Saturday, January 30, 2010

Vintage Pattern Surprise

Ah, a sewing post. If you are one of the 5 people that read this blog, you'll know that I recently purchased 3 vintage patterns. If you haven't read this before, click here. Go on, I'll wait until you get back. OK, so I've bought fabric for the mod 60s pattern, but that's it. The 50s dress with the awesome overskirt? I've made a muslin and will report on that in another post. By the way, it is copyrighted 1953.

And now, my surprise. I opened the final pattern, copyrighted in 1952, thinking that THIS really is what I would want to wear to Laura's wedding. In the awesome teal color that my current purchased dress is. It appeared that no one has even used this particular pattern when I pulled out the pieces. I had a moment of confusion when I thought, hmmm, this is all just blank tissue. Maybe the real pattern fell out?

No. Apparently, in 1952, Vogue didn't have a printer, just a puncher. That's right. All the markings that I am familiar with are not printed on the tissue, but are punched through. Was 1953 a breakthrough year for patternmakers? Did Vogue catch up, or did they continue punching their way through the 50s? I can't answer that, but here is what I saw (I've placed some dark fabric behind the pieces so you can really see what I mean.

 

Well, no big deal, as I had planned on tracing the pieces anyway. But how the heck do you know what the little holes mean? There is, thankfully, a key, printed on the directions where in modern times you might find the list of the pieces and their little numbers. Here is the elaborate key:

 

Over at the Sewing Fanatic's blog, she had a discussion recently on tracing or cutting. Tracers gave comments on why they traced, and what they used. I used some interfacing-like stuff with a grid printed on it that I bought at Hancock's.

 
I've already made a couple of alterations. Specifically, the one that enlarges the waist to my thick 21st century size. Any other alterations will have to be made after I make the muslin. This being a lazy Saturday afternoon, though, that's as far as I'm getting today. Stay tuned.

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