The Duchess of Windsor as a designer

While the controversial  Duchess of Windsor had a reputation as a woman of style, I never knew she was a pattern designer. Did you?

From the late 1950s and well into the 60s, the Duchess of Windsor worked with the Spadea pattern company to design patterns. Spadea patterns have a reputation of being some of the best pattern produced in the 20th century and worked with a number of American designers and celebrities over the years. If you're interested, you can find an excellent overview of the history and design of Spadea patterns here.

Here's some examples of the Duchess of Windsor patterns and I think if you look back through some of her photographs they definitely reflect here sense of fashion.

one of mine from 1960

1963

Vintage patterns: Survey results

Sometime ago you may remember I asked for some feedback from you on buying vintage patterns.

Firstly, I would like to say a big "thank you" those of you who kindly took the time to respond. As a vintage pattern collector and seller, it's really useful to understand what sewers look for when buying a vintage pattern.

I would like to share some of the survey results you may find interesting.

1. 80% of respondents use vintage patterns. Those who don't use them tend to be concerned about the fit of vintage sizes (they can run small).

2. The most important criteria (in percent) for respondents when selecting vintage patterns are....

Overall design and style is the most important criteria however other criteria that features is larger sizing, looking for design aspects that not available on modern patterns and a complete pattern set.

Once again, thanks for your help. It's great to get the feedback. I've left the survey open until the end of April in case anyone else would like to participate.

I hope you've found this interesting. I know I did.

Fitting commercial patterns

As part of my effort to continually improve my sewing skills, I attended a Modification of Commercial Patterns course here with the delightful Megan.

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The course involved us (a small group) making and bringing a toile (or muslin) made from the pattern of our choice.  The the selection was varied and ranged from tops, blouse, princess seamed dress and my vintage pattern dress without the overskirt (I was ambitious to say the least). I selected this pattern for these reasons:-

• Basically I liked it and thought it would make a great basic shift dress. It also has a very cute V neckline at the back
• My shape suits this style but I've never been brave enough to make it because of fit concerns
• Vintage pattern sizing is very different to commercial sizing so custom fitting is very useful
• I liked the boat neck but wasn't sure it would suit me
• I wanted to tackle something challenging (typical)

1950s Simplicity pattern dress 

We then each had a fitting and Megan talked us through the adjustments for each toile. Once the adjustments are made to the toile, they are transferred back to the pattern for future reference. I really enjoyed the process and here's what I learned:-

• custom fitting and adjustments can make the difference between frumpy (thinking of myself here) and fabulous, seriously. Small adjustments make a huge difference in the look of the garment, even in the toile.
• Every commercial pattern will need some adjustment - no two bodies are the same and some patterns aren't well designed either.
• You can't do this yourself. You do need help.
• If you make the effort on a "basic" pattern eg. pants, dress, jacket etc., you should be able to use this pattern again and again, knowing it fits well. 
• Making the toile gives you a sense of freedom because you can experiment on cheap fabric and then have confidence cutting into your expensive fabric. 

Some of the adjustments made to my toile were:-

• The dart was lowered. I did a FBA prior to making the toile and made a hash of the dart...
• Some of the fullness from the FBA was taken in the bodice
• The neckline was lowered a little (it was too high)
• The armhole was enlarged (too tight)
• The allowance was eased across the hips

So, my toile is now in pieces. The next step is to transfer the adjustments back to the pattern, make the changes on the toile, refit to double check, then cut my fashion fabric. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

If you want to read more on making toile and fitting, go here. In the meantime, what are you thoughts on fitting and making a toile? Do you always make one? Only for expensive fabric? How do you check fit and make adjustments? Who helps you?

Help! Why do you buy or not buy vintage patterns?

Dear readers

I need your help.

I would like some feedback on what affects your choices on buying patterns (vintage ones in particular)? I have a project in mind and would like your advice on vintage patterns? Could I ask for 2 minutes of your time to complete this survey. All responses are anonymous and confidential.

If you would prefer just to leave a comment, please feel free or drop me an email. Any feedback and advice is very welcome. I'll leave this survey active until the end of next week.

Click here to take survey

Thanks in advance for your help.

PS Don't forget to enter the Colette pattern giveaway here.

Inspiration Board: 1950s cocktail dress with train

Today I have two looks from the same gorgeous vintage McCalls cocktail dress pattern from the 1950s:-

This first look is sleek and modern with a classic silhouette of the dress focussing on the waist and feature train completed with a pair of killer red heels.

1950s cocktail dress with train by sewindigo featuring hot pink heels

While this second look has a much more "lady-like' feel with the lace bodice, gloves the dainty turquoise kitten heels.

1950s lace bodice cocktails dress by sewindigo featuring mid heels

Do you have any preferences for the look? What are your thoughts on the lace bodice and feature train? Do you prefer the pencil or flared skirt.


PS Don't forget to enter the Colette pattern giveaway here. If you already follow, just leave a comment letting me know you'd like to be in the running. 

Inspiration Board: Cowl neck cocktail dress

You may remember my post about inspiration boards on some of my vintage patterns. I started this because...well...Polyvore is just plain fun and often it helps to see the potential in a pattern, especially a vintage one where we would prefer a contemporary look.

Cowl neck cocktail dress by sewindigo featuring a silk dress

What I like about this pattern is it looks comfortable, elegant and effortless to wear. Depending on fabric and accessories it can be dressed up or dressed down. It's also flexible - waist tie, neck tie or no tie. It can be worn short or long with a side slit.

In a pretty floral print it could be a sweet summer dress, gorgeous in a vivid silk or perhaps a show stopper in sequins.

Grace Kelly was fashion thrifty

Grace Kelly was thrifty with her approach to her clothes - apparently. She's also a huge movie style icon of mine. I have written about her previously here and her modern influence here.

In a recent newspaper article, her wardrobe mistress from Monaco, Maryel Giraden speaks of her as beautiful and stylish but frugal with her fashion. She would often re-wear favourites, get them altered or get a Ms Giraden to whip up a Vogue pattern she fancied. On the day she tragically plunged off the cliff on the Cote D'Azur, she was taking clothes to be altered and reworked for the next season's wardrobe.

One piece of Kelly fashion history that has captured my imagination was the dress she wore to her first meeting with her future husband, the Prince. It was 1955, Kelly was in the middle of a hectic trip to the Cannes Film Festival and the hotel electricity had gone out. With no way to iron an outfit, she pulled out the least crushed dress, a long sleeved floral silk taffeta dress inspired by a "easy to sew" McCall pattern from a pattern book. The fabric featured splashes of pink, yellow and white flowers on a black background.

Excerpt from "Grace Kelly Style"

Her hair was pulled back (no blow dry possible) and finished with a  floral headpiece. The effect was stunning and and the rest (as they say) is history....

Do you have any style or fashion icons? What do you think of the dress?

10 Tips to collecting vintage patterns Part 1 (5 tips of 10)

When I started collecting vintage patterns, I had no idea what I was doing - none! I just discovered a world I didn't know existed, liked it and went from there. Here's what I've learned so far......

1. Collect what you like or what you like to wear. 
This is simple, individual and it's much more fun to you collect what you like. For me, I soon learned I leaned heavily towards the glamour of evening wear, so I tend to collect cocktail dresses, gowns and wedding dresses. Not something you use or sew everyday but so lovely to look at.

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For you, it could be lingerie, aprons, children's costumes, day dresses, separates, coats, jackets - you get the idea - the possibilities are endless.

2. Select a period that you like (if you have one)
This could be anywhere from the 1920s to 1980s. The older the pattern, the more difficult it can be to find and perhaps more expensive. Older pattern are sometimes in poorer condition, so be prepared.

1940s lingerie pattern 

1960s cocktail dress pattern

For me, it's mostly the fifties and early sixties but I do stray into other periods if I like the pattern or I happen upon a bargain.

1960s cocktail dress pattern

3. Decide on the size range you wish to collect
Are the patterns for you? If so, you need to understand your measurements and how they relate to vintage patterns. Vintage sizing is vastly different from today's commercial pattern sizing so you'll have to double check the measurements before a purchase.

4. Do you want the pattern new and unused? 

Does this matter to you? Many vintage patterns are already cut (some more carefully than others). They are often still very useable for sewing especially if they have been carefully folded and stored. Other patterns can be found as "factory folded" - these patterns have not been opened or pieces unfolded. Factory folded patterns often command a premium. 

5. How much do you want to spend?
This is a big one. It's very easy to get carried away and blow a budget. Trust me, I've done it. It's worthwhile deciding what your budget is and ultimately what you're prepared to pay for each pattern. More about pricing in a future post.  When purchasing, I generally have a ceiling price in mind. Sometime I will go crazy if I love the pattern but I usually try and keep it in perspective.
As a rule of thumb - be prepared to pay higher prices for older, factory folded patterns especially if they are designer patterns, beachwear (go figure) or evening wear.

I'd love to hear what you look for when buying patterns? Do you have particular type of patterns you collect?

A Redingote?

Here's a fashion term that was new to me. I found it on one of my new vintage cocktail dress patterns - "One-piece dress with detachable overskirt and redingote".

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So I looked it up and found that a redingote originated from the 18th century when it was used for travel on horse back. Originally it was a bulky, heavy, utilitarian coat but overtime it developed into a more fitted fashion garment. 

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Apparently today's redingote is marked by a close fit at the chest and waist, a belt, and a flare toward the hem, as in the blue version in the vintage pattern. It's not a term I see often - did it have a revival in the 1960s I wonder?

Personally, it was the fringed version of the dress in the pattern that caught my attention...so swinging 60s!

Test garment complete and dress started

After completing the muslin for this dress, I got a bit side tracked a domestic project namely curtains, so progress has been a slow.

Here's what I learned from doing a muslin for the first time:-
- there's a great sense of freedom in cutting and making a muslin, knowing you won't make a mistake with  your precious fashion fabric
- as the dress is for someone else it give's you a great opportunity to try the garment and make any necessary adjustments
- as it's a vintage pattern, some aspects of the dressmaking is a little different, so the muslin gives you an opportunity to become familiar with the garment construction
- you don't have to bother with the time consuming finishing part of the dressmaking
- with this dress in particular, the waist is tiny and very nipped in, so some adjustment was required there
- the length was adjusted to around knee length

This is the selected fabric...it's 100% lightweight cotton.

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As the cotton is relatively sheer, there was some discussion about lining the dress, especially the skirt. However the wearer prefers not to have it lined making life easier for the sewer :).

I haven't posted a photograph of the muslin yet but might add one later - it's a little crumpled....

If you have expensive fabric and are a little uncertain about your pattern and fit, I'd certainly recommend a muslin (or test garment). It 's quicker than you think.Yes, it adds expense but I'd rather have problems with the cheaper muslin at $3/m. 

If you interested in more thoughts on this, the delightful Gertie has done a number of technical posts on her muslins - here's one.... 

Let me know what you think. Do you do one? Do you have a different approach?

Inspiration Board: Vintage Glamour 40s nightgown/evening gown

I've decided to create a series of inspiration boards for the vintage patterns

I feature on Esty. Firstly, I love inspiration boards - they give me a chance

to play with images and colour and I enjoy this. Secondly, I think it helps

visualise the look of the garment. It's not meant to be an actual representation

of the finished article but more a "look and feel. " For the source photographs

on the inspiration boards go to my Polyvore site.

Many of my vintage patterns are carefully selected for features that I like. 

At the moment I'm focussed on cocktail, evening wear and some lingerie. 

Key feature of this 1940s Advance pattern are:

- cross over or racer-style back

- cross over gathered bodice

- bias cut

While this is labelled as a nightgown pattern, it makes a wonderful option

for evening wear - something like this perhaps?

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Vintage McCall's 4475 dress

I've finally embarked on making my first genuine vintage pattern after banging on about them for sometime. So, I'm going out on a limb and will be posting about my progress as I go.

The pattern: 1950's McCall's 4475 dress. It has a gathered bodice (back and front). I'll be making version A which has a gathered skirt. As you can see from the pattern diagram, this gathering is at the front of the skirt.

The fabric: White Russian Floral cotton from here. As it's a lightweight cotton, I may have to find a solution to prevent the skirt from being too sheer.
The victim recipient: My sister (trusting girl)
The plan: I've carefully traced and refolded the pattern. I'm making adjustments to suit, specifically, lengthening the bodice, adding some more width to the sleeve for comfort and shortening the skirt to knee length. I'll make a muslin to check fit and go from there...wish me luck...

The pattern that started it all

I've love patterns, maps, recipes - they are always inspirational and filled with so much potential for clothes, travel and food.

Last year I started collecting vintage patterns and I confess it's has become a more than a little obsessive. It drives my better half spare! Here's the pattern that started it all. A Vogue Couturier Design by Ronald Paterson #100 from 1958. It has a barrel shaped skirt and overlapping released pleats at the right side of the front, joining the bodice at the waistline. there are released asymmetrical pleats at the douche front below a square neckline. The sleeves are three quarter length or short. I just love the elegance of the look. It probably has something to do with the model and her impossibly tiny waist (again!)

I've finally got myself a copy - obsessions pay off sometimes! Again no sense it this - it takes meters and meters of fabric plus petticoats. Being a Couturier Design I expect the pattern making to be challenging to say the least. Plus where would I wear it? Too the local shop perhaps? Ah well.....

It did prompt me to learn something about Ronald Paterson though. He was born in Scotland on 1917, trained in Paris and worked in London. He opened his Couture house in 1947, it closed in 1968 and gained a reputation for masterfully tailored clothes. Here's a couple of other examples of his designs. Very chic!

Does anyone else share my madness I wonder?

A word about Madame Weigel

With all the well known international patterns of Vogue, McCall and Butterick etc, it's surprising to know that there were local pattern makers in Australia. One of note was Johanna Wilhelmine (Madame) Weigel, who settled in Victoria while travelling on her honeymoon from New York with her husband Oscar. They started a fashion and pattern making business in 1877 which grew to an Australian and New Zealand wide business. Johanna background at McCalls (as a cutter) and Oscars engineering background provided them with the essential skills for the pattern making business.

They started monthly subscription journal, Weigel's Journal of Fashion, in 1880 which was claimed to be the first fashion magazine designed, published and printed in Australia. The impact of her patterns and journal was said to be considerable especially in country areas. They introduced the fashions of London, Paris and New York to Australia and made it possible for people with modest sewing skills and income to make fashionable clothing. They revolutionised the appearance of Australian's, especially women and children, enabling them to make attractive garments and affordable prices.

As her patterns can still be found in various places, they are made all the more interesting by the history of the Weigels and their contribution to fashion in Australia.

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Those nipped in waists of the 50s

Having watched my fair share of Mad Men while at sea and prompted by Jane's comment on my last post, I thought I would share some information I read on shapes and sizing in the 50s and 60s here in a newsletter.

In the 50s, the industry standard for measurements was a 10in (25cm) difference between the bust and waist. Which means if your bust is 36in, your waist measurement is 26in - hmmm, not so for women these days I think. In the 50s, girls as young as 15 started wearing girdles or waist cinchers (not shapewear - not enough support) so their waists were trained into shape - comfy!

Girdle front - source-

Girdle back -source-

Also longline bras would also help smooth out the bust to waist area.

Long line bra - source-

So if the shapes looked impossibly smooth and the waists impossible small, they were and helped by some serious undergarments.

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By the 1960s, women were moving away from wearing girdles at all times and styles moved away to a more relaxed waistline. Empire line, straight shift dress and looser styles in general, slowly reflecting the changes in times and attitudes.

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I don't know about you but I love the glamour of the 50s and the wearability of the 60s.

Also further to my last post on slip dresses, the VFG also has a great post on Slips. I'll update my last post with this link also.

Slip dresses

When I think of slips, I think of Elizabeth Taylor in the silk slips in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Butterfield 8 (1960). In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof she plays the neglected wife of Paul Newman in the Tennessee Williams play. She looked stunning in a white slip in one scene.

She won an Oscar for playing Gloria in Butterfield 8 in 1960, playing a model come call girl who has an affair with a married socialite. Once again, stunning in a slip.

The slip became popular as outerwear, and copied by designers such as John Galliano, who even dressed Princess Diana in a slip dress. 

If you're a fan of this delicate and sexy look, you can reproduce it with lingerie patterns from the 1950s and 60s like this one.....

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The Vintage Fashion Guild also has a nice article on slips which you can read here. 

Scarlett O'Hara - Prayer Dress (white ruffle dress)

I've always loved Gone with the Wind. Scarlett, Rhett, the Civil War and the sweeping melodrama of it all. Very recently a Hollywood pattern of the white prayer dress Scarlett wears in the opening scene was for sale on an auction site.

The dress itself on the pattern didn't look too special to me (too many tiers) but when you see it in the movie pics it looks divine. The delicate ruffles and the red accents - so pretty on Vivien Leigh.

The costumes were designed by Walter Plunkett who was an expert in period costumes and also was the designer for films like Little Women, Father of the Bride, Kiss Me Kate, Showboat and many others. From what I can gather the dress needs over 30 meters of white cotton and the hem circumference is over 6 meters! Each tier is trimmed with lace, the bodice is boned and the dress requires hoops. Wow, a labour of love I would say.

I kept a eye on the pattern and did a bit of research, toying with the idea of bidding for sentimental reasons. Two things surprised me:-
1. The pattern ended up selling for around $100!
and 2. The number of people making, selling, wearing reproduction dress from the movie. Here's a sample

I had no idea of the ongoing popularity of the film or the costumes. But it's fun seeing the time and commitment people make to reproducing these costumes.

Vintage Vogue Couturier - Jacques Heim

I'm already planning the sewing projects I intend to do when I get back. I want them to be a mix of things I can sew quickly and wear (eg. Japanese patterns) and more complicated projects that will improve my sewing skills and knowledge. I know I have heaps to learn.

As for the quick sews projects, I haven't decided yet but I'm focussed on planning which "complicated" project I should tackle first. And these are the projects where I'm going to need help.

One dress I do want to try is a Vintage Vogue Paris Original Pattern, Couturier Dress by Jacques Heim - 1047. I seen it made up here and I really liked the clean elegant look. Plus I think it's a flattering style and I'm going to make the sleeveless version. Not sure where I would wear it at the moment but hey.....

Here's the fabric that I've chosen...a cotton elastine...it's not quite a busy as it looks in the photo.

Here are my random thoughts so far...

• the pattern size is one size too big and will have to be graded down. I've never done this before.
• I've decided to make a toile to make sure I get the right fit. Never done this before either but I bought meters of muslin for the purpose:)
• This will be the first vintage Couturier pattern I've used so I'm not sure what to expect. There are not too many pattern pieces so this is encouraging. I haven't had a chance to read the instructions yet either.

So I have some questions....

1. Should I cut the pattern as the pattern size then adjust the sizing in the toile based on fit?
2. Has anyone used a vintage Couturier pattern - if so, any tips?