Oh she’s my dear my darling one...Darby O’Gill Dress!

I’ve grown up watching the fabulously creative Disney film ‘Darby O’Gill and the Little People’(1959). It’s always been a family tradition to watch it every St. Patrick’s Day. If you haven’t seen it, go find it now! It is hilarious and delightful, and a very young pre-James Bond Sean Connery stars in it. What’s more, he sings! It’s magic.

The leading lady, Janet Muro, who plays Katie has a lovely Sunday best dress in the film that I’ve been wanting to recreate for a good ten years.

One of my favourite places to order fabric from is Denver Fabrics. They recently had a sale and I ordered a multi-coloured small houndstooth rayon to use for a Katie dress. Her dress in the film is more of an orange/ brown combination, but I was happy with my fabric choice, and knew I wouldn’t be making an exact copy anyway.

Two close-ups of the Darby O’Gill dress, and the fabric I bought. 

I used a pattern from the late 1930s which I’d used before and knew would turn out well, although I would be altering the bodice a great deal!

The original pattern instructs to cut the bodice on the fold, but I made it two pieces, as well as further cutting the front tabs, which in the original pattern are gathered details on the bodice. 

I also had to insert a panel with pin-tucks, which terrified me a little, as I’ve always avoided pin-tucks in the past. I also had trouble with the collar. My neckline was too wide for a traditional collar, so I ended up finishing it off with bias tape and lace and am quite happy with the result. 

I also made my dress shorter than the one in the film, which is ankle-length.