I always believe it’s wonderful to choose our own adventure and our preferences- the purpose of this particular blog post is to examine and reflect on period attitudes to learning to sew and using sewing patterns- since many who come into this hobby are new to sewing, in general, and must suddenly learn drafting, fabric, fit, pattern, and sewing all in one go. We are extraordinarily lucky to live in a digital age when materials to learn (historical sources, Youtube, social media groups, sewing patterns, etc.) can be readily available- both for purchase, and for free.
By “paper sewing patterns”, I here mean the dual meaning of printed or PDF sewing patterns, which are pre-made in full size, which can be obtained, cut, and sewn. This was a relatively new-ish luxury, first having been established in the 19th century, and I’m not sure we comprehend fully how much of a time-saver it really was to be able to obtain sewing patterns, in differing sizes, easily, instead of drafting their own from scratch or decoding them from overlapping lines in a periodical, which would then have to be re-sized to the individual’s measurements instead of doing simpler fitting alterations on a pattern which was closer in measure to the wearer’s size.
I believe a lot of our current trend in historical costuming stems from those of us who came at the stages of it before more current “costume” patterns were readily available, and reproductions of originals as well. We were required to learn drafting (if we didn’t already possess the skill), in order to make clothing from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Now, with newer sewing pattern companies- both accurate costuming and more reproductions of originals- popping up, it’s much easier than ever to find a jumping-off point in our own particular era of studies. So whether you want to draft your own sloper, use a reproduction sewing pattern, or use a modern costume sewing pattern, it’s interesting to adapt and mix these for a preferred effect.
I may argue for those makes of the early 20th century through “vintage times”, if a true “vintage experience” is what is desired in the making process, that using a reproduction pattern actually gets closer to the “authentic dress cut and sewing experience.” I do recognize, however, that antique reproductions still fall into the age-old issue of one size only, since full runs of antiques are very unlikely to exist to present day. Of course, “cutter guides”, drafting manuals, and patterns taking from antique garments *do exist*, but most average people in America were not using these techniques, unless taught in school or having belonged to a trade. I love learning all these techniques, and have implemented many myself, but I also love to lean into the “average”, which is often overlooked in historical studies in favor of the more “fancy”. And, of course, antique patterns have a huge learning curve, so if you’re newer to sewing, or costuming in general, I’ll often suggest you start with a modern historical sewing pattern made in authentic style with more instruction, than starting with a historical original where you have to learn markings, sewing techniques, and pattern fitting. However, once you’ve gotten into toes wet and are ready to dive deep into the period, antique patterns offer really unique learning opportunities as they often possess forgotten trends and pattern cuts which aren’t often available in modern sewing patterns.
When relying on antique patterns much research is required, which often will require the individual to dive deep into experimentation with authentic dressmaking techniques, since most antique patterns had almost no instruction whatsoever. It can be challenging in the post-“Home Ec” movement, where we did not learn basic sewing instruction in school. I think I may have been in junior high one of the last years where “Home Economics” was included in the elective choices- and I admit, I wasn’t particularly good at it! But at least it gave me good machine basics, where I was mostly hand-sewing my creations before.
I digress. I just wanted to share that the “drafting vs pattern” controversy isn’t a new one. In fact, here’s a section from an article in the “Dry Goods Economist” from September 7, 1915, when schools were starting to first implement Home Economics courses:
Teachers of sewing are divided on the question of designing and drafting. Some insist that the pupil should learn to design and draft her own patterns. Others encourage the use of paper patterns. We do not believe that a really adequate course of instruction in drafting can or should be included in the curriculum of any public school. To learn pattern drafting thoroughly, a student ought to spend many months in study and practice. This obviously is too much time and effort for the result achieved. Paper patterns are inexpensive and can be purchased anywhere. Surely there is no more excuse for the student drafting her own patterns than there is for her making her own needles or thread.
Merchants will naturally prefer having the schools use paper patterns because the pattern counter is an important bond linking the store to the consumer of dressmaking materials. And the best way to encourage their use it to furnish patterns free, or at a very small cost, to sewing students. We do not know whether all pattern companies are willing to furnish free patterns to sewing classes. Some of them already do so. But we believe that there is no source of future business more important to pattern manufacturers than the sewing classes of our public schools. Therefore, their policy should be extremely liberal- whether they furnish patterns free or only furnish catalogs from which pupils may but the patterns.
Every Evening— Wilmington, Delaware, Monday, October 2, 1911
Aside from the sewing machine, there is no one article which has so great an influence in simplifying the manufacture of garments in the homes as the cut paper patterns which are now scattered broadcast through the land. It is over a century since the country tailor and a New England village first cut a paper pattern for sale for the use in home. This pattern was for a pair of trousers for a small boy and was remarkable for fit and style, according to the requirements of the period. This was the beginning of the tissue paper pattern business In the United States, a business which has now reached enormous proportions and calls for the expenditure of millions of dollars each year. The first cut paper patterns were crude and inaccurate. Often, they were as bewildering as a picture puzzle and called forth many a headache and weeping spell from the women who tried to use them. Now the paper pattern is so simple that a child can comprehend it and so accurate that few alterations are required.
While the careful home seamstress keeps a patterned bag and preserves all patterns to be used again, many women are recklessly extravagant in this respect and purchase a new pattern for each new garment. “Folks nowadays have to have a pattern for most everything down to a pocket handkerchief,” remarked an old lady upon entering her granddaughter’s sewing room. “In my day when a woman needed a pattern for a new body, she stood up and the dressmaker pinned a newspaper to fit her and then cut it out into a pattern. If it fit, it was kept for years and loaned to all the neighbors. If it got worn out or torn, it was laid on newspaper and another one was cut by it.”
American pattern manufacturers are the leaders throughout the world. Most of them print their catalogs and pattern directions in several languages and these are sent to every country of the world. The French patterns are more expensive and less comprehensive to the amateur, while the English and German patterns are said to be faulty in lines and lacking in style. The sizes are also less carefully adjusted than the American patterns.
I thought a short little side trail into period thought on tissue paper patterns might be interesting to research, in context of what historical people thought of their availability. As always, more research is needed. However, I think it’s quite interesting, and it’s amazing how lucky we are to live in a time when accurate materials for historical dressmaking are relatively easily available- even if we have the learning curve of finding antique sewing techniques, and adapting historical pattern fit to modern bodies.
It’s a miracle antique sewing patterns even survived until modern times as they were meant to be disposable articles. Even the pattern companies, themselves, didn’t keep records of these antique originals. So thank you, past pattern hoarders and old store stock that resurfaces, for not throwing everything away. And thank you to my fellow reproduction makers who bring antique originals out of their decaying state and make them into new media that can be used and learned from (it’s not as easy as you’d think to locate originals, and know what they mean, and how to present them for today). And thank you, antique and historical sewing and costume enthusiasts, for even being interested in historical originals at all, while most of the world marches towards technology instead of using technology to re-examine historical sources.
Edited to add: If you’re unfamiliar with antique sewing please do check out my list of early 20th century sewing books that are available for free online.
You can find early 20th pattern reproductions here. Be aware that they are mostly for ADVANCED/EXPERT level by modern standards. You may wish to use a modern costume pattern for sewing basics before diving into period sources if you’re new to sewing:
- From me (Wearing History) both on my website and on Etsy
- Mrs Depew Vintage
- EvaDress
- Past Patterns (mostly photocopies of hand traced originals)
- Silk and Thimbles
- BeeSpoke Vintage (previously Vintage Pattern Lending Library)
- Repeated Originals (mostly from La Mode Illustree or other European makers)
In addition, I think it’s important to note that I greatly admire the costume pattern makers in the historical costume community who work very hard to make costume sewing more accessible, especially to those who are new-er to sewing, and those who need more size ranges. Their work is greatly appreciated and a huge asset to the sewing world! They work hard to blend accuracy and accessibility and it’s a huge job. Thank you for what you do!
This post was just aimed at the importance of antique sewing materials, but I didn’t want their work to be diminished- as I truly believe both things are valuable and important, so I wanted to add this note here!