Confessions of a Pattern Junkie

I confess that I have "vintage smocked dress pattern" saved as one of my favorite Ebay searches. I bought this little dandy 4-5 years ago. How fun it would be to have a little girl again to make this New England style coat and bonnet. I can see it in a deep blue woolen fabric, smocked with light blues and vintage white, bullion roses scattered across the pleated, semi bishop shape of the coat. Well there are always grand babies, a girl can dream!

Check it out. McCalls 1311, copyright 1946.
At the bottom of the pattern the writing reads:

Toddler's Coat and Bonnet
A delectable coat and bonnet for your Very Young Pet. The dainty smocked coat has semi raglan sleeves and a nice fullness. Smart in pink, blue or white. The bonnet may be ruffle trimmed or plain.

How is that for a description.

The pattern construction is actually quite simple. The smocking is what dresses up the coat and makes it look stunning. I taught myself to smock around 10 years ago and have made lots of smocked dresses for my youngest daughter and lots of other little girls too. Once the basics are figured out it is an easy and an enjoyable past time.


I call this coat and bonnet a "New England" style coat and bonnet not because I know that to be true but I have several friends that are from the New England states. When I've seen photographs of them as children or their children, I have without fail seen little coats and bonnets just like this pattern.