Best repro/retro patterns for vintage styles

[Ms Sew-n-Sew]

I'm making up a Collette Patterns Ceylon dress at the minute:
http://www.colettepatterns.com/shop/ceylon
It's not repro, but vintage inspired and very sweet.

It is very easy to follow, with clear instructions - will post pics once it's done!
I've also used a Folkwear overall pattern and that also went very smoothly with minor adjustments for fitting.

 

[clubwitsend]

I just had a nosey at the Vogue Vintage and Butterick Retro collections. There's a sale on at the moment, and they're all about $4.95.

You probably all knew that, right?

What site are these on sale on???? Exciting!!!

 

[Lottie]

It was on Voguepatterns.com, but it seems that the sale is already over..

 

[Kate O Potato]

Yup, same here! There's a link to the Butterick site at the top of the Vogue website, but their Retro pattern sale is over too! I'll keep my eyes open in case they have another sale.

 

[sixsexsix]

you can usually find a lot of these repro patterns on etsy, where i'm sure the shipping cost will be a little cheaper

 

[crwritt]

I'm making up a Collette Patterns Ceylon dress at the minute:
http://www.colettepatterns.com/shop/ceylon
It's not repro, but vintage inspired and very sweet.

It is very easy to follow, with clear instructions - will post pics once it's done!

That is a cute style dress, but I wish the sample they used to show it had been sewn with more precision. It bugs me that the buttons do not line up down the center front. It just makes it look like it doesn't fit the model. Sorry to be picky, but you'd think a professional designer would use a well made sample to illustrate the product.

 

[Ms Sew-n-Sew]

I'll make sure mine line up perfectly!

 

[Miss Jay]

It was on Voguepatterns.com, but it seems that the sale is already over..

If you sign up on the Vogue/McCalls/Butterick website for their newsletter emails, they seem to have a sale on one or other of the brands every week or so! I've only bought once because of the horrendous shipping; I just waited until there were 3 or 4 patterns I wanted at once and they were all on sale.

 

[lareine]

Their shipping is pricey, but it's extremely fast. I had a box of patterns on my doorstep in New Zealand less than a week after ordering it! I saved enough when they were selling Vogue patterns for $3.99 to make the shipping worthwhile.

 

[GrrlFriday]

I just finished the dress to the Butterick 5214 repro last week and I absolutely adore it. Fast, easy, and so pretty. I'll post a pic as soon as I take one.

I've had my eye on some EvaDress and Decades of Style patterns, as well as some of Lady Day's on Etsy. Does anyone know how easy/hard, in general, these would be for a 6-month-old sewer?

 

[SugarKitten]

That is a cute style dress, but I wish the sample they used to show it had been sewn with more precision. It bugs me that the buttons do not line up down the center front. It just makes it look like it doesn't fit the model. Sorry to be picky, but you'd think a professional designer would use a well made sample to illustrate the product.

I love the Ceylon dress! Someone here (Cici?) made it up, and that was the first I'd seen of it. I've been in love since. If you go to the gallery, you can see other people's versions. I have always thought the one that is supposed to sell it does not do he dress justice!

 

[kymeratale]

If you sign up on the Vogue/McCalls/Butterick website for their newsletter emails, they seem to have a sale on one or other of the brands every week or so! I've only bought once because of the horrendous shipping; I just waited until there were 3 or 4 patterns I wanted at once and they were all on sale.

Yup, that is the way to go. I figured out fairly quickly that there is no need to ever pay full price for patterns from the big-4. Between sales at my local fabric shop and sales online, just wait a bit if there is a pattern you want and then snap it up.
I just bought this Vintage Vogue for $3.99,

To make up in this fabric,

I will post a review when it is done, which will be a bit as there are several things ahead of it in line. It will need some fiddling with the fabric since it is a one-way design and the circle skirt pieces will be too wide. I figure I will match and seam up the fabric to get the right width before I cut out the pieces.

I am still pretty new to sewing and I am totally chicken about actual vintage patterns, so I am going the repro pattern route for now.

 

[Vaihingen]

The Vogue sale is back on, but ends Wednesday!:eusa_clap

I bought two of their 40s dresses and one of their 40s suits. I've looked over the pieces and don't think I'll need to do any adjustments whatsoever (in the past I've had trouble messing with crotch rises), but is there anything y'all have come up against with their patterns?

 

[Lauren]

I've made several of the Vogue repro patterns and I'm just so-so about them. I know some gals really love them, but I'm on the fence. I actually lean more towards not liking them. I found the instructions to be overly complicated and the fit strange. They also add a lot of ease to the patterns- like way more than is needed. But I've had the same issue with any of the big 3- their patterns always run on the large side for me. I found they lowered the armholes as well, so lifting your arms can be somewhat difficult, especially if dancing.

 

[Lady Day]

Id agree with Lauren on the crazy ease added to the Vintage Vogue patterns. The Simplicity retro ones have it as well. They seem to have redone the vintage designs with modern comfort and that makes for a bad combination.

LD

 

[swinggal]

Vogue patterns..uggh. They seem so complicated and it seemed to me that essential instructions were missing. My dressmaker friend couldn't even work some of the stuff out and we had to improvise. Even now, it still not right due to adjustments I had to make.

I made this one. It's a lovely dress but it seems lopsided in the bust area because I had to take it in a bit. The ease is crazy and the bust area ended up being too droopy on me - even though it was in my size! Will post some pics now I have a dressmakers dummy to hang it on.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Vogue patterns..uggh. They seem so complicated and it seemed to me that essential instructions were missing. My dressmaker friendm couldn't even work some of the stuff out and we had to improvise. Even now this are still not right due to adjustments I had to make.

I made this one. It's a lovely dress but it seems lopsided in the bust area because I had to take it in a bit.The ease is crazy and the bust area ended up being too droopy on me - even though it was in my size! Will post some pics now I have a dressmakers dummy to hang it on.

Agree with every word of this. VV patterns are GINOURMOUS in the bust. I've had to adjust every single one I've made. Also agree that in instructions are kinda vague (and they say 30s instructions are! lol)

The more I sew, the less I like modern patterns and the more I like authentic oldies. I'm not saying one is better than the other because I do love a lot of repro designs, I just find the oldies to be easier to figure out (seriously) and truer to size.

 

[lareine]

I am so happy to read about the Vintage Vogue patterns being huge in the bust! That is my most difficult area to fit, and if these patterns already have extra ease in that area then I shouldn't need to make so many adjustments. Hurray!

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

The more I sew, the less I like modern patterns and the more I like authentic oldies. I'm not saying one is better than the other because I do love a lot of repro designs, I just find the oldies to be easier to figure out (seriously) and truer to size.

^ This. I used to buy modern patterns (both modern and repro styles), and the ease they add is crazy. Fitting became so much easier when I moved to vintage patterns! There are quirks about them, too - a lot of styles don't look good without shapewear, for instance - but the fit is SO much better.

 

[swinggal]

I'm glad to hear I am not the only one then. I actually saw some of the original Vogue patterns that they have based the new repro ones from on ebay the other day. I'd like to see what the original instructions and pattern were like and if there are differences.