Friday, January 19, 2007

What is Three Armhole Dress?

I have found several of these pattern from the 1960s. They are jiffy dresses all dating from 1966-69. They look like they could be good beach dresses to me. I've have found several designs of them for women and girls. I found references to people making them as their first Home Ec. project. They are sometimes called a three armhole dress or a wrap-arounder dress. If you want to find one on ebay - you will have to search for a wrap arounder.



You see above: McCall's 9181, McCall's 9109, Simplicity 8080, Simplicity 7484, Butterick 4699, Simplicity 7572


If you want your daughter to match you try Simplicity 7617 or Simplicity 7518.


Here is a new take on this design by fashion student.



With a bit of searching (gotta love Google), I found someone IS selling this dress as beachwear.

This is in Australia! This is a direct copy of one of the 60s patterns. Just add your own fun beach print!


Adeline André was awarded a patent for a three sleeve hole dress in 1981.... hmm... What made it different?




I have a few for sale on my website Patterns from the Past Simplicity 60's dresses or Patterns from the Past McCall's 60's dresses. Maybe you can alter one into quick high fashion, or as a new beach dress!

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Additional information: according to the McCall's 9181 pattern. The term "wrap-arounder" is a trademark of the McCall corporation. I keep searching and finding more variations on this pattern, all from the late 1960s.

3 comments:

Devorah said...

For the novice sewer ... where is the third armhole? Is it called that because the dress seems to wrap around?

Oldpatterns said...

The 3rd armhole is either on the right or the left side. It depends on which way you wrap the dress. The dress is usually a long rectangle with 3 holes in the top. Stick your right arm in the dress, then the left, wrap it around again and insert the right. It is simple wrap around dress.

cj said...

Back in 1967 I found this little 3-arm dress pattern after my 3 year old daughter broke her arm and was in a large cast. Dressing her was next to impossible. These dresses were great. I now have 2 great grandaughters and I'd love to find a pattern about size 2, so I can start over.