B4212 Dress

Butterick Making History B4212 said it was turn of the century pattern and had a woman wearing an Edwardian hat on it so it seemed like a good match for the Titanic ball that PEERS was holding. Unfortunately, after asking some of those from the GBACG, it appears that this dress is more of a historical aberration. Decorator moire taffeta with purple cotton lining, braid and beaded trim. The decorator fabric and trim probably made me look more like a lampshade from the Titanic dance and one man complimented me by saying I looked like a chandelier. Cumberbund like apron secures in the back with a snap on bow giving it a natural form or bustle-like look. Small train, pleats in front and back of skirt. Drop waist with hook and eye back closures.

Pattern review: Intermediate level or above. I was short 1 yard of flat trim. Unclear instructions where it had the user baste the back pleats and then the drawing made it look like the trim was sewn over the basted pleats. If you looked at the photo on the front of the envelope, the pleats had been unbasted before the trim was applied. There were two other women in the same pattern at the PEERS Titanic ball. One of them had replaced the apron by just stitching the trim to the dress. She had trouble with the apron/bow and with the top being too big. The other woman looked like she also had trouble with the top part of the dress and kept her wrap on. I didn't have very much fabric and selected the size based on the finished measurement printed on the pattern piece. I used a size 10 for the top; if I had used the measurements on the envelope it would have had me make a size 12 or 14. The straps do sit very far on the shoulders and at first feel like they are going to slip off, but they held fine.

Worn with modern undergarments, the lines on the front of the dress would probably look better with a corset.

Choker