Dirndl Daydreams

Doesn't we all daydream about sewing? About dreamy fabrics and shiny new patterns, about silk and linen and wool, about trimmings and drafting and tailoring and, most importantly, dreaming up an endless list of things we would like to make and wear - like yesterday.

Lately, I have been daydreaming about sewing the perfect dirndl.

I think it started when Gertie posted about her new obsession with the garment, planting a seed in my sub-consciousness. Then my boyfriend started talking about going to Vienna for New Years Eve. Burda had a full-on dirndl feature in the september magazine. Suddenly, I found myself looking through entire pinterest boards full of beautiful dirndls by Lena Hoschek, Julia Trentini and Gössl. Octoberfest came and went, filling Instagram with pictures of beautiful dirndls. Then late one evening, in a moment of weakness, I purchased a pdf version of Burda 7057:

Then I spend an entire evening pulling fabrics from my stash, and came up with these combinations:

In the end, I have settled on the orange/plum color combination (the big picture, top left), as it feels more grown-up and winter appropriate to me than pink, and uses fabric from deeper stash layers. I plan on using the orange linen for the body, the plaid for the full skirt with the beautiful scalloped edge as the hem and the plum taffeta as the apron. The purple linen will become part of the pretty neckline trim and perhaps some matching accessories.

This dirndl has a similar feel and color scheme:

source

So far, I have printed and taped the pattern together and have cut and sewn the first muslin in my usual size 38. I have a good feeling about this one!

Are you sewing any special occasion dresses for the holiday season?