Vintage Patterns

01 Dec

Posted at 09:48h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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Green Velvet Drape - A homage to Ceil Chapman 1950

Over a year ago I found the image of this amazing vintage dress on Pinterest, compliments of Mill Street Vintage.  Unfortunately (for us) it has been sold and is no longer in their shop.  So I made up the back view to hopefully balance with the wonderful design detail on the front.

10 Nov

Posted at 10:17h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Vintage Patterns by
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It's a mean thing to present the fans with a rectangle as a #PatternPuzzle and expect them to describe the garment.  In my defence, I did include a couple of very small notches as a clue.  In the end, Mioara was able to produce an almost exact image of the idea in knit fabric. I think we may have been reading the same pattern making books.  :) I found this image on Pinterest, but have had no luck finding the original source material.  If anyone knows the origin of this piece I would love to be able to include the correct information here.

13 Oct

Posted at 11:53h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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This kimono styled dress was quite a challenge in the pattern making department. Firstly you have to decide if the wrap over is an authentic two-layer wrap or if you are going to seam the pieces together. I've gone for the two layer option and included a zip in the CB seam as the only place where the two bodice layers join.

09 Oct

Posted at 14:53h in Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Sewing Pattern Alterations, Vintage Patterns by
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The Patent Blouse has become a favourite top for me after the first set of samples were very wearable.  It has become such a favourite that I managed to wear out my first red sample very quickly.  Unfortunately rayon is not made to last and very soon the surface of the knit was a little shabby with pilling.  I have promised myself that the next red patent blouse will be made in merino.  July 2019:  This pattern has now been added to the website as a PDF download - The Patent Blouse Sizes XS-XXL

18 Aug

Posted at 13:54h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Self-draft, Vintage Patterns, Womens Skirt Block by
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Saturday's #PatternPuzzle had a large number of pattern pieces, all used to make five different skirt patterns, that all make the same style of skirt - The Morticia Skirt.  Many of the drafting methods used in these patterns are self-drafted with full instructions (no block required).  If you don't fancy drafting this skirt pattern I've just added the eight-panelMorticia Skirt Pattern to the website. :)

09 Jun

Posted at 16:35h in Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Stretch Patterns, Vintage Patterns, Womens Knit Block by
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So it's a weird one this week.  Over sixty years old and born of a time that valued efficiency in manufacture over effective use of resources.  Patent #2,454,208, invented by Ruth E Richman in 1946, was filed as:
'An object of the invention is to simplify the manufacture of blouses, coats and similar garments by constructing them from a blank consisting of a single piece of material.'

17 Feb

Posted at 17:59h in Fitted Dress Block, Pattern Making Instructions, Pattern Puzzles, Vintage Patterns by
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 Once again that fabulous designer from the 1950's, Charles James, is the subject of the #PatternPuzzle.  I believe the dresses photographed below are of the same design and at first the differences were a little confusing.  In the end I decided they were in fact, two different versions of the same design as the proportions in the garments vary a great deal.  Perhaps the same design made for two different clients.  My sketch and pattern are a reasonable facsimile of this design.
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