Thursday, October 17, 2013

I need help: Compulsive vintage pattern buying

One of my favorite thrift stores sells fabric donated from peoples' stashes. And they also sell patterns. Often, they sell vintage patterns. And I KNOW I should stay away from there, but I can't. I can't really get into much trouble during the week, and I start off every weekend with really, really good intentions, but Sunday afternoon comes along and I start thinking, "I've been so good! I haven't gone to ANY thrift stores!" And then I start thinking of what I might be missing at Savers and then it's all over.

So anyway, I'm obsessed with vintage patterns at this point in my life. Some vintage styles, like this one, are still classic:

1974. Cute, classic, and I found a sewing blogger who made View 2 in a nice wool, so it works well as a winter skirt too.

Other vintage styles are not:

1977. Ugh.

I have a big stockpile of patterns I want to try, an even bigger stockpile of patterns I DON'T want to try but have because Savers puts 2-3 patterns in every package, but I can't bring myself to get rid of them JUST IN CASE. I also have lots of fabric, much of which I bought for making mockups, which is fine because it will get used. Lots of fabric in my stash I'd bought with the intention of making costumes that have never materialized. Some of it I bought for making clothes for myself, and I used SOME of it in my summer dress making blowout, but--actually, I take that back. I used ONE piece of fabric from my stash for my summer dress project, but the rest of them were either remakes or made from fabric I bought after I set my goal of busting my stash. Fuck. I have a problem.

Well, this weekend I went through all my vintage patterns and pulled out the ones I really want to try the most. My amazing seamstress friend, Jennifer, sent me a package a couple of months ago that included 5 fabulous vintage patterns from her collection:

Butterick 8160 (1950s), Vogue 9274 (1957), Vogue S4515 (1954-1955), Butterick 4735 (1960s?), Simplicity Jiffy 5959 (1965)

I LOVE THEM ALL!! I was going to try the Vogue pattern in the middle with some of my stash fabric, but it lacked a pattern layout and I immediately felt overwhelmed and set it aside to try again later. And I'm still looking for the perfect fabric for the Butterick pattern at the lower left. That should be a really easy pattern, and would be good for building my vintage sewing confidence. Actually... the confetti dot fabric would be really great for that dress. Hmmm...

Here are some others I want to try:

1957, according to an expired listing on Etsy. A lucky find from Savers. I need to learn how to set sleeves. Ask me how much I love View A in the center.
 
This is a modern reprint. From my research on the Internet, I learned it was printed in 1999 and that it's discontinued. The instructions didn't seem too terribly difficult, and if I can make this, it will give me some good experience and insight into making the bodice of that 1911 dress from Patterns of Fashion that I want to try.

1970s, according to Vintage Patterns Wiki. I didn't like this pattern at first. I think it was because the color combinations in the illustrations are horrible, and I couldn't get past the weirdly elongated legs of the girls. Then I found a sewing blogger who made this pattern in a really pretty ikat fabric and modeled it on her realistically proportioned daughter, and I was sold.

1977. So cute and contemporary even 25 years later! This is a pattern a couple of sewing bloggers have made, so I got a good idea of what it looks like "in real life."



1983, according to an expired listing on ebay. I'm always looking for the perfect 1980s sundress pattern, but I think the joke is on me because they all seem to be identical. These elastic waist pullover dresses have a special place in my heart because the first dress I ever made from a pattern was one just like this--no buttons or zippers to have to figure out as a beginner.
1973. I love the cut of the blouse and skirt in this pattern, and those fluttery sleeves! To me, this has a very early 1930s feel to it, but what do I know. It's pretty and feminine and I need to learn to sew with knits, and I found one blogger that made the pattern and liked it.


1976. I'm REALLY excited about trying this pattern. I think it would be cute made out of wool or flannel for winter, paired with some cute tights and a blouse or light sweater underneath, and out of linen for summer. It looks super easy, and the two sewing bloggers that I found who made it loved it.


1979. I love view 3--so classic and elegant and feminine and pretty. This is another pattern I can use to practice sewing with knits.














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