I love vintage patterns! A while ago a very generous friend gave me a sizeable collection of these vintage Marion pattern booklets ranging from 1950 to 1974. How fun are the cover illustrations on these issues from 1971? The booklets all have the original pattern sheets, too! There are so many gorgeous designs, I just wish I had the time to make a few of them. That always seems to be my problem (and I’m sure I’m not the only one!) There are so many things I want to make and so many things I want to try, but finding the time is really difficult.
When I finally make some time to try one of these patterns, the next challenge will be understanding them! I am finding all those intersecting lines on the pattern sheets quite intimidating. Also, as you may have noticed, the magazines are not in English and I don’t speak Dutch! Thank goodness for Google Translate.
I have also borrowed a few vintage pattens from my lovely mother and my lovely mother-in-law. I really need to get around to making these patterns so I can give them back. I have had them for ages! Sorry Mum and Mum-in-law! The thing is, I’m not always very good at following patterns, I tend to tweak and change things a bit. I like pattern making and I’m ridiculously perfectionistic so usually I just can’t help but change a seam line here and there! But sometimes it’s relaxing to just follow a pattern as it is without fussing around with time consuming changes.
I did actually make a sleeveless, knee length version of the dress on the left for my sister in law when she was pregnant with her first child. It’s a great design in that it’s not really a maternity dress, but because of the gathers at the front it works as one. I would love to make one for myself, too (I am not pregnant though!) I also made the dress on the far right, but I was naughty and rushed it and used a fabric that wasn’t really appropriate for the design so I wasn’t happy with the result. I only wore it once and couldn’t get over its imperfections. I would like to redeem myself and make it again, this time taking the time to do it properly.
I find it really refreshing and inspiring to look at patterns and designs from generations ago. Even though I don’t know when I’ll get time to sew up any of these vintage patterns, I still just love perusing them while enjoying a quiet coffee.
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So do I! I have some original pattern boohlets of the 30s, 40s and 50s (in German).
What strikes me is how the cuts were different, where the darts were placed for instance, or the different concept of sleeves making.