Although I’ve been merrily sewing away, I’ve been a bit slack on the photography side of things recently. Originally, I intended to post this dress for August’s “Let them sew … Cake” challenge – with cake. Instead, it’s just scraping into the end of Amnesty Month with – shortbread?!! Nana’s secret recipe, though, quick and easy and a terrific tin filler.
The pattern is vintage Simplicity 3107 and the wool blend fabric has been in the stash for a good 20 years. I was unsure of the original pale grey colour so dyed it teal – very happy with the results. Read more here…
Very happy birthday, The Monthly Stitch, hip hip hooray!
Nana’s Shortbread
250 grams (8 ozs) butter
125 grams (4 ozs) icing sugar (= 1 cup)
200 grams(7 ozs) flour
200 grams (7 ozs) cornflour
pinch of salt
Cream butter and sugar well.
Mix in sifted dry ingredients.
Turn mixture out onto a floured board and divide in half.
Roll each half into a long roll. (Don’t knead, this will make the biscuits tough instead of light and fluffy!)
Slice each roll into pieces about 1cm wide, and place on baking sheet.
Bake until a light cream colour in a moderate-cool oven (150º–180ºC or 300º – 350ºF).
Makes 20–30, depending on how much dough you eat first!
I love the fabric and the pattern! It has that modern vintage look with the zipper in the front. It looks wonderful on you.
LikeLike
Thank you. Wearing it for the second time today as it suddenly got cold again in Wellington. Oh summer, will you ever arrive?
LikeLike
A beautiful vintage style. Love it when they translate to modern wearing 🙂
LikeLike
Me too! I’m lining up another vintage pattern for Frocktober … watch this space!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cute dress! Thank you for the shortbread recipe. One of the recipes I like has ground almonds in it and the other is using rice flour.
LikeLike
Your welcome. Enjoy!
LikeLike
Love this pattern!
LikeLike
Elegance for minimal effort, it was so easy make. Heaps of complements when I wore it to work for the first time, too.
LikeLike
Timeless dress! The colour is wonderful and you look great in it! I’m also thumbs up for the zipper at the front! I’m trying to ignore the recipe for now hehe!
LikeLike
Yessss, with half a pound of butter in these bad boys this recipe’s definitely not for weight watchers! Delicious, though – even hubby (who says he doesn’t like sweets) can’t resist them.
LikeLike
What a great dress. Love the fabric: really a perfect match for the 50’s look.
LikeLike
Thanks. The fabrics vintage too. 🙂
LikeLike
The dress looks gorgeous on you, beautiful fabric for it and I love the dyed colour.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Looks good! The dress AND the recipe!
LikeLike
And both are quick and easy to make!
LikeLike
Oohh this dress is so darling! The pattern is probably one I could easily pass over just based on the envelope but seeing it all made up beautifully in cozy wool has me doing a double take! I love the details and pleats in the front that give it character. Fantastic work! I must now keep a much more open mind next time I’m vintage pattern hunting!
LikeLike
I know, there are so many pretty vintage patterns out there it’s too easy to walk right past a good basic. This pattern was a great choice for the fabric, because it allowed me to cut the stripes to form chevrons around the body.
Bonus – the neckline is close fitting and slightly raised, stopping the nasty draft from the aircon at work blowing down my neck – plus it has pockets!
LikeLike
Also, I must say putting the zip in front was genius! It will make changing a breeze. No more being stuck in a dress you can’t unzip! Haha I have short arms this is a problem for me.
LikeLike
In the middle of winter a front zip will definitely speed up changing time. Trying to eliminate back zips when possible – finding them increasingly difficult to do up on cold mornings. I should really do more yoga!
LikeLike
Corn starch, maybe? We call it cornflour here in New Zealand (and the UK) “the white, powdered starch of the maize grain”, according to Wikipedia.
LikeLike
These sound yummy! Does the cornmeal make them slightly crunchy?
Love this dress – you’ve used a great-looking fabric, too!
LikeLike
Corn starch, maybe? We call it cornflour here in New Zealand (and the UK) “the white, powdered starch of the maize grain”, according to Wikipedia.
LikeLike
Oh! Yes, that sounds like corn starch here!
Thanks so much for catching that!
Wouldn’t have come out properly.
Lol!
LikeLike