Let's Build a Sandcastle! A 1945 Dido Romper
“Let’s Build a Sandcastle!” is a 1945 girl’s romper - perfect for summer play - inspired by vintage ads for a playsuit made in 1945 by the Joseph Love Company. The Dido romper is a cleverly designed one piece garment. It has a fitted bodice, with ruffled sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, and a curved open back. The ruffled skirt passes from the front waistline down through the child’s legs, to the back and then ties around the waist. As a result, it does not require elastic at the waist or legs, or zippers to close. Both elastic and zippers were difficult to find in 1945 because of war rationing measures. This design answers that challenge in a very creative way, and the result is so adorable!
“Let’s Build a Sandcastle!” has two skirt options. Option A has a sweet ruffle around the skirt bottom. Option B has no ruffle, for a more tailored look. The sash on the romper can be tied in a bow at the front, or shortened and fastened with a button or snap.
In the pattern introduction, there is a discussion of the Dido romper in the context of fashion trends in 1945, a few of the people involved in its creation, and the Dido romper's influences and origins. There is further discussion about fabric options for the romper, including a little history of Dan River Gingham, the fabric originally used by the Joseph Love Company to make the garment.
The pattern is designed for the Confident Beginner. Techniques included in the pattern: gathering a skirt, gathering a ruffle, making a dart, setting a sleeve, and finishing the interior of a lined bodice by hand. There are two options offered for finishing the hem of the Option B skirt, one easy, and one more challenging but more polished.
As the testers' samples show, the romper can be made in a 1945-era reproduction fabric, but looks equally sweet in a more modern print. The skirt can be a solid colour, with the bodice and sleeves in a print, or the sash can be a contrasting colour to the main fabric. Lots of room for fun and creativity!
This PDF sewing pattern, by Eighteen Cotton Lane, is designed to fit 18" dolls. This pattern will fit a variety of eighteen-inch dolls, including American Girl®,
Maplelea®, Our Generation®, My Life As®, and Götz Precious Day®.
Suggested Fabrics: light to medium weight cotton, cotton blends, gingham, seersucker, rayon. Not suitable for knits.
Supplies Needed:
• ½ yard of 44” wide fabric
• 2 snap sets, or buttons, or 2” of soft ¼” hook and loop tape for closing the romper back bodice.
• A scrap of fusible interfacing if you wish to reinforce the center back for buttonholes.
• 42” of single fold bias tape, for making the non-ruffled romper skirt, and using Method 2 for hemming the skirt.
Skill Level: Confident Beginner
What You Get: One 45 page sewing pattern that you digitally download as a PDF file so you can start your project immediately! The PDF sewing pattern provides full color step-by-step instructions and full size pattern pieces. A PDF reader is required to view and print the files (example: Adobe Reader or Preview for MAC). The download link is received immediately after the transaction is complete. Print copies are NOT available.
Download, Print, Sew!
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Pixie Faire and the designers featured are not affiliated with American Girl®, Maplelea®, Our Generation®, My Life As®, or Götz Precious Day®.
