Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity

My latest project is Simplicity 1939.  Every once in a while, I have an urge to make something modern.  The stack of Cynthia Rowley Simplicity patterns in my sewing room always catch my eye, so I gave in and grabbed some long-forgotten cotton shirting.

I remember voting for this design a couple of years ago when Simplicity gave customers multiple design options they wished to see manufactured (I wish they would repeat this process!).  This was my favorite, and I guess quite a few other people felt the same because it was the winning design.  

Turns out Simplicity shared their process of taking the runway design and creating a pattern – how did I miss this?

From reading the notes on the image above and seeing the actual dress up close, it is clear that the original hip yoke was cut on the bias.  It is also interesting to see the different sleeve options that were sketched out - some of them made it, others did not.  

My fabric would not have worked with a bias panel, but I think that this would actually improve the dress.  So if I make another version, I will definitely keep this alteration in mind.  And I wish that Simplicity did not dumb down the design - I have to wonder how often things like this happen with designer patterns.

But for the moment, I am quite pleased with my new summer dress.