This tiki dress is the most immediately satisfying make of the year.
The moment it left my sewing machine, I knew it was a winner. This tiki dress was very much an impulsive “MUST MAKE IT NOW” sort of project and I’m glad I took it on because I feel amazing in it. Browsing the different vintage and pinup Facebook groups I’m a part of, seeing everyone talking about the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly weekend, and being sad that I can’t go this year isn’t very productive. So why not whip up a tiki dress for when I do get to go?
The pattern was super cool to work with because I all ready knew it quite well! The pattern is a combination of two different pieces from the Gertie New Book for Better Sewing. The top is the Sweetheart Dress and the skirt is the pencil skirt pattern, redrafted with a slash and spread technique.
Something different that I got to play with in this pattern was the shirring in the back, using elastic thread in my recently tuned up machine. It was fun to see the panel shrink! But So.Many.Rows! For some reason I anticipated working with elastic thread to be more complicated than it really was.
The fabric for this piece was something I picked up from a local fabric shop and absolutely screamed tiki dress. While I absolutely love the print, the fabric itself has a really weird hand that reminds me of a soft oilcloth. When I purchased it, it had a stiffer hand, which I had hoped was only the final finish and would soften during washing. It still softened and is wearable, but I can see this as a special occasion dress due to the weird texture of the fabric.
The video for this dress came out great! Please check it out!