Show us your vintage patterns!

[CanaryBird]

Hey ladies! I'm a newbie here - just as a wee sideline - who does your perth swing website? it's the hottest swing site in the world (well that i've come across) - i'm from New Zealand, and your site alone makes me want to go to hulabaloo next year!!

 

[swinggal]

Haha! A dancer and web designer named Trev designs our site. He is a very talented and does other sites for schools here too:
http://www.swingjunction.com

I do all of the print design for the PSDS so we cross ideas a lot. The girl on the Hullaballo site is what our shirts ended up having on them and I designed that. I send Trev alot of images and he puts some of them into place for me along with his own stuff.

Glad you like it.

 

[Kaela]

Modern Pattern Fallacy

Now, I've tried these new-fangled patterns, too. I think it really depends on what you learned on, lines can be helpful, but if you're not used to them, the instructions and the general flow of the steps seems odd and confusing... Just because it's modern doesn't mean it's easier, you can find yourself an old pattern cheaper, and I think it's much better giving the old things life again... though I have had a harder time finding evening gown patterns. I probably am just bashing the remade ones because I had a bad experience with one (maybe also had to do with my poor choice of fabric). In any event, it was just a lot of money for the thing..

Oh! Anybody who ever wants to take any of my recommendations, take this one! I found a wonderful website online, http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com I haven't ever found such beautiful fabric, also http://www.equilter.com has some nice ones, but it has the same trouble as JoAnne's, it's all quilting fabric! If you want something lovely for your evening gown, fashion fabrics club has the best fabric I have found yet, silk at $7.75/yard!!! Lovely silk, too. They have so many fabrics that look almost dead-on period correct! There's also a large selection of linens that are not only period correct in the print (nice, classic hawaiian prints, florals, and the like) but because they are linen, any vintage pattern you get (sundresses, some swimsuits *40s*) the fabric will work perfectly and lay nicely. Also nice wool! If you fellas are listening, or ladies would like to make something nice for him, there are some lovely heavy and light weight wools, matching exactly the weaves I have seen in old magazines! Well there's my favorite fabric link.. It's my little secret i hoard from the younger, or less self-educated, crowds who are looking for a quick and superficial vintage-fix - if you're a good seamstress don't waste your talent on quilting fabric!

Anyway, I wouldn't fret about not digging the prints on vintage gowns, just because it might have been more popular for a certain crowd doesn't mean it might have been for you... had you been around then, there were alternatives, they don't have to be big prints, there are some florals that almost look solid. I don't think I have seen a year that had exclusively print evening gowns, solid silks are classic, the colour is important to consider, so maybe look at some old fashion sketches, I see a lot of black, maroon, emerald greens, sometimes yellows, too. Lots of odd colours, too, which I love, it seems that there are some colours we really don't use much more, almost in-between colours without a name... I would look for something like that if I were you because it will make the dress more dramatic.

P.S. I'm new here and I've been waiting forever to get a earthlink address to join. I just love this forum! And thank heavens for the powder room!

 

[DecoDahlia]

Vintage Pattern Lending Library

If any of you ladies are crack seamstresses, The Vintage Pattern Lending Library has authentic vintage patterns that you can either borrow or buy; they also sell on E-Bay.

htpp://www.vpll.org/

They also have a share of men's patterns too. The only drawback with their patterns is that they don't come with instructions, so you have to be a pretty good sewer to know what pieces to sew first, how to piece the garment together. Hope this helps.

 

[Jen]

"vintage" patterns

If you're really ambitious, or just want ideas for really glam gowns and wnat to understand bias cut, this book is fantastic:

Madeleine Vionnet / Betty Kirke ; foreword by Issye Miyake.
Imprint San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 1998

It has scale diagrams of patterns for fantastic Vionnet dresses. The book is out of print and very pricey if you get it used, but it's in a lot of libraries.

 

[decodoll]

If you're really ambitious, or just want ideas for really glam gowns and wnat to understand bias cut, this book is fantastic:

Madeleine Vionnet / Betty Kirke ; foreword by Issye Miyake.
Imprint San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 1998

It has scale diagrams of patterns for fantastic Vionnet dresses. The book is out of print and very pricey if you get it used, but it's in a lot of libraries.

Actually, Chronicle Books just rereleased it. And I'll second that... it is a fabulous book!

 

[DecoDahlia]

Madeleine Vionnet

I took a class using the patterns in Betty Kirke's book, which was a really good education when it came to the bias cut. The way we did it was to take transparencies of the patterns in the book and then project them on a wall using a projector, to adjust for size. We found that some of the simpler '20's patterns were more successful and wound-up looking more like the illustrations than some of the '30's patterns. We used muslins/toiles before we made our garments out of the actual fabric, which really helped when it came to cutting the final pieces. We also did a lot of draping on dummies, which was better for sizing the garments than following the pattern, as it allowed for adjustments with the bias stretch.

 

[Jen]

vionnet

I took a class using the patterns in Betty Kirke's book, which was a really good education when it came to the bias cut. The way we did it was to take transparencies of the patterns in the book and then project them on a wall using a projector, to adjust for size. We found that some of the simpler '20's patterns were more successful and wound-up looking more like the illustrations than some of the '30's patterns. We used muslins/toiles before we made our garments out of the actual fabric, which really helped when it came to cutting the final pieces. We also did a lot of draping on dummies, which was better for sizing the garments than following the pattern, as it allowed for adjustments with the bias stretch.

Thanks! this is great info.

 

[BixChix26]

vintage patterns

I finally got sick of my authentic '20s dresses falling apart on me, so took the leap and bought a couple of repro vintage patterns. I'm not much of a seamstress, so I looked for the easiest ones I could find from a fantastic Web site -- The Vintage Pattern Lending Library.

My question to you seamstresses is, where do you get vintage patterns, or at least decent modern reproduction patterns? The "historical" patterns of Simplicity and Butterick are full of nothing but Scarlett O'Hara and damsels in distress!

lmt

 

[ohairas]

HI! Try this site, http://www.pastpatterns.com/

~Ohairas

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I would suggest starting with modern repro patterns, unless you have a talented friend who can help you! Most vintage patterns are not printed, and many use techniques that we really don't use today. I used to work with a seamstress who made dresses for me from a couple of old patterns--she hated working with vintage patterns! And for someone with 30 years in the business to say they are a challenge speaks volumes!

But, you can find simpler patterns for little blouses, aprons, etc., which would be good for a start.

Vogue and Simplicity patterns both came out with vintage or vintage inspired styles in the past few years. Vogue's line is called "Vintage Vogue"; unfortunately, Simplicity sort of buries these patterns among the rest.

You can also try the Vintage Pattern lending Library (they sell on eBay as well):
http://www.vpll.org/

www.thebluegardenia.com
www.evadress.com

Also, I noticed that ReVamp Vintage Clothing added a few more 1920s styles to their catalog--you can always pick up an authentic repro if you are in a hurry!

There are a few experienced seamstresses on this site though, and I’m sure they would be glad to offer advice and suggestions!

 

[jitterbugdoll]

You might email EvaDress or the Pattern Lending Library. It's possible that they have the patterns you are looking for, but they haven't posted them due to lack of interest. . .could be worth a shot!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Found this site

http://www.longago.com/

 

[Doe Peterson]

I've also had great luck at flea markets. I live in Los Angeles and I have found many dealers who sell patterns at the flea market at Pasadena City College. But I'll try the sites above as well.

My question is how do you find a good seamtress and about how much do they charge?

 

[Lauren]

is the pattern lending library the one you need a subscription to? I have heard pretty bad reviews, if so. I might suggest you buy the catalog from AlterYears, which has reproductions from all periods of the past or try out folkwear. Although they aren't always the most authentic, they give you the look with minimal effort. Past Patterns made a line quite a while back called Attic Copies, which are reproductions of period patterns. Also try Patterns of Time h for online patterns. The ladythat runs it is the sweetest thing ever and they have fast shipping. Check out the Great Pattern Review from the Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild for posted pictures and reviews of pattern lines. It is one of the best resources I have found! Compare the pattern lines you are thinking of buying from with the reviews of them. Happy sewing

 

[Lauren]

I forgot. I get almost all my vintage patterns of Ebay, but make sure that the description says the pattern is complete! I spent about $25 on a 30's pattern once that had pieces missing. Guess I learned my lesson! And be sure to check the measurements. The sizing changes throughout the years, so a size 14 in the 40's had a larger waist measurement than the size 14 in the 50's, then in the 60's they seem to have entirely disregarded the sizing of previous decades. I've gotten some stellar patterns on there for a steal, but as jitterbugdoll says, they are harder to sew with than modern patterns so a knowledge of construction is essential. If you buy Mccall (or Mccall's from the early 40's on) they were printed since before the 1920's so you'll get something closer to what you're accustomed to. And don't expect more than a page of instructions that are written with minimal pictures. I love my vintage patterns, but they sure took a while to get used to!

 

[swinggal]

Patterns from the past is great site too and try ebay. I buy a lot of patterns there.

http://www.oldpatterns.com/

 

[BixChix26]

Lauren et al, thanks! I did receive two patterns from the lending library; they look pretty simple, but I'm a sewing simp, so...let's just say I won't be spending a lot of money on expensive fabrics.

 

[Lauren]

Ooh. fun! Which ones did you get? You have to post pics once you get them made up!

 

[BixChix26]

'20s house dress and early '30s day dress. I tried to copy pix here but it didn't work. so here are the links.

http://www.vpll.org/library/twenties/z101.html
http://www.vpll.org/library/thirties/t2560.html


they look easy, don't they? (i hope!)