Monday 8 April 2013

Vintage Clothing Patterns



















On helping my friend to get her recently acquired 1950's Singer going a few days ago - a task we were foiled in for a second time as some mechanism inside is failing to co-operate at the moment - I had another chance to leaf through the drawer packed full of her aunt's clothing patterns. I borrowed around two thirds of them to show you. 

Although each one says something about the fashions of its time, and not one from the 1970's is one I'd choose to wear today, it's funny how many I would happily make and wear with vintage-loving pride - that's if I'd ever made an item of clothing in my life!

One, of the dashing chaps in shorts, is so 'Ken' I couldn't stop giggling and hold the camera still to take its picture for quite some time. Another shows girls' fashion for ages '5 to 6' and yet the girls in the picture look far more grown up. My favourite has to be the fourth up from the bottom, though, as I'd certainly love any one of those dresses in a number of different colours right now!




16 comments:

  1. My favourite one to wear would be the fourth from the top - the right hand side dress .... I pity the poor girl who would have had to endure the long red frilly number with extra long apron in the picture second up from the bottom ... you can even see the surprise, sympathy and mocking on the faces of the girls stood next to her...

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    1. I'd have to agree with you there, I'd like that same dress. And one of the girls laughing at the one in the long apron looks like Alice so she can't talk! x

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  2. The 8th one down has some of the cutest dresses I've ever seen. Since watching the sewing bee the other night, I really want to get back into sewing. There are a few fashion disasters on there as well *cough* 5th from bottom *cough* x

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  3. Ooh these are great!! I agree, the forth from the bottom is lovely and I particularly like the striped one. The Alice in Wonderland inspired dress is also just adorable (maybe because of the little white rabbit on the front?!) I've only once attempted to follow a dress pattern for GCSE textiles, and lets just say the skirt half was more of an inside out sack by the time I had finished with it... Maybe we'll all be inspired to make our own clothes with the Great British Sewing Bee! Xx

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  4. Ooh I love looking at vintage patterns! I thought the 5/6 year old girls one was for teens on first glance!

    Lauren x

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  5. these patterns are so wonderful.id have a lot of trouble choosing which one to try and make!

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  6. 7641 please - in a small spot or large floral! I thought that lady A on the fourth one up was on her mobile - how times have changed! Jane x

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  7. Hi Anna,
    I have some of those patterns too....aren't they adorable?
    I do rather like the last one.....
    Bestest
    Daisy J

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  8. I love all the 60's style ones! They are fantastic!

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  9. Great stash there, I don't dressmaker myself but those pictures are fab! :) x

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  10. Love the 2nd and 4th ones, 70's style and 60's shift dress!
    Lauren
    livinginaboxx

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  11. I really like the last one, have yet to get my hands on a pattern though, can never find the right size :-)

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  12. This took me right back. My mum used to make clothes for us and so I grew up with them - funny what you forget until something pops up to remind you!

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  13. These are amazing! Some of those dresses actually would look so pretty on- lucky girl getting to borrow the patterns! x

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  14. My mother used to sew a lot of my clothing when I was growing up. She even made me the dress and bonnet and bought me shoes to look like the Little House on the Prairie characters.

    I'll have to go through her patterns at some point and see if I find anything of interest. Lol.

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  15. I think my girl would surely enjoy browsing through these vintage clothing patterns you've posted in this blog!

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