Ten Need to know sewing skills and techniques when working with vintage sewing patterns
Working with vintage sewing patterns is fun and satisfying. Dependent on your chosen pattern constructing of the garment is going to go either fast or it’ll require a little bit more time and patience. If you’ve recently started sewing with vintage sewing patterns or if you’re considering sewing with vintage sewing patterns here are some skills you might want to practice up on.
1. Making darts
What one my favorite features of vintage fashions is the use of darts to provide dramatic shaping. A dress can take on an entirely different look dependent on where and how darts are placed. Most dresses made from vintage sewing pattern will require the ability to use darts.
2. Making princess seams
Princess seams are very long singular seams that usually stretch the full length of the front or back of a garment-usually a dress. They’re meant to provide shaping..
Princess seamed dresses where extremely popular in the 50s and the trend carried into the early 60s-before A-line dresses nearly took over 60s fashions. More likely than not, if you work with alot of vintage sewing patterns from either of these areas you’ll run across a design requiring the sewer to make princess seams.
3. Applying zippers
Zippers can be found on vintage fashions and as elements of sewing patterns as early as the 1930s (maybe sooner), but zippers were highly popularized in the mid-1940s and 1950s fashion patterns (dresses, pants, short and lingerie) due women’s desire to be streamlined and the popularity of sexy foundations garments.
4. Scalloping, using bias and rick-rack (or is that ric-rac?)
Used on everything from shirts, skirts, dresses, collars, children and baby, and aprons.
5. Making basic pattern alterations
Most likely, your vintage sewing pattern will need some type of alterations-familiarize yourself with the basic to help making the garment transpire with ease.
6. Making flat felled seams
Traditionally flat felled seams are seen on shirts and, but some vintage sewing patterns require this seam on other fashion styles-even aprons. It’s a good ideal to familiarize yourself with it. In any case, it’s a very clean and professional seam-good to know how to complete in any case.
7. Making gussets (or godets)
To tell the truth, I had never heard of a gusset before I needed to make one on a vintage nightshirt.
Wikipedia:
“In sewing, a gusset is a triangular or square piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress. Gussets were used at the shoulders, underarms, and hems of traditional shirts and chemises made of rectangular lengths of linen to shape the garments to the body.”
8. Embroidering and applying transfers
Back in the day, ladies loved knitting, crocheting, embroidering and using hot-iron transfers. If you’re going to work with vintage sewing patterns and really want an authentic looking garment or the full enjoyment of working with vintage sewing patterns familiarize yourself with these old artisan skills.
9. Finishing techniques
Okay, I have a serger. I barely use it. But sergers are a modern day advent. Ladies of times gone by didn’t have sergers and usually did all of there finishing by using hand of old-school sewing techniques. Most vintage sewing patterns require the ability to use old finishing techniques-of course, you can use a serger…but you might get more satisfaction finishing garments using old-fashion methods.
10. Lining garments
Many vintage sewing pattern fashions require linings, especially designer fashion patterns.
Hi.
“I’m No.1.”
My question: I’m not sure if I can find such a thing, but you seem like you may know of a source for old-school sewing patterns – the kind that have the pattern shapes overprinted onto each other in different colors where you have to trace to get the pieces drawn, like the picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68259359@N00/221966591/
Do you know what these are called or where I might be able to find one? Thanks for any leads you can offer!
Hi, Julie
Thank you for visiting,
Dressmaker templates, Pattern drafts and pattern templates are some of the words I’ve heard to describe these drawing used to draw the outline of sewing patterns. They are hard to find. On occassion, you can find them on eBay. I found a set at the Goodwill Outlet Center, but as it goes with finding items at thrifts-you never know what you’ll come across. It’s like treasure hunting.
I don’t know of any one place that sells them, but I’ll look around for you and get back to you if I have an update. In the meantime, here are some suggestions:
1. I have templates for victorian pattern drafting-you actually make the pattern yourself following directions. A little more than tracing is required.
2. Designing with Dusan (1974-1982) is a really good source and may be of help to you. This set teaches you how to draw your own patterns, and adjust and fit your own commercial patterns. It comes with practice pattern templates for popular basic dress designs, a book, drafting tools (including a French Curve!)etc..,
I’ll post some pics in a separate post.
3. Some older (vintage magazines) like Golden Hands contain full-size templates for various designs others require scaling.
Next, you are No. 1. So far, you’re the only person who’s commented and entered properly. If there are no other comments by days end-you automatically win. Be sure to check back! Good luck!
Thank you for your detailed response. I really appreciate. it. By the way, I’m not even sure what I won, if indeed I did win! Thanks again.
Not a problem. I hope the information was helpful.
Yes, you did win. I pick out and send a random vintage sewing pattern to winners. Mostly to encourage visitors to sew with vintage sewing patterns. Send your mailing address to comments@sewcraftful.com if you’d like me to mail the pattern.
Thanks!