Show us your vintage patterns!

[pennyseranade]

Being tight on money, I'm not giving up! I took up a 1/2in fold through the crotch area on the pattern itself, before cutting. I have since trimmed off another 1/2in off the top edge. I think I need to trim off another 1/2in, then it will be good. However, at this point, I'll need a much narrower hem and will need to redo the darts at the back waist. While my tester fabric was cheap, it's a nice, dark denim that will be wearable if I get it right. With each little adjustment, they are looking better and better. I'm surprised at how good I look in full pants, now that they fit. I've tried full pants in the past and felt like a whale. BTW, the pattern says it's a 28 waist, but it fits me like a dream (except crotch length) and I have a 31 waist.

It's funny you say that it fits your 31" when marked a 28"...I generally find that in modern patterns if I size by measurements, it ends up two sizes too big.lol I have dark denim lying around that was supposed to be for these, I might rework the pattern and give the denim a whirl. However, I've never reworked a pattern before, so I have to find out what needs to be done to adjust it first.

 

[pennyseranade]

Sorry to hear this pattern didn't work out! I appreciate the tip though - I was considering getting that pattern, but I think I'll skip it. Not much you can do do to fix it now, but I'm glad you didn't waste expensive fabric.

Thanks...I don't know if it will help at all, but I was thinking about hacking a few inches off the top and reattaching the waistband. It will reek havok on the pockets and leave me with two buttons instead of four, but if it makes them wearable it's worth a shot. Before you write the pattern off, see how kamikat makes out with the adjustments she's made.

 

[Myn]

Amateis, do you have access to a sewing machine now? Here's a link to Erin at her Dress A Day blog just in case. www.dressaday.com/2008/ 01/how-to-choose-sewing-machine.html

Edit: that url isn't working right, but my internet isn't working right either, so I can't go to the Dress a Day site to make the link better. (The internet will let me go to some sites and not others right now--it's a mystery). I'll have my husband figure it out over the weekend and fix the link if you haven't found it by then. Sorry!

 

[Lotus Leroux]

Here are a couple patterns I bought recently on-line. I cannot wait to make them up!

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

Great patterns, Lotus! I love the utility look with the practical shoes and the knee socks, I've never seen a pattern drawing like that before.

 

[Lotus Leroux]

Thanks ShrinkingViolet!

I agree with you, I always love the illustrations too!

 

[AmateisGal]

Amateis, do you have access to a sewing machine now? Here's a link to Erin at her Dress A Day blog just in case. www.dressaday.com/2008/ 01/how-to-choose-sewing-machine.html

Edit: that url isn't working right, but my internet isn't working right either, so I can't go to the Dress a Day site to make the link better. (The internet will let me go to some sites and not others right now--it's a mystery). I'll have my husband figure it out over the weekend and fix the link if you haven't found it by then. Sorry!

Myn, I think my Mom and I are going to go in together and buy a sewing machine - thanks so much for the link! It will help out a lot.

 

[MJrules]

I wish I could be as sassy as the girls on the envelopes!

This is silly, my measurements match a vintage 14 perfectly but everything came out so big! Even a size 12 is a little off...I'm a little scared to try a size 10, 29" bust?!

I only have 4 from the 40s:
The DuBarry is mocking me with its unprinted pieces (shaking fist)

And too many from the 50s, these are just some:

Is anyone interested in buying 50s size 14 (32-26-35) patterns? If you are then I can post in the Classifieds and avoid the bay.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

Don't be scared of unprinted patterns! One on my first dresses was from a 1930s unprinted pattern. It was easy to do and the finished product is so cute! I'll wear it again (it's more of a summer dress) and post it in the "Show Us What You Made" thread. Why haven't I posted before you ask. Again, blame the darned belt. Why can't every store have belt buckles? Why do I have to go to three stores before I can find one that's even close to what I need?

 

[ShooShooBaby]

Don't be scared of unprinted patterns! One on my first dresses was from a 1930s unprinted pattern. It was easy to do and the finished product is so cute! I'll wear it again (it's more of a summer dress) and post it in the "Show Us What You Made" thread. Why haven't I posted before you ask. Again, blame the darned belt. Why can't every store have belt buckles? Why do I have to go to three stores before I can find one that's even close to what I need?

i concur! the third (and most complicated) thing i ever made was a top from a 1941 blank pattern. i used a vintage "how to sew" book, which assumed the use of blank patterns and that helped A LOT. as for belt buckles (along with buttons on the original card), i buy cute vintage ones when i find them cheap, and hoard them till i find use for them (or until the end of time, mwahaha!)

 

[Pink Dahlia]

Maybe you know RedHotRidinHood. She does the same thing with belt buckles and I tell you we tried damn near every one of her buckles and not a single one fit my belts!

 

[Cherry_Bombb]

I'll often save an old belt that I like the buckle to and then recover it to match something. Then I skip that whole "finding something to fit" step.

 

[pennyseranade]

This is silly, my measurements match a vintage 14 perfectly but everything came out so big! Even a size 12 is a little off...I'm a little scared to try a size 10, 29" bust?!

I only have 4 from the 40s:
The DuBarry is mocking me with its unprinted pieces (shaking fist)

And too many from the 50s, these are just some:

Is anyone interested in buying 50s size 14 (32-26-35) patterns? If you are then I can post in the Classifieds and avoid the bay.

Don't fear the unprinted pieces. I made a skirt from a 30s pattern with unprinted pieces and it was pretty easy.

As for sizing...I have the same issue. I have a pattern from the 30s with the NRA stamp on the pattern envelope. The dress looks like something out of "it happened one night". I will have to post pics. The measurements look like there is no way it will fit, but I am inclined to make it since patterns that "should" fit based on measurements, are two sizes too big. [huh]

 

[Lauren]

Everything pre-early 40's was unprinted due to the fact that McCall held the copyright to them. Simplicity was the next, and offered printed patterns AND perforated patterns simultaneously, with printed being more expensive. It should say "Printed" on the envelope. By the mid-40's the big companies all had had printed patterns, while some smaller did not.

Perforated patterns take some getting used to. I know a long time ago (we're talking years) I posted somewhere on here an illustration I made on Illustrator with a basic guide, but since then my computer has crashed so I no longer have it. Here is a link to a Threads magazine online article of the same content. The guide to Perforated markings is a link that will open in a new window.

And I'd be interested in the size 14 patterns

 

[mrswheats]

Penny, those are fab patterns! I feel your pain about the sizing issues, I'm a vintage 14 too (and I'd be very interested in checking out your patterns in the classifieds), and I've been shying away from trying out my vintage patterns until I can find the time to make a mock up first.
On my modern patterns, I usually check out how much ease is added in, and that helps me figure out what to go with, but I haven't seen anything like that on a vintage envelope.

Pink, I'm convinced you're just a natural seamstress I've seen what you've put together, and I can't believe you're self-taught! Your stuff's adorable!

 

[Pink Dahlia]

Pink, I'm convinced you're just a natural seamstress I've seen what you've put together, and I can't believe you're self-taught! Your stuff's adorable!

Thank you so much! That means a lot!

I still have a lot of things to work on though.

 

[MJrules]

Penny, Lauren, Pink, Shoo Shoo

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! The dress is only 4 pieces, and I always test on muslin so I should just bite that bullet, huh? I love this forum...

 

[pennyseranade]

Muslin...

You know, I am usually so antsy to get a project started and finished that I skip the muslin version. (I would probably more apt to do it if I had someone to lay the pattern out and cut it for melol ) I HATE the pre-work involved in sewing. But after some my last project...muslin sounds like a good idea for future vintage patterns.

 

[deadpandiva]

You know, I am usually so antsy to get a project started and finished that I skip the muslin version. (I would probably more apt to do it if I had someone to lay the pattern out and cut it for melol ) I HATE the pre-work involved in sewing. But after some my last project...muslin sounds like a good idea for future vintage patterns.

I am the same way. I hate cutting pinning and taylors tacks. It dull and slow work and seems to take as long or longer than the actual sewing.

 

[deadpandiva]

These are my actual vintage patterns. I have alot of repros.