Vintage Pattern = Sizing Up!

I didn't realise that when you buy a dress pattern you should always look at the measurements and not the actual dress size! I had read online somewhere that when shopping for vintage patterns that you should always size up at least twice, but I didn't think this applied to modern patterns as well. When I started my dress making course I was aware that I would have to have a pattern that I wanted to make already decided before the course started so I chose a lovely vintage piece that I had bought from a fair months before. Whenim bought this pattern i had been quite naive and thought because it stated a size 14, I would be quite safe I the sizing. How wrong was I! It wasn't until mŷ correct measurements were taken, that i realised how much it would have to be adapted to fit my 'modern' lady shape. Every single element of this 1967 dress had to be tweeked and altered in order for it to fit. At the start of my course this seemed like a mammoth task, but as the weeks went on I realised that it wasn't as difficult as first expected. Every pattern piece has to be widened to suit my body shape and after this was done a mock up was made out of an old sheet that I has lying around. This test piece was invaluable, as it taught me to cut from a pattern, mark and them sew darts and also the realisation that not all dresses made fit first time! After adapting all of the pattern pieces, I cut them to the final material and am now in the process of putting it altogether. I have four weeks left of my course and I am determined to get the dress finished before it ends and them maybe I might be brave enough to take on my own projects, or maybe I might stay on for another term!