1920s
This one could use a little research. I don't have enough context to know whether this is really intended for medical use or is a costume pattern. The only other costume pattern I have from Standard Designer dates to about the same time but is in an entirely different number range.
Just a few years earlier during WWI, the Red Cross authorized patterns for surgical gowns, so the idea of home-sewn medical wear isn't entirely new.
This unprinted pattern and its envelope both show signs of wear.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Simplicity 3954 - Girls' and Misses' Ski Suit
1940s
There is finally snow in the mountains, so it's time to wax up the skis and head out.
Here's Simplicity's description of this ski suit pattern.
Recommended fabrics include corduroy, waterproof poplin, gabardine, flannel, serge, novelty woolens. In this case, the flannel is assumed to be wool. Although the illustration shows only solids, you'd get a snappy effect by making the jacket in a plaid and the trousers in a solid to pick up a color in the plaid.
Although the jacket is lined, you'll probably want to wear a heavy sweater under it.
This unprinted pattern is unused.
There is finally snow in the mountains, so it's time to wax up the skis and head out.
Here's Simplicity's description of this ski suit pattern.
The hip-length jacket buttons snugly down the front. Gathers at shoulder yokes are smart and allow ample room for action. The sides are belted and there are two large convenient patch pockets. The long sleeves are roomy and gathered to a wristband. The trousers are dart-fitted at the top, close at the left side with a slide fastener, and finished with attached belts which buckle at the side. Welt pockets at front add a neat note.The description fails to mention that the legs of the trousers can either be pegged with darts, in which case slide fasteners are inserted, or left loose. An elastic band can be sewn in to keep the legs over the boots.
Recommended fabrics include corduroy, waterproof poplin, gabardine, flannel, serge, novelty woolens. In this case, the flannel is assumed to be wool. Although the illustration shows only solids, you'd get a snappy effect by making the jacket in a plaid and the trousers in a solid to pick up a color in the plaid.
Although the jacket is lined, you'll probably want to wear a heavy sweater under it.
This unprinted pattern is unused.
Labels:
1940s,
athletic clothing,
Simplicity,
skiing,
women's clothes
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Butterick 1200 - for Cutting Down and Re-footing Stockings
Nineteen-teens to early 1920s.
This one takes the Unsung Sewing Patterns award for Justly Forgotten Economies. I can think of few sewing tasks grimmer than cutting down old stockings in order to sew them up again.
That said, this pattern raises some interesting questions on clothing usage. Did people re-use only stockings from their own households, or could one buy used stockings for just this purpose? Was it considered acceptable to use single stockings and match them up as best one could (easier with black, of course, than with tan or other colors)? Did ladies do this as part of charitable work to provide clothing to the poor, particularly for children?
According to Clothing - Choice, Care, Cost, published in 1920, the cost of hosiery in general almost quadrupled during World War I. The "make do and mend" efforts of World War II are still well known to us, but this pattern may be evidence of the same type of effort during the previous war. This book also mentions that factory seconds stockings could be purchased inexpensively - these may also have been candidates for cutting down.
Although the instructions indicate that the stockings could be sewn on the machine, I think machine stitching would be heavy-looking and would be uncomfortable, particularly in the feet where the rather stiff seams might rub.
The envelope indicates that this pattern could be used for re-footing stockings, but the instructions themselves are silent on this point.
This is an unprinted pattern.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Maudella 5059 - Anorak
Mens' utilitarian clothing can be very hard to date. The shape and spread of the collar seemed to point to a late 1940's or early 1950's date, but the style of an advertising illustration on the instruction sheet seems pretty firmly 1960's.
This is a very nice design as we get into the chilly winter months, particularly if, as the pattern recommendations suggest, a "fine woolen" lining is provided.
The Maudella brand was started by Maude Dunsford in West Yorkshire, England in 1937 (1.) The brand seems to have lingered until the 1980s. Maudella patterns show up for sale now and again. The earlier patterns in particular seem very much more on the practical or utilitarian side rather than the high fashion side.
Though utilitarian, this jacket is not make-it-today-wear-it-tonight simple. Getting the bound edges right on the zippered pockets will take a little care, and of course the lining will take some additional time.
(1) See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2002_32_mon_02.shtml
This is a very nice design as we get into the chilly winter months, particularly if, as the pattern recommendations suggest, a "fine woolen" lining is provided.
The Maudella brand was started by Maude Dunsford in West Yorkshire, England in 1937 (1.) The brand seems to have lingered until the 1980s. Maudella patterns show up for sale now and again. The earlier patterns in particular seem very much more on the practical or utilitarian side rather than the high fashion side.
Though utilitarian, this jacket is not make-it-today-wear-it-tonight simple. Getting the bound edges right on the zippered pockets will take a little care, and of course the lining will take some additional time.
This is an unprinted pattern.
(1) See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2002_32_mon_02.shtml
Labels:
1960s,
anorak,
jacket,
maudella,
men's clothing
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Butterick 7068 - Misses', Juniors' and Girls' Windbreaker
This is the companion to the boys' windbreaker I posted in December 2010.
As with the boy's version, the maker has the option of knitting her own collar, sleeve, and bottom bands. Since knitting yarns tend to come in a much broader range of colors than by-the-yard knit banding, the maker would have the potential to make a banding that complemented or contrasted with the windbreaker fabric in much more interesting ways. Of course, that K1P1 banding is still pretty boring to knit, but sufficiently mindless to make a long bus or train trip go more quickly.
In the envelope with the pattern was this instruction sheet for the California Redwood Sleeve Board (Chicago Ill.)
This unprinted pattern shows some signs of wear.
Labels:
1920s,
jacket,
outer wear,
windbreaker,
women's clothes
Saturday, September 29, 2012
McCall 3845 - Ladies' Beauty Shop Apron
1920s.
I don't see any detail that particularly makes this good Hoover apron suitable for beauty shop work, except possibly the pockets, as pockets were by no means a required feature of aprons at this time. Miss A's "surplice" collar is nicely sporty. One imagines these made up in dusty rose, dutch blue, or eau de nil, with white collars and cuffs.
Would Madame like the marcel wave today?
This printed pattern is unused.
I don't see any detail that particularly makes this good Hoover apron suitable for beauty shop work, except possibly the pockets, as pockets were by no means a required feature of aprons at this time. Miss A's "surplice" collar is nicely sporty. One imagines these made up in dusty rose, dutch blue, or eau de nil, with white collars and cuffs.
Would Madame like the marcel wave today?
This printed pattern is unused.
Labels:
1920s,
apron,
Hoover,
Hooverette,
McCall,
occupational garment,
women's clothes,
work wear
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Farm and Fireside 4430 - Economy Apron & Cap
1920s.
This is the time of year when some of us spend a lot of time in hot steamy kitchens, converting the garden's produce into quarts and pints of good things for the winter. The all-business economy apron and cap would be just the right thing to wear for those marathon bean-canning or piccalilli-making days. I might have a couple of these aprons handy so that after lunch I could put on a dry one.
This apron is so simple that I think you would have good luck sizing up this pattern from the layout. To give you some measurements to start with, the front length (bottom of neckline to bottom edge is 36") The width from the center line to the back edge just under the arm hole is 17 1/2".
Farm and Fireside was a magazine published between 1879 and 1939.
This is the time of year when some of us spend a lot of time in hot steamy kitchens, converting the garden's produce into quarts and pints of good things for the winter. The all-business economy apron and cap would be just the right thing to wear for those marathon bean-canning or piccalilli-making days. I might have a couple of these aprons handy so that after lunch I could put on a dry one.
This apron is so simple that I think you would have good luck sizing up this pattern from the layout. To give you some measurements to start with, the front length (bottom of neckline to bottom edge is 36") The width from the center line to the back edge just under the arm hole is 17 1/2".
Farm and Fireside was a magazine published between 1879 and 1939.
Labels:
1920s,
apron,
cap,
Farm and Fireside,
women's clothes
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