Something Old, Something New(ish)

It strikes me that pattern companies are onto something great with the retro/repro lines they are doing.  I recall reading on the Vogue website that they are always interested in suggestions for patterns to recreate from days gone by (and not just 40s and 50s but favoured 60s and 70s too). You must be willing to part with your pattern for a while so that it may be copied but it is returned and you get  a few freebie patterns in return, not a shabby deal. 

Quite what the criteria for selection is I am not sure, marketability is obviously a list topper, but the patterns all seem to be pretty samey, a selection of 1950's  full-skirts and wiggle dresses with minor bodice and finish differences. But as vintage pattern enthusiasts we know there is a plethora of much desired patterns out there that would surely have us running to pattern shops in droves if they were re-released.  Take this one for example that I was recently outbid on. I adore it, I am a self-confessed jumpsuit junkie. I could draft it myself from a dress jumper bodice and a pair of slacks but the idea of the trousered jumpsuit patten from the '50s, its such a rare item to see. Of course I am disappointed that it won't be gracing my collection, but with the winning bid coming at £36 (yes, that much!) it was never to be!

Simplicity seem to be the only pattern company going the slacks route and a sharp-eyed Debi (My Happy Sewing Place) recently discovered that their 3688 pattern is a bit of a fraud for the original didn't actually have a slacks pattern included, it has been incorporated on the re-release (click link for her post).  Hmm, naughty tactic but good on them, authentic slacks patterns are hard to find, or rather, not so hard to find if you are willing to part with a fair few pounds for them!  So BMV, lets have some slacks and gorgeous 30s louge pyjama pants pretty-please?

Who's drooling with me? Want it? Just £35!

Next on the wish list, 1940s/50s styles swimsuits.  Who wouldn't want to own that pattern? Incredibly feminine, figure flattering and with sufficient coverage to ensure the disguising of hips and thighs and any other bits we swear wobble too much!  The originals always sell well, again they are few and far between. A repro could be just what we need.


One of the most satisfying things as a vintage pattern collector must be coming across a reproduced pattern and thinking "I own that - the original!".  I hear that an original copy of the Walkaway dress (re-released as Butterick 4790) could earn you quite a lot of smackeroos if you came to part with it.  Last week I came across Butterick 6174, a 1999 release of a 50s pattern, it was familiar, I could swear I owned it but I would have remembered it being a retro pattern, so quick stash visit and hello Butterick 6001! Purchased for a bargain £3.11 plus shipping! Of course it is tiny and I will have to grade it up to use it but there-in lies the beauty of the repro pattern, modern multi-sizing! 

You look familiar...

Hello pretty bargain!

A quick visit to the Butterick website made me smile, I also own in original form this cutie:

And very nearly bought this original recently:














So over to you, dear reader.  Which patterns would you like to see in reprint?  Or would you prefer to own the original masterpiece?

Project: Butterick B4790 Retro 1952 - The Walk-away Dress

This dress has much fame which I did not know about when I commenced this project, I just though it was unusual and pretty and I love the way the straight skirt and full skirt are all part of one dress the goes over the head and wraps around the waist.

  

A few years ago I went to Ceilidh event in Scotland and we were instructed to dress in tartan.  Not owning anything appropriate and wanting something that would benice to dance in. I chose this Butterick pattern because I wanted a vintage style dress with a skirt that would twirl beautifully.  I liked the underskirt of this dress design thinking it might protect my modesty if the skirt twirled too high and as it doesn't have a seam at the back it doesn't restrict movement.  

I found some great linen in a cream and black plaid print which is very cool on the skin and easy to sew and teamed that up with a gorgeous black jersey crepe which swirled wonderfully (unfortunately it proved a little too heavy and I now have to do some repair work to the bias binding at some point).  If you want to read reviews of making up this pattern and see what others have done with it go here and here.  Pictures of the (almost) finished item:

Edit 26.06.10 I have just commented about about this dress here.  I thought I should copy it across but it is a critique of the pattern that I didn't put into my review at SPR, although I might change that now:

I gave this dress a pretty sharp review at Sewing Pattern Review then felt a bit guilty and softened it up since it had so many fans.  I made mine in a heavy jersey crepe for the full skirt and linen for the pencil skirt dress and despite putting all that weight into the full skirt do not have these probs but I have others!.  I am thinking why and I believe it is because:

a) the waist curves round and fastens exactly on my waist and there's a good 11 inches between that and my hips (I am hourglass) so its securely held in place.  Also I am only using a button and loop on the back so its not too tight around the hips which would cause it to rise up.  The under-dress fits me like a glove actually, I'm thinking of converting it into a dress of its own.

b) the front and bust darts are in line with my apex - a fluke due to being low-busted - and my full bust fills the bodice with no FBA done.  I can see why that would be a problem for someone who is small busted, masses amount of extra fabric. The problem I have with the bodice is above my bust there is excess fabric but that is a very simple fix, I just shorten it at the shoulder seams and voila, perfect fit.

The issues I had were:  While the underskirt fitted perfectly, the waistline of the full skirt appears to be slightly lower (shoulder seams fine).  This meant that when it is wrapped round front it is too low and awkward and the gathering at the waistband added a lot of unflattering bulk at my hips. To resolve this I pull the full skirt part up a bit but then that causes the armholes to gape.  This was already a slight problem because of the extra length in the bodice and the pattern might benefit from the bust darts being angled down from the lower armhole instead of where they are.

I had fabric related issues too. The weight of the crepe pulled the dress apart at the bias tape and the hooks and eyes on the front so I have to repair the bias tape trim and find a different fastening (I originally intended to do buttons and loops but ran out of time so probably will do that with black elastic loops and an inner ribbon for support).  

On the plus side, when I dance in it the full skirt swirled out beautifully with the underskirt protecting my modesty.  However I was concerned at times that the underskirt doesn't quite extend enough round the back an I might flash a bit more flesh than I'd like when the full skirt drops away...

In summary, if I remade the dress I would extend the front panel where it meets a little to prevent this strain and then trim it back as necessary and instead of bias tape loops I would use elastic to make loops.  I would extend the sides of the underskirt to provide more coverage at the back and if necessary add horsehair braid to the hem to keep it down and wrapped round.  I would also move the bust dart to the armhole and shorten the bodice at the shoulder seams.