Hello my friends! Thank you for stopping by my little meager blog and reading my posts! Today, I am sharing my thoughts and review of the Butterick B6318 pattern. This is a 1960s retro pattern, and it is very easy! So easy that a beginner, who has had no experience in sewing whatsoever, can sew it up in a day or two!
I posted a video of this pattern review on my YouTube channel, so you can also watch the video of my thoughts and review of this pattern here.
I mentioned in one of my YouTube videos that I don’t have a favorite sewing pattern because I tend to jump from sewing one pattern to sewing another one and I never really give myself a chance to sew a pattern more than once.
I absolutely couldn’t help myself with this pattern! I loved it SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much that I sewed another garment using this same pattern within a week of sewing the first garment!
I will include pictures of both garments in this post so you can see them!
Pattern Review:
The Butterick B6318 pattern is rated as an easy pattern for beginners, and I would absolutely agree with this classification.
The pattern features a semi-fitted bodice with a high neckline, and tie ends, which you can use to wrap around the front or back of the body.
Although the pattern features two variations, there is only really one style and one pattern within the envelope. The “second variation” features a contrasting band. So really, it’s the same dress, but you can choose a different fabric for your tie ends/band.
The suggested fabrics for this pattern are taffeta, gingham, and broadcloth fabrics. I chose a black and white gingham fabric for the first dress that I made, and I paired it with a red broadcloth fabric for the contrasting band, as you see below.
I made the second dress out of this navy blue, white, and gold calico floral print fabric that I purchased from Joann Fabrics and Crafts.
Although I am in love with this pattern and the easiness of it, I don’t like the very high neckline. I will certainly redraft this pattern and drop this neckline in the future.
Also, I was not impressed that the pattern design has more gathers in the back of the skirt than in the front of the skirt. But these are all preferences! The actual pattern is a wonderful carefully drafted design!
The pattern’s instructions say to do a narrow hem, (5/8″ allowance). I did this for the first dress that I made, but for the second dress I did a blind hem machine stitch. I Like the blind hem much more.
One reason why this pattern is so very easy….
It features Kimono sleeves! When I was a beginning sewist I absolutely dreaded inserting sleeves into a garment. It was a nightmare for me. And to be quite honest about it, I still hate inserting sleeves into a garment, even after all these years! So I love the Kimono style shirts, dresses, dusters, jackets etc… because not only do they look great, they have a vintage look to them and they are SUPER EASY to sew!
This pattern has about 7 steps to follow, and they are simple! After putting the darts in the front and back sections of the garment, you would put the front and back neck facings on the garment, sew the shoulder seams, sew the front and back sections of the garment together at the side seams, gather the skirt and attach it to the bodice, put the zip in the back of the garment, and hem the dress! Seriously, it is that simple! Of course you would need to finish your seams (pink, serge, zigzag or whatever you choose) before sewing the garment together, but you get the idea!
I had such a wonderful time sewing this pattern that I have plans to sew it yet again, possibly before the end of this year. I was supposed to sew another garment using this pattern last week with a really nice gray, black, and yellow bird fabric I purchased from Joann Fabrics and Crafts, but the fabric was on a 45″ wide fabric and I didn’t have enough to make the garment.
That reminds me… If you have plans to make this garment, I highly suggest that you purchase a 60″ wide fabric. It would make life a whole lot easier for you!
After sewing this project I felt much more in tuned with my skills as a sewist! I was feeling defeated after making the Simplicity 1278 pattern, you can read more about that make here.
Mostly, I was annoyed that I couldn’t get the pleats along the neckband to line up. Anyway, I was frustrated with myself. But after making the Butterick B6318 pattern I felt like I got my “sewjo” back! I think going back to the basics allows us to see how far we have come as seamstresses and help us to better appreciate the skills we have attained in the process of struggling to get things right!
I most definitely give this pattern a thumbs up, and I highly recommend this pattern to sewists of all skill levels, and I also encourage newbies to make this pattern a first dress pattern (if you have not had a chance to sew a dress yet). The construction is straight forward and simple, and the directions are very easy to read and follow! It is on my top list of patterns by the big four that is most easy to read and follow! Seriously, this is a MUST have pattern for sewists!
OK! That’s enough ranting for today! If you don’t have the pattern, GO PURCHASE IT!
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Until next time, Stay Creative!
Crumpets, Tea & Sewing 
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