body measurements but dressed very differently and the effect was extreme. We see Hepburn as very straight bodied and Monroe as a bombshell hourglass. The 20s had more silhouettes that flattered different body shapes into current fashion Photos from the 20s do show a lot of women with belts or a fabric wrap at the waist

[@reginaboyd4167]

I'm so short and full figured, so 1920s does not flatter me at all! Very cute video though!

[@NoraMurrell]

The 1920s is really not easy to do.

[@joellewatkins5528]

Ok my thoughts on this dress is a belt would be great. Looking at in 20's house dresses had them. Also I would take in the sides a little, because I think that you could have gone down a size in this pattern. I know the 20's liked that long look but the fashion plates gives an Ideal look and not reality. I love your video's can't wait for the next one.

[@NoraMurrell]

YES. Fashion plates are deeply not accurate to human dimension. And yes to the belt.

[@NoraMurrell]

YES. Fashion plates are deeply not accurate to human dimension. And yes to the belt.

[@JeannetteSeward]

For better or worse, I was built for the 1920s. I'm looking forward to see what you do next with this. I'm trying to learn to sew just so I can make things like this.

[@NoraMurrell]

I’ve been messing with this and I love the results. I’m a rather big fan of the 20s in that it really does embrace a body type that does exist and does get ignored. Also. Deeply comfortable.

[@bonitalydia]

I tried making a very similar dress. It did not turn out well. The 1920s silhouette just doesn't work for me. At least the fabric will easily be converted to something new.

[@NoraMurrell]

This is a very challenging silhouette. I’m excited to play with this and see what I can do.

[@sophiesong8937]

It's hard to pull off now, as we mostly see drawings and fashionplates of the idealised look of 20s dresses, but in the 20s, you would see women with normal bodies wearing the same styles around you, and would therefore have different expectations of fit, I think. Doesn't help that the gen public around us also have that idealised shape in mind for 20s. Looking at photos of normal 1920s women is really interesting

[@soniamartin3753]

I have quite a large bust for the 20s. Basically I have an hourglass figure so any kind of sack dress looks horrible on me. That is unfortunate. But I still have the 40s and 50s!! Anyway, let's talk about your glasses!! OMG where did you get those?? I'm so in love I've been researching the web for a while and haven't found anything similar.

[@NoraMurrell]

www.readers.com/round-readers.html?showid=15989

[@NoraMurrell]

I’m also rather hourglass, I think a lot of this is embracing a very different aesthetic. I just finished a 1930s foundation piece; I’m quite interested in seeing how the 1930s fit.

[@katybradley5143]

What were you spraying between the pattern paper and the dress - spray starch? Looks like it really helps!

[@NoraMurrell]

Quit bonding spray glue. Fantastic for anything except tissue paper patterns or anything true vintage.

[@katybradley5143]

@@NoraMurrell aw shoot. I have some for basting quilts but have to use it outside (and let it air out a while before bringing it inside) as it triggers a migraine if I use it inside.

[@27jby]

Granny would just throw the fabric on the table. Chalk up and cut it out then sew.

[@NoraMurrell]

Granny was magic.

[@Avotts]

on your 1 hr dress...i would definitely lower that neckline and band it or a collar.

[@NoraMurrell]

I honestly would do about a million other things different at this point. 😂 this dress lives in my mind as a major turning point regarding a lot of my sewing.

[@MsWill813]

The neckline is too tight. I made similar dress in knit, put the hip detail higher to suit my body.

[@NoraMurrell]

This is a confusing time period to sew. The instructions and patterns are a totally different animal than today's concept of sewing.

[@norascott5803]

The twenties were the worst styles ever, everything looks like a sack! IMO

[@NoraMurrell]

That’s because it is a sack! This is the craziest, most fascinating, divergent style, time period.

[@JeannetteSeward]

@@NoraMurrell and the only style in women's clothing I like on my body.