It might be a bit tricky to find the material that doesn’t just pass the feel and drape test, but also looks appropriate for a dress that will look truly vintage. That’s why I picked Telalinda’s Dolores fabric, which specializes in reproducing 1930s and 1940s designs.

Dolores has a lovely floral print on a deep red background. It’s called rayon sateen which basically is a viscose challis. It’s a high-quality fabric that didn’t fade or lose colour after a pre-wash. It’s something I’ve experienced before with red fabrics, so I was really pleased with the fact that white flowers didn’t turn pink after being in the washing machine. This fabric drapes beautifully which was perfect for my project. And it’s fantastically soft! I’m very tactile when it comes to picking fabrics and this one definitely passed the test. It’s very soft, yet slightly cooling, which makes it very similar to silk.

Delicate fabrics require special handling, so I’d highly recommend to use very sharp or even ballpoint needles and pins for it. 

As for the pattern, I used Simplicity 1777. It seems to be quite an unpopular design, which might be due to the fact that it requires a lot of adjustments. First of all, this pattern has too much room for a dress that has to be as close fitting as possible. The size I picked is a couple of sizes smaller than my usual Simplicity one, yet I still had to take it in a bit around the waist and back. This pattern also has a very tiny neckline, which is seriously uncomfortable, on top of that it was dislocating the shoulder seams. I made mine a bit bigger and those were the main changes. I also had to let the hem drop for a day and then finish it off. 

I love everything about my new dress: the way it feels, drapes and looks. It wouldn’t be the same without a lovely Telalinda fabric and I highly recommend to check it out!