Fashion Fabrics from 1940

[RetroBabydoll]

Wow, thanks everyone, for your Thank Yous! I scanned these last year while in fashion school - most of our projects were really strict, you had to design activewear or Young Missy dresses, but I got to do one collection of vintage repro (on paper only, not conceived). I scanned these and used the prints in my collection, I know I used a tropical palm tree print and the anchor print.

No wonder you're so great at sewing. They probably went over that with you in fashion school. How did that go? What are you doing now? Sorry it's a bit off topic.

 

[Sunny]

What's the best kind of fabric to use for sewing? I hope to start some outfits someday, but have never really made anything. I never thought that woven cotton would be different than other cotton types. Thank you for telling me because I never knew.

Well, it does depend on what you're making. Some things, like tailored shirt dresses, really look pretty good in crisp woven cottons. Other dresses are meant to be drapey and need to be done in rayons or light wools.

I'd actually start with a woven cotton, because it is very easy to sew on. Rayons can be pretty slick and even slithery, and the draped patterns tend to be more challenging anyway. A good halfway point is a lightweight woven cotton, since it has the stability of heavier cotton but hangs nicer and not so stiff. Also, in my experience, reproduction prints tend to be printed on nicer-quality, smoother and lighter cotton. Not all quilting cottons are created equal. And wrinkles are just a fact of life when you use cotton.

Reproduction Fabrics is a favorite of mine for repro prints.

 

[CanadaDoll]

I just found three yards of reproduction print barkcloth fabric, I'm short enough that I should be able to get a dress out of it I can't wait to get it started!

 

[RetroBabydoll]

Well, it does depend on what you're making. Some things, like tailored shirt dresses, really look pretty good in crisp woven cottons. Other dresses are meant to be drapey and need to be done in rayons or light wools.

I'd actually start with a woven cotton, because it is very easy to sew on. Rayons can be pretty slick and even slithery, and the draped patterns tend to be more challenging anyway. A good halfway point is a lightweight woven cotton, since it has the stability of heavier cotton but hangs nicer and not so stiff. Also, in my experience, reproduction prints tend to be printed on nicer-quality, smoother and lighter cotton. Not all quilting cottons are created equal. And wrinkles are just a fact of life when you use cotton.

Reproduction Fabrics is a favorite of mine for repro prints.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Last_Chael]

I love using lightweight cottons, they are so easy to sew! I know it's not fantastic, but I started by sewing with polycotton (also called poplin). It flows really well, comes in a huge variety of colours and is probably the easiest fabric you'll ever sew with!

I generally keep my eye out for simple cotton prints, usually florals and the like. You can usually find nice retroish prints in lightweight cottons.

 

[Snookie]

RetroBabydoll, I loved fashion school - I had already gone to college, but I wanted vocational training. I went to the same school that Lauren attended, FIDM, although both of us already knew how to sew when we got started. I went to learn patternmaking. Now I work in technical design (imports) for a denim company. A lot of patternmaking jobs have gone overseas, and technical design has sprung up as the link between the designer and the factory.

RE: fabric for sewing, there isn't a "best" choice. There just different options, which give different effects. BUT, lightweight cotton is an easy fabric to sew, so it's a great option for beginning. Sunny's explanation is great.

Patterns usually give recommendations for fabrics that will work well for that style. Look on the back of the envelope, and ask an employee at the store if you can't find it.

 

[CanadaDoll]

This is such great info, thanks so much everyone! I keep learning so many neat little tips and tricks

 

[normanpitkin]

excuse me,but!

sorry to intrude ladies ,but this(textile design )is actually what I do for a living and I can tell you i am doing a lot of 1940's designs at the moment for Topshop and Wallis shops!Not only that but they are being printed on viscose crepes and cotton voiles,both very apt fabrics.I am going to show some of the buyers at Wallis these pages from the catalogue later on today to show them what real designs were really like!

 

[Snookie]

wow, that's really neat, norman! I hope the buyers react favorably! I've been seeing more vintage prints on clothes lately, too. Hope some of that fabric trickles down to the jobbers for us homesewers to snatch up!!

Wish we had Topshop and Wallis out here, but I'm sure the UK ladies are grateful for your efforts.

 

[Honey Doll]

I love those plaid woolens! I am trying to find a green and brown plaid to make a swagger suit, and having no luck. All the greens these days seem to be olive and chartreuse, which looks like liver damage on me. I want emerald or forest!
Also wish they still made metal cloth... all the plastic lame's are so stiff. I want to make a wool and lame dress a la 1934. With lame sleeves and yoke. Anyone seen any metal cloth?

Here's a nice suit weight green plaid. I order from this place frequently. the quality is excellent.

http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/catalog_itemdetail.aspx?ItmID=MM163

Honey Doll

 

[KittyAnneMalloo]

I realise I'm bumping a really old thread so I hope thats OK, if not could someone move it to the right place

I have just found this cotton in the patchwork shop. It washes up really soft and I think it would hang well once made up......but my question is?

I will be making a 1940's day dress soooooo would this print be close enought to period correct? The colour isn't showning true, it's what my Mum would call puce?

 

[tuppencehapenny]

Ooh thanks for bumping the thread.

Those catalog scans are orgeous! I love the sailor print, and I WANT the pattern for the dress on p371!

KittyAnne, that print looks pretty period-appropriate to me - I could definitely see a cotton housedress in that.

 

[Miss Sis]

Kitty, it looks vintage, yes, but more like what you might make a nightdress out of than a day dress. Prints for 1940s dresses tended to be much bolder prints and colours, I've found, at least for womens clothes. That looks more like a print for a little girls dress.

You could perhaps make a blouse and pair it with a solid skirt?

 

[Foofoogal]

Marked copyright Pattern Rights Inc. A Screen Print. Guaranteed Washable Colors, Preshrunk
--------------------fftopic:
http://www.tias.com/7617/PictPage/1921175817.html

I would really appreciate some help with this fabric. Not my forte. Does anyone recognize the copyrighted info and what age possibly?
Thanks. Sandy

 

[MissHawthorne]

Thank you for the bump! This is good resource to have.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Thank you for the bump! This is good resource to have.

Yeah for the Bump. I have a war era spiegels catalog some day I will try to do some scans for you but our computer that we have connected to the scanner just bit it and for some reason my laptop does not want to communicate with that machine.

 

[Foofoogal]

Noone knows the label on my fabric? When did they start copyrighting fabric?
Maybe I will just make some pillows or something for Fall with it. [huh]