1943 Dress Reproduction and Pattern Review; Hollywood Four Star Patterns #1136

1943; Hollywood Four Star Patterns #1136; 1940's Wartime High Neck Pussy Bow Tea Frock

The Supplies:

• 1943 Hollywood Four Star Patterns #1136, purchased from MyVintageWish on Etsy $12.19
• 1940's 5/8" Plastic Buttons on Original Card, purchased from NevadafuffsStuff on Etsy $6.48
• White 16" invisible zipper $0.12
• Blue-green gingham full flat sheet, 50/50 cotton polyester; JC Penney Home Collection Smooth Touch; measuring 101x81 inches when seams ripped out and ironed $2
• White thread

Total Cost: $20.79

NevadafuffStuff product image

The Process: 

     I bought this cotton-polyester blend full flat sheet at a local thrift store for $2 and absolutely love it. The sheet was in great condition and is quite thick and durable, perfect for a house/day dress. I'm not sure how cool it will be in the summer, but so far it's been working for spring. The pattern was relatively easy to follow for the first half and then I abandoned the written directions halfway through. Hey, progress!

     I was debating putting in pockets and had them installed at one point, but they were so infuriatingly small. 😂 

     The zipper took me about 5 times to install, the 4th time I thought I had finished but there was no bobbin thread. Whoops!

     I also debated adding the ruffles to the bodice for added interest, but I think I'd prefer to sew it up in a solid color so I can highlight those details. 

Button closeup and daisy stitch closeup

     I used the daisy stitch function on my new sewing machine that I got from my parents as a birthday gift and I think it gives it a nice subtle detail on the button band and shoulder yokes.

     Overall, it was a fairly straightforward pattern and was easy to size up to my measurements. I added an additional 2 inches to the bodice bust, 1 inch to the bodice waist, and 1/2 inch to the bodice length. I ended up adjusting the sleeve width in order to fit the arm scythe due to widening the bodice. I forgot to add the additional length to the center band but I was able to make it work thanks to have a pussy bow around the neckline hiding the dip. I did not add any extra width to the skirt pieces as I figured if I needed extra fabric to work with that I could sew a slightly smaller seam allowance for all the skirt pieces.

  

     This pattern checks off almost all the things I love in a dress, minus the missing pockets. The sleeves have great mobility, the skirt is very comfortable, and the waist has some ease.

     The only things I would change are the aforementioned pocket size, and substituting the gathered skirt front of View 1 and substituting it with View 3's skirt front that is made in 1 piece instead of 2 separate pieces as I dislike seams going down the middle of a skirt front.

Kitty bomb!

1943 Valentine Dress Reproduction and Review; McCall's M7433

McCall's M7433 Reproduction pattern of McCall 5295 from 1943; Misses' Inverted Notch-Collar Shirtdresses and Belt

 Pattern Description: Pullover dress has semi-fitted bodice, side zipper closing, skirt with front and back pleats, self-belt and contrast neckbands. View A has short sleeves with contrast band. View B has long sleeves with cuff and placket.

This is the pattern that M7433 based its reproduction pattern.

This dress took me a month with off-and-on work. I started it with the intention of finishing it in time for Valentine's Day but alas I was a couple days short of my deadline but I did finish it in February, but I've only just gotten around to writing a blog post about it. 

The Supplies:

Pattern: McCall's M7433 Size A5 (6, 8, 10, 12, 14)
Fabric: 3 yards of fabric we had bought years ago with the purpose of sewing it into a nightgown.
Buttons: 3 leftover pink modern buttons from my previous M7433 dress
Thread: White
Bias Tape: 1950's bias tape that I found at a thrift store
Zipper: Blue Invisible Zipper, 12 cents

The Process:

This is my second time sewing up this pattern and I think likely the last. I like the overall look but I'm not a fan of the neckline nor the construction; I had bought this pattern believing it was a literal reproduction of their 1940s pattern, but it's more of a modern does vintage take, which I feel is a bit of a shame and a let down. I had hoped that buying a reproduction pattern would mean I'd have the chance to learn more about vintage construction and how they achieved the desired look. Seam Racer did a great review and breakdown on how the original #5295 pattern was constructed and how it differs from the M7433 reproduction. If I were to make it again, I'd like to find an original copy of McCall's #5295 pattern.

Both times that I've made this pattern I've had to overlap the bodice front more than the pattern calls for, as I'm not a fan of plunging v-necks. The first version of this dress worked out o-k, but I still wear a camisole with it. This version is more overlapped because it visually bothered me that the plaid didn't match in the front, leaving me with either the choice to have the blue lines meet up or meet in the middle of the plaid box, if that makes sense. I like the neckline better with this one but it's created other problems such as a slightly smaller waist and pulled the shoulders forward, limiting arm mobility. It also messed up the button alignment so now the buttons are not aligned in the middle of the bodice.


This was my first time attempting the skirt as I didn't have enough fabric the first time.

The fabric was originally 3 yards but I had cut a section out of it years ago for another project (no recollection what) so it left me roughly 2.75 yards of fabric. I cut the fabric sideways along the bias as the fabric was not wide enough for a skirt panel. The two skirt panels are ridiculously large. Last time I checked fabric was rationed in 1943. Hmmm, another liberty this pattern took. I don't see many pleated skirts (still researching) from the 1940s but I'd imagine if they occurred during the 1940s that they would do so after the war in the second half of the 1940s due to fabric restrictions.